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MI, USA
Posted: 4/15/2025 8:57:23 AM EDT
| So I've been smoking cigars for the better part of 20 years, and I have kicked around the idea of trying a pipe. Nobody in my circle smokes a pipe, and I'm not sure where to begin. What should I look for when buying a pipe? What do I need other than a pipe and tobacco for it? What blends are best? |
Iraq 2008-2010
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I dabbled, have a decent amount of pipe tobacco, and a handful of pipes. Being long time cigar smoker, pipes are a pain in the ass. The tobacco is often times weird tasting because of all the shit added to it. In looking for something I likes, I ultimately made my own plugs from bulk leaves. I liked that best but to me the experience wasn’t worth the learning curve and finicky nature of pipes. It was a big meh to me because I like tobacco flavored tobacco, not weird sugary fruit or perfumed tobacco. |
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I don't smoke as much these days since my stent but my favorite pipe came from here: https://vinlandpipes.com/available-pipes My favorite tobacco is a local blend called Lazy Edna. |
Best Guntech, Daddy, King of all the wild things.
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Feb 2025
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IA, USA
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Son-In-Law took up pipe smoking, so, I kept an eye out for pipes at the flea market. A buck here and a buck there got me some pretty darn decent pipes. Petersens, Savinelli and Kaywoodie turn up regularly. There's a whole rabbit hole to disappear down with regard to restoring estate pipes. Dr Grabow is still in business making pipes in North Carolina. Very modest quality, but, hey, made in USA. There's no end to videos on YouTube that will have your head spinning on all the different tobaccos. You'll learn terms like "Codger Blends", the tobacco our grandfathers and uncles smoked. Videos will also help figure out how to pack and light a pipe, and keep it going. It's an acquired skill. I watched a video that showed the effort involved in planting, growing, harvesting, and drying tobacco. Then on to blending for pipe smoking. I came away no longer questioning the cost to purchase an ounce or so. Good luck and have fun! |
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Most tobacco shops will let you sample their pipe baccy blends. Failing that, at least open the jar and take a whiff. Find what you like and don't be afraid to mix and match on your own. I think I've bought tinned baccy once; I like to sample what I'm getting first. Regarding the pipe itself, look for a cheap one on fleabay, flea market, etc... You can always get a fancier one later. As for the style, that's all preference. I prefer a deep bowl: you can pack a little bit or a lotta bit. Rhodesian Bulldog style pipes are really handy. Watch out for metal inserts in the stem/shank: they will make condensation an issue, and pipe liquor does not have a pleasant taste should it be allowed to build up.  I like to let my baccy dry out. It lights easier, burns more completely and there's less buildup to clean. If you have a humidor, you can store pipe tobacco in that if the space is available and you want it moist. As for cleaning, I'll scrape the bowl with a Czech Tool, wipe it out with a paper towel, and put it in a padded vice so alcohol can sit for awhile to draw out the tobacco oils. Use a 60mL syringe to meter in the alcohol. For the stem, take it out and wipe off what you can with a rag or paper towel, run pipe cleaner through the bore, reassemble with the bowl and give the whole thing the alcohol treatment. Obsidian oil will keep the stem looking good. Pure tung oil is food safe- or at least safe enough for this application- and can be applied to the outside of the bowl. Avoid any tung oil derivatives as they can be quite toxic. Mineral oil is another option, but it is a non-drying oil and will need to be applied far more often. The hardest thing to learn about pipe smoking is properly packing the bowl so the baccy lights easily and stays lit. Not complicated, but you'll learn it on your own. A cigar torch is handy when trying to light in anything more than a gentle breeze. So, the minimum for equipment: pipe, lighter (Bic, cigar torch, Zippo with an insert, whatever) or matches, Czech Tool, pipe cleaners, and baccy. You can get a tobacco pouch, but I just leave mine in zip locks. I do have a nice canvas travel pouch for the whole get up. |
"What is socialism? The most difficult and tortuous way to progress from capitalism to capitalism." -Stated at an intel conference, East Berlin, Oct. 1988
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
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IL, USA
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Originally Posted By medicmandan: I don't smoke as much these days since my stent but my favorite pipe came from here: https://vinlandpipes.com/available-pipes My favorite tobacco is a local blend called Lazy Edna. I'm in the same boat, sadly. @dk-prof is your site up to date? I'm looking for presents for two of my close friends for Christmas. |
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Originally Posted By scuba_steve: I'm in the same boat, sadly. @dk-prof is your site up to date? I'm looking for presents for two of my close friends for Christmas. Originally Posted By scuba_steve: Originally Posted By medicmandan: I don't smoke as much these days since my stent but my favorite pipe came from here: https://vinlandpipes.com/available-pipes My favorite tobacco is a local blend called Lazy Edna. I'm in the same boat, sadly. @dk-prof is your site up to date? I'm looking for presents for two of my close friends for Christmas. @scuba_steve Sorry I didn't reply sooner. It should be up to date - except No. 127 has been sold. I need to update that! If there's something in particular you'd like, I should have the wood to make you something specific (if there's a sold pipe that you really like). Just shoot me an IM. 
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“A real man does not think of victory or defeat. He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death. By doing this, you will awaken from your dreams.” -- Tsunetomo Yamamoto
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I am a long-time cigar smoker and started smoking pipes about two years ago. The first pipe was a plain Morgan bones pipe. I am lucky to have a reputable brick-and-mortar store 20 minutes away that mixes their own blends and also sells Savinelli, Peterson, and other quality pipes. I watched videos, taught myself how to load a pipe so it is not a chore to smoke. I really like it and split my smoking time 50-50 between pipes and cigars. I don't smoke any flavored tobaccos. I like Virginia Flake, their house Balkan Latakia mix, and a few others. I own three pipes now - a Savinelli with a 6mm filter insert, a Peterson system pipe and thinking of picking up a Meerschaum pipe next. |
IDF, A.A. 215, "Scorpion" Company. 1993-1996