This is a pipe smoking zone

[alden]

Here are a few tips on good Lake country flakes to get you started:

Gawith & Hoggarth

Bright CR Flake, Brown Flake, Broken Flake #7, Bob's Flake Choc, Curly Cut

Samuel Gawith

Full Virginia Flake, Firedance Flake

That should get you started.

Cheers

[sasha]

Hi everybody, quite pleasant to find such a section in this forum. I'm an avid pipesmoker too, I own about 100 pipes, mostly British and Italian ones. I usually smoke english mixtures and straight Virginias, but recently I've discovered some American made Burleys that are worth a try, made by Pipeworks&Wilke (they do some excellent english blends too) and LJ Peretti (fine english mixtures here too). Even G.L.Pease has a great skill at blending, english mixtures above all.

http://www.vtpipes.com/
http://www.ljperetti.com/
http://www.glpease.com/

and this is a pretty interesting forum about pipesmoking:

http://www.smokersforums.org/index.php?page=home

Have fun


Sasha

[renoles]

Semi-avid pipe smoker here. I rotate on a seasonal basis - cigars in Spring and Summer, pipes in Autumn and Winter. I've been bitten by a rather serious bug into collecting bulldog shaped pipes and very serious English style tobaccos.

Sasha - from Peretti have you sampled 7485? A friend introduced me to it and set quite a hook.

[sas01]

I've just got my first pipe, a nice briar one and it's lovely! Definetly sets me apart from the cigarette crowd!

[troutonthefly]

I tend to pick up a pipe during the week when a hour and a half for a cigar is hard to find. My rotation consists of a Savinelli, a Nording, a Peterson and my father's old Meerschaum, with a Kendall Cream flake my current tobacco of choice.
I've noticed it seems to taste better on the bank of my favorite trout stream as I rest my casting arm.
Best,
Trout

[NicolausN]

OK, so here's a question for the pipe thread.

I've just started my journey into the world of pipe smoking and have two questions:
1) What's the best way to store pipe tobacco?
2) If my pipe goes out, should I remove the smoked tobacco from the top before relighting? I ask because I have not, yet when I think that pipe is smoked through it never is (usually about half a bowl left!).

Thank you in advance for your advice.

[storeynicholas]

To store pipe tobacco, I find it useful to put tonga beans in amongst it in a sealed jar.
Lighting and keeping a pipe going is an art. But, unlike some arts, it can be learned with patience. Remember to tamp it down and not let the top burn too brightly and suddenly. Best also to keep in mind that, if 'a woman's only a woman and a good cigar is a smoke' a pipe smoke is like a smouldering woman who doesn't want you to rush her. You must learn, also, that every pipe has its own character and draw and so you have to adjust to its idiosyncracies. Light tobaccos burn fast and bright and darker tend to be slower. Apart from that, persevere because, although a supreme cigar may be the best smoke on earth, a good pipe smoke is not far behind - especially since the EU deprived us of Sullivan Powell's Oriental sub rosa cigarettes...............b******s.
NJS

[NicolausN]

that's a nice way to put it. I've been experimenting with my pipe and getting the pack, light, and smoking just right. I think I'm on to it, though, as yesterday's smoke was the first without any sort of bite I've ever had. I'll start tamping down my tobacco between lights and see what that does.

As for the beans, I'll put some research into them. The day I posted last I had the brilliant idea of a glass canning jar and I've been thinking about putting some sort of humidifying apparatus (like a sponge) on the top.

Thank you for your advice!

[storeynicholas]

Good tobacconists stock the beans (which I misspelt above it's TONKA beans) and they are excellent for storage of both pipe tobacco and snuff.
NJS

[ethandesu]

I've been smoking pipes for the last eight years and prefer them to a cigar most days, and I steer very clear of cigarettes. I've bought Petersen and Comoy in the past, for sentimental reasons, but have found Stanwell to make a great pipe if you want to smoke it on the move, which I usually do.
Pipe tobaccos in Australia are few and far between, but I bought Savinelli Armonia when in Milan and love it. I also got a great tobacco in Paris a few years back, I think it was called Kentucky Bird - if you ever come across it give it a try, I haven't been able to find any on my more recent trips.

I have always noticed that the social morality police look at me like the devil incarnate if I smoke a cigarillo or cigar in a park or open cafe, but never had this problem with my pipe, which most people view with some romance. But recently even smoking a pipe in a discreet place can ellicit evil looks and snide comments from the more socially responsible - is this just a phenomenon in Sydney city, or is it like this everywhere?

[JAS]

Sir, I will simply say that the zealots are out in full force here in the states. To go into any more detail would cause me undue stress. Enjoy your café smoke whilst you can!

Might I ask/suggest, for those who are so inclined, maybe a photo of a favourite pipe?

JAS

[Cordovan]

Might I ask/suggest, for those who are so inclined, maybe a photo of a favourite pipe?

Seconded.

Also, what are everyone's thoughts on a reasonabley priced starter pipe. A short time ago, I was speaking with a rather knowledgeable salesman at a smoke shop and discovered that there is quite a bit that goes into selecting the right pipe.

Any suggestions from seasoned veterans for fresh novice?

Thank you.

Cordovan

[Cyclo2000]

Although the largest producers of tobacco pipes are Dutch, to wit, the Royal Dutch Pipe Factory, who produce the Big Ben range and the exclusive Porsche range of pipes, and although both the Baltic and Scandinavian countries and of course Italy possess several artisan makers of usually freehand pipe styles,the most famous and important makers are predominately English.

In is incontraventical that of these the most famous is Dunhill. Indeed the Dunhill pattern book is the well spring from which all other commercial manufacturers draw standard pipe sizes and shapes. This does not mean that Dunhill is universally accepted as the best maker. At various times over the last hundred years, the title of best has rested upon Charatan, Ashton, Dunhill and more recently James Upshall. It is a truism that 70s and 60s Dunhills are considered better than the more modern versions - this opinion being based on the supposed quality of the briar.

Dunhills more exclusive pipes are reputedly carved by Barry Jones of James Upshall (or were until recently - I am told that he has finally retired).

Of my own pipes my favourite is my Dunhill Chestnut, an unusual quarter bent Diplomat Group 4-5. A late 70's model bought from Herbert Love in Glasgow, it smokes even more beautifully than my Upshall Freehand. I feel bound to point out that my most beautiful pipe is a freehand Comoy, an XL Lovat with amber Lucite mouthpiece.

To my mind, the single best web based shop and resource is James Barber & Sons, at
http://www.smoke.co.uk

Barber's B-line range of pipes represent very good value for money, being well made and reasonably priced. I'd recomend his Old Judge mixture as a reasonable starting point for pipe tobacco as it smokes cool yet retains a pleasant room fragrance.

Enjoy your smoke!

[dopey]

I am posting to bump this thread, but also to point out that the great artisinal pipe making countries certainly are not limited to England and Italy. Both the U.S. and Germany have great pipemakers and, if you were to try to name an individual carver who has had the greatest influence on the craft in the last 50 years, you would likely choose a Dane.

That said, my personal preference is for the classic English shapes, and some of the best blasted pipes, if you like that sort of thing, come from the U.S.

[alden]

my personal preference is for the classic English shapes

What shapes are your favorites? And do you smoke different tobaccos in different shapes...a bit like Riedel glasses for wine.

I am glad to see this thread renewed as Fall approaches all too slowly.

Summertime is cigar smoking on the veranda, time to get the pipes out. Only one thing has changed since 2005 when I made this first post, I have trouble smoking the heavier blends, aging is wonderful Have any of you found a nice light blend or flake (like the CR Flake) that also have good taste?

Cheers

Michael