My first pipe

[sagedil]

Cobbs are a cheap way to get back into it. But I still say nothing is better than a good briar.

I just think a pipe is the perfect addition to my snus world. So give ity another go, you might be surprised just how much you like it now.

[PsychoHazard]

LOL, I can't tell you how much it pleases me to hear that. :wink:


Good first start on the tobacco. Now, go to smokers forums, register, and start reading the New Smoker's section. Will make your life SO much easier. Plus, check out their classified section, many, many great pipes for not much money. I just bought one of the two best pipes I own for $25. Have already bought 4 pipes from there, extremely pleased with all of them.

http://www.smokersforums.co.uk/

btw, if you do register, also go over to the introductions section and introduce yourself, tell them that it was my fault too. :wink:

I've registered, just waiting for the mods to activate my account.

[sagedil]

And I already responded to your first post there. Thank you btw. :wink:

[cobrageezer]

A recomendation, if you enjoyed On the Town give Grey Havens a try. Very pleasant smoke IMO.

[sagedil]

I have added it to my Tobaccos To Try spreadsheet

[justintempler]

Thought this may be of interest.
Stolen from: http://tobaccoreporter.com/home.php?...ticle_id=10676

....What is it about pipes that make them so appealing? And why is it that that appeal is not translated into rising sales of pipe tobacco?

There are a number of obvious reasons, I think. There is a capital expenditure to make before you can start smoking pipe tobacco, which is not the case with most other forms of tobacco consumption. There is the difficulty of carrying your pipe, along with its tobacco and accessories. And there is your partner, who, unless she (I think it is fairly safe to assume that most pipe smokers are men) suffers from anosmia, is unlikely to appreciate your pipe’s being within a kilometer of the house.

There is also the allied problem that pipe smoking is a skill that needs to be learned. And as is the case with all things that need to be learned, it’s best if there’s a teacher somewhere around. But herein lies the difficulty. In most markets, pipe smoking has been in decline for years, and so the number of skilled pipe smokers, or “teachers,” has fallen. Fewer teachers mean fewer students, and fewer students mean fewer teachers. So the spiral of decline continues.

LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS. At this point, let me introduce to those readers unaware of it Orlik Nobel’s My Own Blend concept that it operates in Denmark as a way of communicating with adult pipe (and cigar) smokers on what is otherwise a dark market. In a country that does not have the tobacconist chains familiar in some other countries, Orlik Nobel has cleverly crafted a form of chain, not through ownership, but by providing support to a number of independent tobacconists.

Don’t get me wrong, this is not an idea that is going to usher in a pipe-smoking renaissance. It is not even a new idea. My Own Blend has been in existence since 1939, though it has been greatly expanded during the past 15 years. Importantly, though, it is a new take on an old idea that at least is trying to reintroduce to the smoking habit some of the elegance that much of the tobacco industry seems to have mislaid somewhere along the way.

Orlik Nobel’s managing director, Lars Kornbech, told me that 124 of the 125 most interesting tobacconists in Denmark were part of the My Own Blend “franchise,” under which the staff at these outlets are trained to become ambassadors for pipe tobacco, cigars and accessories.

The system operates at two levels, the first of which is basically a branding exercise for the pipe tobacco, long-filler cigars and accessories on offer under the My Own Blend name.

But at the other level, pipe smokers may have blends tailored to their particular tastes. As already stated, this is not a new idea and many readers, especially the older ones, will be familiar with tobacconists weighing out portions of different tobacco to a customer’s order.

The My Own Blend system, however, acknowledges that the realities of the 21st century—the relatively small number of pipe smokers and the costs of employing staff, for instance—do not allow many tobacconists to keep jars of tobacco on hand on the off chance that old Jack might turn up for his weekly purchase of 25 g of tobacco and a chat about the weather. So it provides for the pipe smoker to go into any My Own Blend franchise to discuss his particular requirements with a trained tobacconist, who then relays the information to one of two master blenders—both My Own Blend tobacconists in their own right.

The smoker’s requirements are interpreted by the master blender and, within a week, the smoker may return to the outlet, which probably sells as well products such as fine whiskies, wines and other luxury items, and pick up his own tobacco blend. Further orders of his blend may then be made at any of the 124 franchises for delivery within a week.

The smoker’s personal blend of tobacco will be contained in a beautiful, tactile tin with a paper label bearing his name. At which point, the smoker only has to go home, hang a “Do not disturb” sign on his door, and then take his time filling his pipe while contemplating all of those jobs around the house that he is avoiding.

“This [the My Own Blend concept] is very nice,” said Kornbech. “It creates a lot of positive stories about pipe smoking. Pipe smokers, like cigar aficionados, enjoy talking about their tobaccos: where they’re from, the blending of them ... Pipes are very close to our hearts, so we must pass on our passion to consumers.”

It certainly has created a lot of stories—more than 40,000 pipe smokers have had personal blends developed over the years, and about 5,000 of those are still active. But such stories come at a cost. Orlik Nobel regularly conducts essential training seminars for new tobacconist staff, and every year it takes a training tour around the country to host dinners and evening events at which more advanced training is available, and at which the various attendees may exchange ideas and views.

And let’s not get carried away. The smoker behind the door marked “Do not disturb” is in the minority. The Danish market for pipe tobacco is gradually concentrating on three major brands. The first, Red Orlik, which is made from naturally sweet Virginia tobaccos and presented as a cut flake, commands about 20 percent of the Danish market for pipe tobacco. The other two are Sweet Dublin, another Orlik brand, and Mac Baren Mixture, which is from the Mac Baren stable....

[taketwoaspirin]

Thanks for starting this one off Sage, it's tempting me back into the fold...

I smoked a pipe for a couple of years when I was at sea, and loved it (although I had to learn the technique the hard way, lol!)

When I get home I'm gonna go digging around for my old pipes; I had three briars: 2 cheap "basket" pipes and one rather nice Peterson which I just loved polishing and cleaning!

[sagedil]

You just know that Peterson is just waiting to be smoked. Please, at least do that much, then tell me what you think.

And if you decide that pipes really aren't for you any more, than you and I really need to talk about that Peterson. :wink:

[PsychoHazard]

Yesterday I discovered that one of the local smoke shops is actually a tobacconist. I picked up a Father & Son churchwarden along with 1 oz of black cavendish and 2 oz of their in-house "smokeshop" blend.

I also discovered that they carry the american snuffs, along with Wilson's, Toque, and Poschl, plus they are carrying General and Thunder snus. They're also open to suggestions for new products to carry, so I'm going to bring some of my snus and snuff down for them to sample. They don't have everything I'm looking for, but no single shop ever does.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with them. I think I'm going to wander over there this afternoon and pick up another pipe and some more tobacco.

[sagedil]

I too have discovered that my local tobacconist is very cool. Can often find tins of tobacco that have already aged a few years. So am now making a point of stopping in at least oince a month. I will soon be up to 7 Briars, so ALL my excess money is going into tobacco now.

I am glad you are enjoying it so much PsychoHazard

[RobME]

Cobbs are a cheap way to get back into it. But I still say nothing is better than a good briar.

Yes that may be true but... you don't have enough experience to say that. So I have to call you on that buddy, :wink: you're just echoing some other folks 'thoughts' that you picked-up along the way.

Now I don't have the greatest amount of pipe-smoking experience either. Never did get my dream of a Jess Chonowitsch pipe, or an S. Bang pipe, and I haven't smoked any Dunhills either, but imho (from what I've read) these ultra high grade pipes are about the best there is (yes I know there are many others), but a few of these mythical pipes were my own grails back in the day.

Not my day anymore as far as pipes go... it's yours Sage. So please don't be so quick to dismiss Cobbs. They can be absolutely great in a different way; Much in the same way that the same tobacco can be a different smoke through different but equally great briars.

Here's a few of my own...

A nice size Dragon Meerschaum (pic when new, but it's been smoked a few times since)


My first briar - an Ascorti - v.good pipe, I wouldn't say great


Three of my better pipes, upper left 1996 Savinelli Collection, middle 1997 Savinelli Collection, lower right Ser Jacopo straight grain Fatta a Mano L2 - these are all great pipes, not world class.


I have a few others some OK, some v.good about a dozen in all - I'll be selling 'em soon on ebay or wherever. along with some really nice!!! aged select tobacco.

Later & regards,
Rob

[sagedil]

LOL, fair enough, perhaps my words were not as well chosen as they should have been. Still, there are certain tobaccos that I feel are truly only best enjoyed through a briar. For me, at least, most English blends would fall in the category. I don't like them in my Meerschaum either. There is just a certain taste that the Briar adds.

Currently, Savinellis are my favorite pipe. Perhaps if I could afford some "better" pipes, I might say differently, but the quality of the smoke for the dollar spent just can't be beat.

I am up to about 9 briar and 2 meerschaum pipes now, so all my remaining money for a while is being invested in tobacco. When you finally are ready to sell, please do me a favor and PM me a price for the tobacco you are selling. If money situation is OK then, I might be very interested in at least taking that off your hands.

[Rambler]

I love pipe smoking. My favorite tobaccos are Boswell Blends. Go to Tobaccoreviews.com and check them out.

The other thing i love about pipe smoking is the pipes themselves. I own a Neerup Selection 22, a ligne Bretagne Goblin Fang, and a Boswell Wizard.

Pipes art an intimate artform. A pleasure to hold, look at, and smoke.

[sagedil]

Rambler, I saw in another post you made that you were a pipe smoker too. Glad to have you with us. Am hoping to grow a critical mass of folks here who snus and smoke a pipe, much as we did with snuff last year.

Curious, do you participate at Smokers Forums as well?? There are a few of us from here there too. I play a snus expert there. :lol:

Love tobaccoreviews, found it through SF when I first started a few months ago. Don't take it as Gospel, but was really useful when I was first blindly trying tobaccos.

My current favorites are British Woods, Frog Morten on the Town, Samuel Gawth Black XX, and any really good Virgina blend, currently smoking Mcleands Virginia #22.

I am currently spending every last available dime on tobacco to put away to age. My goal is to build up a 10 year supply as fast as possible, already have close to a year's supply out away in less than 3 months of smoking.

[Rambler]

Sage, i havent checked out the smokers forum I need to. From your recommendation it sounds like a great resource.

I started smoking a pipe becuase I am a woodworker and always admired the wood itslef used to make pipes So i figured a good reason to finally get a art work pipe of my own was to start smoking a pipe!!!

Here is my collection

Talbert Ligne Bretagne Goblin Fang


Neerup Selection 22


Boswell Wizard


And the list continues

My favorite tobacoos are:

CD Cross Eyed Cricket
Boswell Christmas Cookie
Old Virginia Tobacco Gettysburg