My first pipe

[Subtilo]

when you ever get around to baccys from Rattray's, eks. Red Rapparee/ Marlin flake and the the 7 Reserve....then pl. think of me! they werent stronge baccys, but such goooood baccys!

The Rattray's line is absolutely delicious! RR, MF, OG, HOtW, BM ... just yummy! I don't care if everything else is discontinued - just as long as I can still get some Rattray's.

[PipenSnus]

I can totally pull off the corncob look. I really need a wizard pipe though :lol:

Here's your wizard pipe, but it's a bit pricey. The "Gandalf" from Vauen's Lord of the Rings collection: http://www.pipe-shop.net/Shop/cgi-bi...t=tobacco_pipe

Very nice Bjarne freehand, sagedil! I've got a couple of those myself, as well as some traditional-shaped Bjarnes. They're great smokers.

A couple other ideas on where to find inexpensive briar pipes: most B&M tobacconists that cater to pipe smokers usually have a basket or something similar next to the cash register, filled with very inexpensive starter briars. Those "basket pipes" may be great smokers or not, but they're just fine for newbies on a low budget.

eBay is another good place to shop for inexpensive estate (i.e., used) pipes. Check out the eBay sellers irishlefty and pipestud. They're both real gentlemen who will treat you right.

irishlefty doesn't always have auctions listed, but when he does, they're all inexpensive estate pipes he's lovingly restored. A lot of Dr. Graybows, Kaywoodies, and the like that you can pick up for around $10-$15 apiece.

pipestud does consignment sales for pipers looking to thin out their huge collections. His pipes range from the very inexpensive to rare collector's items. He often offers a package deal of several inexpensive pipes sold together for one low price, anywhere from 3 to 20 pipes. It's a good way to build a collection fast and cheaply. And it's a good idea to own at least 7 briars, one for each day of the week, as briar pipes need to rest between smokes if you want them to last.

If you absolutely have to have a new, unsmoked briar, check out the Bjarne Vikings. They're Bjarne's economy line, and most can be had for $40-$60. But they're made to the same exacting standards as the more expensive Bjarnes. Bjarne Nielsen's philosophy, rest his soul, was to offer quality pipes to fit anyone's budget. But make sure you read up on how to break in a new briar properly before you buy one.

[The Great Dane]

"every time i smoke my pipe it always goes out and i cant seem to get it packed right so it just sits on the table been there for months now"

Wich kind of baccy do you smoke: flake/mixture etc.?

if its a mixture, try packing it like this:

1/3: child finger (loos stomped) next 1/3 a womans finger (medium loos) next 1/3 a mans finger (hard)


you should be able to suck air through the pipe after that!

then put fire over the whole surface - stomp it a bit so it get a crumbeld surface and then lit it again!

that should do the trick...if you allready do that today...tjeck the pipes air "tunnel" bad pipes can make a smoke rather hard to smoke!

hope it can help you a little!

it always take a bit of practice to keep a pipe going all the way to the bottom, there are contests where ppl try to smoke a bowl frome top to bottom without it going out!

[Deke]

Sorry if this is seen as a hijack - if so let me know and I'll start a new thread.

After a short holiday (both from work and the net), I thought I'd drop back in here to see what folks were saying about pipes. While back in the UK, I asked the parents in law if I could have one of the ones from their collection that they weren't displaying, and they agreed (though I think because they thought I just wanted to collect them).

Anyway, here's me with a briar of some kind. You guys are, as always, great with info for newbies! I can still only get two flavours of snus over here (should have thought to order some in the UK but was busy chilling out and catching up with old friends), and I'm thinking a pipe bowl or two a day might help with stress.

Which leads to a question - anyone care to comment on dealing with stress by sipping on a pipe rather than going back to cigs (which I am NOT going to do!)?

D.

[Langdell]

Which leads to a question - anyone care to comment on dealing with stress by sipping on a pipe rather than going back to cigs (which I am NOT going to do!)?

Well, here's my comment. I think a peaceful, contemplative smoke on a pipe is a much better stress reliever than a frantic 5 minutes of inhaling cigarette smoke. It's not just about the nic fix; there's also the slow savoring of a truly flavorful smoke. Not to mention that pipe smoking is much less detrimental to your health than cigarette smoking. (Anecdotal evidence: I've been smoking pipes daily for over 20 years, and fairly heavily before discovering snus. Recently had a physical in which everything checked out excellently, including lung and heart function, which I doubt would have been the case if I'd been smoking cigs for 20+ years.)

One thing I'll mention, though. It takse most people a while to get the hang of smoking a pipe. So don't get discouraged or frustrated if your first few smokes are less than relaxing. Beginners often struggle with the balance between keeping the pipe lit and letting it smoke too hot (which makes for "tongue bite" and little flavor). It will come with a little practice.