My first pipe

[Wardjrz]

I bought my first pipe this morning.

This has come about because of a few things:
I smoke outside as my wife doesn't smoke and I don't want the house to smell and fitting in a good cigar in winter isn't easy.
Last year I found that I sometimes went weeks between smokes because of the weather - I didn't miss the nicotine just the opportunity to step out of the real world and into my own for a bit.
I figured that a pipe takes 10-15 mins per fill and that I should be able to fit a few extra smokes in even in cold weather.

After about a month of persuading I finally got agreement, well my wife finally gave up saying no, to buying a pipe.

I live near to Leeds so went to Greens (smoke king on the web).

Before today I had done quite a bit of online looking around at different sizes and prices and went for a small, quite cheap, Dr Plumb dinky bent 9mm. I decided I wanted a pipe that had a replaceable filter rather than a cheaper metal washable one after doing a bit of tinternet research.
I also didn't want to commit too much money in case I didn't like it.

I bought 4 X 5g samples after reading tobacco reviews on here:

Peterson Sherlock Holmes
Peterson Nutty Cut
Dunhill Early Morning and
McLintock Black Cherry

I spent about half an hour in the shop in total chatting and making my purchase. I was a bit nervous as I didn't want to appear like a newbie but I needn't have been - they were very helpful. I was also gifted a cigar whilst I was there but I'll post about that in the NC threads when I get round to taking a photo of it.

I've spent about a week's worth of cigar money on my pipe, cleaners, filters, pipe tool and tobacco so not too much to lose if I fall out with it.

My first thoughts are that it is a bit fiddly but I think we are going to get on fine. I had more success the first time than second but then I think I had a bit of confidence so was probably a bit less careful to follow the instruction sheet I got for filling, tamping and lighting the pipe.
So far I have tried the Sherlock Holmes and the Black Cherry.

I preferred the Sherlock Holmes to the The Black Cherry and can't wait until tomorrow when I try the other two. The number of tobacco's is amazing it will take ages to work through to find my real favourites but I will be going for a tin of Sherlock Holmes definitely.

[Sludgie]

Glad to see you've joined the pipe gang! If we should meet up for another herf in the near future, I can always give you a hand. I'll bring one of my pipes along too.

[Pipe Dude]

Welcome to the gang Throw the filter away or at least try a smoke with and without once you've got the hang of it. You shouldn't be inhaling anyway so it only blocks the full taste of the baccy.

[Wardjrz]

Glad to see you've joined the pipe gang! If we should meet up for another herf in the near future, I can always give you a hand. I'll bring one of my pipes along too.

Hi Nick, I'd like to meet up again. Maybe with a few of the other Yorkies.


Pipe Dude - I'll keep the filter for now and then when I'm a bit more experienced get rid.

[Eddie]

A filter in a pipe would be a deal breaker. If you smoke a bowl a day or every other day all it would do is to mess up the air flow etc. If you smoke continuously then there may be a health benefit, but at that rate the filter's would cost you a fortune. You do realise that the filter should be replaced every bowl?

[Smallclub]

A filter in a pipe would be a deal breaker. If you smoke a bowl a day or every other day all it would do is to mess up the air flow etc.

I don't understand why the cheap pipes made in England and in France are still fitted with these terrible metal filters. In France most smokers throw them away, and, AFAIK, very few people use the 6mm balsa filter of Savinelli pipes.
(the 9 mm filter is mainly a german thing).

btw, high end pipes never come with a filter!

[Wardjrz]

I didn't realise that the filter should be replaced for each bowl.

I'll give it a try without - I didn't go for the filter for health reasons, I don't think I'll use it enough. Just like Cigars I doubt that the pipe will become a dailly smoke for me.

The main reason I added the filter was to avoid spit gathering in the bowl. I didn't fancy the gurgle that I remember coming from my Grandad's. I also thought that it would make cleaning easier. I did read that fine tobacco's can come up the pipe without a filter but that didn't worry me so much.

Thanks for the info.

[Puff Scotty]

I like this thread...two things I've learnt..

My old pipe hasn't got a filter .....didn't even know pipes had them & I certainly don't want one &
You can get sample size baccy on line..so thanks Wardjrz....

[H4rty82]

I was given a pipe for my 30th this year and its been great trying the different tobaccos out there especially with the weather turning there's not time to enjoy a cigar.

My last order from smokeking was for 14 samples and what's surprised me was the ones I thought I would enjoy (based on what I like) we're a disappointment yet the ones I picked for no real reason have been great!

There's certainly loads out there to try.

[Wardjrz]

I like this thread...two things I've learnt..

My old pipe hasn't got a filter .....didn't even know pipes had them & I certainly don't want one &
You can get sample size baccy on line..so thanks Wardjrz....

No worries scotty. Glad to have helped.

I was amazed at just how many there were. The shop was like one of those old fashioned sweet shops with loads of jars of sweets that you could get weighed out sweets.

[Pipe Dude]

One of the most common things that puts new pipe smokers off is buying sweet sounding aromatic baccies which then proceed to bite their tongues to bits because they burn like the fires of hell due to the artificial flavourings (casings) that have been added.

[Smallclub]

One of the most common things that puts new pipe smokers off is buying sweet sounding aromatic baccies which then proceed to bite their tongues to bits because they burn like the fires of hell due to the artificial flavourings (casings) that have been added.

This ^^^^^

[Wardjrz]

As part of my research I read somewhere that the darker tobacco's burn a bit cooler which helps to avoid "bite" so I tried to avoid really light coloured tobacco's. Also smoking out of a wind as a wind blowing across the pipe will make it burn hotter.

Some of the darker tobacco's seem to be recommended to more experienced smokers though. Is that strength of flavour or ability to smoke the pipe with a bit of patience to avoid overheating the tobacco just like a cigar?

[larrysson]

Pipes are certainly a different kettle of fish than cigars. "Fiddling" with pipes is half the fun. Packing, charring the tobacco, tamping, trying to keep the damn thing lit...all part of the fun. Keep in mind that it takes awhile to get the hang of it, and push through the learning curve. Most pipe newbies quit after after a short time, especially after a bad case of tongue bite. If you puff too fast and furious, your tongue will feel like you've been licking a steel wire brush. Tightness of pack, type of tobacco used, puff rate, are all factors. Pipes with filters tend to smoke moist, which can sour the taste. As for tobacco, what you smell isn't necessarily what you will taste. Lots of tobaccos smell good enough to eat, but will not smoke well. My advice would be to stay away from casings (toppings or flavour additives). Cigars are all natural leaf, so go for pipe tobacco that is all natural, for example: Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake, Rattrays Marlin Flake. The Dunhill Early Morning is a good smoke, if you like smoky flavours. Give me a PM and I'll set you up with some nice flake. If you take to the pipe and want to experience a quality smoking machine, look me up.

-Paul

[Smallclub]

If you take to the pipe and want to experience a quality smoking machine, look me up.

Paul, what about a "UK Forum Pipe"?