Pipe Smokers

[Pwnstar590]

I thought I saw a few people on here that said they were pipe smokers. I have had an estate pipe for a while and smoked it only a couple times for certain reasons (not 18 at the time coughcough). In fact one of my friends still has it in his room because I had him keep it for me.

My other friend recently turned 18 and got a pipe and it got me interested again. Now I still have some sealed tobacco with that pipe, but its all flavored. After smoking cigars for a couple months now, I don't think I could handle anything that is heavily flavored. I admit I enjoy a CAO moontrance from time to time when I get a flavor fix.

So what are you guys smoking? I am looking for ideas or suggestions on something unflavored or very subtly flavored. I had always wanted to try one of the Frog Morton's, or some Dunhill Nightcap.

[nhcigarfan]

I thought I saw a few people on here that said they were pipe smokers. I have had an estate pipe for a while and smoked it only a couple times for certain reasons (not 18 at the time coughcough). In fact one of my friends still has it in his room because I had him keep it for me.

My other friend recently turned 18 and got a pipe and it got me interested again. Now I still have some sealed tobacco with that pipe, but its all flavored. After smoking cigars for a couple months now, I don't think I could handle anything that is heavily flavored. I admit I enjoy a CAO moontrance from time to time when I get a flavor fix.

So what are you guys smoking? I am looking for ideas or suggestions on something unflavored or very subtly flavored. I had always wanted to try one of the Frog Morton's, or some Dunhill Nightcap.

Dunhill Nightcap is one of my favorites, if not my favorite.

[Monk]

When I smoke I usually enjoy a cherry blend. I have some great stuff from Covent Garden in London from my last trip to the UK. I also smoke Peterson Irish Oak and Sherlock Holmes blends: http://www.peterson.ie/category.asp?categoryID=9&type=1

-W.

[The Korean]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but to the pipe smokers-What is the trick to packing the bowl? I asked pipe smokers at local B&M and they say practice practice practice, but I think I am going backwards.

[Monk]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but to the pipe smokers-What is the trick to packing the bowl? I asked pipe smokers at local B&M and they say practice practice practice, but I think I am going backwards.

Well not to be an ass, but they are right . I owned my first pipe at 17 and it took me a hell of a time to get it to be tamped down so that it held a good ember in the bowl. Now, I'll try to tell you the way I do it, but who knows if its right... works for me

First off, you need to get the right amount of tobacco. Too little and you'll be through it in no time, too much and it will be too compressed to smoke. I take about 2 or 3 pinches of tobacco. Then I press slightly down with my thumb to tamp it, or use a tamping tool from a pipe tool. If the pipe is too compressed you can always use the long thin needle-like tool to loosen it up and get some airflow. At the end of the day though, practice will help you get a feel for it. Good Luck

-W.

[Newfie]

Desert Rat is a well versed pipe smoker, so maybe he'll chime in here too.

Here's the way I pack "ready rubbed" tobacco (some call it the 3-layer method):

• Take a little and drop it into the bowl till the bowl is full of loose tobacco. Tap the side of the bowl with a finger on the other hand and the tobacco will settle. Drop in some more 'till full and tap again. Keep this up and eventually, the tobacco will not settle any more. Now tamp the tobacco with a finger "with a baby's touch". At this point, you should feel no or very little resistance with the draw.
• Repeat above till the bowl is full again and will settle no more and tamp with a finger again. Now tamp it down "with a woman's touch". You should now feel a little resistance to the draw.
• Repeat again so the bowl is a little overflowing, and press down "with a man's touch". Now, if I've done it right, I will feel resistance to the draw similar to the draw I'd get on a nice Robusto cigar (what I consider nice may be loose for some). REMEMBER; at this point, loose is better than tight. If it's tight, dump it and start over. If it's a little loose, you can tamp a little more after lighting.
• I find the best success with lighting most tobaccos similar to a cigar. You should do a "false" or "toasting" light, making sure the tobacco is "toasted" evenly across the top. Tamp it lightly and then relight, puffing in long, deep draws.

The phrase "Practice, PRACTICE, PRACTICE" is right and can't be stressed enough. Also, until you get the feel for it, always puff on the pipe while tamping. Nuttin' worse than a jammed pipe. It burns and smokes like shit.

There are more methods for packing a pipe than there are ways to light & cut a cigar. I use a "fold & stuff" method for flakes, ropes & plugs, and if you do a search on "youtube.com", there's a German chap who has a few nice videos of roughly the method Will describes above.

Froggys and Dunhill are some of my favourite 'baccys, especially Nightcap (Tyler, didn't know you were a puffer, I believe our tastes may be quite similar). Personally, I don't stock too many Aromatics. I prefer blends with loads of Latakia and maybe some Perique.

For those of you interested, HERE's a link to what pipe tobacco I have right now.

EDIT:

3 more things I should have added:

• How dry or wet? - If your tobacco is too wet, it'll smoke like a too-wet cigar, which is like sucking on a wet rag, only worse. Pipes are also harder to keep lit if wet. Many cigar smokers like their smokes at a certain RH factor, may be 62%, 65%, 70%, whatever. I find tobacco different. Many tobaccos seem to smoke better at different humidity levels, but that can depend on the pipe, your mood, the conditions (ambience), etc.
• Relights - They're gonna happen. Accept it and learn to like it. There are times I let the pipe go our purposefully just for the flavour & smoke "punch" on a relight.
• Tongue Bite - Like relights, it's gonna happen, especially to a Newbie, and it happens to experienced smokers too. Main reasons are damp tobacco and smoking too fast. Either slow down, or dry your tobacco a little more, or both.

[sprangalang]

I started with the pipe too, saves money on cigars, until you start needing more pipes.
I am still learning a lot. There is more to it than meets the eye! Many of the aromatic blends and B&M blends are very mild, with little nic kick. Some of the English blends do have a good kick.
Some of my favorite baccies so far:
Stonehaven
Irish Oak
Full Virginia Flake
Check out www.tobaccoreviews.com

[nhcigarfan]

pipes are nice when it is butt ass freezing out.

[Newfie]

snip...
Stonehaven
Irish Oak
Full Virginia Flake
Check out www.tobaccoreviews.com

Yeah, Stonehaven and FVF are both awesome. I had a sample a while ago of 5 yo Stonehaven and it was great. 2 lbs are on my list to buy, put somewhere and forget about for at least a couple of years.

Also, like Sprang says, most Aromatics are very mild and don't come close to even the mildest cigar I've had.

[The Korean]

Thanks fellas,

I understand and have come to terms with the practice part, I was mainly just looking for tips from your experiences. I'll keep at it, from the small amount of success I have had, I think I will enjoy it very much.

[cigar no baka]

My favorite pipe tobacco is Old Dublin from Peterson. Very smooth, and does not burn the tongue like others I have tried.

[Shelby07]

My favorite pipe tobacco is Old Dublin from Peterson. Very smooth, and does not burn the tongue like others I have tried.

I had the opportunity to stop by Petersons in Dublin during this last trip. It's a really classy shop and they have a beautiful selection of pipes and tobacco.

[JStrider]

I got a pipe a while back... like smoking it, but havnt really found a tobacco for it I like...

got it at smokingpipes.com just some sampler with 3 or 4 different kinds...

might have to see if I can pick up some smaller quantities of the tobaccos mentioned here.

the smoke always seems really light, and doesnt seem to have much to it... anyone have any other recomendations?

[mills]

I'm working on this too. The draw is always too loose and goes out too quickly.

[Newfie]

I got a pipe a while back... like smoking it, but havnt really found a tobacco for it I like...

got it at smokingpipes.com just some sampler with 3 or 4 different kinds...

might have to see if I can pick up some smaller quantities of the tobaccos mentioned here.

the smoke always seems really light, and doesnt seem to have much to it... anyone have any other recomendations?

Many times the "samplers" that come with pipes are kinda like the "freebie cigars" that come with a humidor. They are not representative in any way of quality tobacco.

There are many pipe tobaccos that will rival all but the strongest of cigars in regards to body, flavours and strength.

I'm working on this too. The draw is always too loose and goes out too quickly.

Note above where it says "Practice, PRACTICE, PRACTICE". Rome wasn't built in a day and you won't learn to pack, light & smoke a pipe in a short period of time either. When I started on pipes, I tried to mimic a draw on a nice cigar when packing a pipe, but I've found that is more than likely too tight. It has to be loose to draw and burn properly. The tobacco has to be fairly dry too, which may be the key to your "going out" problem. Now if it goes out once in a while, don't worry about it. As Tyler noted above, a pipe is much nicer for smoking outdoors on a cold day because pipes are MUCH more relight friendly than a cigar of any quality (at least, that's what I've found).