Pipe Smoking 101

So, you want to start smoking a pipe. What do you need to know? What do you need to have? Hopefully this series of articles will help you some.

So if you are a beginner, sit back. . . .read on. . . .and maybe we can help you.

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

Starting out can be a little difficult. . . particularly if you don't know what you are doing. So, lets look at a few things you have to have in order to enjoy pipe smoking to its fullest.

1. A Good Pipe.
This pretty much goes without saying. And you would be suprised how many people rush into this hobby and then have a bad experience and quit. . all because they started with a bad pipe.

I would suggest a good estate pipe, that has been broken in and smoked. This will help alot because you won't have to go through the break in period yourself.

There are some other good pipes that can be had in the $50 to $75 range. (Some Peterson, Savinelli, etc)

Usually, these are good "entry level" pipes as they have quality pipes but on the lower end of the price range. (Bear in mind, the upper end really has no limit. . . I saw one go on Ebay one time for $900)

Often times, the quality craftsmanship of an up end pipe ends up being well worth the money spent.

We will talk more about what to look for in a good pipe in a later post.

2. A way to light the Pipe
This can be with a lighter, or with matches. I would recommend the longer matches, as it gives you plenty of time to get the pipe lit.

I would NOT recommend a torch, as you can easily scorch the top of your pipe or worse. You can also get the fire too hot from the outset and that could cause lots of problems too. Furthermore, you probably don't want the blaze that close to your face for the time it takes to get the pipe lit.

3. A tamper
This is something you will need to help in the lighting process. I have seen $100 tampers, $1.50 tampers in pipe stores, and even a Golf tee (which works just fine and certainly isn't expensive)

We will cover how to use the tamper a little later as well.

4. Tobacco
I would recommend that you visit a Pipe store that has bulk tobacco. This way you can often "try before you buy" and you can certainly smell the aroma of the tobacco and get an idea if you like it or not.

There are many "Pipe Purists" who say you should NEVER smoke an aromatic tobacco. That you should only smoke an English blend.

My answer to this is. . . . . SMOKE WHAT YOU WANT TO SMOKE!

The aromatic tobaccos smell very good usually and many times, when someone comments "That pipe smells good!" it is an aromatic tobacco that is being smoked. Bear in mind though that the aromatic tobacco will be wetter, harder to keep lit, and can often be VERY rough on your tongue.

The "English blends" will often be the more natural tobacco's and will often include latakia, or other special blends. (We will talk more about this later but first things first.)

Just find something YOU like and enjoy it.

Incidently, this is one fo the real advantages of buying at a Smoke Shop that offers bulk tobacco. . .you can "try before you buy" and you can buy by the ounce.

Get a couple of different tobacco's . . . that way, if you don't like the first one, you still have something else to try.

5. Tobacco storage
This is not usually as complicated as with cigars. For one thing, the aromatic tobaccos are really moist. But at any rate, you still have to have a place to store the tobacco.

This can be as easy as a zip lock bag, tupperware, or a fancy Pipe Tobacco Humidor with a rubber gasket.

You may also want a small pouch to carry a daily supply of pipe tobacco. Again, this can be as simple as a zip lock back, or as nice as a nice leather pouch. I have both. . . and use them both frequently.

When you purchase a leather pouch. .. .look for one that is rubber lined. That way, the tobacco stays moist, even if it is in the pouch for several days.

6. Pipe cleaners
DUH. . . .of course you will need these. You will want to clean your pipe when it starts to "gurgle" or when it starts to stink, or when everything starts to taste the same.

(We will also talk later about how to properly clean the pipe.)


OKAY. . . .that should get you started.

A little later, we will talk about the different tobaccos, the way to load and light a pipe, and what to look for in a pipe.

Hopefully with this article, we have helped you know what you need to get started.

NOW. . . .questions? Comments? Accusations? Fire away.

HAPPY SMOKES! ! !

STEVE

Pipe tobacco humidor? First time I've heard of this, I just normally used glass jars with a rubber seal, and I don't smoke my pipe much anymore because tobacco doesn't last long enough for me.

Could you explain how it works, what it does, where to find them, etc?

GuyanaBoy said:

This can be as easy as a zip lock bag, tupperware, or a fancy Pipe Tobacco Humidor with a rubber gasket.

Click to expand...

Okay. . .maybe my terms are wrong.

Tobacco Jar has also been what I have heard it called.

Ususally a glass jar, but sometimes clay, ceramic, stone, metal, or even marble.

Usually has a gasket of some sort and will often have a clay disk that you can moisten to keep the tobacco from drying out.

I have purchased these jars or Pipe Tobacco Humidors on Ebay, at Garage sales, and even in some smoke shops.

You simply fill the jar with tobacco, moisten the disk, and close the lid.

But the apple slice is probably the easiest way to moisten pipe tobacco, and easy to monitor. Just put quarter an apple. . . .then cut the quarters in half, and maybe in half again depending on the size of your jar. Drop it in with the tobacco, and it will keep the tobacco moist. When the slice dries out, then just simply replace it.

Does that help?

HAPPY SMOKES! ! !

STEVE

Thanks Steve, I'll give the apple suggestion a try. One more thing though, what would you estimate the shelf life of tobacco to be when stored with said method?

I'm not sure what the storage time is. But this is one thing I do know, I have pipe tobacco that has been in some of my jars / containers / tupperware for years. . . and I still smoke it. As long as there is not a mold or fungus problem (Which I have never had) the tobacco should smoke just fine.

HAPPY SMOKES! ! !

STEVE

slice of potato will revive dry tobacco....i use kilner jars for storage
as an english man and a former tobacco worker , i am always amazed by the difference in terminology and smoking prefences around the globe.......most englishmen have never heard of "English blend" and wouldn't understand that you meant a virginia based cased tobacco ( although i'm still not sure about this)...traditional british pipe-smokers prefer a heavy /cool burning flake....if we smoke aromatic mixtures we tend to use them as a top-dressing to a flake base..thus enjoying the top-notes without burning our tongues...Latakia blends are far from typical in britain..and are considered special occassion tobacco...indeed i have a special pipe set aside for latakia because once smoked in a pipe you can taste it seemingly for ever......since the demise of Balkan sobranie (and now Night cap) there are few latakia blends worthy of the name
the american tobacco that used to have a reputation here was Edgeworth...but i haven't seen this for years...and it cost a small fortune as i recall.......

South african virginias dissappeared from the market here in the 70's and as yaet don't seen to have made a comeback

After reading all of the pipe threads topped by aberjed's yesterday, I went to investigate my pipe situation.

Low and behold I find a good 2oz of Early Morning Pipe in my loose-tobacco jar (a quart-sized bail-top glass jar) that I had completely forgotten about. It must have been in there for at least 12 months, and was fresh as the day I bought it!

Promptly packed a bowl and enjoyed my first pipe in over a year.

Thanks for putting that bug in my ear aberjed!

I've now decided I need to pick up another pipe-or-two for the winter, and a few more blends to smoke in them. I'll be sending you the bill...

I was researching Estate pipes and fleaBay and found this thread. Damned fine read and worthy of a bump.

I hope steve is able to expand on his OP when he get's the chance. I am just getting into pipes as well, and I have been cruising all of the valueable information on these boards.