Getting Started

[Krautle87]

I'm mildly curious about pipe smoking, and I'm thinking about asking for a pipe set-up for Christmas. Basically what I want to know is what things I'll need to get started. I'd like a halfway decent pipe, nothing too fancy or what not, but one that is respectable. What other parts/tools would I need? Also, what are some good blends for beginners. One friend reccomends English Cadavish, are there any others that you could suggest?

Also, how is Davidoff pipe tobacco?

 

[atuck]

Get a good quality pipe. The pipe makes all the difference in the smoke. Ebay is a great place to find great deals. I really like the Danish freehands like Nording, Ben wade, or, especially Preben Holm.

Black Cavendish is some pretty tasty tobacco, nice flavor and aroma without too much bite, I like the McClelland "Easy Street". Other McClelland Blends are very good too. Davidoff pipe tobacco is always great

 

[Mr Peat]

Pipe cleaners is really all you need other than the pipe, tobacco, and a source of flame. MacBarens Navy Flake is a good mild tobacco. The Peterson's University is also mild. Dunhill Flake is good as well.

Here is a link to one of my favorite pipe tobacco's. It burns to almost a pure white ash. Very tasty too. :love:

http://www.pipesforless.com/dantobdavin8.html

Its the Da Vinci so you know. I've never ordered it over the net, but its great tobacco. A nice aromatic and also tasty one.

As for a pipe. I do not like smoking a used pipe. If I havent broke it it, I'd rather not puff on it. Pipes do make a difference in how the tobacco will smoke. But if you really want to get serious about pipe smoking, you should never smoke more than 1 type of blend in a pipe. Dont want the flavors to cross over but I only have 2 pipes now and tend to smoke the same blends so it really isnt much of a factor. I myself prefer Peterson pipes but each one is different. Pipes are more work in breaking it in and all the other fun stuff.

 

[Scott M]

You may want to consider a cob pipe. Yeah... I know...they look hick and cheap. Well...they are cheap.. like $5 new. There's a number of cob smokers who smoke nothing else. They'll smoke both aromatics and non-aromatics without transfering flavors, (or so I'm told), you can make all your rookie mistakes, (like torching the rim) without too much worry, and if you find pipes aren't for you, you're not out alot of money.

(Pipes.org search for "cob")

Pipe cleaners, wooden matches and maybe a pipe tool, (although I often use a spent .308 cartridge for a tamper) are really the only tools you'll need.

MacBarens Vanilla Cream, Altadis' Blue Note, Bob's Chocolate Flake are the aromatics I've tried and liked. Dunhill's 965 and Nightcap are good non-aromatics, (although the Nightcap put me on my arse, and I'll put my nicotine tolerance up against anyone's).

 

[Mr Peat]

Pipes do make the smoke. Better off getting a Dr Grabow pipe than a Cob pipe. Just my 2 cents worth. Or surf Ebay and get a used one which I do not do myself. Dr Grabow was my first pipe. Yes, non-aromatic and aromitic will transfer over into the pipe. I know for a fact. I just put a cigar in my pipe to finish it off and I could taste the pipe from my last tobacco on every puff and I hadnt smoked the pipe in over a week. But I knew this would happen tho.

I took a box cedar block from one of my cigar boxes and I did a cheesy carving of it for my tamper.

 

[OpusXKC]

I myself like to smoke a meerschaum pipe. You can find one for a very reasonable on eBay. They are very clean to smoke and easy to maintain. For tobacco such as Black Cavendish this is a great type of pipe. I smoke many diffent types of tobacco in mine and it works quite well. Check it out, because IMHO it is hard to do better for the money.

 

[atuck]

I bought some of this Da Vinci tobacco and it has ruined every pipe I have used it in. It gets so hot that it causes the pipe to start to burn through. The last pipe that I ruined was a Savinelli Autogragh. This is the only tobacco that I have had this problem with. It is a shame because I do happen to think that this tobacco has a real nice flavor.

 

[Mr Peat]

I bought some of this Da Vinci tobacco and it has ruined every pipe I have used it in. It gets so hot that it causes the pipe to start to burn through. The last pipe that I ruined was a Savinelli Autogragh. This is the only tobacco that I have had this problem with. It is a shame because I do happen to think that this tobacco has a real nice flavor.

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Interesting cuz it never hurt my pipe. OpusXKC has smoked it as well in his pipes. He didnt have a problem either.

 

[Devil Doc]

You need more than one pipe. Pipes need to rest betweeen smoking. Ideally a serious pipe smoker would need 7. One for every day of the week.

 

[Wascal]

If you really want some good info on tobacco check out :Tobacco reviews

and for a good place to pick up a couple pipes:Frenchy's

Frenchy will treat ya right, always a pack of cleaners and a tool in with your purchase. I'd recomend any pipe on the site, and if you don't like it for any reason just return it.

 

[atuck]

I bought some of this Da Vinci tobacco and it has ruined every pipe I have used it in.  It gets so hot that it causes the pipe to start to burn through.  The last pipe that I ruined was a Savinelli Autogragh.  This is the only tobacco that I have had this problem with.  It is a shame because I do happen to think that this tobacco has a real nice flavor.

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Interesting cuz it never hurt my pipe. OpusXKC has smoked it as well in his pipes. He didnt have a problem either.

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It only seems to happen toward the very end of a bowl. I am very curious to try it in a meershaum pipe though, I have been thinking about buying one. Thanks to ebay I have a vast selection of really nice pipes. My favorites are the Preben Holms.

 

[Mr Peat]

Smoked Da Vinci's out of a meersham as well. It worked like a champ. But then again, been smoking pipes near 10 years as well.

 

[Nekotaku]

I have my eyes set on a briar wood pipe that costs about 28 euros (approx. $32). It would be my first pipe. Do you think it would be sufficient?

 

[Mr Peat]

I have my eyes set on a briar wood pipe that costs about 28 euros (approx. $32). It would be my first pipe. Do you think it would be sufficient?

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For a starter pipe. absolutely. Just to get a feel for if you will really enjoy them. But when you do, you will want to get some decent pipes after if you have the extra cash flow. A good pipe really makes a huge difference. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[prometheus]

I picked up a small Benton the other day for $34. I enjoy the heck out of that little thing. Walked out with the pipe, some tobacco, cleaners, and a pipe tool for $43, so it doesn't cost and arm and a leg to get started. I can already tell this could get just as expensive as cigar collecting.

 

[celt]

Noobie tip:

i just recently started pipe smoking. i smoke a pipe perhaps once a week, or once every two weeks.

i was having to relight a LOT, until i realized that i wasn't tamping it hard enough. i had read how to fill a pipe, and that it shouldn't be too tight of a draw, so i under-tamped it.

now that i push it in a bit harder, i've been having to relight it half as much...

YMMV

 

[rangerdoug]

Been smoking pipes for about 15years now with a very wide collection. Started with a $19 no name pipe from the local shop. The pipe smoked well and to this day have a couple of inexpensive pipes for when I go fishing or walk in the outdoors. Yes my more expensive pipes do smoke better but the $19 dollar pipes can smoke well with good quality tobacco.