Who Taught You to Smoke a Pipe?
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Thank you gentlemen.
Happy Birthday to you also, Anotherbob.
Happy Birthday to you also, Anotherbob.
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It was my Grandad, I’ve mentioned him before on here so I won’t bore you with all the tales, suffice it to say that many pleasant afternoons and evenings were spent mixing an ounce of green Condor to an ounce of Erinmore on a copy of the Huddersfield Examiner. Pans bubbling away on the stove as my gran cooked something that would stick to your ribs for a fortnight, blue smoke curling up to the ceiling as Grandad’s pipe became a Stuka or a tank to emphasise his story.
He had a group of friends, and they all used to brew beer in a rotation system, and share it out between themselves. I remember afternoons and evenings camped out in front of a coal fire, listening to stories about this and that - I miss those days and I miss that generation if I’m honest. My grandad was utterly flummoxed by Boy George; I often wonder what he would say about what passes for heroes and celebrities these days.
He had a group of friends, and they all used to brew beer in a rotation system, and share it out between themselves. I remember afternoons and evenings camped out in front of a coal fire, listening to stories about this and that - I miss those days and I miss that generation if I’m honest. My grandad was utterly flummoxed by Boy George; I often wonder what he would say about what passes for heroes and celebrities these days.
I've learned how to smoke a pipe from a shipmate in the Navy. Can't recall what tobacco but showed me how to smoke a briar.
My old man. Still head over to my parents when I have the time and light up a bowl with him. Highlight of my week every time.
Myself. It was 1972. No google and youtube crap back then. 
Like JM Boswell says " you put tobacco in the bowl and light it." You'll figure it out.
Like JM Boswell says " you put tobacco in the bowl and light it." You'll figure it out.
Myself.
I'd like to think my grandfather would have if he had lived long enough to show me, got all his pipes.
I'd like to think my grandfather would have if he had lived long enough to show me, got all his pipes.
My college roommate. We didn't know shit about it other than "load the pipe and smoke it." We did the 3-pinch method that was handed down to us by the cigar smoker at Tinder Box, so mostly we passed the lighter back and forth on our postage-stamp-sized porch for an hour scorching Wilshir1Q.
He taught me pipes and I taught him single-malt scotch. A fine trade if you ask me.
He taught me pipes and I taught him single-malt scotch. A fine trade if you ask me.
I remember watching my grandfather avidly when I was very young and cleaning and packing his pipes for him every Saturday morning (Mostly falcons and he used to always use a white tablet / stone in the bottom of the bowl), this would have been late 70s early 80s.
I didn't actually start smoking a pipe until the early 2000s, so learning was mostly based on advice from the local Davidoff shop and YouTube.
I didn't actually start smoking a pipe until the early 2000s, so learning was mostly based on advice from the local Davidoff shop and YouTube.
Watching uncles, and a lot of the old blokes who'd smoke pipes and drink bitter in the Irish community centre after Church on a Sunday, gave me an initial idea. Then when I tried years later, and pretty much failed, I referred to YouTube, and like so many, Muttn' was my go to guy. Learning a lot on this forum as well though.
I was hacking darts and breaking hearts up until a few years ago. MrMuttnchop Piper showed me the way of the pipe. I have my great grandfathers pipe, but he was gone before I was born and didn't have any other pipe smokers in the family. Tobacco was/is very taboo for them, but that don't mattah because my wife doesn't care at all and likes the smell of most of the stuff I've smoked.
At 17 I bought a bent billiard in a plastic box from a drug store chain that no longer exists. Palladin black cherry, half and half, borkum riff, Carter hall, Kentucky club, skallorna, heinies blend, peach brandy and some others all taught some things about pipe smoking. I washed the pipe for a while after each smoke with hot water and dish soap. After a while a family member who had a friend at the Jobey factory would give me seconds and rejects. Eventually, i met some other college age guys who also liked pipes and was led to Ehrlich's and most especially L.j. Peretti. I discovered English blends and to this day wish I had bought and saved more Balkan Sobranie in both the white and black little cans. 50 years plus on it's pretty, pretty, pretty good.
Self taught but watched youtube videos. I also made mistakes, and smoked way to hot in the beginning and packed the tobacco way too tight. I didn't have as much patience back then. I went from cigars to pipes. Now I love the process, flavors, and time. I hardly smoke cigars now. Also, I didn't know my grandpa used to smoke a pipe until it was too late. I would have loved to have him as a teacher.
Back in the '60's, we all took up pipe smoking our first year in seminary. The older students taught us that there was a world of tobacco beyond what blends were for sale at the news stand; mostly aromatics and what we today call codger blends. These older Brothers of the Briar introduced us to English and Virginia blends.
Got us to buy better pipes, too.
Got us to buy better pipes, too.
