As the title mentions, I have been smoking a pipe for 16 years now, and have discovered pipe smoking all over again. A coworker/friend of mine got back into pipe smoker after a long hiatus (20 years!!!!) and has taught me a few things:
1) English Blends - I dabbled with a few English blends over the years, but my wife hates the smell. So I mostly smoked Aromatics. However, I discovered the absolute joy of good English blends. For some reason, Samuel Gawith Commonwealth and Smoker's Haven 20th Anniversary have really appealed to me. So I have been smoking it recently. Of course, I smoke it away from my wife. When I am nearby, I will smoke my aromatics especially Lane 1Q which is a milder aromatic (and my first tobacco)
2) Proper smoking technique - Throughout my pipe smoking endeavor, I have taken shortcuts. Like, not doing a charring light... or cleaning my pipes with pipecleaners on a regular basis.. or not tamping throughout my smoke. Now when I smoke, I tamp when needed, clean my pipes regularly, and rotate my briars to allow them to rest. I have learned the Meerschaum pipes can be real work horses.
3) Identify the pipes I own - I have purchased pipes over the 16 years and never really identified them. I realized that in my collection (about 17 pipes) I own some nice ones. Peterson... Nording... Boswell... SMS... Joby... Stanwell... I have gone through my collection and cleaned them up and now properly display them. I plan to pay more attention to them. I also hope to pick up a Dunhill.. or a GBD... or more Petersons...
So even a pipe smoker who smoked for a while can learn.
Happy Smoking
Jason
1) English Blends - I dabbled with a few English blends over the years, but my wife hates the smell. So I mostly smoked Aromatics. However, I discovered the absolute joy of good English blends. For some reason, Samuel Gawith Commonwealth and Smoker's Haven 20th Anniversary have really appealed to me. So I have been smoking it recently. Of course, I smoke it away from my wife. When I am nearby, I will smoke my aromatics especially Lane 1Q which is a milder aromatic (and my first tobacco)
2) Proper smoking technique - Throughout my pipe smoking endeavor, I have taken shortcuts. Like, not doing a charring light... or cleaning my pipes with pipecleaners on a regular basis.. or not tamping throughout my smoke. Now when I smoke, I tamp when needed, clean my pipes regularly, and rotate my briars to allow them to rest. I have learned the Meerschaum pipes can be real work horses.
3) Identify the pipes I own - I have purchased pipes over the 16 years and never really identified them. I realized that in my collection (about 17 pipes) I own some nice ones. Peterson... Nording... Boswell... SMS... Joby... Stanwell... I have gone through my collection and cleaned them up and now properly display them. I plan to pay more attention to them. I also hope to pick up a Dunhill.. or a GBD... or more Petersons...
So even a pipe smoker who smoked for a while can learn.
Happy Smoking
Jason
