Cigar smoker converting to pipe

nelsongruber · Aug 11, 2015

Hi everyone,
Been a cigar smoker for over a decade, started at barely 18, now I´m 32 qith quite an experience in the cigar world. I´ve smoked all the top brands, from Cohibas, Romeo y Julieta and Montecristos, to Davidoff, Padron and Olivas.
About a month ago, my dad was having a BBQ in his house and a friend of my his sat down next to me while I was smoking a nice Romeo y Julieta and took out a very nice pipe and started packing his pipe. I got to admit I was very jealous/intrigued by it and now I´ve decided to try out some pipe smoking of my own.
My dad gave me one of his pipes (he used to smoke pipe before he converted to cigars), it´s a Hardcastle´s Old Bruyered Giant, I have no idea if it´s a good pipe, bad pipe, expensive or not but I need some help picking up some tobacco for it so I can start my new journey with you guys.
I need:

- Advice on a good entry level tobacco (I don´t mine it´s flavored or not.

- Is the Hardcastle´s Old Bruyered Giant a good entry level pipe?

- any other recommendations you can give me.
I´m willing to buy at least two more, so I´m open so suggestions.

gloucesterman · Aug 11, 2015

Welcome to the world of pipes. Like the cigar world it's full of variations. There really isn't a right solution. It's more what works for you, but for starters I would suggest a minimum of three pipes if you smoke daily. Pipes need rest time between smokes (not everyone agrees but most do).

Good mid range pipes by Savinelli, Peterson or Stanwell are always safe buys.

A pipe tool and a decent lighter are a must. Here again they don't have to be the most expensive. I use a pipe nail and a zippo. A package of pipe cleaners is essential.

As for tobacco, most venders have descriptions of the tobacco they sell in bulk. Buy several ounces of a few that sound interesting to you and try them out. What appeals to you will become obvious pretty quickly. My suggestion, try an English, a Vaper, A burly blend and an aromatic for starters.

Hope that helps. Enjoy.

captainprophesy · Aug 11, 2015

Welcome to the forums... and welcome to the world of Pipe Smoking.
Thats a very good entry level pipe.

I would say start with an English blend as you are a big cigar smoker... maybe something like EMP or 965, they, at least to me, are not as strong but are good starters.
The biggest thing to remember with pipes, have patience and take your time... learn to pack it right (this is very hit and miss and you'll eventually find what works for you) learn to tamper and learn to smoke slow and relax.

jiujitsubowl · Aug 11, 2015

Welcome nelsongruber! You will enjoy pipe tobacco and all that this culture has to offer. Like a cigar it takes a patient puffing cadence and some time trying many things. gloucesterman stated all the essentials. If i could offer specific tobaccos that started me off, here they are:
Aromatics (flavored, sometimes good, alot of times not much taste): Cult Blood Red Moon, East India Cellar Reserve, Lane 1-Q
English Blends (generally stronger smokes, very campfire, leathery, tough tastes): Frog Morton Cellar, Dunhill Nightcap, PS Luxury Bullseye Flake
VaPER (virginia perique blends, can be both spicey and sweet. Perique is kinda subjective to different palettes so be warned some love it some hate it): PS Luxury Navy Flake
Also try different cuts: Ribben, Flake, Coin, Plug, etc......
Most of all have fun! Get some nice briars, some cheaper hardwords, and some goto corn cobs. Dedicate certian pipes to certian styles of tobacco!
Keep us posted as questions come up and as you try new things!

sjfine · Aug 11, 2015

As a convert myself, may I suggest that you read before you light. Smoking a pipe is not like smoking a cigar. Unless you pack well, smoke lightly, and take your time, you will burn your tongue. I have scars. And I thought that I had read. I just didn't read enough.
As for tobaccos, you can find all sorts of recommendations here. Just look through the group and some of the members' favorites will quickly become apparent. There are just too many to list.
Proceed slowly and patiently, and you will be well-rewarded.
I haven't had a cigar in a long time and I don't miss them too much; not even my Cohiba Robustos, my Partagas Serie D No. 4's, and my Ramon Allones Specially Selected's.

jiujitsubowl · Aug 11, 2015

Also much like cigars, have a nice refreshing drink on hand! It will help coat your mouth. I like a big glass of water to bring out the small nuances in the tobacco.

prairiedruid · Aug 11, 2015

Welcome aboard!
I've been only smoking a pipe for 3 months and I started with Early Morning Pipe, London Mixture, and My Mixture 965, all of these are made by Dunhill and can be found at most online shops for like $9 for a 1.75 ounce tin. Buy some pipe cleaners at the same time because I didn't and used some from Walmart which didn't work too well.
Lots of videos online on how to pack and light a pipe.....takes practice to find a way that works for you. Like captainprophesy said patience and take your time. Set aside 30-60 minutes just to relax and enjoy your pipe and don't worry about relighting....at first I was relighting a lot but with practice this has been reduced greatly.

mso489 · Aug 11, 2015

The Hardcastle is a good standard English pipe and will be a good one to start and for years to come. Until you get some experience, a few Missouri Meerschaum corncob pipes will let you rest pipes a day or two between smokes. The other members have given you excellent suggestions on tobacco. Just buy in small quantities for a year or two, even when you find a blend you really like, since your taste will change and develop. It takes more time to get the swing of pipes, but you end up with a lot more control, and you can mix your own "blends" once you gain experience smoking a pipe. Take your time, sip don't puff. You may not, probably won't, swear off cigars completely, but you may end up enjoying pipes more.

derfatdutchman · Aug 11, 2015

Welcome to the board!
Sjfine hit the nail on the head, read, watch some of the video's on packing and smoking pace, drying your tobacco. One thing I wish I had been told way back when I started smoking a pipe, was that most pipe tobacco needs some drying time before you smoke it.

pipebuddy · Aug 11, 2015

Welcome and I wish you a pleasant journey into our world.

aldecaker · Aug 11, 2015

I never dabbled much in the world of high-quality cigars. I would estimate I have only smoked around a dozen top-shelf sticks. Bearing that in mind, I would hazard a guess that the English style would be your best bet as a transition. I would not think the sweeter aromatics would have much commonality with your previous smoking experience. You may end up loving them, as many do, but vanilla, cherry, whisky-flavored aros would be quite a radical departure from the flavor profile of a quality cigar. There is nothing wrong with them, I just would not recommend them as a starting point for someone with your particular smoking experience.
Welcome aboard!

nelsongruber · Aug 11, 2015

Thanks to everyone who posted, I'm taking everything you said into account to start off my journey.
One question though, what's the difference between a straight pipe and a curved pipe?

wilson · Aug 11, 2015

There's very little difference, it is primarily a matter of personal preference. All other things equal (they rarely are) a bent pipe will be a bit easier to clench (hold in one's teeth) for extended lengths of time since the moment arm is shorter and thus less torque on your teeth. Others prefer a bent pipe because the bowl of the pipe is not in the way if one is clenching and trying to do other things (like read or tie flies or refinish a pipe). Some like a straight pipe because it is usually easier to pass a pipe cleaner. But, mostly it seems a matter of what appeals to you.

ssjones · Aug 11, 2015

On Straight vs bent, only personal preference. I thought that I preferred bent pipes but somehow a number of straight pipes have entered the fold. I've found the type and quality of the stem is my biggest factor.
I was a casual cigar smoker five years ago. Once I found my tobacco, I never went back to a cigar, they were too one dimensional.
Enjoy the ride!

jkrug · Aug 11, 2015

Welcome! Seems you've been given plenty of good advice and suggestions already so I'll skip all that. You are very fortunate to have been gifted a beautiful pipe from your father to start out piping with. Good luck and enjoy. : puffy

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mlyvers · Aug 12, 2015

Great advice from all. There is a learning curve here when learning how too smoke a pipe, packing, lighting, and tapping are all critical. Some dry time for the tobac is important as well. You can also find tips on pipe smoking on You Tube. Good Luck Sir.

multuminparvo · Aug 12, 2015

For me the most cigarish pipe tobaccos are the ones high on dark fired Kentucky leaf like McBaren HH Bold Kentucky or Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky. Those british ropes like Samuel Gawith Brown No. 4 or Black XXX are also in this league but beware of the Vit. N and read a couple of reviews beforehand.
All in all when I switched from Cigars (mostly strong Nicaraguan stuff like Cain, Oliva, Tatuaje, Nub) to Pipes I found the english/balkan styles, as mentioned a couple of times above, to be the most satisfying. No, they don't taste like a cigar but to a palate used to cigars they give a new but complementary flavour profile and also deliver some robust but managable Nicotine. I would suggest some Mac Baren Vintage Syrian and either Dunhill 965 or the new Aperitif.
Enjoy

nelsongruber · Aug 12, 2015

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I am from Venezuela and I don´t smoke everyday, I´m more of a 2-3 times a week smoker, mostly on the weekends.
The problem is that in here I can´t find all the tobacco I´ll like but I can find some Borkun Riff, Mac Baren 7 Seas, Captain Black, Erinmore, Prince Albert, John Middleton, Golden Virginia. Maybe I´ll try some of the ones I can find here and then jump to the one you guys mention above (I have a trip to the US in October).
I have read good reviews on the Borkun Riff and Mac Baren, I´ll start with those and let you guys know...
I also found a couple of new Savinelli pipes for about $30, maybe I´ll grab a couple and start my collection.
Thanks again to averyone who posted!

brass · Aug 12, 2015

There is good advice here. You'll soon discover that cigars flavors are unique to cigars as are pipe tobaccos unique to pipes. There are many cigar leaf blend but none I've tried (and that is almost all of them) do more than hint here and there of cigar aroma. I love both on their on merits, just like sometimes I want a Martini and sometimes a beer. Different animals based on a common ingredient.
I like Gloucesterman's advice. Smoke a tin of English English, a tin of VaPer, a burly blend and an aromatic for starters. I would suggest, at the start, you smoke through one or two tins at a time, before opening others. This will give your palate time to acclimate to the blend style before moving on to others.
Finally, take your time. There is really no final destination to our hobby, there is only the journey.

nelsongruber · Aug 13, 2015

Thanks brass, I like that. I´ll try some of the tobacco I was advised here and finish it up before trying others.
I also found this Peterson Kapet 05 pipe for $17

pipa-raiz-de-brezo-peterson-kapet-05-572601-MLV20356482385_072015-F_zps5ful8wav.jpg

pipa-raiz-de-brezo-peterson-kapet-05-854601-MLV20356482482_072015-F_zpsvafkwyxk.jpg

And this Dr Grabow Lark for $10

pipa-raiz-de-brezo-dr-grabow-lark-805601-MLV20357991482_072015-F_zpsy5bjkmwq.jpg

pipa-raiz-de-brezo-dr-grabow-lark-797501-MLV20357992281_072015-F_zpswrzkmpw2.jpg

They are both estates pipes but I don´t know if they are good finds?? Are they worth it?
Thanks for the advice!

Cigar smoker converting to pipe

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