Greetings! and a few newbie questions.

Hello folks,

I just joined this forum, my first post. My name is Cliff, I am from La Habra Heights, California. I am new to pipe smoking, but so far I am enjoying it a lot. I inherited my dad's pipe collection which is mostly Italian and Danish briars, some in pretty good shape and some fairly worn, lots with teeth holes in the stems. I remember my dad used to smoke tins of St. Bruno, but he stopped smoking pipes in the early 80's (continued with cigars for a bit after that but eventually gave up tobacco entirely). Seeing how Dad was smoking non-aromatic tobacco in these pipes I plan on doing the same and have tried some tins of Dunhill which seems quite nice.

It's nice to be here. This seems like a very good forum and place to learn and share about pipes.
I do have a few questions that have come up since I started to use these pipes:
1) Some of these pipes have a small amount of build-up in the bowl and look fairly new, and some have a thicker cake, which I have reamed down to about a dime's thickness (as I read was the thing to do). I have also run pipe cleaners soaked in Bacardi 151 through the stems to clean them up a bit, and then set them aside for a few days to air out. Is there anything else I should be doing before smoking them? They have been in storage for years, but the ones I am using are in good shape and dad had them stored in baggies in a box.
2) After smoking a bowl, what I have been doing is running a pipe cleaner through the stem and then leaving the pipe cleaner in the stem for a day, and then removing the pipe cleaner.

Also, I have been bending a pipe cleaner into a U shape and wiping or dry swabbing out the bowl to remove any last ash or small pieces of tobacco that may be left in the bowl after emptying it. It just occurred to me that perhaps I should not wipe out the bowl as I may be removing ash and tobacco residue that will build up a good cake layer in the bowl. So, is it best to dry swab the bowl clean on a briar pipe after smoking a bowl, or is it best to leave the ash residue in the bowl?
3) Lastly, I bought a tin of Dunhill Early Morning and a tin of Dunhill London Mixture, both of which I really like. Any recommendations for the next English style to try?

There are so many different types out there it might be good to get a recommendation before going nuts and buying too much.
I look forward to hearing from you, and I look forward to many more smokes in these great old pipes.
Thank you,

Cliff

Thanks, guys. Good to know that swabbing the ash out is okay. It makes sense what you're saying about leaving the cleaner out of the stem to dry. Would like to try flake sometime--if my memory is correct, the St. Bruno that was smoked for a long time in these pipes was a flake or a block (it was a rectangular tin)--but as you say it's a whole other process. For the time being I'll try a few more tins, thanks for the recommendations. Have discover Pipes and Cigars on the web and they make it easy to try a variety.

Thanks again!

Cheers

Yes, I think I've got enough pipes right now. Some are kind of beat, but a good half dozen look to be in good shape. I do feel the nic. So far I've just been doing some Dunhills, and the London has a good kick. I like the English blend and am keen to try some Balkan blends. I've been building up my shopping cart at P&C based on these recommendations and reviews on that site. Is there a way to predict the nicotine level in a blend? Are some types of tobacco high higher levels than others?

Curl,

thank you very much for that link. Those reviews cover everything it seems. That rating system answers the issue of nicotine. The stuff I've tried so far is all medium strength, and I feel the nicotine, but it's not bad. I guess one has to work his way up to the heavy stuff. This is certainly not as bad as when I smoked my first cigar as a youngin......I turned green.

Want to thank you guys again for your warm welcome and advice.

I now have in my possession or on the way:

Dunhill Standard Mixture, London Mixture, 965, Early Morning Pipe;

H&H Blackhouse and Whiteknight;

Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader;

McClelland Frog Morton;

GL Pease Maltese Falcon and Westminster;

Seattle Pipe Club Mississippi River;

HH Vintage Syrian.
I think these should keep be busy for a while developing my palate for pipe tobacco.

So far I've tried the Dunhills and the H&H; the rest are yet to arrive.

I like the EMP and 965. The Blackhouse seemed similar to 965, kind of spicy and herbal. The White knight is very smooth and mellow, and the missus commented that it has a sweet smell.....she likes the aroma, so so-far-so-good!
Thanks again and cheers!