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jsheridan

Lurker
May 19, 2019
8
3
New to the forum! I actually just started my first topic before this one, my apologies for not following protocol.
J. Sheridan

24 years old
I'm from the NW suburbs of Chicago and have been a pipe smoker only since last November. However, I have smoked cigars for a couple of years now.

Originally when I tried a pipe I was annoyed with the technicality and preciseness that packing and smoking needed, so I kept with cigars for their ease (and still today) for their flavor. However, I gave them another go when my younger brother wanted to try a pipe. After more research and practice, I fell in love with the complexity of pipes, as well as the art of keeping and maintaining the pipe itself. And (if I'm being honest) the price difference between pipe tobacco and cigars.
My first pipe was a Yorkshire Natural, and my first tobacco was Frog Morton (may it rest in peace). I now have a Peterson Churchwarden (birthday gift from my bothers), and am looking for a good military mount pipe to take with me on the go. I actually seem to be cursed somehow because EMP was the second tobacco I tried (may it rest in peace). I gravitate towards english blends (which I've heard can be a 'dirty' term for describing latakia and virginias), but am trying to expand my palate.

I prefer my pipes (and cigars) with black coffee, but scotch is a nice second. I tend to smoke my pipe either at breakfast, to begin the day, or near the end to wind down.
My biggest troubles are building cake and smoking to the bottom. I've been trying to do both for a couple of months now, and while I've built a small amount of cake near the top of my pipes, the bottom still sits bare. I smoked 1/3 and 1/2 bowls for a few weeks without result, so I'm not positive what I'm doing wrong. I smoke cool bowls, dried my tobacco out to (what I can understand from posts and videos) is the right dryness, tried multiple styles of packing and slow puffing as well as feeling out the pipe and draw. Maybe I'm just not a natural pipe smoker, but I'll be damned if I don't enjoy that beginning 2/3 bowl most days, God bless it.
Other interests include reading, writing, playing music (guitar and mandolin), cooking and walks.
Pleased to meet you all! God bless!
J. S.

 

scloyd

Lifer
May 23, 2018
5,932
12,011
Welcome from a McHenry county. I've never started a pipe with 1/3 or 1/2 bowls. I just load them and smoke them. I don't worry about building any cake. I wipe out the bowl with a paper towel after every smoke. I also rinse hot water through my pipes often...not after every smoke though. Everybody does thing different. Anyway, welcome again.

 

jsheridan

Lurker
May 19, 2019
8
3
@scloyd
Ah, and thank you from Cary!

I also do a light wipe with a paper towel on top of taking it apart and running a pipe cleaner through it! I guess I'm concerned with building cake so that I can smoking from the same pipe more than once a day. I've read not to do this unless the preferred amount of cake is built. I can also be too technical with my hobbies, and with that, I tend to lose the joy and charm of it all. Thank you for the advice, I'll work on taking it easy and not worrying :)
And thank you all for the welcome!

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,494
26,847
Carmel Valley, CA
You can smoke your pipe several times in a row without issue.
Many do not want to build up cake, just a thin layer of carbon.
If you're having trouble reaching the bottom of the chamber, (as in never; sometimes is just fine) dry the tobacco even more.
Enjoy!

 

derhammer

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 7, 2018
666
569
New Zealand
+1 for me cake is good

I use matches most of the time to be able to get all the tobacco done down to the very bottom

 

chilllucky

Lifer
Jul 15, 2018
1,086
2,702
Chicago, IL, USA
scoosa.com
J. If you can make the drive, there is a social smoke for the Chicagoland Pipe Collectors Club this Saturday, June 15th starting at 3pm at Arling Pipe and Cigar in Arlington Heights, IL.
Regular Monthly "business" meeting is two weeks after on the 29th at 8 to 8 cigar in Villa Park, IL at 8pm.

 

jsheridan

Lurker
May 19, 2019
8
3
@chilllucky

Oh, at the Arlington Pipe and Cigar Lounge? I've been there before and really enjoyed it!! Would I be allowed to join in??

 

ron123

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 28, 2015
541
984
Park Ridge, IL
Hey Lucky, speaking of seats, don't forget to get there early or you'll end up with one of the crappy folding chairs LOL

 

redone

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 4, 2018
284
76
Welcome from recently relocated from Southern IL and now in SE Michigan.

 
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