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eibhir

Can't Leave
Jan 16, 2013
305
0
United States
Hello,

I'm a beginner and picked up the pipe on the 11th. I'm kicking the cigarette habit and starting the pipe hobby. My husband says my little briar is much sexier than the cigs ever where. I've been reading on the net that you need more than one pipe, but I cant afford to get a second one until next month. Is it bad to smoke it everyday? I do clean it out every morning with pipe cleaners and it tastes great once I get it lit. I really like it so much better than the cigs and don't want to buy anymore of those. Thanks for your advice!

 

smokeybear

Lifer
Dec 21, 2012
2,202
22
Brampton,Ontario,Canada
Welcome
I too Im new and became a pipe smoker for just about the same reasons you did. First things you'll notice is that you will be saving lots more money with pipe tobacco then cig's and you can get better quality stuff too.
ill just say what everyone else is going to tell you buy yourself a corn cob and smoke it to your hearts content this is enough so that your briar will get the rest it needs without you missing out on a relaxing smoke. and best part about it they are cheap.
you made a great choice chosen a pipe then another great choice joining this forum, But dont think your done with the choices lol you still have thousands of tobaccos to try. its a hell of a journey But im really enjoying it and im sure you will also.
Packing tips:
Fill bowl to the top very lightly pack it down to about half the bowl

Fill it to the top again Lightly pack it down to 2/3rds of the bowl

Fill to the top again Firmly pack it about 1/8th below the rim.

Test your draw (should feel like drinking through a straw)
Lighting tips:
Use Matches or Butane lighter (easier)

Light the top evenly and puff lightly until tobacco glows slightly and rises.

STOP LIGHTING STOP PUFFING! lol

use a tamper to flating out the top of the tobacco.
THIS ABOVE PROCEDURE IS CALLED "THE FALSE LITE" AND CAN BE DONE ONCE OR TWICE
After "False lite"
light the entire top of the tobacco evenly and puff away.

Take light sips not like a cigarette you want it to keep burning evenly.
During Smoking Tips:
Smoke Slowly

If bowl gets to hot to hold to your cheek then put it down to cool

Dont worry if it goes out just relight it

gently dump out the ashes once or twice

and tamp down the tobacco as you go.
hope this all helps enjoy

 

rmbittner

Lifer
Dec 12, 2012
2,759
1,994
Welcome to the forum -- and the hobby!
If you're going to smoke your pipe every day -- especially if you're enjoying multiple bowls every day -- then, yes, you really should add some pipes to your collection. Ideally, you'd smoke a different pipe each day and give them each about a week to "rest." That way, they have the chance to dry out, which, in the long run, will help them to maintain their good smoking traits and will also help to ensure that they last a lifetime.
That said, a lot of folks here are big fans of corncob pipes. Which are exactly what they sound like: pipes made out of dried/cured corncobs. They won't last forever. . . but they can be had for about $10/each. A few cobs would help you get acclimated to pipe smoking and would certainly help to carry you through until you can afford to add to your collection. (Keep in mind, too, that you can get some great-smoking briar pipes for under $50 -- maybe even way under. I still smoke an $8 no-name briar pipe I bought in 1980. . . and it's wonderful.)
Missouri Meerschaum is the name of the company known for quality corncob pipes.
Bob

 

flmason

Lifer
Oct 8, 2012
1,131
1
Welcome to the forum. Some people may smoke 1 pipe often but it is best to have a rest day or longer between smokes. That way the pipe dries out.

 

rickpal14

Lifer
Jun 9, 2011
1,432
2
+1 on Bob's post!
Corncob would be a great way to get you thru 'till you can get another briar!

 

atboth

Might Stick Around
Dec 7, 2012
58
0
You really do need more than one pipe, as rotating and resting them will make them last for years longer. But we all started on one pipe. And, as our tastes in shapes and qualities changed, that first pipe may have eventually faded from the daily rotation.
If you oversmoke a pipe it will inevitably get soggy, and likely even go over into sour. Which is a disaster. But do not worry about it too much, as even the most over-used pipe can be restored to sweetness by applying the salt treatment, which is detailed elsewhere on this site as well as in various articles on the internet> Basically using kosher salt filled into the bowl with a few drops of liquor added to make it pull the tars and cooked in gunk out of the wood. You've put a pipe-cleaner into the shank before starting. After a day's rest you can repeat this, but the final part is removing the salt, rinsing the bowl with liquor (I use whatever whisky I'm drinking), and then running pipe-cleaners moistened with liquor through the stem and shank till they come out clean, which may take a quite considerable number of cleaners. After this rest the pipe for a week. You'll be surprised at how clean and sweat it will taste.
I still have one of my first pipes, bought in 1975. I smoked it last night, and it was glorious. And bear in mind that I had overused the crap out of it, and you could smell it from a room away. The salt treatment and subsequent shank-cleaning with alcohol brought it back from the dead. It is no longer a rotting corpse, but a very fine little smoke.
Now, how many pipes do you need? Or differently put, what is the minimum number that you should have?

At least one more than the number of times you smoke a pipe per day.

So over time you should work up to at least three or four. When I was sixteen I got by with about eight, only one of which I still have (see mention above), and bear in mind that pipe-smoking is perfect for neurotic packrats, so the urge to buy another pipe, just one more, will keep cropping up.

Note also that second-hand pipes can be well-worth smoking. Untill you've got tons of experience, don't do anything about the dings and scratches, just use the salt treatment on the inside (do NOT get the alcohol on the finish), and hand-rub the stem with a very fine paste-polish to remove the oxidation.
In the meantime, enjoy your pipe, and don't worry about the details. It will all come together over time.

Welcome to the ranks. And I'm looking forward to seeing yoou on the forums.

 

numbersix

Lifer
Jul 27, 2012
5,449
53
Welcome eibhir! Lately we've been seeing more and more women on this forum - and we're all the better for it.
When it comes to briars, it won't really hurt the pipe exactly, mainly it can affect the taste and enjoyment. I am still new at this, and I was doubtful about the resting time required (many say 5-7 days after use), but I am now a believer.
The other alternative besides corn cobs are Meerschaum pipes. They offer cool smokes and don't require the resting time briars need.

 

spartan

Lifer
Aug 14, 2011
2,963
7
The guys above are right. Smoking a pipe non-stop and with the ferocity of an ex-cig smoker will enevitably do bad things to the pipe.
But for now, since you're getting over cigs, I say smoke the bejesus out of it until you get a few pipes which will enable you to rest them for a few days. I wouldn't fear any short term damage as long as you are careful controlling the temp of the pipe.
Some rest the pipe at LEAST 1 day, others let rest 1 day for every bowl smoked out of it...
3 bowls smoked that day = 3 days rest. You'll find what works for you soon enough. :puffy:

 

ejames

Lifer
Oct 6, 2009
3,916
22
Welcome eibhir! I'll second the cobs. Also you can buy some new pipes for under $30.00 new. Medico.Kaywoodie,Dr.Grabow and others. I wouldn't buy any expensive pipes until you are sure you want to stay with pipe smoking.

 

baronsamedi

Lifer
May 4, 2011
5,688
5
Dallas
The other alternative besides corn cobs are Meerschaum pipes. They offer cool smokes and don't require the resting time briars need.
+1 Those are my favorite. As long as you run a cleaner through them after each smoke, you can smoke 6 bowls a day in a Meer, no problem. Overnight rest is about as much as they need unless you smoke all six bowls back to back continuously. Meers are cool and dry and provide a "clean" flavor profile to the tobacco. They also turn all sorts of colors.
Another cheaper alternative is a clay pipe. They are only $7-10 and provide a cool dry smoke (the bowl gets very hot, though, so hold by the stem).

 

Perique

Lifer
Sep 20, 2011
4,098
3,884
www.tobaccoreviews.com
Welcome. You will get great advice here. I have been slowly weaning myself off cigarettes for the past several months and haven't had one now in several days. So I understand exactly where you are at.
Some advice based on my experience, for what it's worth:
- You will definitely need a goodly number of pipes. This is particularly true with cigarette smokers simply because we are used to smoking so often and have so many "triggers" we need to be prepared for. Smoking your pipe over and over again, daily, repeatedly, will lead to a less enjoyable smoking experience and can ruin the pipe. Clearly money is an issue for most of us. My advice as you build your briar collection over time, as already stated above, is to pick up as many cobs as you can afford. My experience with the basic cob has not been good. However, I have found the Country Gent to perform very well, hold up under frequent smoking, and develop a nice cake. An excellent upgrade to the CG cob is a Foreverstem. Google it.
- Tobacco-wise, I've found VaPers seem to eliminate my urge to smoke cigarette tobacco. Not sure if it's the perique, or the overall strength/flavor, the nic hit, or what. But that's what did it for me. Early on here a member recommended GL Pease's Haddo's Delight and Cairo (a VaPer/Oriental). Those turned out to be solid recommendations and I would absolutely recommend them for someone trying to quit cigarettes. Escudo is another one that made it much easier to walk away from rolling tobacco.
- As you are first weaning yourself off cigarettes, don't feel like you need to smoke the whole bowl every time you light up a pipe. You can have a few puffs, get your fix, and then set it aside. You can then pick it up and relight later when you feel the next urge. Virginias and Virginia blends are good in this regard as they seem to do well with setting aside and relighting.
- Smoking a pipe is difficult. I had no idea how difficult when I first started. Took me about a year and half to really get the hang of it and then my smoking experiences went to a whole new level. You can't just read about it and learn it. You just have to go through trial and error. Don't give up. It's well worth it. Please trust me on this. Be patient with yourself. Biggest problem for a cigarette smoker will be smoking too fast and too hot. If you find this is the case with you, I suggest avoiding (for now) shapes such as the Dublin, Zulu, tankard, etc. Opt for shapes with a lot of wood between the tobacco and your fingers - princes, apples, tomatoes, some pots, etc. They will hold up better under pressured smoking. As you develop your technique, lose the cigarette twitch, and slow down your smoking, you'll do better with taller, thinner shapes.
- Figure out a way to have your pipes and tobacco with you at all times. They don't help you quit smoking by sitting at home on a rack. Get a nice case/pouch. Have a pipe tool / tamper. Have matches. Otherwise you will give in and buy a pack of cigarettes when you are out running errands, on way home from work, etc.
- Don't be afraid to spend money on pipe smoking - on good pipes and (especially) good tobaccos. But also on accessories like cases/pouches (see above). Your experience will generally be better, and you'll be more inclined to stick with it if you have some money invested. I know that was a big driver for me. I couldn't live with myself having spent money on all this great tobacco if I was also buying rolling tobacco, papers, etc.
- Spend time on this forum. Even if you don't post. Lurk. Read. Immerse yourself in the hobby. Also spend a lot of time reading through the tobacco reviews on one of a handful of major review sites. There are literally thousands of reviews. Keep your mind focused on pipe smoking, the hobby, the history, terminology, etc. This will help keep you focused and away from cigarettes. Also read through articles, interviews, etc.
Hope this helps. Good luck and keep me posted on how you are doing. Maybe we can lean on each other.
-
-

 

baronsamedi

Lifer
May 4, 2011
5,688
5
Dallas
Great advice, Sothron! I might also reccommend nasal snuff for those trigger moments. Nasal snuff comes in a variety of flavors, is inexpensive and comes in convenient little boxes. It won't give you the mad rush of nicotine that a cig will, but it will be enough to get you through until you can sit and enjoy a pipe. A $5 tin will last even someone who takes snuff several times a day for a long time. I'm partial to Viking and Pöschl.

 

eibhir

Can't Leave
Jan 16, 2013
305
0
United States
You all are giving me great advice! I only have $40 a month to spend on smoking so it'll take a while to stock up. I have been carrying my little pipe around in a zip lock bag and tobacco in another until I can find a bag I like for them. That seems to be working so far.

Smokeybear, your packing method is great! Thanks for sharing. I'm only filling the bowl 1/2 right now though. That really helped it stay lit last time I went and puffed.

Sothron, I have been picking it up and smoking a little then letting it go out to light again and that is working great. A bowl can last me for 3-4 hrs. Although now that I'm getting a bit better at lighting it I'm having trouble getting it out.

Thanks Everybody!

 

baronsamedi

Lifer
May 4, 2011
5,688
5
Dallas
I bought one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Castelford-Tobacco-Pouch-Holder-Moistener/dp/B001DYM622/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1358367871&sr=8-4&keywords=castleford+pipe+case and carry it everywhere. It's a deal at only $10. I plan to get a better one eventually, but for now, it's great. I've carried it in my backpack and coat pocket on planes, boats and everything else. Even to foreign countries and it's served me well.

 

eibhir

Can't Leave
Jan 16, 2013
305
0
United States
Baronsamedi, thanks for the tip about snuff but I don't think that's for me. I have nose studs and don't want to irritate them. That's a Neat bag and in my price range for next month so depending on how much tobacco I need I'll get one of them. :D

 
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