I'm Off to Buy My First Pipe and Tobacco!

seitz55 · Sep 6, 2013

I'm off to buy my first pipe and tobacco I have only a few brands of tobacco I can get in my area and they are Borkum Riff, carter hall, captain black, half/half and Prince Albert to choose from, any help on picking my first tobacco would be appreciated. Also there are only two brands for my pipe selection as well and they are Kriss Well and Torino. Thank you for any help

papipeguy · Sep 6, 2013

Carter Hall and Prince Albert to start. Both a burley based nad have around forever. Borum Riff is the Prince of Darkness. Avoid at all costs. Captain Black is a heavy aromatic. Many fans if you're into sweet things.

Good luck and welcome to the forum. Check in often. We're a friendly bunch and love to help new pipers. So welcome to the brotherhood too.

plateauguy · Sep 6, 2013

Welcome Seitz!
Don't know those pipe brands, but I would recommend Carter Hall and Capt. Black for your tobaccos.

You might like to take a look these sites:
www.pipedia.org

www.4nogggins.com

www.smokingpipes.com

www.tobaccopipes.com
Happy puffing!

seitz55 · Sep 6, 2013

!thanks I'm having a blast reading through the forum!! I don't know if I should start with aromatic or not? Thanks for the info on the brands I might start with captain black! And y is Borkum riff known as the prince of darkness?

seitz55 · Sep 6, 2013

Thanks for the web links plateauguy

There are a lot more pipe brands and types than I realised!

winton · Sep 6, 2013

Borkum Riff sells a lot of tobacco, so lots of people must like it. But it has a horrible reputation by many people. There are many, many, many better blends than Borkum. But again, it sells a lot.
I have never tired it. I see no reason to try it, since I have lots of the good stuff.
Winton

smokeybear · Sep 6, 2013

I would get the CH hands down. As a matter of fact I need to order more cause I smoked all the CH brdavidson gave me lol. Good stuff.

peckinpahhombre · Sep 6, 2013

I would forget those pipes and get a decent pipe. You can't start smoking a pipe with a bad pipe or it will be a crappy experience. I would smoke a cob before I would smoke one of those, or save up and get a Tsuge or Sav. As for the tobacco, if i had to smoke one of the ones you mentioned it would be Carter Hall, no question.

mso489 · Sep 6, 2013

I think you're on the right track with CH, and Prince Albert if you want to get a second. For pipes, I think you

have pretty good selection if you can use the internet. Nording makes Kriswell, but he also makes another

line called Eriksen. These are great pipes, machine made but a huge value. They're solid and well designed.

You can find them by going to Cup O Joes, and then their Nording page, and then Economy Pipes. One of

these would be a great travel pipe, after you have more pipes; compact but holding a fair amount of tobacco,

and really well made. Also, check out Chapuis-Comoy on tobaccopipes.com, good pipes for about $30, and

of course the ever popular Missouri Meerschaum corn cob pipes from beautiful Washington Missouri, just

west of St. Louis. Welcome aboard.

teufelhund · Sep 6, 2013

I generally think of CH as a blender brand and CBW is always a solid choice and the new CB dark is very tasty indeed. You could start with CB Royal; it has a rounder taste and if that proved too aromatic for you, as I said CH is a great blending tobacco. You can even toy around with the ratio until you get it the way you like. Just do yourself a favor an keep a notebook. It's a godsend. Keep track of tobaccos, blends, dates of purchase or jarring for aging purposes, your impressions after each smoke, etc. It can be a lot of work figuring out the tins or bulks you truly enjoy, but it's a lot of fun. When you find what you like stock up and fill the cellar. A great way to go is to get samplers also and if you ever run into something you really don't like you can always trade for something else with a lot of the guys on here. As far as the pipe I might go with a Torino, but that's because I've never even heard of a Kriswell. If nothing else check the holes and see if you can run a pipe cleaner through with low degree of difficulty and pick the pipe that you like. Welcome to the hobby.

rmason · Sep 6, 2013

Cobs, they are the best for starting and they are cheap if you can manage to find a MM cob get it, if not order them online they're good quality (even the seconds), cheap and are great smokes. Also if you do decide to order on the internet Lane's 1Q is never a bad starter blend.

~Ron

rmason · Sep 6, 2013

Also I forgot Welcome.

~Ron

shaintiques · Sep 6, 2013

Krisswell is a Nording brand I believe, it would make a good first pipe.

seitz55 · Sep 6, 2013

Thanks for all the info I just got back I bought a Kriwill pipe and Prince Alberts soft vanilla tobacco. Can't wait to light up! After I learn how to pack the tobacco lol

numbersix · Sep 6, 2013

Welcome @seitz55 - good luck and keep reading!

wilson · Sep 6, 2013

Welcome, and congrats on your new pipe. Lots of good help here if you have questions. Let us know how you are making out.

seitz55 · Sep 7, 2013

I was just enjoying my first bowl of Prince Alberts soft vanilla tobacco, and it was going really good until I saw flashing lights from a cop car, he said someone called in that some one was smoking a pipe out in front of my apartment lol!!! After that though I enjoyed my first smoke! I will be going online looking to buy more tobacco to try if anyone has any ideas and website links to find them I would appreciate it. Oh and thanks for the tip of keeping a notebook teufelhund!!

cmdrmcbragg · Sep 7, 2013

Gotta love the nosy neighbors and cops getting involved in what WAS the relaxing activity of TOBACCO pipe smoking. Never had this problem myself though, but I live in Colorado where I can smoke anything I want -short of crack and meth- from a pipe. I also keep a notebook so I can keep track of my thoughts on each blend I try along the way so I don't forget later on down the road. Welcome to the site.

05venturer · Sep 7, 2013

Welcome to The Club seitz55, hope you enjoy the new hobby. I would also suggest picking up a few MM Cobs to get yourself a rotation of good pipes going as I am sure your Kriswell will need some resting time between smokes and cobs are a great pipe (MM ONLY). Also pick yourself up some Carter Hall until you can get an order in from one of our site sponsors, I would highly recommend 4Noggins, talk to Rich and I am sure he could set you up with a sampler of a few good tobaccos.

werdna · Sep 7, 2013

Welcome to the forum, you've already gotten the info you need to start enjoying yourself.
To my brothers of the briar, I would like to remind you when addressing a new person, please don't use abbreviations as if they know what you are talking about. Take the time to spell it out for them, at least for the first time. CH is easy to understand as Carter Hall, but MM cob is not all the easy for a novice.
MM cob = Missouri Meerschaum Corn Cob Pipe.
We're all guilty of thinking someone else understands us, but maybe not.
Thanks guys and gals.

I'm Off to Buy My First Pipe and Tobacco!

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