My Pipe experience thus far

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familyfarmer

Lurker
Mar 18, 2019
15
0
I acquired a MO Meerschaum as the start of my pipe collection. It’s the Washington, I believe, with a bent bit. I find it enough pipe to hold the smoke I want. I find it a good weight for clenching. Smoking has always been a part of my persona. Until now it’s been cigars and cigarettes. Im hard into the honey moon stage and have been bordering on obsessive with pipe smoking, as I'm sure many newcomers do. Constant online shopping, perusing forums and YouTube and smoking quite a bit. I smoke my pipe throughout the day. If it’s not lit I usually just keep it clenched anyway. It’s part of my personality at the moment. I stand 5’10” around 220 pounds. I carry my weight in my midsection but have that active farmer look. Not overweight but certainly stout. I wear well worn leather soled cowboy boots, wrangler jeans and usually a button up or flannel. Sometimes patterned, sometimes denim. I have a young face and little facial hair that a keep clean shaven. Usually hair above my ears. Currently I am wearing a high and tight but have the intention the grow my thick, dark brown hair out as long as I can stand it. This will be my second time doing so. But 85% of my life I’ve worn a high and tight with shaved sides, and no-guard buzz on top. I have a round face and head, but not Charlie Brown round. Picture Robert Mitchum less the dimple, and pronounced check bones. The high and tight squares up my head and frames my face to seem more square and chiseled. I wear a confederate Calvary hat with the gold tassels and grey wool. Cowboy, with a southern twist. In the winter I don a dark Sherpa lined Carhartt jacket that is very dark brown, or a tan vest of the same brand. I find the corncob pipe to be the framing of my look. Like a cherry frame around a sepia toned photo of an early 1900's rancher. I carry this look through the year, except when working or in the summer time. Then you may find my in a T-shirt and ball cap. The ball cap shares my cranium’s space equally with the Calvary top.
I have ordered a selection of various tobaccos that sound appealing from p&c. I also found an MM called the southern Gentlemen, upon inspection later i found it has a cracked stem. I could return but I have chosen to instead fix it. I have some walnut, cherry, and white oak. I think the dark stained bowl will go well with the walnut. I'm going to spin a piece on the lathe and see what I can work out.
I did find my palate and tongue getting a little taxed. I was redoing a porch for a friend and smoked all day while demoing and constructing the frame. At the close of the day we were presented with a couple of those Golden rocky Mountain elixirs called Coors. It burned my tongue incredibly. I could tell the smoking had tenderized my soft tissues. Is this something I will break through? Like when I chewed regularly my lip got very sore at first but it subsided and built a tolerance to the assault. Can I expect that pipe smoking?
I look forward to trying some of the premium tins and pouches I ordered. As well as building a pipe collection. The Washington is my clencher, but i love the feel of the oversized bowl on the Southern Gentlman, I find it good for holding while rocking in a chair and smoking. I think I'll favor the cob for regular use. But I'm eyeing some other pipes for special occasions. I really like the looks of the Volkan pipes. Something bent, with a traditional Dr. Grabow Omega kind of profile. Perhaps something fancier, but not outlandish or gaudy.
Thanks. Matt.

 

mikefu

Lifer
Mar 28, 2018
1,976
10,506
Green Bay
Welcome. The tongue soreness will minimize with time for sure, partly because your tongue toughens up, and partly because your technique will get better and the pipe will generate less heat and steam. There are many many great briar pipes out there, so find one you like and get after it. You may find that in time straight pipes will become your preference, as lower end straight pipes tend to smoke better than lower end bent pipes. Jump in and see what you find, as experience is the best teacher.

 

mikefu

Lifer
Mar 28, 2018
1,976
10,506
Green Bay
What aldecaker said. But I’d say under $80 is low end, 80-200 is midrange, and over 200 is high end. Most of my best smokers are in the $80-120 range. I would contend that it is mostly because of better drilling and geometry that comes with the higher amount of care taken with midrange pipes as opposed to low end ones. Which is why I favor straight pipes generally, as they are just easier to get right, as the drilling is more simple. For example, I’ve got a number of $100ish Briarworks pipes that smoke great, but they are all straight and have larger than average airways, so once they are broken in, they practically smoke themselves.

 

aldecaker

Lifer
Feb 13, 2015
4,407
42
Might be worth the time. Old Dr. Grabows are a different animal than the current production; I don't know anyone who would deny they were a better pipe. So if you find some of those, may well be worth it. For what it's worth, briars are about 75% of my collection, and I do about 80% of my smoking with Missouri Meerschaums.

 

familyfarmer

Lurker
Mar 18, 2019
15
0
This one stands out to me.
http://briarworks.mybigcommerce.com/c23ds47-briarworks-classic-c23-lovat-dark-smooth/

 

mikefu

Lifer
Mar 28, 2018
1,976
10,506
Green Bay
That’s a great option, but if your area shops are like mine, good pipes at antique shops are like hens teeth. There are plenty of nearly (or fully) destroyed low end Kaywoodies, Grabows, and no name pipes, but rarely anything more high quality or especially in decent condition. Not to discourage you at all, but don’t count on finding anything good easily. And get to know enough about the past decades’ pipes and manufacturers to know what you’re finding.

 

mikefu

Lifer
Mar 28, 2018
1,976
10,506
Green Bay
Those c23s are my favorite Briarworks pipe, and I just bought my 3rd one. They smoke great. They are a smaller pipe, but great for clenching as they are light. Plus you get a 10% discount if you use the code on their banner ad here. I was actually looking for a specific finish c23 that I hadn’t seen in a while, and I emailed them, talked to Micah, and they made one per my request. Good folks and good pipes.

 
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