I'm living in Argentina and have recently found a Peterson Sherlock Holmes Rustic Series pipe in a local shop. I've never smoked a pipe before in my life, but, in my limited research, have read that's it's important to buy a nice pipe to start. Question is, is this a good place to start? I'm willing to put down the cash if so. It's about $150 USD. Thanks for your input.
Peterson Sherlock Rustic Series for My First
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Welcome to the forum, agape! I'm a big Peterson fan, and the "Sherlock" series are some nice ones and well worth the money! But here's my suggestion to you, buy yourself a Missouri Meerschaum (MM) cob and maybe a Dr. Grabow, then you'll have two good smoking pipes for less than $40. That will leave a lot of money for you to spend sampling tobaccos! The Peterson is a nice pipe for sure, but it'd be a shame to spend that much not knowing if you'll even like pipe smoking or not. If it were me, for $150 you can get a couple of pipes, several tobaccos, plenty of pipe cleaners, a 3 in 1 tamper/tool and a good soft flame lighter. Then you're good to go! Good luck, and hope this helps!
Dan
Dan
That's probably a fair price depending on which shape it is. It looks like they retail here in the USA at that level or slightly above. Mice choice for your first one.
Welcome to the Forum and enjoy yourself here. Ask any questions you may have. There is a lot of experience here.
Welcome to the Forum and enjoy yourself here. Ask any questions you may have. There is a lot of experience here.
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Welcome agape4argentina!
Depending on your budget and how comfortable you'd be to be out of that $150 should you decide that piping isn't for you...That Peterson Sherlock Holmes Rustic is definitely a nice pipe! :wink:
Peterson is a well regarded namebrand and if the pipe you're interested in is also a p-lip, then all the better! I think p-lips are great for beginners (such as myself) and newcomers. Even if you end up not taking up piping, you could sell the pipe as an estate and get some money back out of it. So your risk isn't too great here.
So, RUSH on out and get that beauty! Make sure you grab some essentials while you're there (some tobacco to actually smoke, a pipe tool, some pipe cleaners and some matches (or better yet a pipe lighter if your budget allows)).
Unfortunately "nice" is open to all kinds of interpretations. Corn Cob pipes are "nice" and can be had for incredibly cheap. There are also artisan pipes that are "nice" and can cost thousands of dollars!
Depending on your budget and how comfortable you'd be to be out of that $150 should you decide that piping isn't for you...That Peterson Sherlock Holmes Rustic is definitely a nice pipe! :wink:
Peterson is a well regarded namebrand and if the pipe you're interested in is also a p-lip, then all the better! I think p-lips are great for beginners (such as myself) and newcomers. Even if you end up not taking up piping, you could sell the pipe as an estate and get some money back out of it. So your risk isn't too great here.
So, RUSH on out and get that beauty! Make sure you grab some essentials while you're there (some tobacco to actually smoke, a pipe tool, some pipe cleaners and some matches (or better yet a pipe lighter if your budget allows)).
I might add that I'm not trying to discourage you from getting the Peterson. I have 14 Petersons, and I love them all! If you want it, and can afford it, then by all means get it. Just make sure to sample some different baccys, and get some basic supplies while you're at it! Even if you do get the Pete, I'd still pick up a cob as they are great for sampling tobaccos and they don't ghost!
When I bought my first pipe, I had $100 in fist, ready to drop it on a Savinelli. The B&M owner all but refused to sell it to me. She insisted I try a cob and a few tobaccos first. $100-$150 is a lot of money for me to spend on a pipe. For other folks, it may not be much at all. It's all relative. That said, I would love to have one of those Peterson Holmes series. Very nice.
Peace,
Bill
Peace,
Bill
Having some serious cash invested in a really cool pipe can help you stay motivated should you get discouraged. Remember, unlike cigar or cigarette smoking, pipe smoking must be learned. It takes a LOT of trial and error to get your individual technique down pat, and finding the tobaccos you prefer is also a journey. That's the bad news and the good news. Enjoy the ride! We're here to help if you need us.
I'll weigh in on this one too I guess. Peterson make good pipes of that there is no doubt. I have more Peterson pipes in my collection than any other single brand. They make a decent pipe for a reasonable cost. Having said that, I think $150.00 for your first pipe is a lot to put down. Like Rothnh said, if you are able and it is not a financial hardship then go for it. However if you would even hesitate for a second spending that money you can get a decent Peterson pipe online for the $50 - $80 range leaving you lots for a couple quality tins of tobacco. Something else to consider with Petersons, once broken in they are great pipes however I have found that the break in period is in some cases twice as long as I have experienced with other pipes. If I had my whole pipe learning curve to do over I would have bought more estate pipes that were gently used and bought more tobacco especially VA and English blends that I could cellar. Some day you will not be able to buy tobacco but three pipes will allow you to smoke a pipe the rest of your life. Just my two cents.
Thanks, guys, for all the feedback. It's obvious to me that there's more to pipe smoking than I previously thought (which is great). I've compiled information from all your posts. So, here are some follow up questions:
It's seems that there is no consensus on whether or not I should spend that much money on a pipe. It's obviously a good pipe to buy; however, I'll think more about if I want to spend that much right away. Again, since I'm in Argentina, it's not like there's a ton of selection so finding a nice pipe first off might be to my advantage. We'll see. At any rate...
What is:
p-lip?
"ghost"?
pipe tool? cleaner? lighter? (it's going to be much more difficult for me to find certain brands here because the imported goods are hard to find--and I don't live in a big city either)
cob?
pipes resting (between smokes)?
pipe technique? (had no idea you had to "learn" how to smoke...maybe some basic pointers here)?
"break-in period"?
estate pipes?
"celler" tobacco blends?
It's seems that there is no consensus on whether or not I should spend that much money on a pipe. It's obviously a good pipe to buy; however, I'll think more about if I want to spend that much right away. Again, since I'm in Argentina, it's not like there's a ton of selection so finding a nice pipe first off might be to my advantage. We'll see. At any rate...
What is:
p-lip?
"ghost"?
pipe tool? cleaner? lighter? (it's going to be much more difficult for me to find certain brands here because the imported goods are hard to find--and I don't live in a big city either)
cob?
pipes resting (between smokes)?
pipe technique? (had no idea you had to "learn" how to smoke...maybe some basic pointers here)?
"break-in period"?
estate pipes?
"celler" tobacco blends?
1) P-lip is a type of end form on some pipes. Peterson especially uses these more than any other brands. This form directs smoke through a hole in the top of the bit to the roof of your mouth as apposed to fishtale which is your standard bit type.
2) Ghosting is a residual smell or taste left behind by smoking a particular type of tobacco that has a strong odour, or taste. Many aromatic tobacco's will leave a ghost of that taste behind and change the way other tobaccos taste or smell. Dedicated pipes are ideal for certain tobacco so you don't experience this.
3) Cob is a short form for corncob. It is essentially a section of dried corncob that has been specifically treated to make it resilient to the heat of burning tobacco. They are inexpensive to purchase and do not add artificial tastes to your tobacco. Great way to experience a new tobacco. Also nice if you smoke outside and worry about high winds that might damage a more expensive pipe.
4) Pipe technique is something that you will learn over time. It involves learning how to properly load, light, tamp and smoke to get the most out of your pipe without having it burn your mouth from smoking it too hot. There is lots of info on this site about properly packing, tamping and even smoking your pipe. Ideally you should find someone closer to you that can help in person as it will shorten your learning curve.
5) Pipe resting time is the time in between smokes. The tobacco releases oils and tars and will sour a briar pipe if it is not allowed enough time to dry between smokes. A good rotation is the best way to prevent this. Better quality pipes with sour slower but will sour eventually if not cleaned and cared for. A few cobs with a briar pipes is a good start to a rotation without spending a fortune.
6) Break in period is the time it takes to develop some protective carbon layer in the bowl as well as burn off stain or other impurities in the briar that might come to the surface during your first few smokes. All pipes will have a different break in period. There are some brands of pipes that come pre-smoked by machine to shorten the break in period. Buying estate pipes can help with this period if cleaned properly.
7) Estate pipes are used pipes, I know that sounds gross but its like buying a classic car. If it was properly maintained and then cleaned prior to you receiving it they smoke better than a new pipe. You can also typically get much more pipe for your dollar than in a new pipe. An example would be that Peterson that you are looking at made in the 50's in good condition might go for $35 or $40. Remember like anything else the first time you use it it becomes used. One bowl or seventy bowls makes no difference after the first flame it struck.
8) Cellar tobacco is a way to put tobacco in storage so that you might enjoy smoking a pipe for many years to come. Current tobacco legislation in the US and Canada will soon prohibit the sale of flavoured tobacco which will make certain tobaccos all but impossible to get. When that happens to us those that put away enough unopened tobacco will be able to enjoy their pipes for years to come. Also tobacco is not getting any cheaper. I wish I had invested $500 back in the early 90's when I started smoking a pipe. I would have been able to buy enough to last me many years. When I started a 50g tin of tobacco is $5.00 CDN that same tin with taxes is now over $20.00 CDN. Imagine what it will be if available in another 20 years.
Hope this helps. Spend some time looking through the site there is a wealth of information here. Good luck and if you need anything please ask. These guys are great and always very helpful.
Cheers,
Piperl12
2) Ghosting is a residual smell or taste left behind by smoking a particular type of tobacco that has a strong odour, or taste. Many aromatic tobacco's will leave a ghost of that taste behind and change the way other tobaccos taste or smell. Dedicated pipes are ideal for certain tobacco so you don't experience this.
3) Cob is a short form for corncob. It is essentially a section of dried corncob that has been specifically treated to make it resilient to the heat of burning tobacco. They are inexpensive to purchase and do not add artificial tastes to your tobacco. Great way to experience a new tobacco. Also nice if you smoke outside and worry about high winds that might damage a more expensive pipe.
4) Pipe technique is something that you will learn over time. It involves learning how to properly load, light, tamp and smoke to get the most out of your pipe without having it burn your mouth from smoking it too hot. There is lots of info on this site about properly packing, tamping and even smoking your pipe. Ideally you should find someone closer to you that can help in person as it will shorten your learning curve.
5) Pipe resting time is the time in between smokes. The tobacco releases oils and tars and will sour a briar pipe if it is not allowed enough time to dry between smokes. A good rotation is the best way to prevent this. Better quality pipes with sour slower but will sour eventually if not cleaned and cared for. A few cobs with a briar pipes is a good start to a rotation without spending a fortune.
6) Break in period is the time it takes to develop some protective carbon layer in the bowl as well as burn off stain or other impurities in the briar that might come to the surface during your first few smokes. All pipes will have a different break in period. There are some brands of pipes that come pre-smoked by machine to shorten the break in period. Buying estate pipes can help with this period if cleaned properly.
7) Estate pipes are used pipes, I know that sounds gross but its like buying a classic car. If it was properly maintained and then cleaned prior to you receiving it they smoke better than a new pipe. You can also typically get much more pipe for your dollar than in a new pipe. An example would be that Peterson that you are looking at made in the 50's in good condition might go for $35 or $40. Remember like anything else the first time you use it it becomes used. One bowl or seventy bowls makes no difference after the first flame it struck.
8) Cellar tobacco is a way to put tobacco in storage so that you might enjoy smoking a pipe for many years to come. Current tobacco legislation in the US and Canada will soon prohibit the sale of flavoured tobacco which will make certain tobaccos all but impossible to get. When that happens to us those that put away enough unopened tobacco will be able to enjoy their pipes for years to come. Also tobacco is not getting any cheaper. I wish I had invested $500 back in the early 90's when I started smoking a pipe. I would have been able to buy enough to last me many years. When I started a 50g tin of tobacco is $5.00 CDN that same tin with taxes is now over $20.00 CDN. Imagine what it will be if available in another 20 years.
Hope this helps. Spend some time looking through the site there is a wealth of information here. Good luck and if you need anything please ask. These guys are great and always very helpful.
Cheers,
Piperl12
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