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bl20

Lurker
Mar 18, 2014
14
0
And I love it so far! The taste is excellent and I feel somewhat sophisticated while doing so haha. I'm currently smoking a Briar pipe and as a college student at 22 I really can't afford to buy several pipes but I wouldn't mind spending a little extra to get a good one. I'm wondering what kind of pipes are the best for beginners? Also I prefer taste over aroma what is a good tobacco to try? Thanks for the help!

 
Jan 8, 2013
1,189
3
I recommend MacBaren HH Old Dark Fired for taste, and as of today, I would recommend a Hilson pipe, or a Stanwell. I have two Stanwells that both smoke well. My new Hilson is dream, light, cool, flavorful smoke. You can pick them up pretty cheap over on pipesandcigars.

 

petes03

Lifer
Jun 23, 2013
6,212
10,653
The Hills of Tennessee
Welcome aboard bl20! You've come to the right place!

For starters, let me suggest that you purchase a couple of Missouri Meerschaum corn cob pipes to help start a good rotation of pipes. They're extremely cheap, they smoke great, and they don't need much rest between bowls.

As for a good pipe, save up a little money and look at Nordings, Savinelli, Stanwell, Peterson, or Butz-Choquin. Any of these can de had for between $75-$150.

For tobacco, I'd suggest getting a couple of blends from all the different genres, try them and see what you like. You don't have to get them all at once, take you're time.

Here are some suggestions;
Burleys

1) Scotty's Butternut Burley

2) Boswell Premium Burley
OTC's

1) Carter Hall

2) Prince Albert
Virginias
1) Mac Baren Virginia Flake

2) McClelland Deep Hollow
Aromatics

1) Lane 1Q

2) Sutliff Molto Dolce
Va/Burs

1) Mac Baren Navy Flake

2) Mac Baren Roll Cake
Va/Pers

1) Dunhill Deluxe Navy Rolls

2) Peter Stokkebye Luxury Bullseye Flake

3) Orlik Golden Sliced (more like a straight Va to me)
Slightly Aromatic Va's

1) Mac Baren Vanilla Cream Flake

2) Peter Stokkebye Luxury Twist Flake
English/Balkan Blends

1) McClelland Blue Mountain

2) Dunhill My Mixture 965
English Hybrid/Crossover Blends

1) All Of The McClelland Frog Morton Blends (5 total)

2) Hearth & Home Mazatec
Kentucky Dark Fired

1) Mac Baren Old Dark Fired
Some of the blends I mentioned are flake/coin stye tobaccos. They can be a little intimidating at first, but take your time, and research how to prep and pack them. Once you get the hang of them, they're no problem at all! They're are plenty of links on this site about smoking flakes, tamping technique, packing different styles of tobacco, lighting steps, smoking cadence and so forth.

There's a lot to learn, so don't overwhelm yourself with trying to be perfect all at once. It takes time and practice!

Good luck, and feel free to ask any questions you might have!
Dan

 

rmbittner

Lifer
Dec 12, 2012
2,759
1,994
As to the OP's pipe question: I've only recently been gifted a Trypis pipe. I'm actually astounded by this one. Very inexpensive, very light for its size, and seemingly well-made. I think they retail for around $35 or so.
Otherwise, I would just recommend that you avoid "drugstore" pipes -- which are occasionally varnished, often include metal filters, etc. But at this point, brands aren't particularly important. A no-name pipe that's well made should serve you well for the rest of your life. If you don't have a good pipe shop nearby that you can visit in person for advice and a hands-on purchase, then check out the vendors listed here. Give them your budget and your experience level and I bet they'll steer you toward a good pipe.
As Pete noted, we could go in about two dozen directions when suggesting blends for you, since your only criteria is that they be flavorful. Most of us start with aromatics, but the focus there tends to be much more on the aroma than the flavor. There's no reason you have to start with any style over another. But I'd encourage you to start with something that's more in the mild-to-medium range of flavor and strength, until you figure out what it is you most enjoy. Pete also recommended a lot of flakes and spun-cuts. I'd probably urge you to go toward a different cut until you get a handle on how to pack a pipe; to me, flakes and spun-cuts add another level of complexity that you can probably do without at this point. However, a number of blend styles are only available in these cuts.
Here are my purely random suggestions for some blends to try in a variety of styles/categories:
Medium English: Dunhill Standard Mixture

Heavy English: Dan Tobacco Gordon Pym

Balkan: GL Pease Caravan

Oriental-forward non-aromatic: Presbyterian

Straight Virginia: Rattray's Old Gowrie

Dark-stoved Virginia: Butera Dark Stoved (a flake you'll need to rub out or fold up)

Virginia/perique: Escudo (a spun-cut that you'll need to rub out or fold up)

Virginia/Burley Flake: Gawith Hoggarth Brown Flake Unscented

"Lakeland" style: Ennerdale Flake
Of course, these reflect my personal preferences. . .
Bob

 

puffdoggie

Can't Leave
Dec 14, 2013
398
0
Welcome to the forum! rmbittner & petes03 have given a ton of suggested blends but personal taste really does matter in the end. Try a few and follow them up with other similar blends to find something that hits the spot. Happy puffin',
Dave

 

bl20

Lurker
Mar 18, 2014
14
0
Thanks for the responses and warm welcome guys! I'll probably start at the top and try to work my way through the different blends recommended to me. One last question though, as far as resting a pipe, why is this done and how often should it be done? Thanks guys

 

rmbittner

Lifer
Dec 12, 2012
2,759
1,994
"One last question though, as far as resting a pipe, why is this done and how often should it be done?"
Most (many?) of us believe that pipes smoke best when they've had a chance to dry out between smokes. You'll get different opinions about this, but the default seems to be letting your pipe rest (in open air, not a drawer) for 7 days after you've spent a day smoking it. Some folks only smoke a bowl in a pipe before they let it rest. I'll smoke the same pipe all day -- 3-5 bowls -- and then give it a week to dry out.
This is why 7-day sets used to be so popular: Smoke one a day, give it a week to rest, and you've got all the pipes you need. This is also why you'll sometimes hear folks recommend that if you smoke every day then you need at least 7 pipes.
This isn't a "law," though. And it seems a lot of us had parents or grandparents who smoked the same pipe every single day of their life, without any serious issues. But I think we'd also say that we're much more knowledgeable about pipe care and tobacco flavor these days. Even though nothing terrible may happen, chances are you'll notice degradation of flavor over time -- or smokes that are wet or sour -- if you choose not to rest your pipes.
Bob

 

petes03

Lifer
Jun 23, 2013
6,212
10,653
The Hills of Tennessee
Another thing I forgot to mention, pipe cleaners. Don't be afraid to use lots of them, they're cheap and they're your friend!

If at any time during your smoke you start to get moisture in the stem, run a pipe cleaner down it to soak it up.

After you're done with a bowl, and you've emptied your pipe, run a fresh cleaner down the stem. Then double it over into a U shape and twist it into the bowl. Pipe cleaners can make a big difference in the quality of your smoke!

 

plateauguy

Lifer
Mar 19, 2013
2,412
18
Welcome bl20! Glad you decided to join us.
Petes03 gave you excellent advice. 2-3 MM Cobs will help with the rotation and are great smokers. Who knows, you might start a trend at your college.
If you really want a good briar, consider an estate. Buy a refurbished one from a reputable dealer - we have several here and some of our sponsers also have estates. Until you have time to devote to it, stay away from do-it-yourself - you need to be studying, not restoring pipes. Comoy, GBD, Peterson, Savinelli and older Kaywoodies are great pipes.

 

unadoptedlamp

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 19, 2014
742
1,368
I'd pick up a meerschaum pipe if you can't afford 3-4 briars for a decent rotation. You can smoke them more often and they don't suffer as much as a briar pipe. They still need some rest, in my opinion, but they're much more forgiving and provide a pretty good smoking experience. They're not nearly as fragile as people will lead you to believe. I've dropped mine on concrete a few times and it's still kicking. Just get a good one made of block.
I prefer a traditional shape for a meerschaum, but you can also get some pretty fancy carvings. The traditional shapes colour quicker and I think that more thought is put into the mechanics of the pipe rather than the carving of the pipe. I have a very intricate I. Balgan, but honestly, it's mostly just the look that's impressive. The smoke is far better from my very plain tomato shape.
In the end, I still prefer briar, but if you're on a budget and can't afford a few, I'd recommend a meerschaum because they're pretty good.

 
Mar 1, 2014
3,646
4,916
Having bought four good pipes and a few cheaper ones now, I thought I would chime in on the differences I see in different price ranges.

I have two Vauen Churchwardens ($150), two Savinelli Churchwardens ($75), and a bundle of inexpensive Czech made pipes, of course, Churchwardens (about $35 each, I bought the Czech pipes mainly to give away and share my new hobby with friends and family).

On the Vauen pipes the draw hole is perfectly drilled with the bowl being more pointed at the bottom to get the hole closer to center, where the bowl on the Savinelli is flatter with the draw hole coming out the side of the bowl, Savinelli did hit their mark pretty well though with the drill just leaving a line on the bottom of the bowl. The the draw holes on the Czech pipes are all over the place, neither centred nor flush with the bottom.

The shape of the airway is also flattened deep inside the bit on the Vauen (I'm guessing to reduce the hotspot you would get drawing from a small round hole), where the Sav only has a shallow cut widening the airway just before the end of the bit. The Czech pipes actually have a deeper cut than the Sav, but the overall shape of the bit is not uniform.

The tenon on most Vauen Churchwardens is a tapered fit (army style), so they won't go loose over time. The tenon on the Sav is the more traditional straight type (which is probably actually more difficult to do) and fit is very good, nice and tight and both examples I have feel nearly identical. The Czech pipes are also a straight tenon, but are much looser, and to varying degrees.
Basically, it seems to me that you really do get what you pay for between different price levels on pipes. I would be perfectly happy with just the Savinelli if I wanted to save money, though there's technically no reason the Czech models can't give a good smoke.

 

dottiewarden

Lifer
Mar 25, 2014
3,053
57
Toronto
When I started smoking a pipe back in September 2013, I also thought I was on a budget. As it turns out, actually smoking the pipes is just part of the hobby. Before you know it you'll probably be saving up like never before while dreaming about the next pipe you want to purchase. There are so many gorgeous pipe shapes out there that it'll be hard to keep yourself from always wanting to add to your collection. It seems as though lots of our fellow members have collections upwards of 150 pipes! I know I would if I could. I already have a long list of have to haves that doesn't seem to stop growing. One thing I know for sure is I'm going to get some of them no matter what sacrifice I have to make to do it.
Dot

 

apatim

Can't Leave
Feb 17, 2014
497
0
Jacksonville, FL
Agreed, Dot... although, as hobbies go, pipe smoking needn't cost a lot of money I have managed to drop about a grand into it in the last month or so. I imagine I'll slow down some now that I have a full week's rotation of pipes, supplies and a number of blends cellared. I imagine that the start up costs of any decent hobby are going to be higher than maintenance costs.

 

anglesey

Can't Leave
Jan 15, 2014
383
2
If recommend a Parker . I'm not sure how common they are in the United States, but in my opinion they're as true a smoke as you can get, and for a very reasonable sum. Hell, I'd you're looking to spend a bit, buy two.
I agree with the comments on the acquisition of said materials being a large part of the hobby though. Unfortunately for me (and to the ayatollah herself'a chagrin) I'm a terrible hoarder of things, and I find collecting smoking paraphernalia to be very cathartic.

 

salewis

Can't Leave
Jan 27, 2011
412
0
Welcome to the pipes smoking community. You may want to try a Stanwell pipe or an inexpensive Peterson. The best I advice that I can provide is spend a little more for a pipe in the beginning rather than go for quantity and you will be glad you did in a year or two since you may have your pipes for the rest of your life.
Peteo3 gave you great suggestions for tobacco. The only blends that I would add are:
Va/Pers
Escudo
Virginias
Samuel Gawith Best Brown Flake
Balkan
Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader

 
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