What\'s Your Story About Starting Pipes

Great story Bob, I would tell my own but have lots of free time, and with most likely write a blog about it.

My story? Geez, that was 45 yrs ago! I barely have a grip on what happened last week! I do remember quite clearly that it was Middleton's Cherry Blend in a filtered Medico straight bulldog. Let's just say it was, excuse the pun, love at first bite. That pipe burned-out on me, a year or two later, as I was smoking it outdoors one miserably cold day. I still have the second pipe I bought: a ½-bent Kaywoodie high bowl.

Over those early years I went through nearly every popular drug store blend. That was the source of all my tobacco until I stumbled upon

Iwan Ries Co., a famous downtown Chicago B&M. They helped me identify my preferences in natural tobaccos, and I've been a wanderer in paradise ever since. BTW, if you get the chance, visit Iwan Ries; it is a veritable museum of tobacciana, and they aren't kidding when they claim to have over 10,000 pipes for sale. And be prepared to be treated in a sophisticated and "proper" manner.

Here's a 360° view of Ries' store. (Not exactly your typical Iowa B&M.)

I bought my first pipe while still in high school. A Dr.Grabow and a pouch of Middleton's Cherry blend. Without any tutorage (it that really a word and did I spell it right?)I damned near burned my tongue off. I tried it several more times over the years but always with the same result.
Skip forward 40 years or so.
As a cross country truck driver, I'd stay out for about 4 weeks, then come home for 3 to 5 days. I was a cigar smoker at the time and saved the "good" stuff for coming home and to smoke at home.

Herself decided to quit smoking but was kind enough to wait until the day after I left. That way, I wouldn't have to endure her withdrawl crazies.

I came home a month later and was told I couldn't smoke "those things" in the house anymore.

"They really stink." says she. "But you can smoke a pipe!"

And a monster was born.

I started out with cigars (and kept with them) and really only tried a pipe for fun to sample some different blends from my local tobacconist. Of course one blend lead to another blend, one pipe lead to many pipes.
I had no one to walk me through the early stages to help teach me the rights and wrongs of how to really enjoy a pipe since the B&M store I bought my stuff from really was centered around catering to their cigar clientele. I guess I must have figured out a few things on my own because I’m still at can take credit for getting many of my cigar buddies into pipes now as well.

I started with coughin' nails, a year or so before I bought my first pipe.

My Dad and Grand-Dad both smoked a pipe, and they both told me my Great Grandfather smoked one as well. I suppose its in my DNA. Buying a pipe was simply a matter of earning enough to buy my first pipe. It wasn't if, but when I could afford one. Probably one of my very first purchases over $20. I owned my first 2 pipes before I bought my first car. (72 Nova w/ 327-4 barrel small block)( oooo! real fast)