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Show me that workhorse pipe!
If I'm doing something that's a risk of damage or loss while piping, one of these two get the nod. I made them both from dinner corn after it was eaten and bamboo garden stakes from around the house for free. They both smoke great and are in my small pipe rotation. I'd hate to lose either...- Joe H
- Post #23
- Forum: Pipes: Show Us Your (fill in the blank) Pipes
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***What Are You Smoking, November 2025?***
I’m still experimenting with a new (to me) tobacco: Wessex Red Virginia Flake. I cube-cut a bowl full and then the weather in Anchorage turned cold. We’ve had single digit temperatures for a few days so my 1950s Kaywoodie sat in the pipe rack loaded with a cork stopper. Today it “warmed up” into...- Joe H
- Post #1,796
- Forum: Pipe Tobacco Discussion
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Taking My Leave
The end of the month will be sadder without your contributions. Best of luck with your health. I am a relative newcomer here but I'll miss you.- Joe H
- Post #9
- Forum: General Discussion
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***What Are You Smoking, November 2025?***
I delved into the DIY world of VaBurs with a blend of Wessex Red VA flake and some well-aged, home-pressed burley cherry plug. It was packed in a recent (2019) Kaywoodie bulldog and left to dry overnight. It smoked perfectly, only requiring a relight when I played around balancing it on a...- Joe H
- Post #904
- Forum: Pipe Tobacco Discussion
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Wind caps
I haven't had them fall out in my usage, but I tend to keep my loaded pipes in my left shirt pocket; they don't get too knocked around. Interestingly, it's the same place my dad kept his pipes in between smokes - acorns/apples and trees and all that. Plus, I gotta do something with all those...- Joe H
- Post #19
- Forum: General Pipe Smoking Discussion
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***What Are You Smoking, November 2025?***
Today it was 2024 Golden Days of Yore. Like a lot of reviewers, I found it a very high quality blend with underwhelming holiday topping notes. I added a second topping mixture and a year later this is a great blend for the holidays. I used a 70’s Comfort brand church warden which I converted to...- Joe H
- Post #626
- Forum: Pipe Tobacco Discussion
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Came in Today!
That was a class move - good on ya! Also, very nice pipe!- Joe H
- Post #7
- Forum: Meerschaum Pipes
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Wind caps
My dad had a couple of those metal wind caps. He experimented with them and in the end decided they weren’t really needed. And I should point out he was on a surveyor field team and worked most days outdoors all day. I’ve tried them myself but they don’t solve any problems I’ve ever had with...- Joe H
- Post #17
- Forum: General Pipe Smoking Discussion
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***What Are You Smoking, November 2025?***
Yesterday was my first try of a Wessex Red VA Flake/SG 1792 Flake blend – it was very good. Today I mixed that blend 50/50 with my Three Nuns and it was fantastic! I smoked it in an old Dr. Grabow while walking around the local lake. I was surprised to see a lot of ice that wasn’t there...- Joe H
- Post #162
- Forum: Pipe Tobacco Discussion
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***What Are You Smoking, October 2025?***
The owner of the local pipe shop recently recommended a couple of tobaccos he thought might interest me and he was right. I had a mixed bowl of 90% Wessex Red Virginia Flake with 10% Samuel Gawith 1792 flake mixed in. I rubbed both out well and dried them a bit and it was a really nice smoke! My...- Joe H
- Post #4,355
- Forum: Pipe Tobacco Discussion
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Different pipes for different tobaccos, Myth?
I don’t have any special technique – I just stick in my mouth and clamp down, either side; rarely the front. All of my pipes are older American factory jobs (Kaywoodie, Dr. Grabow, Medico and such). They were designed to be smoked all day so they tend to be light and easy to clench.- Joe H
- Post #25
- Forum: Pipe Tobacco Discussion
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Different pipes for different tobaccos, Myth?
I’ve done several “semi-scientific” tests on just this topic. Using a large, cylinder-chambered pot and a thin, conical Zulu with the same tobacco sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t see much of a difference. I have two home-made cobs with the same exact tobacco holding capacity. One has a...- Joe H
- Post #5
- Forum: Pipe Tobacco Discussion
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Gone Fishing
Re boats: we own two canoes and a sea kayak for lakes and placid streams. We hire water taxis for ocean trips to remote cabins or yurts. I appreciate the great pictures of your fishing spots. This thread needed a couple of Alaska fish pictures so here they are. I’ve been fly fishing for...- Joe H
- Post #41
- Forum: General Discussion
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***What Are You Smoking, October 2025?***
A lot of my pipe time has been dedicated to a couple of home-made corncobs recently so I decided to break out the briar today. I planted 100 bulbs in various flower boxes before the snow reaches Anchorage and decided to celebrate the task completed with an old Kaywoodie pot and a mixture of odds...- Joe H
- Post #3,682
- Forum: Pipe Tobacco Discussion
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***What Are You Smoking, October 2025?***
Today it was Sugar Barrel (the Sutliff match) in my latest home-made cob. I really need to stop making corncob pipes – I don’t need any more pipes but this one (like the previous one) smokes so darn well there’s little chance I’ll ever toss it. Oh well, poor me…another great smoking pipe with a...- Joe H
- Post #3,368
- Forum: Pipe Tobacco Discussion
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Wet Shave
Thanks for tracking that down @Brad H, I'll keep an eye out for it.- Joe H
- Post #251
- Forum: General Discussion
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Home-made Corn Cob Pipe, version 3.0
Thanks guys! It's in the low 40s today and nothing is frozen in town yet. If I had a raft I'd definitely float around in the local lake with a cob today. But I have some volunteer work to do at a local park (waterproofing interpretive signs) so I'll give the pot another go today out in the... -
***What Are You Smoking, October 2025?***
I had the first bowl in another home-made corn cob pipe. It’s the shorter pot-shaped one on the bottom with the cork in it. There’s about two grams of a ribbon cut burley cherry aromatic under the cork. I really like the way the taller version smokes and wanted to experiment with a shorter...- Joe H
- Post #2,745
- Forum: Pipe Tobacco Discussion
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Home-made Corn Cob Pipe, version 3.0
I have no need for another pipe but I was in the experimenting mood recently so I decided to make another corn cob pipe. My second ever home-made cob was made back in May of this year and it’s turned out to be a really great smoker. I described the process here: Home-made Corn Cob Pipe (Version... -
Returning Trumpet Player After 55 Years
Congratulations of returning to the trumpet! Music is a great retirement hobby and if your circumstances can support it, it can be very helpful to your local community. I got back into music just before retirement as my kids were learning violin. I took that up to help them until they outpaced...- Joe H
- Post #15
- Forum: General Discussion