A Discussion to Change the Pace.

[The Clay King]

For me it was 17th / 18th Century living history re-enactments (Lace Wars, Sealed Knot etc) where I'd see re-enactors smoking clay pipes.
This is the reason I knew I wanted to try smoking one, so after I moved out of my parents' house I bought a couple at the local flea market.
I've broken a few in the last 2 years though, so I have to keep getting them when I find them, either in antique shops / flea markets or online.
I've got some with glazed tips now so I can smoke them without getting lip cancer!
The problem with clay pipes is they break easily and discolour from absorbing the tar / nicotine from the tobacco.
I feel the need to clean the bowl regularly so as not to build up 'carbon cake' that can be a problem in clay pipes, but you can never get rid of the small of baccy from them, as it soaks into the clay...
I've learned a few things about smoking clay pipes:
1, Don't let them burn too hot.
2, Keep cleaning them.
3, Don't smoke rolling tobacco in them.
When I bought my first clay pipe, I could only get Golden Virginia, Drum etc or a half smoked cigar.
I thought Drum would be OK in a clay pipe because it's a shag tobacco and an 18th Century Dutch brand and they smoked clay pipes then.
Then a pipe smoker I met at the pub let me have a pipeful of Scadinavik; this was the first time I'd smoked pipe tobacco and it was completely different from the rolling baccy I'd previously stuffed into my clay!

 

[stokesdale]

Smoking a pipe over 35 years now, cigarettes before that (I'll still smoke a cigarette occasionally when I'm putting up hay and my son is here helping). Smoke non aromatics mostly except for one (Santee)...mostly virginias except I do like one burley (Burley Flake #2) and one mix (Jackknife plug).

The one thing I learned early on about smoking a pipe is to not worry about it--probably because there weren't any forums like this around; a lot of people on this forum talk about smoking cadence, draw, inhaling, how hot the pipe gets and all that stuff, I don't worry about any of it and it makes smoking more pleasurable. Too many nitpick pipe smoking, its not rocket science.

 

[Old School 3319]

I smoked cigarettes for 20 plus years. I have chewed tobacco for 35 years. I quite smoking because of the kids and the cost. I was chewing so much my gums would hurt to the point I could chew. I remembered seeing a pic of me at 4 years old smoking my dad's pipe and thought why not. I didnt do my research and bought gas station pipe tobacco and hated it. After another round of sore gums i finally read up on pipe tobacco and bought good tobacco and never looked back

 

[Paul lec]

Started smoking pipes in the mid-60’s. Usually riding around,high school stuff. Then the late 60’s early 70’s smoked other kinds of pipes?. Graduated college in 1974 and moved from Pittsburgh to Florida. Cigs became easier and quicker,so I had many years of them but always had a pipe laying around. I remember some blends being around,mostly aromatics and such,and they always disappointed me. I found PA about 30 years ago and really loved it,my pipe smoking increased and started smoking some premium cigars.,,my pipes were usually drugstore brands which I beat the hell out of. About 10 years ago for Christmas my son in law gave me a Peterson pipe and I really loved it with the PA.,I dropped on ceramic tile and it broke. Just went back to my old beaters and thought nothing of it.Just this year i found smoking pipes and started to browse. I bought a new Peterson and some tins of tobacco,I bought a few more pipes and joined this forum. After 50 some odd years I enjoy it more,like a hobby. Enjoy fishing on the Gulf and always take my pipe and pouch with me. Very relaxing to be alone in the sea with a nice bowl and just enjoy. I guess I have always been kind of fascinated with pipes,I can remember my grandfather and his Curry Pipe tobacco,and some of my Dad’s friends who smiled usually HH. Enjoy!

 

[crawdad]

I adopted the hobby about 4 or 5 years ago during a very dark time in my life. I am a VFW of OIF/OEF and was suffering with PTSD. I didn't really know what was wrong with me but couldn't keep a job, was in and out of jail, reeling from another failed relationship and fighting to have visitation with my infant daughter, broke, suicidal, was an alcoholic, smoked 3 packs of cigarettes a day, and in a steep tailspin that was quickly threatening to take my life. I originally picked up a basket pipe and a large bag of some "pipe tobacco" in an attempt to save money. Fast forward a few months and I experienced a life changing event which resulted in me quitting cigarettes, quitting drinking, and completely renewing my life purpose. After seeking help from the VA and being diagnosed with severe PTSD, the VA declared me 100% disabled from service connected injuries and I was left with more time on my hands than I knew what to do with it. So, I started watching YouTube videos on various topics and happened upon the late Matches860 video on clay tavern pipes. I was intrigued by his videos and became interested in smoking a pipe. I bought a Peterson 03 fishtail Dracula and within short order ruined it by smoking way too hot and fast.......it literally erupted in flames and I had to throw it outside. I bought another Peterson 03 fishtail and expanded my YouTube library into every instructional pipe video I could find. My first balkan blend created a nostalgic feeling for hunting trips with my Dad sitting around a campfire; I still prefer a latakia heavy blend. I absolutely detest fresh virginia blends or fresh straight virginias but, my second favorite tobacco is a straight VA with 5+ years age or a VAPer with 5+ years age. Looking back, I have learned to slow down and enjoy each bowl, to allow myself a contemplative relaxation while enjoying the experience of each smoke. The pipe ceremony has become a meditative practice for me that invites awareness of the present moment. I have learned to experience the pipe instead of merely smoking it.
Happy piping

I hear you brother. Just a reach out to another vet. I don’t talk about my issues too much but I’m glad you can. Keep strong, bro.

 

[jdb67]

My Grandfather smoked a pipe. He was a kind and gentle man and I remember him walking around with his pipe in his mouth, sitting on the front porch smoking, and of course the smell just takes me back to that time in a flash. My Mom kept his pipes after he died many years ago and about 10 years ago she happened to mention she had kept them. He was a drug-store pipe smoker...the pipes and the tobacco (I think he smoked PA). I kept a few of his drug-store pipes, but quickly became interested in the art/craftsmanship of pipes and have slowly built up a decent collection. I like the English/Balkan/Scottish blends best. I wish I could have learned how to smoke a pipe from my Grandfather, but this forum as been a pretty good substitute. The frequent members that reply and answer questions are, for the most part, patient and kind. The rest are at least funny and make me laugh. No one is mean or condescending though and that is much appreciated to those of us coming to this forum to learn from those more experienced.

 

[irishearl]

Started as an undergrad 44 years ago. So long ago I no longer remember why.

 

[Akousticplyr]

7 great uncles from the steel mills in Pittsburgh area. All WWII vets, a couple were in the Bulge at Bastogne. Ever time family would get together, the men would hang in the study (man cave?) and that smell would take me away with the stories.
Great Americans, each of them.
One told a story about throwing a potato masher grenade back at the Germans while laughing. Balls of steel.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I took it up very recently, can’t really say why but I can say it has nothing to do with hobbits or Sherlock Holmes although I’ve read all of JRR Tolkien when I was 13 or so and do appreciate Jermey Brett as Sherlock.

 

[condorlover1]

Said it before elsewhere on this forum. Everyone in the family smoked a pipe with the exception of the women although I have often wondered about Auntie Winifred. Most of them were WW1 veterans and would smoke Plug or Twist. My Uncle Charles who was a machine gunner in WW1 smoked Condor/Plug but he also rolled cigarettes and taught me that terrible habit. He had a friend who died in 1990 in his late 90s who jumped a U.S troop ship leaving from France in 1919 and explored America for the summer and when the winter arrived he signed up and joined the U.S army for a few years before coming back to the U.K. He always had a pipe or cigarette in his mouth and smoked Players Medium Navy Cut if I remember. I guess when I started smoking at 15/16 no one gave it much thought although my Father used to bring me some awful tobacco home from his travels!

 

[logs]

And wouldn't you know it, Harris has never properly repaid me for the huge favor I provided him by converting him to pipes. LOL

Just go get some of his Capstan. You could probably liberate a couple dozen tins before he'd notice.

 

[cigrmaster]

And wouldn't you know it, Harris has never properly repaid me for the huge favor I provided him by converting him to pipes. LOL

I smoked cigarettes and cigars up to 2008. Quit both but started cigars again 6 months later. I had serious ventures into pipe smoking at different times before that but was always too much on the move to make it convenient enough. I smoked my first pipe when I was 15, a corn cob with Borkhum Riff Whiskey. That should have been enough to have me swear off the pipe forever. Smoked pipe for 3 or 4 years in my mid twenties and then picked it up again in the early 2,000's for 5 or 6 years. Started again not quite 3 years ago and wondered why I ever smoked anything else. I now smoke cigars when playing golf and an occasional stogie when with cigar smoking friends. Still enjoy cigars but nowhere near as much as smoking my pipes.

Mark, Here is your present, you can screw my ex wife, just remember her venom is lethal.

 

[briarbuck]

I have had tobacco jammed in my face since I was 13 years old. Have always liked it in many forms. Cope, cigars, Turkish Camels and now pipes.

I like tobacco leaf. Always have for some reason.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Mark, Here is your present, you can screw my ex wife, just remember her venom is lethal.

Gee Harris, how incredibly kind of you.

 

[laniromee]

I don't drink but I've been smoking tobacco since my teens. I did dabble in cigars but never got hooked. Then a girl I used to date bought me my first pipe in the hopes that I would quit cigarettes. Fell in love with the girl and with the pipe.

 

[cigrmaster]

Mark,
"Gee Harris, how incredibly kind of you."


I can see your brain has finally passed your dick. As my oldest pipe friend you can have your choice of different discontinued tins, limit 6 tins or 50 grams of bulk. It could take an hour or so to decide. Could be it will be fun seeing smoke coming out of your ears.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Mark,
"Gee Harris, how incredibly kind of you."


I can see your brain has finally passed your dick. As my oldest pipe friend you can have your choice of different discontinued tins, limit 6 tins or 50 grams of bulk. It could take an hour or so to decide. Could be it will be fun seeing smoke coming out of your ears.

That one is easy. Just prepare a stack of the Rotary Navy Flake and have it ready when I visit next. LOL

 

[newportpipe]

I started from watching grand pop as far back as I can remember. He’d have to smoke his pipes in the garage and outside. I always loved the smell and him seeming more “at peace“ with a crispy, white vee neck t-shirt tucked into his pressed pants and house shoes.

He had a rack of about 8 basket pipes and I remember the pouches and large cans of SWR & SWRA. He was a WWII vet (Belgium) and for him a pipe was relaxing even as my grandmother was always shouting at him about something.

 

[virginialover]

Pipe and cigar smoking seemed like the right thing to do and I started on my 18th birthday. Of course as I made more money I could afford better tobaccos, pipes and cigars. Quality cigars are always more expensive when compared to pipe smoking though. You know what they say, about what separates the men from the boys...the price of their toys.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

No specific inspiration to take up pipes. Wish I had a cool story, but basically cigars were getting expensive, and pipe tobacco allowed me to smoke more for my money. I didn’t expect the huge variety of different tastes and smells from the tobacco when I first wandered over to pipes, but I became pretty fascinated by all the different blends, and haven’t really looked back, though I may still have a cigar on occasion.