A Return To Form

[woodsroad]

"I Think That It's Possible That I Might Have Cancer And It's All Your Fault, What Do You Think?"

 

[ravkesef]

Re: question 4 and Dr. Grabow: I have a friend with a family connection. In the early 1950s, her uncle, Henry Levitas, bought a factory in North Carolina and manufactured the Dr. Grabow pipes. She is under the impression that he started the business, although she says it may be possible that it was a very small and relatively new business that Uncle Henry bought and then expanded. She remembers as a little girl that he installed shower facilities outside the main building for the workers to use before they began their shifts. As these were North Carolina hill-country people, the general notions of personal hygiene were not known to them, and Uncle Henry had to impose his standards in order to ensure that the facilities inside the main factory building, as well as the finished product were clean. She remembers watching with awe how pipes were made, and especially the pipe smoking machine, a large circular device onto which the newly manufactured pipes were placed to be pre-smoked prior to sale. She has no idea whether Dr. Grabow was a real person, but believes that it may have been a name cooked up by Uncle Henry to imply that the pipes observed the highest standards of health and cleanliness, similar to the ad which told you that four out of five doctors smoked camels. She thinks that he may have invented the name precisely because there was no Dr. Grabow anywhere in the country, and that it was not a last name that he could find, so there would be no infringement issues.
She believes that she may have a few brand-new pipes from that era kicking around the attic somewhere, and told me that she will keep an eye peeled for them.

 

[plateauguy]

Jesse, thank you for starting this post.
After yesterday, I was seriously considering leaving the forum. There is no longer the great, welcoming feeling that the forum had when I first joined. Lately there seems to be an arrogance that isn't tempered with knowledge or manners (Maybe reading "The Gentleman Smoker" would help.) Several experienced faces are no longer here, or post very rarely which is a true loss to the forum.
Do we have to stick to strictly pipe smoking issues? I hope not, I love the pictures of PMon, and enjoy hearing about "the latest".
I realize that things change, and that some change is good and growth is needed. But, if I wanted to be surrounded by a bunch of "sexual intellectuals" I'd go and stand outside the local high school.

 

[ravkesef]

Jesse, thanks for bringing us all back down to earth, and Plateauguy for sharing a bit of your discomfort with us--a discomfort that mirrors what a number of forum members have apparently felt over the past few weeks. I recall in graduate school a student asking such an incredibly dumb off-the-wall question that I was waiting for the professor to chop him down to about 1 inch in size. What the professor said went something like this "I'm so glad you asked that--your question is a rather remarkable one. You should realize that the prevailing weight of scholarly opinion does not support that point of view, but I'm so glad you asked it because it brings all perspectives to bear in the discussion." I sat there in amazement and contemplated this remarkable professor who later became a dear friend, and under whom I later wrote my dissertation. The student went on to become an admiral in the Navy. I met up with him again about a year and a half ago, and he's still an idiot, but I guess the Navy has its own set of standards.
When the starcat thread first appeared, I was curious to find out who the worst pipe maker was, and I realized that I was reading something that was remarkably incoherent and went on to read something else. Later, when I observed that the thread had grown legs, I added my own remarks thereby contributing to the general silliness. I then reviewed Startcat's other threads and responses and found them to be of the same genre. Either this person is not a pipe smoker, or not a very deep thinker, or is much brighter than we give him credit for being, and has been playing us all along. In any case, we've all had our fun, and it's time to return to our main business, which is pipe smoking, and pinging on one another in our own gentle fashion.

 

[sablebrush52]

Hi Plateau,
Thank you for your post. I enjoy humor and silliness, and I like the sort that is kind of gentle, goofy and lateral humor, hence the tenor of my topics. That kind of humor s more challenging for me, because it requires thought mixed with knowledge to pull off. So I really appreciate what others post in that vein.
Eric,

I really enjoyed your post on Dr Gabrow! Never knew that history and will read the thread on Dr. Gabrow that is in the forums.
While I am still somewhat concerned about the question of American companies issuing English blends, I suppose that I will just have to accept the statements on face value.
There are a couple of other topics that might be worth pursuing:
Pipe Smoking VS Rocket Science: Comparisons and Contrast.
Did the Frito Bandito pose for the Caminetto logo?
Thoughts?

 

[jthall]

This seems like the perfect time to ask about using charcoal fluid to get my tobacco lit. Is generic charcoal fluid ok, or should I stick to a name brand like kingsford?

 

[sablebrush52]

Hi jthall,
That is an excellent question! I'm sure that others will want to weigh in on this topic, but personally I never use charcoal fluid. It leaves a bit of a tang that can interfere with the flavor some types of oriental tobacco. Jet fuel works much better, IMHO.

 

[plateauguy]

Sable,

I've never found your sense of humor in poor taste. In fact I enjoy it. Same for Peck, Harris, and a few others.
Here's a couple to add to your discussion list:

"Why don't aros taste like they smell?" and . . .

"My wife would smoke a pipe if she could light it without burning her eyebrows off"

 

[brian64]

This seems like the perfect time to ask about using charcoal fluid to get my tobacco lit.

That practice should be reserved for Middleton’s Cherry Blend only.

 

[fadingdaylight]

As a petroluem supply person in the Army, I tend to prefer JP8, its what we use in the vehicles, so there is a plentiful supply.

 

[tbradsim1]

Jesse I tried jet fuel one time, lit pipe and it took off with afterburners on, made a pass around the barn where Uncle Na Na was chopping in the garden, he made a pass at it with his hoe, damn near cut his foot off, carened towards the pasture and Grandpaws mule was whisking flies off his butt with his tail, pipe hit him square in the ass, he took off never to be seen again. I won't do that again.

 

[misterlowercase]

As for lighting, I never allow my sensitive sophisticated palate to be scorched or tainted by any artificial luciferian flame source --- natural sunlight is obviously the only proper and correct way to light a pipe if one is truly a refined connoisseur.
Therefore, I only use the Tintin method, and I highly recommend it.

 

[misterlowercase]

 

[jthall]

Thanks guys, all this business of false lights, tamping, true lights, etc seems like so much bother. A busy man in today's world needs to be able to get right down to business. :crazy:
Seriously though, this forum is an incredible resource to a relative newby like myself and the time I take to read this forum, serious and fun posts alike, is one of the highlights of my day.

 

[sablebrush52]

@ misterlowercase and 1bradsim1,
Thanks, guys, I was screaming with laughter so hard that I have to go wring out my BVD's.

 

[foggymountain]

In case anyone cares, there is another use for Bacardi 151. This is the Trader Vic's recipe for a Suffering Bastard, the durndest drink you ever tried. (Trader Vic's is/was an expensive Polynesian themed restaurant.)

1shot of dark rum

1 shot of light rum

1 shot of 151 proof rum.

Add lemon juice and a little almond syrup and shake.

Garnish with cherry and orange slice (optional).
Drink 4-5 of these then try to find your pipe.

 

[cigrmaster]

This place is supposed to be fun and a place for people to learn about pipes and tobacco. If you really want a good discussion let's talk about how BJ Long has now replaced their lame Bristle pipe cleaners with the great ones they used to sell. I recently weighed a new pack and the weight is back where it should be. All is right in the universe.

 

[mso489]

sablebrush, I think the colonies separated from England, but England has long coveted what became

the United States and is trying to win it back by slowly increasing the prices of Dunhill pipes until

U.S. citizens transfer all of their resources to UK.

 

[sablebrush52]

@mso489 - THAT explains it! Thanks! I am SO relieved. Except for that thing about "English" blends...
@harris - You are absolutely right! The quality of BJ Long's bristle cleaners has gone straight into the toilet, which is appropriate since they were absolute crap. They were so scraggly they looked like they'd been plucked for Sunday supper. And while the following sentiment may be an affront to some of our membership here, I don't much relish the thought of southern fried pipe cleaners.
But the batch that I received from P&C appears to be a return to form of its own.

 

[instymp]

Foggy, excellent, but try a jigger (1.5oz.) of all, splash of pineapple juice & a bit of OJ.

Most people can't do 4 & can't find their feet.

Almost like a Guana Grabber my Father invented in the Abacos, minus 1 little ingredient.

But sure you could not taste the difference.