alt.smokers.pipes

[der1trunkene1im1fruehling]

I'm curious how many of you may have frequented the Usenet newsgroup? It's been years since I last fired up XNews and I've no idea if the group is still active.

 

[jerry]

I was quite active in the 1990's - then, it was quite the thing!

 

[jmmize]

What is it?

 

[daveinlax]

What is it?

ASP is a unmoderated newsgroup.

It's still around but not very active. I search the archive once in awhile. 8O

 

[jerry]

alt.smokers.pipes is a primitive, no-frills version of what we've got here.

 

[pitchfork]

There's a wealth of great information in there, especially in the posts up to around 2006 or so. If you know what you're looking for, you can find some really obscure and useful information that you won't find anywhere else.

 

[puffy]

At one time it was a very active site.I spent several years there.Several people who made pipes,tampers,and blended tobacco posted there.Several retailers also posted there.The problem that led to it's down fall was that it wasn't moderated.In the end it was full of jerks.There were flame wars,trolls,spam,and porn.All the good folks including myself left for other forums.These days only a very few folks post there.

 

[der1trunkene1im1fruehling]

"There's a wealth of great information in there, especially in the posts up to around 2006 or so. If you know what you're looking for, you can find some really obscure and useful information that you won't find anywhere else."
Very true. Some very interesting discussions on the history of tobacco, etc. I remember one Jim Beard who was an advocate for Sam Gawith and Gawith Hoggarth & Co. tobaccos that I've been smoking ever since the late Ninties/early Aughts as a result of those discussions. I first bought them from an English tobacconist (whose name escapes me and later from a guy in Europe) but I think that the discussion at ASP might have encouraged their eventual importation into the US. GH&Co. also made some wonderful RYO tobaccos.

 

[oklansas]

I don't think I've been on a usenet group since...1998?

 

[dlgillen]

I was a lurker there also back in the early 90s...ha :puffpipe:

 

[natibo]

The "usenet". That brings back memories of the 90's. Wow, I kind of forgot all about it.

 

[timpiper]

I go there from time to time, mainly to do a search of the old posts.

Really good discussions and information, including reviews.
Here's a link -
alt.smokers.pipes
Cheers
Tim

 

[jmmize]

Thanks for the info!

 

[escioe]

As primitive as that site is, the search there is miles better than the search here.
And if you know what to look for, the information is often better. Plus there's better grammar. Plus the power trio of Greg Pease, Paul Szabady, and Irwin Friedman, with backup singers Bear Graves and Mark Tinsky, among many, many other guests.
No pictures of women suggestively smoking a pipe, though, so . . . this site has that going for it.

 

[ming]

A lot of things killed ASP. Most definitely outdated. I stop by from time to time and add something if I can. I've tried to start a few threads but the only result was the sound of crickets. I spent a lot of years there, and some of the ideas behind my tamper making began there, but now I drop by mostly due to a sense of nostalgia. Folks from the old days occasionally drop by, which is always fun.

 

[misterlowercase]

It was before my time, but I have very much enjoyed digging through there and undusting all the superb knowledge dropped, much good stuff indeed.
Also enjoyed discovering a character named The Sophisticate,

when I first saw his stuff I was LMAO!

The Sophisticate

8/8/05
Greetings unwashed gentlemen of the briar and stone;
It has come to my attention via top secret means through possessors of

specialized knowledge that your paltry newsgroup has fallen into

disarray. This is apparently because there are no possessors of

specialized knowledge left among you that are willing to withstand the

foul stench of your unwashed bodies and uncleaned basket pipes filled

with non vintage drug store tobaccos.
Buying, filling, lighting, and actually smoking such a complicated item

as a pipe seems, in the minds of the possessors of the specialized

knowledge, to be beyond you. You wallow in the dark valley of corncob

pipes (gasp!), Sir Walter Raleigh "tobacco", (double gasp!!) and wooden

(not hand carved from Brazilian rosewood) matches. And you even seem to

enjoy this squalor!!
Alas, how has this come to past?
As I recline on my hand tooled calf skin settee, smoking a 1924 Dunhill

Zulu filled with Cope's Escudo from my vast stores of vintage plat, I

ponder the dilemma. How can such barbarian pipesters such as yourselves

be brought into the bright light of fine high grade pipes and really

fine tobaccos?
The problem is especially difficult because those that profess to be

keepers of the specialized knowledge are so horrified at your condition

that they will not even don a hazardous waste protection suit and mingle

with you members of the newbie masses. Indeed, there is a faint noxious

odor coming through my gold plated, hand assembled by William Gates,

Microsoft keyboard.
I will have to have my faithful manservant, Manchester, disinfect it

later, after my usual lunch of cold Maine lobster salad, followed by

Napoleon (of course it's the real thing) brandy and a bowl of original

1963 Balkan Sobranie in a 3 foot meerschaum carved by a Turkish disciple

of A.Rodin, lighted and supported by two finalists in the "Next American

Model" contest dressed in traditional harem girl garb.
What to do? What to do? Indeed it is a serious matter. How can you

cretins be brought up to the level of those true masters of the fine art

of pipe smoking that shun your very existence?
Suggestions, anyone?
The Sophisticate

Pitchfork wrote:

There's a wealth of great information in there, especially in the posts up to around 2006 or so. If you know what you're looking for, you can find some really obscure and useful information that you won't find anywhere else.

Ain't that the truth!
ASP has info about Bendigo Plug (my white whale baccy of yore), firsthand accounts which are difficult to find and of great interest to me, stuff like that ain't hardly around nowhere 'cept ASP.
Here is a review from there:

Mark Shelor

7/9/01
Many, many thanks to Mr. Ian Little--a very good soul indeed--for sending me

a full bar of this delicious tobacco. I'll savor every shred. Here's why:
Bendigo is rare outside of the Emerald Isle, and is enjoyed primarily by the

"established" Irish pipe smoker. "Established", in this sense, means

impervious to doses of nicotine that would render most humans unconscious.

Bendigo truly delivers in this department. If you fail to be satisfied by

its rich and flavorful smoke, then you need to see a doctor.
The jet-black plug is a delight to the eye. Though similar to a black rope

tobacco in color, the bar is extremely compact. A sharp knife is needed to

shave off the slices, which--after rubbing out--require only a slight amount

of drying to reach perfect smoking condition. The resulting cut is somewhat

fine, and very easy to keep lit.
OK. What does it taste like? What does it smell like?
My best description of Bendigo is that it's like a *strong* version of

Condor without the heavy Condor scent. It's suprisingly smooth on the mouth

and throat, but has an extremely intense and satisfying flavor. It has all

the strength of a heavy dark-fired tobacco without dark-fired's

throat-tickling--and at times irritating--qualities. This is marvelous.

There's also a subtle cigar-like flavor underneath, similar in nature to

G&H's Dark Bird's Eye. However, the comparison stops there: Bendigo is

considerably stronger than DBE. On the G&H strength scale, it would be

necessary to recalibrate DBE to a 5 in order to make room for Bendigo at

somewhere between 9 and 10.
The aroma is heavenly. It's considerably more understated than Condor, yet

possesses that indescribable charm that Condor and Coniston Cut Plug

fanciers like myself seem to enjoy. It would be overdoing it to say that

Bendigo is "aromatic" in the sense of Condor. Nonetheless, the aroma is

entirely bewitching: Bendigo just wouldn't be the same without it. I'm at a

loss to describe the exact nature of the aroma. It's unique.
Ian tells me that a number of experienced Irish pipe smokers in the West

Country seem to favor Bendigo. I can fully understand this. It gets to the

essence of pipe smoking satisfaction, much like a small shot of high-quality

espresso does for the confirmed coffee lover. I'm quite content with just a

half-bowl in my small Astleys newmarket.
I have no hesitation in rating Bendigo at the top of the list for strong

smokes. Smoother and more flavorful than Coniston Cut Plug in my book, but

far more potent. Not to be missed!
Thanks again to my good friend Ian for this wonderful gift!
Regards,
Mark

 

[dmcmtk]

LOL!!! Troy, that post by The Sophisticate is a classic!