Hello to all from sunny Oldham, UK. Thought I'd help to swell the numbers from this side of the pond...
First, a huge thanks to everyone for this incredible resource. Long may it continue. I've spent many pleasurable hours reading and getting back up to speed after too long away from pipe smoking.
Had a brain f*rt a couple of months ago and bought my first pipe in over 20 years, the same as one I had back in the '90s - a Peterson System 313, swiftly followed by a Peterson Kildare Straight Bulldog. (Yes, I'm a big Peterson fan). Both are works of art IMO, and shapes I've always loved. Just holding them gives me a glow. Have since gone a bit mad and acquired four more (various) including a Falcon with a black stem (another blast from the past). I think that's plenty to going on with - for now.
Now retired, I started in my early twenties at a time when you could find at least one decent tobacconist in every small town (sob!) and when we had pipe tobacco and cigar advertising on TV (all now regarded as classic adverts). No Internet of course, so tobacco was limited to what was on the tobacconist's shelves and whether I was brave enough to take a chance. The lengthy breaks in pipe smoking have usually been because it was too much of a faff for a quick nicotine fix (at the time). Young family, life etc. I rolled my own cigarettes for over ten years, and occasional interludes with the pipe (usually a Falcon). Never could do both, always one or the other. Twelve years ago I ditched the fags for vaping, which is a helluva lot cheaper, apart from anything else, and now almost exclusively naturally extracted tobacco eliquid (which doesn't taste of much TBH). Now I have more time, I'm keen to get back into exploring the world of pipes and especially tobaccos.
I could quite happily stick a pipe in my mouth from morning to bedtime, but currently just have a couple of bowls late afternoon. Tobacco is roughly £20 for 2 oz over here (about $30) so not cheap (and yes, my heart goes out to our Australian friends).
I'm slowly recovering my sense of taste. My very first pipeful tasted like licking an ashtray, but I stuck with it in typical British fashion. Now thankfully that's gone, I'm finding that straight Virginias and Va/Bur blends are quite flat and bland. Frustrating, but maybe that will also change for the better in the fullness of time. I certainly remember those moments of lusciousness from way back. Got some Early Morning Pipe and My Mixture 965 on the way.
Onward and upward. Looking forward to contributing...
Barry
First, a huge thanks to everyone for this incredible resource. Long may it continue. I've spent many pleasurable hours reading and getting back up to speed after too long away from pipe smoking.
Had a brain f*rt a couple of months ago and bought my first pipe in over 20 years, the same as one I had back in the '90s - a Peterson System 313, swiftly followed by a Peterson Kildare Straight Bulldog. (Yes, I'm a big Peterson fan). Both are works of art IMO, and shapes I've always loved. Just holding them gives me a glow. Have since gone a bit mad and acquired four more (various) including a Falcon with a black stem (another blast from the past). I think that's plenty to going on with - for now.
Now retired, I started in my early twenties at a time when you could find at least one decent tobacconist in every small town (sob!) and when we had pipe tobacco and cigar advertising on TV (all now regarded as classic adverts). No Internet of course, so tobacco was limited to what was on the tobacconist's shelves and whether I was brave enough to take a chance. The lengthy breaks in pipe smoking have usually been because it was too much of a faff for a quick nicotine fix (at the time). Young family, life etc. I rolled my own cigarettes for over ten years, and occasional interludes with the pipe (usually a Falcon). Never could do both, always one or the other. Twelve years ago I ditched the fags for vaping, which is a helluva lot cheaper, apart from anything else, and now almost exclusively naturally extracted tobacco eliquid (which doesn't taste of much TBH). Now I have more time, I'm keen to get back into exploring the world of pipes and especially tobaccos.
I could quite happily stick a pipe in my mouth from morning to bedtime, but currently just have a couple of bowls late afternoon. Tobacco is roughly £20 for 2 oz over here (about $30) so not cheap (and yes, my heart goes out to our Australian friends).
I'm slowly recovering my sense of taste. My very first pipeful tasted like licking an ashtray, but I stuck with it in typical British fashion. Now thankfully that's gone, I'm finding that straight Virginias and Va/Bur blends are quite flat and bland. Frustrating, but maybe that will also change for the better in the fullness of time. I certainly remember those moments of lusciousness from way back. Got some Early Morning Pipe and My Mixture 965 on the way.
Onward and upward. Looking forward to contributing...
Barry
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