First Impressions!

[HawkeyeLinus]

I've been taking my time getting around to finally lighting a pipe after joining here a short while ago. Just hanging out, trying to read up a bit and waiting for a good time to take the plunge. Had an afternoon off, got through a painting project at home and decided to relax by sitting out in my Jeep, listening to some music and giving it a shot. Maybe a little goofy, but decided to start with the Peterson Rathbone that came from across the pond and figured I should try it with some Wilke 515. My thoughts:

1. I did my best to pack it loosely (obviously a bit more used than in the pic, lol), following the tips on here and my understanding of other things I've read here or watched on some videos. Three brief charring lights (lighter looks cool, but I decided to start off with some Diamond matches - those were easy).
2. If I hadn't been reading up here, watched a Muttnchop vid and one from one of the members, I would have approached actually smoking the pipe all wrong. As it was, I found the idea of breathing through my nose and letting the smoke come to me worked pretty well, but could draw it without sucking away also, so it seemed to come more naturally than I expected.
3. Can't say I discerned anything special taste wise, but it's my first experience with pipe tobacco. Kind of had the taste of what I've experienced smoking a cigar on rare occasions, so kind of "just tobacco" in terms of taste. Not saying it was unpleasant, just not "educated".
4. Just kicked back and relaxed. Had to relight twice, figured out tamping it a bit saved me a third relight. All in all a nice way to spend 20 minutes (not sure if that's a little brief and if so, suggestions welcome!), but I confess I was thinking about how it was burning, what to be prepared for, etc. so I can't claim I was totally at ease and knowing what was up, but it was a nice break.
5. I did notice the upper third of the bowl was pretty hot as time passed, but no issue really where I was holding it.
6. Noticed when it cooled and I dumped it out there was a tiny bit of unburnt tobacco with the little bit of ash, don't know what to make of that.

Glad to have found a resource like this place and I'll be trying it again soon!

 

[FurCoat]

Sounds like you are on your way. The experience you gain in the next few months will hone in your personal technique. Nice pipe by the way.

 

[jmg81]

Doing much better than me when i first started out, probably even better than me now lol. Enjoy your journey!

 

[bullet08]

Lovely pipe! Do love all Peterson. You have very good taste.

 

[Pipenwheels]

Sounds like you're on your way to good things! You are miles ahead of where I was when I started 8 months ago. Dont give up and reach out to others, keep doing what you're doing. I understand completely about the taste, when i first started I was the same way. I switched from cigarettes, so it took time for my taste to come back. In time, it will become 2nd nature to you. Remember, relax and enjoy yourself!

 

[Capt Morgan]

damn... went and watched those muttonchop videos about breathing method. Just had an ah ha moment. Thanks for sharing.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Sounds like you're on your way to good things! You are miles ahead of where I was when I started 8 months ago. Dont give up and reach out to others, keep doing what you're doing. I understand completely about the taste, when i first started I was the same way. I switched from cigarettes, so it took time for my taste to come back. In time, it will become 2nd nature to you. Remember, relax and enjoy yourself!

So many cautions about taking it slow that I tried to take that advice - will be fun to experiment now that I have a tiny idea about what's up. If I'd picked up a pipe on a whim 30+ years ago when I was smoking cigarettes fairly regularly, I wouldn't have had a clue and I'm sure would have been puffing like mad and inhaling, so I assume I would have given up quickly, lol. Anyway, a long ways to go!

So a question for all you folks - is it recommended to stick with the same tobacco and see if I start to appreciate or notice more "depth", or experiment with some others I have purchased just to see if I can notice differences among them?

 

[Pipenwheels]

So many cautions about taking it slow that I tried to take that advice - will be fun to experiment now that I have a tiny idea about what's up. If I'd picked up a pipe on a whim 30+ years ago when I was smoking cigarettes fairly regularly, I wouldn't have had a clue and I'm sure would have been puffing like mad and inhaling, so I assume I would have given up quickly, lol. Anyway, a long ways to go!

So a question for all you folks - is it recommended to stick with the same tobacco and see if I start to appreciate or notice more "depth", or experiment with some others I have purchased just to see if I can notice differences among them?

I tried everything I could try. Once I smoked some latakia I finally "got" the same tastes as described, ie smoky, leathery, campfire etc. So I could detect latakia, then it was burly, then orientals, then perique. Virginia has taken me the longest to pick up on because I was smoking it too hot at first, and when I first started I had terrible tongue bite lol. Once my technique was getting better I was able to start appreciating Virginia's. However, I was a heavy cigarette smoker and it could be that my sense of taste had to recover and it just took that long. Your mileage may vary....

 

[samuelgawith01]

I've been taking my time getting around to finally lighting a pipe after joining here a short while ago. Just hanging out, trying to read up a bit and waiting for a good time to take the plunge. Had an afternoon off, got through a painting project at home and decided to relax by sitting out in my Jeep, listening to some music and giving it a shot. Maybe a little goofy, but decided to start with the Peterson Rathbone that came from across the pond and figured I should try it with some Wilke 515. My thoughts:

1. I did my best to pack it loosely (obviously a bit more used than in the pic, lol), following the tips on here and my understanding of other things I've read here or watched on some videos. Three brief charring lights (lighter looks cool, but I decided to start off with some Diamond matches - those were easy).
2. If I hadn't been reading up here, watched a Muttnchop vid and one from one of the members, I would have approached actually smoking the pipe all wrong. As it was, I found the idea of breathing through my nose and letting the smoke come to me worked pretty well, but could draw it without sucking away also, so it seemed to come more naturally than I expected.
3. Can't say I discerned anything special taste wise, but it's my first experience with pipe tobacco. Kind of had the taste of what I've experienced smoking a cigar on rare occasions, so kind of "just tobacco" in terms of taste. Not saying it was unpleasant, just not "educated".
4. Just kicked back and relaxed. Had to relight twice, figured out tamping it a bit saved me a third relight. All in all a nice way to spend 20 minutes (not sure if that's a little brief and if so, suggestions welcome!), but I confess I was thinking about how it was burning, what to be prepared for, etc. so I can't claim I was totally at ease and knowing what was up, but it was a nice break.
5. I did notice the upper third of the bowl was pretty hot as time passed, but no issue really where I was holding it.
6. Noticed when it cooled and I dumped it out there was a tiny bit of unburnt tobacco with the little bit of ash, don't know what to make of that.

Glad to have found a resource like this place and I'll be trying it again soon!

View attachment 50054

Nice Peterson

 

[brut666]

Agreed, nice pipe and congrats on the first light

 

[mso489]

My recommendation on blends is to sample widely over several years, buying only in small quantities even if you like a particular blend very much. Save any blends you don't like in a jar and try them again in a year or two. Sample the various genres -- English, Virginia, Virginia/Perique, burley, etc. Don't do this frenetically. Take it slow. Most blends you will learn to like over time, not in one ecstatic flash.

 

[kcghost]

Nice pipe and decent tobacco was a good start. Remember relighting is not a bad thing.

 

[smknron]

I think maybe that many people try smoking a pipe and have an unpleasant experience, and shy away from it but like mso489 says, slow , which is key to a good pipe smoking experience. There are times when I want to enjoy my smoke and get in a hurry, and really don't enjoy it as much, but want to get that nicotine from certain blends. It always seems like night time for me is when I can really slow down to enjoy it the most.

 

[anotherbob]

So a question for all you folks - is it recommended to stick with the same tobacco and see if I start to appreciate or notice more "depth", or experiment with some others I have purchased just to see if I can notice differences among them?

On both yes and no. It's totally up to you what gets you going. Though trying a lot of things really seems smart because there is a lot of variety out there and you never know what is just going to hit that spot for you. Though there is a lot to be said for really getting to know a single blend at a time. And lots of blends really don't show their true colors until you have smoked them a bunch. A lot of my favorites didn't hit me as favorites the first time. And even very plain blends can have a lot of little things going on you won't notice right away, including that they all have ways they're happiest being smoked in my opinion. Some taste better smoked kind of fast (on the fast end of slow if that makes sense) and some really shine when you sip like it's the last bottle of a great whiskey. Either way the bottom line is you'll get better and enjoy it more no matter what way you go with it and eventually like has been said you'll find what makes you the happiest pipe smoker you can be. Oh and one last thing you'll notice that what ever you smoke you'll start noticing that some people agree more with your assessment of what you're smoking then others, as in you'll read what they say about a blend and think hey that is what I think about that blend. Seeing what those people recommend can help you find others you may enjoy a lot too.

 

[brut666]

What I do is try to smoke just one tobacco for at lest a week then swap to another.
Strange things have happened thou.
I smoked a bowl a few weeks ago and thought I didn't like it. Yet the next day all I could do was think about that tobacco but still thought I didn't like it. When it was time for that nights bowl I had a different tobacco and all throughout that bowl I did nothing but think about the other tobacco. I caved and had a bowl of it and my life felt complete ?. That tobacco in question is now one of my favourites. It is Samuel Gawith Skiff ? love that stuff

 

[Parsimonious Piper]

You’re off to a better start than many of us did. I’d give a +1 to @mso489 re tobacco purchases. You can get 1oz samples of a wide variety of blends pretty cheaply from the big web sites. Another recommendation I often make is to visit the site of Milan Tobacconists or Country Squire. Both are B&M stores with well-regarded house blends covering every genre. Both shops are known for blends that don’t arrive too wet and can be smoked with little or no dry time. You can get 1oz samples of a wide variety for less than $50—it’ll last weeks or months as you prepare to dive down the rabbit hole of blend sampling.

 

[GlassMan]

Welcome and enjoy the journey!

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Have the day off Wednesday (and all the best to anyone who ever served or has family who ever served) and after pursuing some pheasants I expect to relax sometime after lunch and get after it a second time.

Maybe a silly question - I decided as noted above to go with the Peterson in that style to try first. I'm thinking of next trying a different tobacco in a Nording billiard. Maybe a dumb question, but is there anything about the differences in the pipes (shapes, not really brands) that would bring anything to mind I should think about? Just plan on sitting back and taking it easy and seeing what happens, whether two steps back or a step forward.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

My recommendation is to smoke tobacco. Don't overthink it. Try a few different things. It's likely your preferences will change over a relatively short period of time. And evolve from there. You may start with Aromatics, move to English Blends and eventually end up where the Elite Pipe Smokers live, Virginia Flake. It's possible you may get stuck, like @BROBS, in a zone where you have no clue WTF you're doing. Muddle your way through it as best you can.

If you're one of the select few, those smarter than just about everyone else, and take this as gospel. You'll go to TP or SP tomorrow and order a dozen tins of Virginia Flake blends and start stuffing and puffing by the end of the week. If you want, you can order from P&C, you may get 8 of the blends and that will likely be some time around Thanksgiving. But I digress. You'll either figure it out and leap right into the elite level. It's possible you may disintegrate your tongue and give up all together. Regardless, you'll avoid the misery of living in the land of the BROBS.

 

[BROBS]

My recommendation is to smoke tobacco. Don't overthink it. Try a few different things. It's likely your preferences will change over a relatively short period of time. And evolve from there. You may start with Aromatics, move to English Blends and eventually end up where the Elite Pipe Smokers live, Virginia Flake. It's possible you may get stuck, like @BROBS, in a zone where you have no clue WTF you're doing. Muddle your way through it as best you can.

If you're one of the select few, those smarter than just about everyone else, and take this as gospel. You'll go to TP or SP tomorrow and order a dozen tins of Virginia Flake blends and start stuffing and puffing by the end of the week. If you want, you can order from P&C, you may get 8 of the blends and that will likely be some time around Thanksgiving. But I digress. You'll either figure it out and leap right into the elite level. It's possible you may disintegrate your tongue and give up all together. Regardless, you'll avoid the misery of living in the land of the BROBS.

Hoosier is just afraid I have better taste than him. That’s all.