First week - Many, Many Questions... Beginner help pls!

[dcon]

Lots of great advice. I am curious how you chose the five tobaccos? This has no effect on your goal of obtaining good smoking routines. I just found it to be a rather eclectic group of tobaccos and don’t believe that I have seen anyone “begin” with such a group (not saying that this is good or bad).

 

[piperbole]

Hey guys,
I left the comfort of the forums and decided to go smoke me some pipe.
I've have 1 - 2 bowls a night since I first posted and since the struggles, I feel like I'm now at a point in which the whole process is gelling.
I've returned from my 5th consecutive smoke that burned just right, didn't go out (Well, once, but only because I was chatting ), wasn't too harsh etc. etc. - I've just about got the grips of it all and I must say I'm now taking my time a lot more, less constant puffing, enjoying the smells and the tastes, even if I'm not yet sure what they are beyond 'Tobacco'.
I do indeed have a pipe tool, comes with a round head, one attachment looks like a scoop the other, just like a nail but with a flat head. I must admit I'm not 100% sure what it's all for but I'm destined to find out. My Dr. Plumb pipe my uncle gave to be was involved in an accident and is now in a few seperate pieces in the bin, unfortunately.
dcon - I'm not sure how this site is on advertising rules but it was a pre-determined "Sample Set" from an online tobacconist here in the UK. I'm still awaiting the parcel, think it may be waiting for me to pick up at the mail depot tomorrow. 10 grams of each for ~£15 so I decided it would be the greatest variance.
I ran out of my last sampler so got some over the counter Condor Ready Rubbed for the time being and it's rather tasty, actually. Although I'm sure some pipeficcionados might have something to say :D
Will give a proper review in a few months when my taste buds kick in.
Thanks for all your help guys,

Josh

 

[taildraggin]

Josh, You don't have to wait for the flavor. The key to pipe smoking for me is to avoid cooking my tongue. If the tobacco is too wet, aside from having to relight frequently, it seems that the moisture turns to steam and quickly burns your 'buds.
The advice above on puffing too hard and quickly is most important. Some tobaccos you will find are more sensitive to quick puffing in both yielding flavor and steaming your tongue than others; you'll discover which.
I've alternated periods of cigar and pipe smoking and pay a price for it. I have to slow way down with a pipe or risk a cooked tongue and not getting the full flavor out.
Cheers,

Charlie

 

[mso489]

'Sounds like you're down to one pipe. It's good to have several to let 'em dry out between smokes. A good quick, inexpensive way to go are Missouri Meerschaum cobs. Personally, I'd rather spend a little more and get the special edition MM cobs with acrylic stems, since I chew through the soft plastic ones, but you can get a MM cob with an acrylic stem for about $24 that'll last for years. Or a Dr. Grabow, Savinelli, Big Ben, Stanwell, etc., for a little more. MM cobs are the thrifty way.

 

[piperbole]

I must say I'm enjoying this new hobby every day, and find myself looking forward to clocking off from work so I can go enjoy a pipe and a coffee. There's something ritualistic that addds to the experience.
Starting to find the sweet spot where a pipe requires less than the 5-10 relights and the flavours are coming through.
The only problem now is that I've got 15 or so tobacco samples lying around the house and I don't know which one I want next. Although there are worse problems to have.
I'm running around 5 pipes at the moment, there's two in my main rotation, really, I'm not too bothered on smoking the same pipe twice in one day as they weren't overly expensive. A cob in the morning on the days I get chance sets the pace.
Cheers

Josh

 

[samuelgawith01]

GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US. THE MSO SAYS IT ABOUT RIGHT........KEEP IT TAMPED SO IT IS JUST SPRINGY(IT SHOULD SPRING BACK A LITTLE.KEEP TAMPING IT A LITTLE AS YOU SMOKE DOWN THE BOWL.AIR NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO CIRCULATE AROUND THE TOBACCO. TRY VARIOUS TYPES OVER THE MONTHES/YEARS AS YOU GO. I REMEMBER THAT BACK IN THE EARLY 80'S, MY MIND/PALLET COULD NOT ACCEPT ANYTHING THAT DID NOT SMELL OR TASTE LIKE AROMATIC TOBACCO.ANYTHING ELSE SMELLED REALLY FOREIGN AND WEIRD.I CAN'T BEGIN TO SAY HOW STRANGE SOME OF THIS TOBACCO SEEMED TO ME.NOT UNTILL THE LATE 90'S,DID I GET TIRED OF THE AROS,AND START IONTO THE ENGLISH,AND THEN LATER INTO THE STRONGER BURLEY AND VIRGINIA/PERIQUE BLENDS. KEEP SMOKING AND KEEP ON TRYING.AND SMOKE A PIPE THAT HAS A GOOD AND WIDE OPEN DRAW,YOU SHOULD BE ABE TO PASS THE LARGE END OF A TAPERED PIPE CLEANER THROUGH (AT BEST).

 

[jpmcwjr]

Sam- All caps hurt to try to read, so I took the liberty of reformatting your post. (I added a paragraph mark, and a space between period and next sentence.)

Glad to have you with us. The mso says it about right........Keep it tamped so it is just springy (it should spring back a little.) Keep tamping it a little as you smoke down the bowl.Air needs to be able to be able to circulate around the tobacco.
Try various types over the monthes/years as you go. I remember that back in the early 80's, my mind/pallet - palate- could not accept anything that did not smell or taste like aromatic tobacco. Anything else smelled really foreign and weird. I can't begin to say how strange some of this tobacco seemed to me. Not until the late 90's did i get tired of the aros, and start into the English, and then later into the stronger Burley and Virginia/perique blends. Keep smoking and keep on trying. And smoke a pipe that has a good and wide open draw, you should be able to pass the large end of a tapered pipe cleaner through (at best).

Please don't use all caps!

 

[foursidedtriangle]

Hey Josh, what is your favourite tobacco so far? I figured out my tastes in a way. I like stuff that is complex and has many ingredients like SPC Potlatch for example. I tried straight Virginias or straight burley and they just don't do it for me, too one dimensional.

 

[conlejm]

This article on pipe smoking for beginners just came across my news reader:
How to Smoke a Pipe Like You Know What You're Doing