Hello all, from a new member

[hawke]

Hello Gang, I go by Hawke. Just got started smoking a pipe. Had a Meerschaum pipe years ago when I smoked the 60's blends(HEHE)but only recently began enjoying tobacco pipe smoking. Ive been rolling my own for years and a cigar from time to time but bought a small Hooka and liked the coolness, taste, and kick. A friend at work smoked a pipe and I kinda got interested. I just liked the look of the figure meerschaum pipes so I got one and Im liking it. Ive broken two meerschaum pipes so far and have a cheap briar now.

Im still trying different tobacco blends. Believe it or not Im using my rolling cigarette rolling tobacco, Bugler Gold mixed with different flavors of shisha and even started dropping in some orange peels in the humidor. The gold drys out the shisha and gives me the more moist texture of pipe tobaccos.
Just saying hello and starting to read here for info and ideas. Thanks for having me.

Hawke (Scripto Vi-Lighter Historian and Repairman www.thehawkeco.com)

 

[rmbittner]

Welcome!
Just a heads-up that discussions of hookahs aren't allowed on this forum. Thought it was worth a mention, since it sounds like you're a fan.
Bob

 

[allan]

Welcome to the forum, Hawke.

 

[bookn3rd5]

Welcome!!

 

[ejames]

Welcome!

 

[colorduke]

Welcome.

 

[johnnyiii]

Welcome Hawke !!! See ya around the site.

 

[nsfisher]

Welcome mate.

 

[oldmannk]

Welcome

 

[smeigs]

welcome aboard

 

[jeepnewbie]

Welcome to the board! Always great to meet some new folks.
Careful using the orange peels, I hear they can start to mold your tabaccy. Get yourself a moisture disc and they work pretty great, and you won't run the risk of ruining your tobacco.

 

[ravkesef]

Welcome.

 

[hawke]

Thx for all the welcomes! I'll have to remember not to use the "H" word, Hahaha

Im still sorting thru all the pipe smoking info about, WOW! What am I getting into! So far Im smoking a cheap pipe from the local discount tobacco store since I broke two Meerschaum pipes. I have alot to learn about letting them cool I guess. Looking at estate pipes on eBay for a bargain on a pipe lot. Seems like a good way to get a rotation set and decide on my favorite style. Churchwalden or cooler smoking pipes are some I want to try. Dont they allow the tobacco flavor to be more pure?
Pipes are one thing but the root of the experience is the tobacco. Im more of the loner type and really dont sit still much so tobacco shop lounges loose my interest and frequent the forums and such more to learn. Im interested in "sweet" tobaccos and Im wondering about the Virginia Flakes. Cutting off pieces intrigues me. I also like a stronger nicotine tobacco. So recommendations of sweet and strong from you all would be welcomed.
Thanks for tolerating a newbie.

 

[jeepnewbie]

As far as looking on eBay for some estates you want to ensure they are cleaned really well by you or a pro. Doing that can run up a bill if your trying to start out and not spend a lot. Look for a good cob pipe they smoke pretty great and won't break a budget. I'm not connoisseur on tobacco, so I can't assist much there. I smoke a little bit of everything, I'm fond of hobbits weed it seems sweet to me and Sherlock from my local B&M isn't super strong but I enjoy it.
Church wardens will give a slight different taste, but that depends on how you smoke. If your like a train it will still get fairly hot. Good luck again!

 

[judcole]

Welcome to the group.

First, let me offer you my standard advice: Smoke the best tobacco in the best pipes you can afford. It will enhance your smoking experience.
I would strongly suggest that, since you are new to the pipe world, you buy your estate pipes from a reputable dealer. Check out some of our sponsors. I can recommend Briar Blues without reservation. Smoker's Haven has a ton of estates; I have not purchased pipes from them but have purchased tobacco, and recommend as well. Buying cobs (Missouri Meerschaum) can help get you a rotation, but,unless you are smoking your pipe regularly,you won't need much of one.
Finally, meers may look cool but are fragile, as you have discovered. I'd avoid them until you have some idea what you are doing.

Good luck,and enjoy the journey. ::

 

[rmbittner]

Hawke:
"Im interested in "sweet" tobaccos and Im wondering about the Virginia Flakes. Cutting off pieces intrigues me. I also like a stronger nicotine tobacco."
I think you may be confusing "flakes" with "plugs." Flakes are thin, pre-cut slices of (typically) blended tobacco that has been pressed into a block. Depending on the constituent leaf, they may or may not have any more nicotine than any other Virginia-based blend. Plugs and twists are different beasts altogether and will provide some of the highest-nicotine smokes available. (I don't enjoy high-nic blends, so I've never traveled into plug/twist territory.) They do need to be cut and, perhaps, rubbed out in order to be smoked in a pipe.
I don't think you asked for my opinion - -- but my advice would be to hold off on flakes, plugs, and twists until you've at least got a handle on the basics of pipe smoking. If you're breaking meerschaums in the course of smoking them, you still have some things to learn! Smoke slowly, don't "puff." Learn how to properly pack a bowl for a variety of different kinds of blends; you'll find as you "smoke around" that different blends require different packing techniques in order to get the most from them. Do you have to do this? Of course not. But I think you'll be able to appreciate flakes, twists, and plugs only after you've laid the foundation for how to smoke and how to taste pipe tobacco.
To get started, since you're looking for higher-nicotine blends, I'd suggest you try Dunhill Nightcap and GLPease Haddo's Delight. But I'd also encourage you to get a grounding in some of the different major categories of blends: English, Balkan, Virginia, Virginia/perique, oriental. Not everyone wants to taste like this, of course. But if you're open to exploring a variety of blends -- and not just finding one blend and sticking to it -- I'd suggest the following:
English: Dunhill Standard Mixture

Balkan: G.L. Pease Caravan

Virginia: Rattray Old Gowrie

Oriental: Presbyterian

VA/Perique: Escudo (This is an easy-to-rub-out spun cut, meaning, it looks like a coin. Think of it as one step away from being a flake.)
Of course, every member here could give you a different list of "standards." But these will definitely do the job and get you started.
Bob

 

[davidintexas]

Hi Hawke. Welcome to the group. I'm a fairly new newbie myself so I won't make any recommendations. Looks like you've gotten plenty of good advice already. I think you'll find that you may get several different opinions on different tobaccos, pipes, methods, etc. But in all this you will through practice and a lot of patience find something that works for you, and that is what is important. However, the common thread in all of the advice is to give yourself plenty of time to learn, take it slow, and be patient. Good luck!

 

[bentmike]

Hello Hawke, Welcome!

 

[hawke]

Smoking my first bowl of Full Virginia Flake with a cup of expresso! Also arrived is a 4 pipe estate find on ebay. I'll get some pictures on here asap.

Seems my Beattie jet Lighter has become used more than any of my Scripto Vu-Lighters in the broad collection of those now. The smooth chrome of the Beattie allows me to see the reflection of the initial lighting quite well.
Gonna have to read up some more on restoration/cleaning of estate pipes... while Im smoking of course. ::

 

[hawke]

First set of pics from my Four Pipe Estate Buy purchase. My favorite regarding looks anyway...

Pics of my Estate Buy "Dragon Pipe" as purchased.
Any input you can give me on the following would be greatly appreciated.

1.There are no markings on it I see. Maker?

2.Im not sure what the material is of the screw on top section on the bowl.

3.Original style appears to have been varnished to me, correct?