Awesome to have you joining! I bought a pipe, smoked whatever smelled good in the container of the tobacconist shop a few times, bought a small churchwarden, and then faded into boxes of cigars for about 15 or so years myself, and then when coming back to pipes a couple years ago... WOW, wish I had never put down my pipe. Though I still have can enjoy a cigar, I would much rather hit my cellar and enjoy a pipe and I don't see this changing. Forums like this have allowed me to grow much in little time. Much great advice given above already.
If I was just coming back for my first pipe, what I gained the most from was cobs, even though I was using briars at the time. Getting a cob (and then many more) was very helpful along with all the info on the internet. Sample, sample, sample, sample. I read in one place, smoke some of each type of tobacco straight, then you can really start to differentiate what you like. Thus, I'd get a cob pipe or two with a wooden plug in the bottom to figure out what shapes I like most. Get a Czech tool (I found I like and use them most for tamping/cleanup) and a fat bag of pipe clearners. Then buy a sample of each tobacco again (Oriental, Virginia, Latakia, Burly, Cigar Leaf, etc... the more the better right =) Smoke a bowl or two of those all and then you really have some education. Also I would want to hit a little Lane 1-Q, GL Pease Gaslight, Peter Stokkebye Luxury Flakes (all 3) and PS Toasted Burly, 5-brothers Burley, and then when getting back around to an aromatic test again Edward G. Robinson's Pipe Blend (awesome aro). Those all gave me a great start, and then the obsession begins! Whole lifetime of pipes and tobaccos to come!
Helpful warning too: go very slow. Tongue bit! Thing you will get probably anyhow after this warning. Basically do not hit the pipe hard like you do cigars for a draw. Sip the flavor, or you get a nice burn like you would from gulping piping hot coffee. Ya, I still get bit some loving a huge plume too often, but you learn to control with time. Virginia's.... don't be afraid to let the bowl go out and relight. Near end of bowl... relighting often gets it pretty hot if you are trying to smoke it all and leave no dottle with many tobaccos.
If I was just coming back for my first pipe, what I gained the most from was cobs, even though I was using briars at the time. Getting a cob (and then many more) was very helpful along with all the info on the internet. Sample, sample, sample, sample. I read in one place, smoke some of each type of tobacco straight, then you can really start to differentiate what you like. Thus, I'd get a cob pipe or two with a wooden plug in the bottom to figure out what shapes I like most. Get a Czech tool (I found I like and use them most for tamping/cleanup) and a fat bag of pipe clearners. Then buy a sample of each tobacco again (Oriental, Virginia, Latakia, Burly, Cigar Leaf, etc... the more the better right =) Smoke a bowl or two of those all and then you really have some education. Also I would want to hit a little Lane 1-Q, GL Pease Gaslight, Peter Stokkebye Luxury Flakes (all 3) and PS Toasted Burly, 5-brothers Burley, and then when getting back around to an aromatic test again Edward G. Robinson's Pipe Blend (awesome aro). Those all gave me a great start, and then the obsession begins! Whole lifetime of pipes and tobaccos to come!
Helpful warning too: go very slow. Tongue bit! Thing you will get probably anyhow after this warning. Basically do not hit the pipe hard like you do cigars for a draw. Sip the flavor, or you get a nice burn like you would from gulping piping hot coffee. Ya, I still get bit some loving a huge plume too often, but you learn to control with time. Virginia's.... don't be afraid to let the bowl go out and relight. Near end of bowl... relighting often gets it pretty hot if you are trying to smoke it all and leave no dottle with many tobaccos.
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