Likely different but I haven’t bought my first pipe yet. I use to smoke cigars (just occasionally now) and I vape. I read that I should buy a cob pipe but I’m not a big fan of how they look. I see I’m in for a learning curve so I’m sitting back and reading through the threads to learn as much as I can. I see that there is a lot of knowledgeable people here so thank you in advance for my novice questions.
Greetings. If you’re within an hour’s drive of Oshawa connect with the team at Victory Cigars. They should be able to put you in touch with the Lakeshore Smokestacks which is a pipe club run in Durham Region. They welcome newcomers to their monthly meetings and have lots of helpful folks ready to help get you started.
I never recommend new pipe smokers start with a cob. I would encourage you to go to a pipe shop and look, touch and evaluate the pipes on offer. Run a cleaner through the pipe from button to bowl, making sure the air war is clear. In doing so, I’d recommend you buy the pipe in your budget you like the most. This is your first pipe, and you want it to be something you like and relate to.
Similarly to the pipe purchase, I think you should smell the different bulk tobaccos your tobacconist sells, and by small volumes of a variety of tobaccos to see what you like. Finding your go-to tobaccos is a journey, and it doesn’t always happen quickly.
Have a look online at various methods of preparing a bowl, and lighting a pipe. Everyone has a different approach, but there are some fundamentals here that you’ll pick up by watching.
Welcome to the fellowship of leaf and briar.
— Pruss