Hi humla, and first of all, welcome to the forum--we're glad to have you here as one of us. Now to the point – you said it was a cheap pipe. If by that you mean inexpensive, that's one thing, and if by that you mean cheap in quality, that's another. Ultimately what really matters is your satisfaction with the smoke it gives you, regardless of how much you paid for it. I've got some pipes they didn't cost an arm and a leg, and they deliver a great smoke, and I've had them for a lot of years. I have no idea what your finances are, and how much you're willing to spend on the pipe, so it would be inappropriate for me to tell you that you absolutely must have this brand or that brand. That said, I have a few recommendations I'd like to make: first of all, I'm a big fan of corncob pipes, and I believe that they offer a fine smoke for very little cash outlay. They last a relatively long period of time, and when they wear out, break, or get lost, he won't cry because you've just lost a great deal of money. I will tell you that wearing a suit and tie to work every day, I could often be spotted smoking a corncob pipe, so they are really nothing to be ashamed of. Two brands that I highly recommend are Missouri Meerschaum, and Old Dominion.
Now if you think that $50 is okay to spend on a pipe, let me recommend checking out the pipes and cigars website. Right now, theyve got all their Stanwells on sale, and the brushed black go for only $50. While I myself have a great many pipes that are considered to be artisanal and quite high value, I just bought two of the brushed black pipes because they were great value, and as I've learned over the past few days, a very good smoke--great bang for the buck. While you're there check out these brands: Stanwell, Peterson, and Savinelli – these are all factory made pipes that vary in price from relatively inexpensive to somewhat up there in price, but are all good value. Ultimately, if you're going to get serious about the pipe smoking hobby, you may want to explore this range of pipes. The good news is that properly taken care of, they will last beyond your lifetime. Dr. Grabow, Medico, Yello-bole used to be available in just about every drugstore, but are getting harder to find. Check them out – a lot of smokers smoke these pipes their entire lives, and are totally happy with them. IBack in the old days many pipes had stingers in them. They condensed the liquid in the smoke, made it cooler, and a bit milder. Then the word got out that stingers were a mark of cheap pipes, and that a good quality pipe and a good quality tobacco had no need of a metal filter to make it smokable. I regard that as a highly debatable point, and you will find people on both sides of that argument. The bottom line is your satisfaction with the smoke, as I said before.
Anyway, I've given you a few things to think about as you commence your foray into the world of pipe smoking. If I can be of any further help to you, please feel free to ask. In fact ask anyone on this forum, because we're all here to share information with one another and to help each other get the maximum enjoyment from our hobby.
