My First 320 And Some TAD

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Well it finally got here! I say finally, as if it took forever, but tobaccopipes.com actually got it shipped and to me in 4noggins time. I just got home from work a while ago, so I haven't had a chance to load it up yet, but after I've had something to eat, I'm going to try to get a smoke in before bed. It really is a very nice looking pipe! I gotta say the 320 is a shape that doesn't seem to photograph well. Now the photo itself might be beautiful, but the shape doesn't do quite as well. In person and in hand, it's actually a very beautiful shape for a pipe. My 320 is a KS from the Marte series. It's quite a substantial pipe, not my largest, but it appears it will still rival my largest in terms of chamber size. I'm quite pleased!
Here's a couple of the photos from tobaccopipes.com (which are far better photos than mine)

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And here are some photos I took along with my latest haul of tobacco. It seems my flash washed it out a bit and made the copper look orange.

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The TAD order came in the mail today as well from 4noggins. Just a few tins of Black Frigate, some Izmir and Latakia to add to my blending tobaccos, Bagpiper's Dream, and Balkan Blue. After a rough day at work, coming home to all this, made it so much better!

 

[dottiewarden]

Handsome haul!

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Handsome haul!

Thanks, Dot! :D
Ok... Wow... Maybe the 320 is a magic pipe after all. I just finished the maiden smoke, and I'm truly impressed. After I ate some dinner, I loaded this bad boy up with some Black Frigate and, bare briar and all, it smoked as though already broken in. I suppose because of the extra wide bore of the chamber, the tobacco produced a lot of smoke and I was just swimming in rummy, smokey, Black Frigate goodness for well over an hour before I felt like I had enough and decided to dump what was left. Thinking I still had plenty of tobacco in the chamber, I was surprised that it was mainly ash with just a very small amount of dottle. The tobacco never got harsh, nor sour, or bitter. After emptying the bowl, I was actually a bit disappointed as I probably could have smoked it down to nothing. But that's ok, it was a fantastic smoke. I did have to relight a couple times, but once the tobacco took off, it took off like a freight train. Now I won't say I'm dedicating this pipe to Black Frigate (I've learned there's something about smoking the blend in a big freehand that just adds to the enjoyment) but I won't rule it out either. I can always smoke the frigate in a freehand while I let the 320 rest, right?
I wasn't a big fan of the draw with a filter, but I'll probably try it again at a later date. It was a bit more open with the converter it came with and I decided to give it a try. I'll probably try it without the converter next smoke to compare.
Flavor was fantastic! I'm not sure, however, if the latakia was faded by the pipes large chamber, or if the rest of the tobacco flavors just came through more. But I did get a bit less latakia flavor than in the other pipes I've smoked the blend in. Latakia in Black Frigate is a bit more in the background anyway. But the other flavors coming through, the way they were, more than made up for the slight loss of latakia. What a fantastic smoke! And in a brand new untreated bowl! There was a little part of me (honestly, a big part of me) that was skeptical of how great so many people have made the 320 out to be. I'm a skeptic no longer. If the pipe smokes this good now, how awesome will it be ten bowls in? Or twenty?
Needless to say, I'll be getting another 320 soon. :D

 

[carver]

Really nice to read that. You had quite an experience !!

I have two 320's that I enjoy a lot, but I haven't quite decided to which type of blend will I dedicate them to.

I haven't had THAT amount of pleasure as you describe though. Which makes me a little upset because I absolutely love the shape.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Carver. There is the chance that I just got lucky with the pipe and the blend I chose for it. I had a similar experience with my one Hilson I own. I loaded that one up brand new with Bagpiper's Dream and it smoked the heck out of that blend. Now it's the only blend I smoke in that pipe. I'll probably try a few more blends in the 320 before it's all said and done, but there is a good chance it will be dedicated to Black Frigate. I intend to try Balkan Blue in it as well, and I want to try a few other things before I put a latakia ghost in it. I gotta tell you though, I'm highly impressed with this pipe. :D
Oh and I love the pipe in your photos on the left. The ring really pops against that black finish.

 

[mcitinner1]

This is a pic from another current thread about 320's that George posted. I think it's my pipe. I've got two estate 320's and they both needed new stems. George did a new saddle stem for the first one last year and posted a photo of it then. I like to clench, and it's practically impossible to clench a factory 320 stem, so I asked him to do the second one the same way last week.

 

[carver]

There is the chance that I just got lucky with the pipe and the blend I chose for it.

Hey Anthony, I think you may be right, but imho, it's more likely that I packed it completely wrong, smoked it wrong, etc... I got them at a point when I am still learning the basics. Only recently I am getting a higher percentage of satisfaction from the bowls I smoke. At that time, nah, maybe not.

I'll keep at it.

 

[pagan]

Pretty sweet!

 

[shutterbugg]

420 in the 320 and you'll hit the magic number

 

[papipeguy]

Lovely pipe. I like the band a lot. I enjoy my Sav Spring 320KS and I'm sure you'll be very pleased with that beauty.

 

[ssjones]

Welcome to the 320 Mafia club!
You can clench a 320, this was yesterday at my local shop.

 

[bigpond]

Stan, nice saddle!
Anthony, I put the converter back in the box after a few smokes and found the pipe looses nothing without it.

 

[jacks6]

Anthony, with all of those tins and talk of Black Frigate I certainly hope Duane is giving you a promotion aboard the ship in the near future!

 

[carver]

Speaking of Black Frigate, I don't know what youse have been up to, but it's out of stock at SP ... :evil:
Countdown, Preferred Member -3

 

[katarn07]

I clench my 320 no problem. I do have an oversized softy bit on it. I have softy bits on all my pipes and they're both comfy and protect from teeth marks. The gentleman at Iwan Ries suggested I try Black Frigate and/or Blockade Runner. I went with IRC Gourmet English in the end but I have those blends on my list of tobaccos to order on my next P&C order.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I like the look of that 320 with the saddle stem, Stan.

Speaking of Black Frigate, I don't know what youse have been up to, but it's out of stock at SP

It wasn't me. I promise! :mrgreen:

Anthony, with all of those tins and talk of Black Frigate I certainly hope Duane is giving you a promotion aboard the ship in the near future!

He lets me sing pirate songs sometimes.

 

[jndyer]

The 320 is my next pipe. I love the look of the pipe and have heard many good things about the shape.
By the way does anyone know why Savs come with a naked briar bowl?

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

By the way does anyone know why Savs come with a naked briar bowl?

Some do, while others do not. If you want one with a bowl coating, you should be able to find one.

 

[derfatdutchman]

Very nice looking 320! It is a shape on my I've considered many times, have not pulled the trigger on yet.

 

[hextor]

I like the sandblasted pipe, it looks beautiful, I have heard lots of positive reviews on this pipe.