My Pipe and Tobacco Beginner Order

[harrywuzhere]

Got this idea from a previous post on this forum, but here is what I ordered as my first pipe and tobaccos (not including the pipe tamper and cleaners I also ordered):
Missouri Meerschaum Legend

1.76 oz tin of CAO Moontrance

2 oz of Lane 1-Q

1 oz of Seattle Pipe Club Mississippi River
So what do all of you more experienced pipe smokers think of this? Any advice or comments are much appreciated!

 

[fluffie666]

I'm also new to all this. I'm not a fan of any tobaccos with a flavoring added to it but I do want to try one of those Missouri cobs. I hear they all smoke like a dream. Good luck and happy puffing buddy.

 

[harrywuzhere]

Well we are in the same boat as beginners! There is just so much information that I see and it's kind of overwhelming. And from the couple bowls that I've had out of it, it does smoke pretty well and cool! Happy puffing to you too!

 

[buster]

You did fine, smoke slow and enjoy!

 

[masspiper]

Welcome from another newbie. Looks good and enjoy.

 

[mso489]

harrywuzhere, you need a pipe tool; a Czech pipe tool with the three hinged parts, or just a pipe nail for a buck or less

will do it, to tamp and scoop out your pipe. You'll need pipe cleaners. That should do it. 1Q is standard and well-liked.

Seattle Pipe Club blends are generally recommended, and the other one sounds interesting. Take it slow. Watch the

videos on this site on packing a pipe and other general info. You'll have to relight now and then; don't be shy about it.

I'd recommend matches as a light. Always, but at least to start. Enjoy.

 

[tobyducote]

Welcome..and I think it's a fine beginning...you do need to get a couple more MM cobs so you can rest your pipes after smoking them....you can start off with some inexpensive MM cobs....they all smoke really well...but you do need to rest each pipe for a couple days after smoking it...nice job with the tobaccos...take your time and enjoy your pipe and tobaccos

 

[ravkesef]

Looks like you've got the right idea for a good start. Later you'll branch out as you discover more about the hobby. +1 on the pipe tool, and pick up a pack of pipe cleaners.

 

[dread]

You are off to a good start, better than how I started, that's for sure. A pipe tool and cleaners are a must, and with a cob a second one is probably a good idea, though mine don't need the same rest as my briars.

 

[dottiewarden]

Welcome harrywuzhere. I sure wish I could've started with that fine tobacco selection of yours. You'll love 'em, no brainer!

 

[oldmannk]

Welcome. Have fun and enjoy. Looks like you are off to a good start.

 

[judcole]

A good start. A Legend is a rather small bowl, however; might want to move up to a Diplomat or Country Gentleman for your next cob.

Have fun.

 

[harrywuzhere]

Thanks for all the comments and advice! I'll definitely pick up another cob, as well a tool and cleaners. @mso489 said to not be shy about relights, but I think I'm having to relight more than I should. Does this possibly have something to do with an incorrect packing technique?

 

[robdlouisville]

Harrywuzhere: it could. It could also have something to do with the tobacco being too moist. Most times with Q-1 I let the tobac air out an hour or so when I first receive it. when I first started smoking a pipe - 40 years ago - I dropped it, spilled it, burned my pants from hot ash, etc. It just took a little getting used to, that's all. I have a few cobs and several briars. All the cobs smoke great and I agree with Jud - I have both a Country Gentleman and a Diplomat. I like 'em both. Welcome to the forum. Let us know when you have questions. RD

 

[hwmcadoo]

I also am brand new to the forum. I began a pipe in medical school (1963) while doing the very long hours of study with a buddy who smoked. In those days Wally Frank sold pipes often from big manufacturers under his name. Many were obviously seconds but I never found one that wasn't a really good pipe. In those days I tried everything the drugstores had but settled on Sir Walter Raleigh non-aromatic. It was mild and relaxing and had that nice warm aroma from the bowl.
As I got busy I gave it up. After retirement I ran across some of my pipes. A beautiful Wally Frank bent, A Yellow Bole metal stem, A The Pipe and a few others.
I again tried drugstore blends and found most hot, harsh with bite. The very expensive brands were hard to experiment because of price so I went to Tobacco Review. I came up with the Boswell Brand. It is a pipe shop in Chambersburg, PA. They have a very nice line and the people there are friendly on the phone. It is all mail order and you can get an ounce at a time and get five or six. There is postage but their ounce tobacco prices are not much more than the drugstore. I sometimes like a non-aromatic but mostly like the mild aromatics. There is no bite with most and they have great flavor. It has taken me two years but finally found that I like Pa Dutch Treat, Sweet Dreams, No Bite Delight and Sweet and Mild. Their blends are so good it is hard to choose. They also have a line of great pipes and have accessories.
About a year ago I tried corncobs (Missouri Meerschaum) and found that they need very little breakin to get rid of the wood taste (corncob here) and they smoke as well as any briar that I have. If well cared for they will last many years and almost all cost less that $20. There are better stems available but cost more than the pipe. I like them very much and wonder why I didn't try them when I had no money in school. They don't look good but smoke like a hundred dollars.

 

[monty55]

Welcome from another new guy. Sounds like a wise and sound list to me my friend. I just got my first MM cob pipes in today. Love them! Happy smoking! And the people on here are great. They will certainly go out of their way to assist you however they can.
Cheers,

Monty

 

[andrew]

Forget the cobs and grab some nice estates, cobs work with some tobacco's especially burley but I think blends like most English are going to be better in briar. Pick up some estate pipes, that's just a fancy name for a used pipe in the pipe world, like it's implied every pipe is from an estate sale, when in reality it's just some guy restoring pipes he got dirt cheap and supplicates his income with it. But really they're the best bet to building a pipe rotation. I've acquired around 25 estates in the last 2 years, mainly for 12$ a piece, but I'm lucky as the antique store sells them for all 12$ and the people don't know the difference, they're just pipes for them. But I'll see lots of 4-5 estate pipes for 20$ all the time on ebay and they're nice pipes, you may just have to clean them up which really isn't that hard. I'm not very good at stuff like that but I've done nice work to get a pipe that was all rusticated stem to shiny black again. Alot of times though an estate you just have to give a simple light ream and salt and alcohol treatment and a good cleaning with alcohol for the inside of the pipe with pipe cleaners. I've gotten some amazing pipes for 12$ that I see being sold for over 100$ estate after I got it on ebay. But cobs I think are more an american blend thing. Plus lane 1Q will ghost your pipe and all the blends you smoke in that pipe you'll taste lane 1Q.