Hi all! Newbie from Montreal here. My grandfather was a pipe smoker so I got my inspiration from him. He was one of those old timers who would go to the drug store, buy a pipe, and smoke it til it wore out. Christmas presents for him were easy - a new pipe or a can of tobacco. He smoked one kind of tobacco - George Washington. I have a metal can that I found in an antique store. Unfortunately, the blend is no longer made.
I decided to actually start smoking back in the nineties. Being bipolar, I bought 100 estate pipes on Ebay. I had quite a collection! I smoked for about a year and decided I didn't like it, (it's such a dirty habit!) So I sold all the pipes, again on Ebay, and I think I actually made a profit.
About 10 years ago, I decided I wanted to try again. So ... back to Ebay. This time I only bought about 40 pipes or so. I started smoking again and joined the Montreal Pipe Smokers Club. We met once a month at a cigar bar called Stogies. Attendance at the meetings was spotty, so we unofficially stopped meeting. Shortly thereafter, I stopped smoking again. (It's SUCH a dirty habit!)
I stored my unused pipes in pipe racks, in plain view, in my office.
It was just a matter of time... Once again, I started to look at them with interest. Why not? So I started again just a few days ago. This time I have found pipe forums and YouTube. They are kind of substitutes for a pipe club.
My major issue is tongue bite. Man! My tongue was getting raw! I have since discerned that my tobacco is too damp. Yesterday and today, I am smoking much drier stuff and have noticed quite a difference. I also puff like the proverbial locomotive. There seems to be a fine line between puffing too fast & hard and puffing enough to keep the bowl lit. Drier tobacco seems to help with the keeping-the-bowl-lit.
So, we'll see where this one goes. I am smoking about 5 bowls a day. I have a bunch of tobacco that is about 10 years old. I am so hesitant to open the unused tins. I have about 10 tins opened and I am trying to stay with those for now. If I can beat this tongue-burn thing, there might be hope for me. Right now I am smoking a bowl of Gawith's Full Virginia Flake in a Peterson System pipe. As I was packing it, I thought, "This is WAY too dry!" But it is smoking very well and the taste is good!
Anyway, thanks for sharing your advice and your fellowship!
I decided to actually start smoking back in the nineties. Being bipolar, I bought 100 estate pipes on Ebay. I had quite a collection! I smoked for about a year and decided I didn't like it, (it's such a dirty habit!) So I sold all the pipes, again on Ebay, and I think I actually made a profit.
About 10 years ago, I decided I wanted to try again. So ... back to Ebay. This time I only bought about 40 pipes or so. I started smoking again and joined the Montreal Pipe Smokers Club. We met once a month at a cigar bar called Stogies. Attendance at the meetings was spotty, so we unofficially stopped meeting. Shortly thereafter, I stopped smoking again. (It's SUCH a dirty habit!)
I stored my unused pipes in pipe racks, in plain view, in my office.
It was just a matter of time... Once again, I started to look at them with interest. Why not? So I started again just a few days ago. This time I have found pipe forums and YouTube. They are kind of substitutes for a pipe club.
My major issue is tongue bite. Man! My tongue was getting raw! I have since discerned that my tobacco is too damp. Yesterday and today, I am smoking much drier stuff and have noticed quite a difference. I also puff like the proverbial locomotive. There seems to be a fine line between puffing too fast & hard and puffing enough to keep the bowl lit. Drier tobacco seems to help with the keeping-the-bowl-lit.
So, we'll see where this one goes. I am smoking about 5 bowls a day. I have a bunch of tobacco that is about 10 years old. I am so hesitant to open the unused tins. I have about 10 tins opened and I am trying to stay with those for now. If I can beat this tongue-burn thing, there might be hope for me. Right now I am smoking a bowl of Gawith's Full Virginia Flake in a Peterson System pipe. As I was packing it, I thought, "This is WAY too dry!" But it is smoking very well and the taste is good!
Anyway, thanks for sharing your advice and your fellowship!
