"If someone already has a toe in the pool, a foot in the door, a little assistance is a good idea. But I sure wouldn't want to recruit anyone who doesn't smoke. It's too fraught." Agreed. Recruiting implies an active effort to persuade somebody to do something she or he wouldn't otherwise do. I don't think that's what petes03 had in mind.
I definitely benefitted from guidance from more seasoned pipe smokers when I had a toe in the pool, when I had a foot in the door, and even when I was an enthusiastic beginner. As a young kid, I knew I wanted to try a pipe the first chance I could get. After my modestly successful start, a high school friend whose dad was a dedicated pipe smoker helped me out. My friend had had a head start and shared a few of his dad's quality blends with me to taste and lent me a couple of his nice briar pipes a few times. The generosity helped me appreciate new flavors and how good quality tobacco could really improve the enjoyment of pipe smoking.
When somebody shows an interest in trying pipes, I like to have a Missouri meer or two on hand so I can suggest a sample bowl of whatever the person thinks he'll like. A cob is a low-cost, low-commitment pipe for sampling, and it's nice to make it a little gift for anyone who wants to keep sampling and maybe stick with it. I'm mainly an aro guy, and my fave blends are usually what tasters want to try first. I've offered an English blend a time or two, depending on the person's taste preferences. Anybody who likes the experience goes home with a little care package (the corncob pipe, a couple of ziploc bags of my tobacco, a tamper, and usually a box of wooden matches).
It's always a pleasure to share the enjoyment of a pipe with someone who just wants to see what it's like for the first time. It's even more pleasant when a friend who was curious enjoys pipe smoking enough to keep sampling new tobaccos and build a pipe collection.
I definitely benefitted from guidance from more seasoned pipe smokers when I had a toe in the pool, when I had a foot in the door, and even when I was an enthusiastic beginner. As a young kid, I knew I wanted to try a pipe the first chance I could get. After my modestly successful start, a high school friend whose dad was a dedicated pipe smoker helped me out. My friend had had a head start and shared a few of his dad's quality blends with me to taste and lent me a couple of his nice briar pipes a few times. The generosity helped me appreciate new flavors and how good quality tobacco could really improve the enjoyment of pipe smoking.
When somebody shows an interest in trying pipes, I like to have a Missouri meer or two on hand so I can suggest a sample bowl of whatever the person thinks he'll like. A cob is a low-cost, low-commitment pipe for sampling, and it's nice to make it a little gift for anyone who wants to keep sampling and maybe stick with it. I'm mainly an aro guy, and my fave blends are usually what tasters want to try first. I've offered an English blend a time or two, depending on the person's taste preferences. Anybody who likes the experience goes home with a little care package (the corncob pipe, a couple of ziploc bags of my tobacco, a tamper, and usually a box of wooden matches).
It's always a pleasure to share the enjoyment of a pipe with someone who just wants to see what it's like for the first time. It's even more pleasant when a friend who was curious enjoys pipe smoking enough to keep sampling new tobaccos and build a pipe collection.
