New to Pipes and to the Forum. My Questions and Ramblings...

[paintedklown]

Hello everyone.
As an off again/on again daily cigarette smoker, I was recently turned on to smoking cigars. I have only been smoking cigars for a couple weeks now and really like them quite a bit. Of course, when you start getting into the cigar hobby, it gets expensive very quickly, and seems to almost go hand in hand with pipe smoking.
This relationship between the two (coupled with what seems to be lower costs) is what led me to buy my first pipe and pipe tobacco just yesterday.
Going in, I had not a clue of what to look for or what to buy. I am aware this was probably a bad idea, but I really wanted to try it out, and didn't take the time to properly research as I should have.
Anyway, I ended up buying a Dr. Grabow Grand Duke pipe and a small bag of Super Value Pipe Tobacco, in the chocolate flavor.
I got home, packed up a bowl, and began puffing away. Immediately, I feel as if I am smoking an ultra-light cigarette with a hint of chocolate flavor. Not bad, per se, but certainly not as strong and thick as the smoke that a nice robusto will throw off.
I smoked a couple of bowls in it, and I always felt that the bowl was way too hot for my liking (I had to hold the pipe by the stem to keep from burning my fingers). Also, I felt that the smoke was a bit "thin" versus that of a cigar. I like a thick, flavorful smoke that isn't very strong (nicotine wise). If you have much experience with cigars, think Rocky Patel (RP vintage '92s are my favorite cigars thus far).
Despite the "issues" I had, I must admit that I did like pipe smoking quite a bit. I chalked some of the experience up to the fact that I had purchased a cheap pipe, even cheaper tobacco, and had no idea of what I was doing. p
At the end of my two bowls, I did zero maintenance to the pipe, and just laid it down to rest. However, I discovered this forum today and feel that I may have goofed a bit.
First, I am not sure that my selection of the Grabow pipe was a good way to go, however, I do not have a lot of money and I am hoping it will work for a while, to see if I am really going to enjoy the hobby. I also now believe that I was puffing way too hard, and way too often, in order to get a cigar like experience from a pipe. I have now learned that this is what lead to the bowl being too hot all the time. Additionally, I am thinking that I should have removed (thrown away) the filter after (or perhaps even before) smoking the pipe. Not sure on this point to be honest.
After reading around on this forum, I realized that I probably should have bought a corncob pipe (literally only a few bucks) as I see that you should clean and "rest" a briar pipe after each smoking session. Coming from cigarettes, I am the type of smoker that likes to light up several times a day (been smoking several cigars a day, and it's SUPER expensive to do this) so I will most likely be in need of a corncob pipe, if I am to continue to explore the hobby. I also need to pick up a pipe tool of some sort, some pipe cleaners, and (maybe) some more filters...although from my reading on this forum thus far leads me to believe it's (probably) best to just take them out.
Well enough rambling from the "new guy". I happened to stumble across this forum about an hour ago (while trying to find a place to learn about pipe smoking) and figured that I may was well register and join the fun. )

 

[gwtwdbss]

Welcome pk. I think you are doing the right things except for:
a small bag of Super Value Pipe Tobacco, in the chocolate flavor.
I have been there and it is not to my liking at all. I would suggest you go with better tobacco than a crappy pipe. I am jumping ahead because my cob was a SD when I first learned the fine art of sipping. different stems and a whole new ball game

I would suggest a good briar to quicken your pace in a first mind blowing smoke. It has to come and it can't be rushed or faked. You will know it when it hits you!

 

[ohin3]

@paintedklown: What you did was akin to one having an interest in cigar smoking and wandering into the local gas 'n sip to pick up a Phillies blunt and a bic lighter...similar in theory to a smoking a Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve maduro, but light years apart in the actual experience. You need a well made tobacco from a reputable blender in well made pipe. I'm not hating on Grabows as I know a lot of forum members love them but I have never smoked one that didn't heat up and smoke like...well like a hot pipe. Tobacco and pipe choices are so vast so it is hard to know what to buy when starting. I'd say stick with the pipes that are affordable but have a good reputation for smoking well. Stanwell, Peterson and Savinelli come to mind. As far as tobacco goes...man that is a big can o' worms. Very few "aromatic" tobaccos will give you as deep and satisfying of an experience as smoking a well made cigar. They tend to smoke hot and with little depth of flavour. Try some English blends, straight Virginias, Virginia with perique and other nonaromatic tobacco types.

 

[judcole]

Welcome to the forum, and to the pipe.
Our friend ohine has nailed it. I always tell people, "Smoke the best pipes and tobacco you can afford." What I would suggest to you, since you want to continue, and don't have much money, is save a little cash, and pick up a slightly better pipe and some better tobacco. Try some of the specials at Pipes and Cigars or one of our other vendors. I would also suggest, instead of trying to order over the web, call 'em up, and tell them what you told us.
Good luck.

 

[javajunkie]

Welcome! Honestly I am still new to the pipe, but having come from a cigar background for years, I can get where you are coming from. Here are a few tips I have picked up, either for myself or graciously provided by the experienced here:
- Less is always more: smoke slower than you think, pack less tonacco than you think, smoke drier tobacco than you think, tamp less than you think, and think about it less than you think. This is blatantly cribbed from another member, but good advice should always be passed on, right?

- Ditch the aromatics. For me, at least, it was not easy at first to find quality aros that were not laden with propylene glycol, so for a decade I was stuck at an occasional and frustrating bowl full. Then I found Dunhill Nightcap! English or Balkan blends, to me at least, had HUGE flavor and little additives, and reminded me much more of a high end cigar, especially a big but nuanced Nicaraguan puro. Your Rocky Vintages are predominantly Nicaraguan tobacco, so it might work for you.

- Don't knock your Grabow. It may be a starter pipe, bit it is a work horse. My three Grabows are still a valid part of my rotation. Picking up a few cobs would be a really good idea however; planning on smoking a couple bowls a day, you should at the very least let the pipe of that day rest for as many days as bowls you had smoked. Many would recommend one pipe per bowl full per day, but YMMV. Also, I hate filters, but that is just me.

- Use the resources at hand. Hit up your local B&M for advice and guidance, if you have one handy that is decent. Take the time to read through some stuff here, as there is a LOT of good advice from very experienced pipers awaiting a mouse click.

- Take your time. The learning curve on pipe is MUCH longer than cigar, and I am not sure it really ever curves out. There is seemingly always something new to learn. It's a journey, not a destination.

- Seriously, dig through this site and read everything. It is worth repeating. A collection of knowledge like this, at hand any time you need, is just amazing, and would have gotten me to a conversant level with pipes a decade sooner, had I found it earlier.

- Tobacco before pipes. Pipes are pretty, beautiful really, but your focus should be on learning how to smoke a bowl full, and learning which archetypes you are more suited to, and what you have a calling toward. Also, the fed is not trying to tax the s#it out of briar. No pressure.
Hope it helps, and enjoy the learning curve!
EDIT: WOW! Ninjas! Helpful, well informed Ninjas! I need to type faster...

 

[lumberjakpipester]

Welcome aboard, god knows we need as much fresh blood as we can get. My recommendations are quite simple, a nice MM corncob, be SURE not to get a Chinese cob, as they are basically junk, if it ain't stamped Missouri Meerschaum, don't buy it. Get yourself a pouch of Carter Hall, Prince Albert, or Sir Walter Raleigh. Fill your pipe, lite it, and enjoy! That is what I give a friend or acquaintance that is curious about pipe smoking, a $5 MM legend and a $4 pouch of tobacco, and I have had great success with it. Just my two little cents.

 

[jah76]

Welcome aboard! Your exactly where a TON of new pipe smokers were when they started out. (Me included)
You've gotten some great advice. In my opinion the most important thing any new smoker can learn at this stage is how to pack their pipe, how to smoke their pipe, and how to care for their pipe. It doesn't matter what you put into it tobacco wise because until you master that you can make the world's best tobacco taste like ash.
I've always spent more time and money on tobacco then I have on pipes. It's just what fits into my budget and lifestyle at the moment.
I would defiantly pick up some MM corncobs if you enjoy smoking several bowls a day and focus on some higher quality blends. It can be daunting getting into the world of pipe tobacco but based on your background and what you'e said you might want to look at the following.
Frog Morton and Frog Morton's Celler- Full flavored, sweet and smokey. Some of the sweetness of an aromatic but it has some tobacco backbone.

Early Morning Pipe- A mild English with a side of herb like Orientals. There are tons of flavors here to pick up on. Also available in bulk.

PS Luxury Bullseye Flake- Grassy, sweet, peppery. Another bulk but from the Virginia/Perique/Cavendish side of the world. Bulk.

Orlik Golden Sliced- This a light sweet flake tobacco that is sweet and a good entry into the world of Virginia's in my opinion. Plus the price is quite low. This isn't your "big billowy clouds of smoke" tobacco. This is best sipped.
I tried to stick with blends I've smoked and which I think would be good entry points into their specific "family" of tobacco. Anyway. Get the basics down, take care of whatever pipe you've got, and the rest will unfold naturally.
Oh and again....welcome aboard!

 

[paintedklown]

WOW!
What a nice warm welcome filled with a LOT of good info.
I will be reading (and re-reading) these posts to absorb (and attempt to remember) the information contained therein. I will have to stop by the tobacco shop on the way home to check if their corn cob pipes are Missouri Meerschaum ones. If so, I will be picking one up, along with another tin/pack of tobacco, if they have any of the brands recommended to me in this thread. (I am hoping to be able to remember them when at the shop, I may have to take some notes. p ) I am thinking that I should prob get some pipe cleaners and a "pipe tool" as well.
After that, I think I should have enough supplies to get me started on a good track. I plan to hang around here to read, learn, and share my thoughts as my pipe smoking journey travels along.
Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome and information. )

 

[05venturer]

Welcome to the Club paintedklown,

Here is my advice to get started smoking a pipe and not break the bank(which make it much more enjoyable IMO)

Pick up a few Missouri Meerschaum Corn Cob Pipes. DO NOT BUY THE CHEAP MADE IN CHINA PIPES)

You can pick up a Grab bag of 10 pipes for around $30 here>>> MM Grab Bag

Best lighter I have found is a DJeep

and for a super cheap tamper a Golf Tee works great.

The rest of the members here are far more knowledgable than myself and would be far better at suggesting tobaccos for you.

Good Luck and Happy Puffin" :puffpipe:

 

[05venturer]

Here is a little reading for ya

Pipe Packing and Smoking techniques
hey don't speak very highly of the corn cob pipes in this article but as I am sure several people here will attest they are a great pipe, especially for starting out. I personally smoke MM Cobs 95% of the time.

 

[rigmedic1]

Welcome aboard! Don't feel bad about your purchases. I bet at least half of us have started out in similar fashion. My first pipe was a no name dime store pipe and a pack of wet, hot, Middletons cherry blend. Now, I know to dry the wet tobaccos a bit. Cobs are terrific, but always buy a good brand like Missourri Meerchaum. Get sampler packs of bulk tobaccos from some of the good online vendors. Read some reviews. Try things you might like: aromatics, Virginia's, Balkans, VaPers. There are many blends with cigar leaf as well, might be more to your liking. I smoked the same three tobaccos for twenty years before I discovered Balkans, and wish I had done it much sooner. I have smoked 155 different blends in the last 5 years, and have narrowed my favorites down to about 14, lol. Nowadays, I smoke every new blend that comes out, and it has been remarkable.

My pipe collection is very eclectic. I have made it a point to collect one pipe from each manufaturer, although I have a dozen Edwards and 10 or so Petersons. I just purchased my first Dunhill. I buy estates, since I can get higher end pipes for less money, and I have fun cleaned them up and bragging about the deals I made. The point, I guess, is to have fun, enjoy some primo smoke, and be part of the diverse community of pipers from around the world. It has been the best fun I have ever had.

 

[cortezattic]

May I suggest that you start out with tobaccos that most folks here describe as "cigarette-like"?

Prince Albert and Sail Yellow come to mind immediately. Also any Danish Virginia flakes will probably satisfy.

Along these lines, try searching the PipesAndCigars.com website for pipe tobaccos containing cigar leaf, which

might sound a familiar note for you.
I'm not a big fan of corncob pipes. SmokingPipes.com has briar Tsuge's on sale. I think they're a great value.

 

[mso489]

Welcome to Forums. I've been smoking for some decades, and I still learn a lot and get a lot of help here.

You have already learned you have to clean a pipe after each smoke and let it "rest," dry out for a day or

two before smoking it again. Your Dr. Grabow is a great pipe, and will fit right into your rotation when you

get several Missouri Meerschaums and a little later a good mid-level briar ... probably a few more as time

goes on, but don't rush it. The minimal cleaning is to scoop the bowl entirely empty into an ashtray or

non-flamable trash or compost container; blow out any residual tobacco in the bowl and stem into the same

ashtray or compost; wipe out the bowl with a tissue/paper towel; and run a pipe cleaner through the stem, and

leave it there long enough for it to absorb all the moisture it can. Then polish up the pipe including the

stem and button (mouthpiece) with a cotton cloth. This sounds like a lot to do, but after a few times, it

takes only minutes, if that. If you do all this, it will put the pipe in good shape to dry and be ready for the

next smoke. Your Dr. Grabow is a filter pipe, as you know. This subdues the flavor of tobacco. Sometimes

this is fine; remember you can smoke it without the filter, just sip more lightly. Also, with the corncob pipes,

they come in both filtered and unfiltered; get one or more of each. Online, regular sized MM corncob pipes

can be $10 and up. At a discount place, I just bought one for $3.99, so shop around. At my local pipe shop

they are $7.50. Don't get too hypnotized by upper-level pipes. They are beautiful, works of art really, and

awesome pieces of workmanship, but you can have great experiences with great tobaccos (expensive and

inexpensive) if you never get above the $50 or $100 level pipe. If you have big success in your working life,

then let loose with some of those pricey pipes for yourself. Note: I should have added, scoop out the pipe

bowl with a blunt scoop like a pipe tool ($3) or pipe nail ($1). Good luck. Happy smoking. Buy cobs.

 

[lumberjakpipester]

SmokingPipes.com has briar Tsuge's on sale. I think they're a great value.

+1 for the Tsuge, the best value in brand new briar pipes at the moment IMO.

 

[cigrmaster]

Welcome to the forum. You have received a ton of great advise. One thing I will add is that patience is required because smoking a pipe is unlike any other type of smoking. There is a large learning curve so give yourself time and do not get frustrated. In time the stars will align and you will get your first great smoke with a great tasting tobacco and you will be off and running. Good luck.

 

[kashmir]

Great advice on this thread. Can't add much to it, except to say smoking a pipe is very different from smoking a cigar, or cigs for that matter. Go slow, very slow. And you'll catch on. I would recommend you buy yourself a Peterson or a Stanwell briar pipe for under a hundred, some pipe cleaners, a Bic lighter, a three in one pipe tool, and a 50g tin of Dunhill London Mixture or Early Morning Pipe or Balkan Sasieni and cut your teeth on those. If you must have a sweet aromatic then a pouch of Captain Black White or Lane's 1Q would do. Whilst smoking do a lot a reading.

 

[ravkesef]

the biggest mistake new pipe smokers make is to smoke too fast. here are three rules:

1. The tobacco should be drier than you think it ought to be.

2. the pipe should be packed looser than you think it should be.

3. Smoke slower than you think you should. Sip lightly and occasionally, just enough to keep the pipe from going out.
Pipes--they're out there in abundance, and the prices vary. You know your pocketbook, and you can find great pipes at any price level. The Tsuges that have been mentioned here are a great buy. So are corn cobs.
Tobaccos, enough to last several lifetimes. The tobacco you love today won't tickle your palate next year. Or maybe it will. Experiment. Find out what works for you, and you'll be a happy camper.
Keep your pipes scrupulously clean!
Read. Read all over this forum and others as well. Additionally, there are some excellent books out there if you want to buy one of these instead of that next tin of tobacco.
And any one of us will be delighted to share experiences with you--and we'll all tell you something different. One size really doesn't fit all.
Enjoy--and welcome.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

The only thing I would add is don't get sucked into Harris's Rad Davis vortex or it will cost you a fortune

 

[paintedklown]

Hello my new found pipe puffing pals. HAHAHAHA!
Well, I took everyone's advice and stopped by the local tobacco store on the way home this morning (I work the overnight shift), and picked up a MM corncob pipe. I was hoping that is what they had in stock, and was delighted to find there were stickers on the bottoms of them that were from MM.
I picked up one, along with a bag of pipe cleaners, and headed home. Unfortunately, I had not yet got around to taking notes of the tobacco brands/types recommended, so I didn't pick up any new tobacco as I could not recall any of their names. I also completely forgot to get a pipe tool as well. :p In my defense, I had just finished a 12 hr shift and was in a hurry to go spend some time with my GF before I had to go to sleep. Being tired, coupled with having other things on my mind cause me to "slip off track" from time to time. LOL!
Enough rambling however, I must get to the point of this post. I picked up the MM corncob and took it home. I pulled the stem off, pulled the filter out, rinsed the stem off in hot water, then dried it and put it back on the pipe. However, I decided to not put the filter back in, to see what the smoke was like.
Ok fellas, please do not take any offence to this, but I have to admit that I liked a MM corncob pipe more than I liked the DR. Grabow. IMO, the MM was more "neutral" and didn't seem to impart as much flavor on the tobacco as the Dr. Grabow.
The Grabow seemed (to me) to almost taste like you were smoking wood along with the tobacco. I was unaware at how pronounced this (additional wood) flavor was, until trying the MM this morning. It was, IMO, a better smoke all around. Of course, I am under the assumption that part of the increased enjoyment was due to removing the filter on the MM. I have also pulled the filter out of the DG and plan to smoke a bowl in there some time tomorrow, if I have an opportunity to get set down for a bit. That way the comparison can be as fair as possible.
I will continue to chime in with my updated thoughts on the DG as I break it in and build up the carbon cake. I am expecting the flavor to become more neutral, as well as having less heat coming off the bowl when I touch it.
Thanks again for the tips, suggestions, pointers, and ideas everyone. They really are appreciated.

 

[allan]

PK
Welcome to the forum and your new enjoyable obsession, 'Pipe smoking'. As far as the wood flavor your experiencing, I would guess that any new briar pipe has a break in period where the first 10-20 smokes has that flavor which will dissipate as the pipe is broken in. I believe that this is normal, and to be expected. As the cake builds, that taste will go away.
Excellent suggetions already given-take thier advice.
As far as making time for your girlfriend, well, my wife calls herself a 'pipe widow'. LOL