New to Pipes as of Christmas Thanks for My Girlfriend!

[drmoriarty]

Hows it going guys, I'm Brandon and just discovered this lovely site today searching up pipe smoking info and communities. This seems to be one of the more lively communities I've found yet and I enjoy the sites layout. I'll branch out but I think I'll make myself comfortable here for now.

So as you can see by the thread title I'm very new to pipe smoking, thankfully I'm formerly a cigarette smoker. I say thankfully not only for my wallet and health but also because pipes are just far better. I was on the patch for some time and still use it for work, however pipe smoking has curved all of my cravings. As a pretext I'd like to state I don't use pipes as much as I did smoke cigarettes or as a replacement. I would hate to give that as my first impression here with you all. I do not inhale so no need to warn me folks. Again I'm stoked to be here and to get involved with the pipe community.
So I've got a lot of questions and in advanced I'd like to apologize for the amount I'm about to ask.

Firstly I'd like to know, is it true that you shouldn't smoke the same pipe two days in a row? I heard this on a video from someone who seemed pretty well versed in pipe smoking. I do plan to buy a corn cob pipe to add to the collection for their cheap price and alleged good smoke.

While on the subject of bolstering my collection, what brands of pipe would you suggest to someone looking to spend no more then say 100 dollars on their pipe? Eventually I plan to treat myself to nicer more intricate pipes, but for now I wanna keep it 100 and below. I currently own a Capri pipe thanks to my girlfriend, and I enjoy it though it is a little heavy on my jaw and shakes in my mouth a lot from what I'm assuming is due to its weight.

Moving on, my next question is what is your favorite tobacco brands and blends you would suggest? I have only smoked one of two tobaccos I own which is Highland Whiskey (i enjoy it it's just a bit of a hot smoke.) The other blend I have is just labeled on the plastic bag my girlfriend gave it to me in as "Cold+Mild" I have yet to try it and plan to once I get the corn cob pipe.

Lastly I'd like to know if mason jars are the preferred method for pipe smokers to store their tobacco? It seems like the most reasonable way as I have stored other... "herbs" (; in mason jars which kept them well and good for ages.
Anticipate the replies and to contribute to the many discussions that happen here. Thanks for any advice guys! If you have any other tips for me that I may not have asked about please let me know! I'm open to all suggestions and advice.

Cheers.
Edited by jvnshr: Title capitalization (please check Rule #9)

 

[unkleyoda]

Welcome to the hobby. You are going to get a ton of advice from a lot of great knowledgeable people, that stated education is the key to pipe smoking success. Pipe smoking at face value seems like a simple thing, but it's actually kinda hard, or at least to get the knack at first. That said YouTube is a great resource and one of the best is Bradley on The Stuff and Things channel. Here is a link to his Guide To Pipe Smoking series.
Stuff and Things guide.
As far as pipes:
Cobs smoke great and are cheap. Seriously, they smoke great. But, they look a bit.....well, they look like cobs. (I own several and love them) When I go out I bring something a little nicer.
You can't go wrong with Savinelli pipes or Rossi, which apparently are Savinelli's seconds.

My personal favorite are Peterson, but some think there are some quality control issues with them. I've never experienced that.

Dr. Grabow makes nice entry level pipe.
Others will chime in.
Enjoy.

 

[virginialover]

Welcome to the forum.
You could smoke your pipe all day but then allow it to rest for 24 hours. Briar is the material of choice for pipes, this is not to say that other materials aren't good but they have more limitations. For 100 dollars you could have some very good pipes and never look to spend more. You could buy new or estate, some people prefer the former but it's not a guarantee that a pipe will smoke well. Choosing a pipe is as personal as a toothbrush and often a lottery.
For tobacco, you should try Aros, Virginias, Burleys, Orientals and Latakia mixtures to decide which is more appealing to you. Try to get samples as to spend as little as possible on your tobacco. There's nothing more frustrating than too much disliked tobacco in your cellar.
As favorites of mine for a beginner: Orlik Golden Sliced(light VA/Per), Escudo(medium VA/Per), Prince Albert(OTC light Aromatic), Amphora Original Blend(OTC other), Sir Walter Raleigh(OTC Aro/Burley), McClelland Aurora(Virginia) and Drama Reserve(Oriental), Dunhill Early Morning Pipe(light Latakia) and Carter Hall(OTC Aromatic).
I personally use tupperware to store my bulk tobacco, with a sponge and some distilled water. This method requires you to watch for the moisture level, as too much can spoil your tobacco.
Enjoy your new hobby.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I tend to smoke the same pipe twice a day for seven days before rotating, cleaning after each smoke. Get two or three Missouri Meerschaum cobs to bolster your collection for a while, and you will be good to go. Welcome to the forum and the hobby!

 

[michaeljayjay]

Welcome. I might go against the "rules" but I smoke whichever pipe I like whenever I like. I only started with a Savenelli which I smoked 5 or 6 times a day each day and its perfectly fine. I'm also not anal about not smoking aros and non aros in the same pipe either. I started smoking Dunhill Nightcap as my first tobacco and found it absolutely wonderful (im slowly building a large quantity of it in my cellar). I would recommend it but others probably wouldn't

 

[pappymac]

Welcome to the forum and congratulation on having such a smart and thoughtful girlfriend.

 

[jaytex1969]

I second the Stuff and Things recommendation.
Our good friend Bradley is well presented, informative and entertaining.

 

[mackeson]

Firstly I'd like to know, is it true that you shouldn't smoke the same pipe two days in a row?

I often smoke the same pipe 2 days in a row, but then let it rest. I'm fortunate enough to have more pipes than I need for a decent rotation, but sometimes I want to smoke the same pipe again. There are no hard and fast "Rules."

what brands of pipe would you suggest to someone looking to spend no more then say 100 dollars on their pipe?

I've always thought Savinelli is the best bang for the buck. Also, Nording Signature, Genod, and Rossi all offer great pipes at a gentle price.
As for tobaccos.... experiment and sample! That's the only way to really nail down your tastes, plus it's fun.
Welcome and enjoy the journey.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Over three hours of video?? Just shoot me in the head!
Do not use Tupperware to store tobacco. Mason jars instead.
Don't try tons of different tobaccos all at once. If you find something you like, smoke it for a while.
Techniques? Fergedddabbbouuudddddit. Dry your tobacco well, stuff it into the bowl, and smoke away, slowly.

 

[drmoriarty]

I'll have to check out the other channel you're all mentioning. However on my own time I found a great channel called Muttnchop Piper which has been very informative. I'm not sure how to quote replies yet but thanks for everyone's advice and welcomes thus far.
You're all real chill people from what I can tell and I'm guessing pretty much all pipe smokers must be hah. I bought a Missouri cob pipe last night and I absolutely love it. Today is payday and I'm going to be doing some shopping for mason jars and other pipe accessories. I definitely couldn't be happier to have been given the gift of this hobby. I find it will be a staple in my life from here on out. I can't even wrap my head around why people smoke cigarettes or why I did now after having experienced just how awesome pipe smoking is.

Hopefully my old man and I will get around to building our large shed this spring/summer so I have a nice smoke room for next winter. Smoking outside bites but it's worth it. I'll be making myself a nice cleaning solution from grain alcohol soon too. Anyone else do the same?

 

[jpmcwjr]

Cleaning with alcohol is a 20th C. hangover for when the big companies trying to sell their own alcohol sweeteners lied by saying "Don't use water on your pipe!"
So, don't waste your time; use water!

 

[mso489]

Spend some time on our sponsor retail sites, to make the pipesmagazine owner happy, but mostly to learn stuff. Look at Stanwell pipes at pipesandcigars, Savinelli and Rossi at various, good moderate priced French pipes like Chacom, Genod, BC and others, at smokingpipes.com and iwan.ries and 4noggins, etc. etc. Learn about filters, smoking filter pipes with adaptors or with no filters and without adaptors, just to understand that. Lots to learn, but fun and engaging if you're interested. Welcome and good luck. I like good old U.S. factory pipes too -- Dr. Grabow especially, Yello-Bole and Medico briar -- make sure they're briar. Take it slow and easy. Buy tobacco in small quantities for a years or two while you are learning the ground. Your taste will change, so don't stock up, even on the blends you like. An ounce or two, a tin, a pouch, is all you need. Save the ones you don't like in a small jar; they may improve with age, or you may grow into them. Often it takes a few bowls over time to know whether or not you like a blend.

 

[7ach]

1)Smoke if you must, rest if able

2)lane 1q, frog Morton's, orlik gs

3)I second Stanwell and Savinelli for value pipes

4)mason for sure

 

[7ach]

Also check your local area for a pipe club

 

[olkofri]

Worth watching: Muttnchop's guide

 

[wasnsfisher]

Welcome Mate, any advice one gives here, at this time is subject to hundreds of ayes an nays for just the reason that opions vary thru experience. Not too much is either right or wrong. Experiment, try, decide what you like, while keeping yourself open to advice. Main thing is to enjoy.

 

[sablebrush52]

Welcome to the addiction hobby! The voyage of discovery can be neverending for those inclined to exploration. One of the wonderful things about smoking a pipe VS smoking anything else is the extraordinary range of flavors available that touch every sense of taste and smell. If you continue to enjoy smoking a pipe you will discover this.
In the meantime, one step at a time.
You can certainly smoke your pipe for more than a day in a row, just make sure that you clean and dry it between smokes. There's a lot of information on this site and others about how best to do this and a google search using "pipesmagazine" plus the topic, like "cleaning a pipe" will take you to many threads on the subject. The biggest concern with smoking a pipe repeatedly over days is the potential for turning the pipe sour. Proper cleaning avoids this issue. I still prefer to let my pipes rest a day or more between days of usage, but it's not absolutely necessary.
By all means, get some cobs. They smoke well, are kind to the pocket book, and don't need to be babied. Do NOT use water on a cob. Be careful of using any solvent on a cob. Just use pipe cleaners to keep the cob clean and you will be fine.
You're getting lots of great suggestions in the tobacco department. If there's a tobacconist near you, pick up small amounts of different kinds of bulk blends to start. You can try out various kinds of blends to see what you like. Just don't go hog wild over any one blend at the beginning. Most of us have found that what we like changes over time as we explore blends. After a while, certain blends present themselves as favorites and you can start stocking some for later use.
Just keep at it, follow the debate, try out suggestions , and see what works best for you. Smoking a pipe isn't rocket science, but it is one of life's pleasures that can benefit from practice.

 

[derekflint]

Bradley is good on Stuff and Things. Now I could be wrong here but I think he uses Jim's reviews sometimes. All in all I like his videos...........and they have helped me very much.

 

[derekflint]

BTW, Welcome !!

 

[brightleaf]

The label on the bag your girlfriend gave you reminds a bit of dokha.

I have been smoking out of one pipe for a few weeks now. I run a pipe cleaner through it after most smokes.

If you are feeling that your smoke is too hot, try taking smaller, slower puffs. I think Mac Baren Va No. 1 is one of the friendlier smokes I've tried. Good for the beginner for many reasons, tastes decent, not harsh, mixes well with other tobaccos, affordable in bulk, perfect amount of nicotine.