New to the forums ! (stories of your history with pipes)

[foggymountain]

I don't know why this is of interest to you, but I started smoking a pipe as a young teenager in 1956. I quickly got together a group of about 24 pipes with the proceeds of my newspaper route. A few Stanwells, several Wilkes (we used to hang out with the Wilke sisters at their store), one Dunhill, several Charatans (we hung out at Lane Ltd's store in NYC as well) and a number of junk pipes. Also one big cherrywood. I added just two pipes in the next 45 years or so. Early in this century I noticed that very few pipes were left. Some were lost, some stolen, some broken, some were just used up and discarded. So I began to add to the collection. Mostly Dunhills because I like them the best. It may have gotten a bit out of hand, though I do not believe in Pad and Tad. Currently I have over 160 pipes and 1200 cans of tobacco. The big thing I learned from this site is about tobacco ageing. Previously I believed that a few months was enough, now I agree that many years is better with the kinds of Lat blend I prefer.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I'm one of those that was drawn to it by Lord of the Rings. I turned 18 when the last one came out in 2003 and afterwards headed down to a local B&M and bought myself a churchwarden, like Gandalf, and some house blended cherry tobacco and proceeded to burn my tongue for the next few weeks.
It was on again off again until about 2010. One early evening I was on the patio enjoying a pipe when my then girlfriend stopped by. She walked out onto the patio and said, "I never knew you smoked a pipe. That's sexy!". Obviously as you can tell my initial mental response was, "This needs to be a more regular thing!".
Ever since then I've joined the forums, combed through dozens of youtube pipe channels, tuned into the radio show, been a regular at the West Coast Pipe Show, and have hit up more B&Ms.
I've mostly gotten into Peterson and Savinelli pipes, which I'd definitely recommend for someone new to the hobby looking to expand their rotation. There's also the Missouri Meerschaum cobs which are great and affordable as well.
As for tobaccos, I'd say sample some bulk blends. You can easily and afford-ably try a wide range of blend styles that way.

 

[dottiewarden]

Hi Nicholas,

As a freshman in the University of Pipe Smoking, my story is yet to be written. Like so many, it was my grandfather that was my greatest inspiration. I fondly remember the summers we spent together on Lake Temiskaming. I’m positive that’s why I knew I would be a pipe smoker one day sure that’s why I tend toward the classic pipe shapes.

One important thing has changed though – in his day you just picked up your favorite OTC and were on your way – today we have the enormous benefit of sampling such a wide variety of blends and the opportunity to share our experiences with people from across the globe!

I would like to recommend Irish Oak by Peterson, and not because I like it, but because I think you might based on your statement “I have been smoking cigarettes since I was a very young man, so don't be afraid of recommending me to harsher blends of tobacco”. The tobacco smokes wonderfully smooth, with a bit of a mild cigarette type flavor, then there is this very distinct spicy kick you get which develops as you smoke down through the bowl.

Lot’s of good info on Irish Oak at: http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/929/peterson-irish-oak

Dot

P.S. Thanks for the personal stories by all of the participants in this thread.

 

[ruger414]

Hey Nicholas!
I'm new here as well but I would like to welcome you to the forums! There are tons of awesome people on here who have years of experience. It's the perfect place for a beginning pipe smoker.
I began smoking about a year ago when I turned 18. I wanted to celebrate my coming of age so I thought the best thing I could do was buy tobacco products! Anyways, I have never been interested in cigarettes, but pipes have always appealed to me. When I was a kid my older brother smoked a pipe and I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. What affirmed my desire to smoke was a scene in Lord of the Rings. Most people who watch LOTR want a pipe like Gandalf's, but what drew me into this world was the pipe that Strider was smoking in the back of the Prancing Pony. Whenever I think of pipe smoking the first image that pops into my head is Strider's pipe glowing red in the dark corner of the inn.
So anyways, on my birthday I bought a cheap cob pipe (not even an MM) and some Captain Black tobacco from WalMart. I was clueless. The cob burned through but I loved the smell of Captain Black so I decided to invest in a Dr. Grabow Lark that I bought very cheap from one of my older friends who had many pipes. I love that pipe and it smokes like a charm! Now that I am at college my roommate and I are planning to go in on some more expensive pipes and tobacco. I'm currently looking into buying a Lorenzo Eleganza and a can of Frog Morton's Cellar.
Welcome to the forums and enjoy your Dr. Grabow. For some reason they have a bad reputation, but for a first pipe the quality for the price cannot be beat!

 

[anglesey]

I've been a smoker since I was about 12, ridiculously young it seems now, but since then it's always been a large part of my life. My uncle always smoked a pipe, and I find that like him, I find nothing more relaxing than sitting down having a smoke and reading the racing post. I've always smoked a pipe, though not always with the regularity I do these days. I'm also a cigarette and cigar smoker, and really do consider smoking a major hobby, eventhough my mrs thinks I'm daft.
I don't have a massive collection of either pipes or tobacco, I have enough for every occasion that could warrant a different pipe, but I'm rather more modest in my collecting, largely in part to my reluctance to buy estate pipes. I love 'English' blends, and don't really smoke much else, only having the odd tin or two of other types for when my mood changes, though my tastes are about as unvarying as the trade winds. I've found that people around here rarely change their piping habits, and if it wasn't for the forum and the vast piping community in America and on the internet, I feel I wouldn't bother trying new things. I am still rather unbending when it comes to different packing techniques, and the use of tampers and other such ephemera though, I believe it's all a load of puff, if youll pardon the pun.