New to the Hobby

[arvetus]

Hi all!

New to the hobby of pipe smoking. Never been a smoker but have never been opposed to taking a fine cigar when spending time with friends. I rather enjoy a good cigar now and then, but I find that cigars taste better than they smell. It's not that I dislike it - I have come to somewhat enjoy certain cigarette smoke as well, but I'm just not that into the cigar smell even though I do enjoy the taste of most of the ones I've had and enjoy having one with friends. So I have thought about taking up a pipe and hopefully get the best of both worlds. My grandfather smoked a pipe and I have rather fond memories.
Now, before taking up the pipe, my grandfather also smoked cigarettes for many, many years and developed COPD and emphysema...the damage was already done. All my aunts and uncles passed away in their 50's of COPD complications and the infections that go along with it. They also smoked cigarettes for their entire lifetime. I never, ever have picked up a cigarette and have no intentions to. While cancer does not appear to be a factor with my family, COPD seems to be something we are very vulnerable to.
And while I do want to stay away from cigarettes altogether, I do want to enjoy a pipe, even if not everyday like some of y'all, which I still find nothing wrong with.
I just made an order on pipesandcigars and have an estate Mello Root straight stem on the way, along with a selection of tobaccos to try. I also have acquired a Savinelli 313. I'm thinking of picking up either a cob or a couple Grabows to have on hand for extras or to offer to friends that may want to try a bowl with me. I also like the looks of a billiard or poker bowl pipe and may look around at those.
Anyway, one of my first questions is: do you smoke out of the same bowl multiple times within a day, or do you let it dry out and switch pipes? While it's still in the 90's and 100's here in TX, fall is coming, and that's when I seem to crave the smell of pipe smoke even though I've never used one before. If I had a couple bowls on a holiday, would that hurt my pipe, or should I switch pipes when I want a new bowl during the day?
Thoughts??

 

[whiteburleydude]

A decent pipe should get you a few smokes a day if you give it a quick clean with a pipe cleaner after each. If the first smoke is dry, then the second smoke it starts to gurgle, the third smoke probably will be a bit hot and wet. That's what you want to avoid. If your building a rotation I always point ppl toward the Rossi Vittoria line made by Savinelli. Simple, nice pipes for about $40 bucks. The price seems to be creeping up on them though. https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/rossi/index.cfm?sortOpt=priceAsc&page=1

 

[mountainman]

Briar pipes can be smoked multiple times in a day, but they still need to rest in between, and in my opinion tend to degrade in quality after each smoke. It is best to have a few pipes to rotate throughout your smokes. Also, it is nice to have pipes dedicated to genres of tobacco, such as English, Virginia’s , and aromatics. Ghosting can really ruin a great blend. If you are looking to have a low number of pipes that can smoke different blends, multiple times a day, then morta and meerschaum perform well.

 

[arvetus]

Wow! Thanks for the info. I never thought about the ghosting effect, but it makes sense. I’ll also check out the Rossi line! Looks promising!!

 

[arvetus]

Another thought... what is proper pipe etiquette for offering to a friend if you are entertaining in your home? Do you keep less expensive, spare pipes on hand to offer if someone wants to try a smoke? Similar to offering a cigar or cigarette? I’d like to be a good host if I want to enjoy a smoke at home, be able to offer one to guests who I know aren’t opposed to the idea and may even be occasional cigar smokers.

 

[olkofri]

Olive wood is another option for smoking different blends in the same pipe, and they also need less resting time than briars.

 

[seanv]

I wouldn’t let someone who has no idea how to smoke a pipe use any of my preferred pipes. If you plan on letting a non pipe smoker use your pipes, I would keep a few knock around types on hand and cleaned up. Be careful not to give them a total piece of s**t pipe, it may turn them away from learning to enjoy the hobby.

 

[sablebrush52]

Welcome to the forum. With your family's history, I'd be thinking hard about indulging in any kind of smoking, but it's your decision to make. My only suggestion is that you consider only smoking outdoors. A lot of us, myself included, only smoke outdoors. We have a variety of reasons, like not enjoying the fine smell of stale tobacco embedded into everything that we own, or trying to keep the amount we're actually inhaling into our lungs to a minimum.
Sure people will say that you don't inhale when smoking a pipes, but that's a load of bullshit if you're smoking indoors, sitting in a smoke filled room. You're inhaling smoke into your lungs constantly. Pipes, cigars, cigarettes - smoke indoors and you're inhaling the smoke into your lungs. Outdoors, you're still getting a little, just not as much and not constantly.
Sure people will tell you, "I smoke 2 packs of cigs, 5 cigars, and 10 pipes every day and I've never been sick a day in my life!" Hooray for them. They won the DNA lottery. Not everyone does.

 

[mountainman]

Keep a new corn cob pipe around for friends. They smoke dry and are cheap. That being said, pipe smoking takes effort and practice and in my experience it doesn’t translate well to sharing with guest on an ad hoc basis. They need a level of commitment and practice. With a cob at least you can give it to them to take home and see if it sticks.

 

[scloyd]

Welcome to the forums. I usually smoke one bowl a day. I don't have any extra pipes around for guests. I might consider a cheap cob to gift to someone who might want to try pipe smoking. My son and son-in-law are both pipe smokers and cigar smokers...they bring their own when they visit.

 

[arvetus]

Yeah, I smoke 2-3 cigars a year and I expect the same would be for if I took up a pipe. It takes me about an hour or so (unless excess alcohol consumption is a factor) and I would expect similar out of a pipe even though the two are very, very different. My family members have habitually smoked cigarettes indoors for over 40 years before succumbing to the complications, and it is often a hotly contested topic that cigarette and pipe/cigar smoking are vastly different in tobacco quality along with other additives that may drive the desire to smoke even more than one might otherwise. Anyhow, I am 40 years old and am just seeking something a little different. One thing I did not mention was that my grandmother is pushing 80 and still smokes a little over a pack of Pall Mall a day and shows no health concerns at all that are not normal for an 80 year old. Everyone is different, but since we're all adults and make our own choices, I hardly think it’s worth an argument.
Anywhoo...I appreciate the advice and genuine concern. It’s something I’ve long been curious about, but never tried. I think I have enough to start with to see if I even will enjoy it as I do my occasional cigar. I don’t think I will need too many pipes as I intend to keep it relegated to special occasions and holidays as is my cigars. I just find cigars tasting better than they smell to me and just thought I’d try something different. I think I have maybe $150 into my two pipes and tobacco selection, so if I don’t enjoy it come this Christmas/New Year’s, I may be out a tad more than it would cost me for 2 cigars, but it’s not anything I can’t afford to lose. If I enjoy it, I may get another pipe or two, but I see no need to go overboard for as little as I smoke. I just don’t have the time to dedicate to it, but want to enjoy it on the rare occasion that I do.

 

[johnscs]

I'll second the idea of keeping a corncob or two on hand if you want to introduce a friend to pipes. I usually keep a cob and an inexpensive briar around. Friends and guests are often curious about pipes or a particular blend I'm smoking, and I love to introduce interested guys to pipes if they want to try. I'd hesitate to share one of my regular pipes, except maybe for a quick taste. Cobs are inexpensive, and once in a while, I pick up a basket pipe when I get a good deal. Sometimes, guys will smoke a bowl or two, and that's it. Other times, they really like the experience, and I'm happy to have them keep the pipe, especially if they want to take an ounce or two of tobacco to keep smoking on their own.
It's actually cheaper than cigars, and even my cigar-loving friends are usually happy to smoke some flavorful tobacco in a cob instead of an expensive stogie.