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SnowmanKPT

Lurker
Feb 11, 2025
14
71
I've just recently started smoking with my Grandpa's pipes, and have come up with a few questions.
1) Does anyone have an issue with excessive salivating while clenching/smoking your pipes? (Note: I do have a partial upper denture, so idk if that makes a difference.)
2) I've read the forum/sticky about the preference for 'drying' the tobacco before smoking. (I'm currently using Brigadier Black Alamo and Captain Black Cherry straight from the pouches. The Alamo is moister, more flavorful - to me - while the CB Cherry seems drier and not as flavorful. I also seem to have a tougher time smoking the Cherry vs Alamo.)
What is the recommended process/time frame for drying before smoking?
3) Does anyone smoke multiple different blends through the same pipe or do you use a dedicated pipe for each blend?
4) Does anyone have difficulty with smoking different brands/styles of pipes vs others? Of the 2 pipes that I'm using - an BBB second (w/ stinger) and a Dr. Grabow Royal Duke (w/ filter) - I seem to have a difficult time w/ the Royal Duke. Even though I like the style of the Dr. Grabow, I have an easier, longer, and more enjoyable smoke with the BBB.
I'd really appreciate any and all help and tips you can give.
Til next time,
Keep on Puffin!
 

Pypkė

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 3, 2024
720
1,960
East of Cleveland, Ohio. USA
I've just recently started smoking with my Grandpa's pipes, and have come up with a few questions.
1) Does anyone have an issue with excessive salivating while clenching/smoking your pipes? (Note: I do have a partial upper denture, so idk if that makes a difference.)
2) I've read the forum/sticky about the preference for 'drying' the tobacco before smoking. (I'm currently using Brigadier Black Alamo and Captain Black Cherry straight from the pouches. The Alamo is moister, more flavorful - to me - while the CB Cherry seems drier and not as flavorful. I also seem to have a tougher time smoking the Cherry vs Alamo.)
What is the recommended process/time frame for drying before smoking?
3) Does anyone smoke multiple different blends through the same pipe or do you use a dedicated pipe for each blend?
4) Does anyone have difficulty with smoking different brands/styles of pipes vs others? Of the 2 pipes that I'm using - an BBB second (w/ stinger) and a Dr. Grabow Royal Duke (w/ filter) - I seem to have a difficult time w/ the Royal Duke. Even though I like the style of the Dr. Grabow, I have an easier, longer, and more enjoyable smoke with the BBB.
I'd really appreciate any and all help and tips you can give.
Til next time,
Keep on Puffin!
1. I'm a drooler, especially if there's some perique in the blend.
2. You just have to experiment a bit and see what works for you. I tend to dry my smokes until it gets at least a little crispy.
3. Both. If an aromatic or latakia blend leaves a bit of a taste (that I enjoyed in the first place) in my next bowl of burley, I don't mind. I have one pipe for aromatics, but I've smoked aros in some of my other pipes too. Ghosting can be a good thing.
4. Yes. Some pipes suck. I prefer briars with larger bowls and corncob pipes. Get yourself a couple corncob pipes.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
22,379
55,627
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
I've just recently started smoking with my Grandpa's pipes, and have come up with a few questions.
1) Does anyone have an issue with excessive salivating while clenching/smoking your pipes? (Note: I do have a partial upper denture, so idk if that makes a difference.)
2) I've read the forum/sticky about the preference for 'drying' the tobacco before smoking. (I'm currently using Brigadier Black Alamo and Captain Black Cherry straight from the pouches. The Alamo is moister, more flavorful - to me - while the CB Cherry seems drier and not as flavorful. I also seem to have a tougher time smoking the Cherry vs Alamo.)
What is the recommended process/time frame for drying before smoking?
3) Does anyone smoke multiple different blends through the same pipe or do you use a dedicated pipe for each blend?
4) Does anyone have difficulty with smoking different brands/styles of pipes vs others? Of the 2 pipes that I'm using - an BBB second (w/ stinger) and a Dr. Grabow Royal Duke (w/ filter) - I seem to have a difficult time w/ the Royal Duke. Even though I like the style of the Dr. Grabow, I have an easier, longer, and more enjoyable smoke with the BBB.
I'd really appreciate any and all help and tips you can give.
Til next time,
Keep on Puffin!
1. I don't have that issue.
2. It depends on the type of tobacco. Since I mostly smoke Virginias, I dry them down to just shy of bone dry to get the most flavors. Aromatics I smoke with a little more moisture than that so as not to diminish the aromatic topping. English/Oriental/Balkan blends can be smoked straight from the tin, as the types of leaf used are flavor powerhouses, but they also benefit from some drying to bring out flavors.
3. I generally don't dedicate a pipe to a single blend because I'm too lazy to deal with it. Dedicating a pipe to a single blend seasons the pipe to further support that blend. I do smoke the same genre of blend in a pipe to limit the "cross talk". I have a few pipes that work exceptionally well with a specific blend that I do reserve for that blend.
4. Most all pipes smoke pretty much the same for me, but pipes with stingers to have a more constricted draw. If that's an issue and the stinger is removable, try smoking that pipe without the stinger in it.
 
Last edited:

OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
7,711
42,883
72
Sydney, Australia
Great to hear you’re returning your Grandpa’s pipes to use.

1) quite a common problem
2) dry(er) tobacco is easier to light and minimises re-lights.
In my opinion, the worst flavour is immediately following light-up and relights as the tobaccco is burning at its hottest. The flavour improves markedly when the tobacco is smouldering
3) I don’t dedicate pipes to a specific blend.
But have pipes for different genres - aromatics, Latakia/orientals, Virginia/VaPers and everything else. I don’t smoke Lakelands, but if I did, will have pipes solely for these.
4) I don’t find bent pipes necessarily more difficult to smoke than straights. Nor do I find that they smoke wetter.
But I have some pipes that smoke hot, irregardless of how careful or slow I smoke.
I remove the stingers/inner tubes from all my pipes.
And have only one pipe that takes a filter - which I smoke without
 

VDL_Piper

Lifer
Jun 4, 2021
2,261
20,425
Springfield Nuclear Power Plant
I've just recently started smoking with my Grandpa's pipes, and have come up with a few questions.
1) Does anyone have an issue with excessive salivating while clenching/smoking your pipes? (Note: I do have a partial upper denture, so idk if that makes a difference.)
Some people smoke wet and some people find their mouth dries after smoking for a month or so of continuous effort and some don't suffer. If you are a wet smoker and there are plenty on here, you just swab out your stem with a pipe cleaner and carry on.
2) I've read the forum/sticky about the preference for 'drying' the tobacco before smoking. (I'm currently using Brigadier Black Alamo and Captain Black Cherry straight from the pouches. The Alamo is moister, more flavorful - to me - while the CB Cherry seems drier and not as flavorful. I also seem to have a tougher time smoking the Cherry vs Alamo.)
What is the recommended process/time frame for drying before smoking?
Whilst I'm not familiar with smoking the Brigadier I find Capt Black Cherry to be quite full in flavour so my suggestion is once dry, leave some more, won't hurt. Now really try to slow down your speed of puffing and let the flavour come to you instead of puffing hard to get more flavour. I always say you should puff your pipe like there is a serial killer in your house, you're hiding in the wardrobe and he's right outside the door and might hear your puff. The other thing to try is experiment with your packing. Pack a bowl lightly and smoke and then pack one more densely and note the differences if any. This and speed are the two most simple things, alas everyone struggles with these in the early days of their pipe smoking journey.
3) Does anyone smoke multiple different blends through the same pipe or do you use a dedicated pipe for each blend?
Yes and it probably matters less with aromatics. Once you start to smoke less cased tobaccos and you're searching for flavours within a burley or Virginia then you might have a pipe for each genre.
4) Does anyone have difficulty with smoking different brands/styles of pipes vs others? Of the 2 pipes that I'm using - an BBB second (w/ stinger) and a Dr. Grabow Royal Duke (w/ filter) - I seem to have a difficult time w/ the Royal Duke. Even though I like the style of the Dr. Grabow, I have an easier, longer, and more enjoyable smoke with the BBB.
I like a pipe with a wide open draw and both of these pipes have an impediment to the flow of smoke to your mouth (stinger/filter). As suggested above by @BingBong remove the filter and try the pipe without and see what sort of result you get, it's worth a shot. If you have success, even small it then becomes all about your cadence or pace of smoking.
I'd really appreciate any and all help and tips you can give.
You're welcome
Til next time,
Yes, don't give up, keep on trying subtle changes and the magic will begin for you.
Keep on Puffin!
puffy
 
Jul 19, 2024
1,181
4,660
Indiana by way of Paris, France
1) I don't have a problem with drooling. Some do.
2) some people dry, some don't. I recommend drying aromatics as they can be a bit too moist and burn a tad hotter until you get used to them.
3) I smoke many different blends in the same pipe. Some may fit a preference for you than others.
4) I don't use filters or stingers.

Now all these questions will get you many different answers. Experiment with it. You'll get the hang of it eventually.
 
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badbriar

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 17, 2012
892
1,629
Suncoast Florida by the Beach
1. Not uncommon - will likely go away after you are not focusing on it. Nothing to worry over.
2. Don't dry out too much - will burn hot & fast if crispy, but holds a light longer. Can ruin flavor if really dried out.
Feel with your fingers. If goopy or really wet, then dry it! If little moisture - go for it. You will find what's right for
you. Note that cheap aromatics have a lot of PG in them and are goopy - never really dry out much at all. They
will steam your tongue! Buy quality tobaccos and avoid the three buck chucks!
3. Yes - many smoke different blends in the same pipe. Keep aromatics and Latakia blends separate from
Virginia's. That said, I do not smoke aromatics, but have no issue with smoking all other blends in all of my
pipes. I like latakia and do not mind it very lightly encroaching on my Virginias in a very mild way.
4. I own several vintage Grabow and all are superb smokers. Ditch the filter and you will find them to be really
good. I'd ditch the stinger as well. Note that longer stems may smoke cooler, particularly churchwardens.
Try the MM churchwarden cobs. They are really inexpensive and smoke great!
*** Sip your pipes just enough to keep them from going out to avoid hot smokes and tongue bite.

Have fun & enjoy!
 
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beetlejockey

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 24, 2024
134
303
Ireland
joeyandthepints.com
1) Does anyone have an issue with excessive salivating while clenching/smoking your pipes? (Note: I do have a partial upper denture, so idk if that makes a difference.)
I feel if I start to think about how wet my mouth is it just makes me produce more saliva and that snowballs. It's like when you think about blinking and breathing and for the next few seconds you start to do those things manually. I suppose try not to think about it if thats the case with you aswell 😅
 
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Richmond B. Funkenhouser

Plebeian Supertaster
Dec 6, 2019
5,733
25,503
Dixieland
Seems like the soggy smokers are the majority in this this thread, so I'll repeat myself:

Dry that tobacco! I suffered forever trying to smoke wet tobacco, before I finally realized that drier was better.

If the tobacco is dry, you can prevent it from burning hot by packing it tighter... And smoking slowly.

Ultimately it's personal preference, but trying the bone dry is worth your time.

You can smoke wet tobacco, but it causes all the problems that people just starting struggle with.

IMHO
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
47,045
126,607
1) You're introducing a harmful substance to your mouth lining and it's attempting to defend itself. The more you smoke it may or may not cease.

2) Damp tobacco can be packed extremely light to allow more oxygen in to help the ember and to burn off moisture.

3) Some do, some don't.

4) Other than aesthetics I find no difference between one or another.
 
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