Sharing the Love?

[Honkytonk Man]

Yeah, it’s a crapshoot for sure!

I've also done the same. Introduced maybe 4 or 5 guys & a gal, too. Only one of them continues to smoke his MM cob I gave him.
As a matter of fact, a couple of other guys have recently expressed an interest in pipe smoking, both of whom I let try my pipe, on separate occasions. Both appeared to be pleasantly surprised, I don't have more MM cobs to donate to anybody, so will need to do some buying....

 

[Doctor Chopper]

I have done the same, but I don’t think any of the cobs got more than 1 smoke. That is fine with me, at least I helped them give it a try to find out and some day they may pick it back up again. Who knows, the tobacco may be aged and dried enough to suit their taste by then!

 

[blackpowderpiper]

Whenever you give a pipe away you can figure at a high probability the person will not smoke it. If he has to buy the pipe he will at least stick with it through a few smokes.

I agree with this. I have a friend who is a heavy cigarette smoker. He had commented a few times about the pleasant aroma of my pipe tobacco. So, I gave him a brand new cob and a few samples of tobacco. I think he may have smoked it a couple of times. Oh well, I wasn't out much and at least I tried. It's very hard to rid oneself of the coffin nails.

 

[Reggie]

Was just curious if others do this same thing. I recently changed jobs and work with a bunch of guys that range in age from 18 to 45 yrs old (I’m 57). Two of them found out that I smoked a pipe and mentioned that they had always wanted to try it! Since I always keep a bunch of new MM cobs for emergencies stashed away, I went ahead and built each of them a starter kit. Gave each a cob, nail tamper, bundle of pipe cleaners and a pouch of Velvet tobacco. I gave them the kits and a few pointers on how to do it. A month has gone by and they both are still into it so far.

Great gesture in promoting friendship and the art

 

[Cyxelsid]

I have a tendency to obsess hard over new hobbies and try to drag people with me down whatever road I go down. So when I decided to try smoking a pipe, I also bought a couple of MM cobbs and gave one to a buddy, with some of the first blends I bought. He lives in Colorado (where I plan to move next year), and he still occasionally smokes what I gave him. And on the occasions that I go out there, he is happy to pull it out and smoke with me.

With gift giving, as well as advice giving, I don't tend to get wrapped up in whether or not they use what is freely given. It is a gesture of good will and friendship, regardless of the outcome. I certainly HOPE they get the same joy out of it as I do, but just being friendly is a reward in itself!

Kudos to the OP for reminding us all to spread the love of smoking and friendship!

 

[Honkytonk Man]

I have done the same, but I don’t think any of the cobs got more than 1 smoke. That is fine with me, at least I helped them give it a try to find out and some day they may pick it back up again. Who knows, the tobacco may be aged and dried enough to suit their taste by then!

After commenting in this thread yesterday, I have been thinking more about what KCGhost said...

"Whenever you give a pipe away you can figure at a high probability the person will not smoke it. If he has to buy the pipe he will at least stick with it through a few smokes."

 

[Cyxelsid]

I joined a local whisky lover group, introduced by a friend of mine 4 years ago. It's a 30 men group. We would met in a bar or a restaurant sharing our whisky. And I was the only one who smoke a pipe.
One day I decided to bring my pipes to the party, 'cause I spent all my money on tobacco and pipes. I told them I can't afford another bottle of whisky. And they told me, "Don't worry. You are the only who smoke pipes in this group. Just keep bringing your pipes to the party, we will cover the whisky part." That's when we discovered the synergy between tobacco and whiskey.
Some of them turn into a cigar smokers. But, I'm still the one who smoke pipes. They say it's too much trouble for smoking a pipe.
We will still hang out every 2 weeks.

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Yeah, THIS! it sounds like a great time, wish I could join you!

 

[johnscs]

Yes. I keep a couple of MM cobs on hand and a couple of 1-oz. packets of my fave blends on hand for whenever I have the chance to introduce a prospective pipe smoker to the hobby. I also often have a spare briar or two in case I think a guy might actually stick with pipes for a while.

I love the option of sharing in a social setting where I might otherwise be the only guy enjoying a pipe. Most of the time, my pipe attracts plenty of favorable attention, and it just seems friendly to offer a bowl of nice tobacco in an inexpensive cob. Once or twice, I heard the cobs found homes with guys who liked pipe smoking enough to stick with it for a while.

I was at a grad party where the honoree's dad had passed around some decent cigars. They were popular, of course, but it was my pipe that seemed to capture more attention when I fired up a bowl of Vanilla Cream. I didn't have enough cobs for everybody, but they made the rounds among the pipe-fanciers, including the young grad. He ended up with a decent briar as a last-minute graduation gift. A year into his college career, he's a daily pipe smoker with a growing collection of decent briars and cobs (including the simple briar that I started him off with).

 

[JRW11b]

My buddy I served in the military with got me hooked. I happen to live a few minutes away from another of my buddies I served with who still happens to be in and I've gotten him into it as well. Bought him a couple decent cobs and supply him with a steady stream of tobacco. Several months later he still regularly smokes a pipe, much to his wife's chagrin...