Show Us Your First Pipe

[Country Bladesmith]

I cannot show my first pipe. It was a corn cob that I purchased in Lexington Kentucky on September 13, 2011.

I knew absolutely nothing about smoking a pipe and between eagerness, ignorance and too much bourbon, I literally burned it, my tongue, a finger and my face up.

I actually burned the shank off and the rim was burned. Not scorched from lighting wet tobacco.

But here I am. Still puffing and enjoying my pipes.

How?!!! You must’ve been hammered! ? That’s funny!

 

[B_Rock]

This is not my first pipe, but the only one left from my early pipe smoking days ca. 1985...a humble, Savinelli Roma 707. Glad I kept this one - it has seen many different blends and it is my go to for trying out new blends.

 

[The Clay King]

I can't show you my first pipe because it got broke!

 

[musicman]

Here’s mine. It’s a Stanwell Bamboo I purchased about 10-15 yrs ago. I was a cigar smoker and thought I should try out a pipe. It got smoked very quite a bit at the beginning, but then I got out of smoking tobacco at all until last year. I still have it, and smoke it occasionally. It’s not my best smoker...kinda hot and a smaller bowl, but I can’t part with it. Still love the grain.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

I can't show you my first pipe because it got broke!

You need to add a few non-clay pipes to the lineup, Dan! ?

 

[bullet08]

First pipe that I actually smoked. There are two pipes prior to this, but for whatever reason, I never smoked them. Just didn't feel like to smoke them.

 

[Jooste]

Peterson Aran No. 3

 

[tschiraldi]

I have no idea what my 1st pipe was, but I bought it from Kramer's in Maryland ( Bethesda or Hagerstown?) In 1991?

 

[CoffeeAndBourbon]

Don't have my first pipe, but it was a drug store Dr. Grabow back in the mid 80s.

 

[Bengel]

Father’s Day 6 years ago, a gift from my wife
She‘s a keeper!
The pipe Peterson 05, still in rotation, smoked very hot and took awhile to break in.

 

[Lawyer66]

 

[bnichols23]

Mine is happily "no longer whinnying with us," a shellacked POJ Medico Dublin. Lord help anyone who tried smoking cheap aros in it.

 

[edger]

View attachment 35786
Here's my first pipe. MM Legend purchased from The Briar Shoppe in Houston TX. I was on tour with a rock band playing a theater in Houston at the time. I had already been smoking cigars for a few years, and I had a random thought that I should try a pipe. I did a bunch of reading, YouTube watching, and online research. Then I found myself in Houston at The Briar Shoppe where I found my love for pipe tobacco. I don't smoke this pipe anymore because it's pretty ghosted with aromatics from that time. I've since moved on to only non-aros as I'm most interested in the flavors of the leaf.

I purchased the pipe along with a couple of ounces of "Accountant's Mixture" aromatic. Smoked it for the first time in the shop with the shop owner (Diane?) guiding me through the process. She was really kind and was behind the counter putting together 1 pound of a custom mixture for a client out-of-state, rubbing out tons of flakes by hand. It was a really great experience, and I'm thankful for her and her knowledge and hospitality - showing a newcomer how to properly smoke and not burn my mouth the first time. A few days later I found myself in Austin TX at Pipe World where I would first hear the name McClelland and "Virginias." The kind man behind the counter gave me some samples of PS Bullseye Flake and I instantly was taken by the delicious flavors of this tobacco. We had several days in Austin (I believe we were there playing SXSW at the time) and I found myself at Habana House where I purchased a tin of C&D Bijou and a tin of McClelland 3 Oaks Syrian Latakia which I still have sitting in a jar. It's been a lovely journey of relaxing with different tobaccos since then.

I spent the remainder of that tour smoking bowls in the back of the tour bus while other band members were smoking some jazz cigarettes. Had to smoke on off-days because I was singing a lot of harmonies with that particular band and didn't want to have a dry throat come show time.

Once I got home, I purchased my first briar, an estate Chacom sandblast billiard from Haebar (not sure if he's on this forum), along with a tin of Old Dublin. I was surprised at the tin note when I first opened the Old Dublin, but really loved the flavor and the cool creamy smoke. I've grown to love that tin note now. Along with the Chacom, Haebar was kind enough to send me a bunch of samples that I really enjoyed trying, one being Troost Special Cavendish which I remember liking quite a bit.

Please forgive my longwinded post, I am a bit under the weather and haven't been able to smoke in a few weeks. So I'm waxing poetic, missing my tobacco smoke, and enjoying seeing your pipes and hearing your stories. Living vicariously through you at the moment.

All the best.

Not long winded. Interesting and good writing!

 

[keith929]

I still have mine.
A Bradberry leather covered basket pipe that was a gift from my mom for my 17th birthday.

 

[coyja]

A simple Grabow purchased with a couple ounces of Nut ‘N Honey from Tobacco World in Spokane, WA back in the fall of 1996.

View attachment 35673

My first pipe (long since lost) was the exact same bent Duke Grabow pipe, and around the same time, probably 1994-5. For sure I was smoking Capt Black white or gold out of it.

I need to study up on the old Grabows, I don't quite get the hierarchy of their lines, but there are definitely good smokers in there that I'd buy even today.

 

[Infantry23]

I have no idea what my 1st pipe was, but I bought it from Kramer's in Maryland ( Bethesda or Hagerstown?) In 1991?

I would've been too young to remember, but was there a Kramer's tobacco store in Hagerstown? I grew up in Hagerstown.

 

[tschiraldi]

I

I would've been too young to remember, but was there a Kramer's tobacco store in Hagerstown? I grew up in Hagerstown.

Believe it was either Hagerstown or Bethesda. I'd have to look it up.

 

[BarrelProof]

Boswell’s something or other. 2015.

 

[The Clay King]

You need to add a few non-clay pipes to the lineup, Dan! ?

Got a Idea briar pipe that I received for a product test, not really my style though. I've only smoked a non-clay pipe twice, both with Clan.

 

[autocannon]

Second from a TinderBox in SoCal in the late 90's. It's gone from being a decent to great smoker in that time. I haven't had it out since 2013 or so, a travesty I shall remedy soon. Just have to make a trip over to McCranie's for something to fill it. No idea what brand, it's just stamped Italy.