Show your kiseru.

[Wheels]

I bought this pipe as souvenir in '65 in Yokosuka. I've always thought it was an opium pipe. But recently I've discovered that it is a traditional Japanese tobacco pipe. I can tell that it is hand made by the irregularities in the brass. And, that also tells me it was not a very expensive pipe to begin with. It has been smoked, but not by me. For one thing, I don't have any of the finely sliced tobacco that is used in it. If you have one, please share and tell us about it.

 

[Pooh-Bah]

Got this two or so years ago, American-made by a company which seems to no longer exist. Why? I'm a young man of the first world, which automatically means I've watched too many Japanese cartoons, so I thought it might be neat to try - could look nice on a shelf, of nothing else.


I've had acceptable results with normal shag in the past, and might try it with the finest cut of Semois in the future.
'course you get maybe three puffs out of a kiseru. Though your bowl looks like it'll hold more than mine.

Addenda: Yours looks quite long. I believe that's called an "oiran giseru", and is traditionally associated with geisha and courtesans. I guess on the principal of letting them show off more of their graceful arms holding the thing, and keeping some smoke out of their hair.

 

[huntertrw]

Show your kiseru.​

No one sees my kiseru but my wife!

 

[fireground_piper]

This was picked up for me in Japan by someone in 2023.

 

[sardonicus87]

I've had acceptable results with normal shag in the past, and might try it with the finest cut of Semois in the future.
'course you get maybe three puffs out of a kiseru. Though your bowl looks like it'll hold more than mine.

Le Petite Robin actually made me want to get a kiseru. Well, not really, it made me think: "if I were rich, I might buy a kiseru if I got bored one day".

Then I looked for 5 minutes and didn't see one I would even remotely consider buying... but again, I only looked for about 5 minutes.

 

[anotherbob]

I would buy one if I could get affordably priced tobacco for it. The kind made for it. Though in Japan some youngsters use them as cigarette holders.

 

[sardonicus87]

I would buy one if I could get affordably priced tobacco for it. The kind made for it. Though in Japan some youngsters use them as cigarette holders.

Yeah, I for sure wouldn't want to smoke pipe tobacco out of one, I could never be satisfied on just 2-3 puffs.

With a kiseru, is the fine shag supposed to be densely packed? I would imagine so in order for it to last more than just a minute. If it, with the proper tobacco, could last 10 minutes and be as satisfying as a cigarette or a full 45 minute pipe bowl, then yeah if I could get the right cut for it I wouldn't mind having one at some point.

 

[irishearl]

I have my great uncle's kiseru. It's around a century old.

 

[anotherbob]

Yeah, I for sure wouldn't want to smoke pipe tobacco out of one, I could never be satisfied on just 2-3 puffs.

With a kiseru, is the fine shag supposed to be densely packed? I would imagine so in order for it to last more than just a minute. If it, with the proper tobacco, could last 10 minutes and be as satisfying as a cigarette or a full 45 minute pipe bowl, then yeah if I could get the right cut for it I wouldn't mind having one at some point.

from what I've seen you roll the shag into a tight ball and in the average Kiseru if smoked slowly it gives about a 25 minute smoke. The little pipe I have has the same chamber dimensions as a kiseru (it's a Tsuge and they sell both briar and traditional kiseru so I think it's meant to be like that) and if you pack a dense shag it does actually last a while and will smoke fine with it really crammed in.