Switching from Cigarettes

[PaulTheScandinavian]

most of my pipes comes with smallish -medium chamber but I have some with larger bowls which I mainly use for those after dinner long smokes, there scotch on the rocks is my beloved beverage

 

[wizhunter]

The Joyoldelf pear wood pipe that i have will probably hold twice as much tobacco as the cob ones i have or i would of thought so. The other pipe smoking items including tobacco should arrive tomorrow so looking forward to that, i must remember not to inhale, i think that is the thing i will struggle most with.

 

[brightleaf]

Sometimes I like to inhale more than other times. I keep a stash of loose tobacco that is labeled VA #1 on hand. I buy it in bulk from my local tobacco shop, Milan Tobacconists. It looks like a rubbed out flake and is yellowish/gold in color, there is definitely no toppings or flavorings in it. It has a good lung feel and comes dry enough to smoke right away. It also makes a good addition to other tobacco blends at times, or mixed with some bulk perique. I think it tastes better than cigarette tobacco.

 

[jorchamp]

I used to smoke cigarettes when I would rush around at work. Then I switched to pipes to slow down to enjoy. I always enjoyed the taste of tobacco and not necessarily the nicotine. I tried rolling my own cigarettes with high end tobaccos, but they did not match the taste (flavor) of pipe tobacco. Pipe tobacco is a totally different taste experience to be enjoyed and not consumed.

 

[brightleaf]

Pipe tobacco has cigarettes beat on the variety of blends. You could spend years smoking regularly without having to purchase the same blend twice. Cigarettes did cater to discerning palates at one time, just not the one we live in now.

http://cigarettesportal.com/camel-exotic-blends/
If they ever regulate nicotine out of pipe tobacco, or force GMO low nicotine tobacco on us, I wouldn't smoke it regardless of how good it may taste.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"I can send you some cash through paypal. I don't want you being out of pocket."
Wiz, no sweat. As you will find, folks on here are only too pleased to help a new pipe smoker find his feet. Also, the gifting of tobacco for trial purposes is quite common here. Only three weeks ago I received a package of samples from the States by forum member Johnbarleycorn. It happens often here so no need for Paypal or postage costs chum though hopefully you will one day be able to do the same thing to someone else further down the line if you feel so willing.
Regards the pipe, I have about two hundred + refurbished pipes I intended to sell but never got around to selling a single one...hence the offer. If you have a particular shape in mind that would be helpful.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[deathmetal]

Today i am beginning my journey into the pipe smoking world after rolling my own cigarettes for over 40 years, looking for advice and guidance in mainly what's the best Tobacco to buy

Nicotine hits you less hard from a pipe than a cigarette, so you will probably want some high intensity tobaccos. If you're in the UK, I would score some Gawith Hoggarth shag immediately, like Kendal Dark or Dark Birdseye. They are easy to smoke and a good way to learn plus have enough Nicotine to keep even me happy. Also I have to say that if you have regular Drum tobacco around, it's a good learner tobacco.

 

[wizhunter]

Hi guys

Thanks again for your continued advice and support, i would like to buy a tobacco that if i accidently inhale won't choke me. I honestly don't know enough about it to warrant a guess and buy it not knowing, heard and read lots of articles about avoiding virginia because it burns to hot, then i thought about getting a Rum flavoured tobacco but was put off by reading about lakeland, which i have no idea about only that a lot of you guys don't like it. Rest of my items should be here today so i can at least try out the Condor i ordered, probably will start off with a cob.

Been scanning youtube this morning for videoes to try and get it right first time

Jay like i said it's entirely up to you, as the saying goes beggars can't be choosers, so anything that you don't use and is not too heavy

Thanks Again

Wiz

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Rum flavoured tobacco but was put off by reading about Lakeland, which i have no idea about only that a lot of you guys don't like it.

Well, this requires a little explanation. You should definitely try it, to see what the humor is in making fun of Lakelands. It's not every Lakeland that we hate(or at least for me). There are some great GH&c tobaccos, and even some flavorings by them that I really like. But, when you find one that blows a gasket in your olfactory hues, you'll get the jokes. Some are scented with rose geraniums, which is the scents used in those little pink rose shaped soaps some grandmas kept in their bathroom to cover fart smells. Some have even weirder scents, but they are all based on the same scents used in perfumes and soaps. Back in the purity law days, they had to only flavor tobaccos using scents instead of whatever gawdawful stuff they must have been using before. This is the same reason we call latakia blends, English blends. But, you have to at least try these blends to see what we are laughing at. Great tobaccos, but weird smells.
Dark Flake unscented is still tainted, but it is done so in a way that I really can tolerate enjoy. ::

 

[wizhunter]

I ordered some loose tobacco online, only samples to see what's what, so they arrived this morning in the post with a couple of other things, the only thing is the 3 samples came in identical pouches so i have no idea which is which. All it says on the pouch is loose tobacco by Gawith, any other info i think i have to guess myself. I thought they maybe would of wrote something down.

 

[deathmetal]

I honestly don't know enough about it to warrant a guess and buy it not knowing, heard and read lots of articles about avoiding virginia because it burns to hot, then i thought about getting a Rum flavoured tobacco but was put off by reading about lakeland, which i have no idea about only that a lot of you guys don't like it.

Virginias have more sugar in them, so you will want to smoke them more slowly, but this can be reduced by a steaming/pressing process like GH/SG use. The tobaccos that burn the hottest, in my view, are the ones with sodapop flavoring, like your grape, cherry, vanilla, etc. tobaccos.
Cosmic's description of Lakelands is on point. In their favor, they smell sort of nice -- like an old-time barbershop -- and do not burn hot like sodapop aromatics.
Please keep us posted on your progress. I wish I had kept a journal, or just opened a thread around here, to report what I was smoking and what I thought of it. It's interesting to look back and see the growth.
For example, I was very much moving away from Latakia blends for a long time, but accidentally dipped into my stash of Engine 99 (an equivalent near you would be Nightcap). And some days, you just feel like a Virginia, but the light unpressed ones -- Dunhill Flake -- are too much breakfast cereal for me.
Good luck and have fun.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Wiz, I use Mysmokingshop.com who are based in Preston and they always write on the bag what the contents are. I'd be interested to hear who supplied you with the lucky dip blends.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[mcitinner1]

@ Wiz... Welcome man. Just advising you that there are perfectionists here, like me, :mrgreen: who deplore the lazy habit of referring to yourself as the lowercase eye. :crazy:

 

[wizhunter]

Just having my first bowl of Condor in one of my corn cobs, the first light went out like it's supposed to and the second one has just gone out after about 5 minutes. It's funny because i honestly haven't had the urge to inhale.

Just a question about cleaning, my pipe cleaners haven't arrived and i don't have a tobacconist nearby that sells them, how often should i clean a pipe and should i do it after a smoke when it's cooled down.
Thanks

Wiz

 

[mcitinner1]

I guess that answers that... :nana:

 

[mackeson]

Just a question about cleaning, my pipe cleaners haven't arrived and i don't have a tobacconist nearby that sells them, how often should i clean a pipe and should i do it after a smoke when it's cooled down.

I'd run a pipe cleaner through after every smoke. If you don't have them, don't worry too much though, cobs are very forgiving. Around here though, gas stations, Walgreens, and grocery stores all carry pipe cleaners.

Welcome and good luck

 

[jaytex1969]

Hello & welcome, Wiz.
I smoked cigs for 33 years and have been "piping" for about 4 months. There were 2 years of vaping between the two.
The last 15 years of my cigs were RYO Natural American Spirit.
Three things you'll hear/read over and over deserve your consideration:
Dry it more than you think. Pack it looser than you think. Smoke it slower than you think.
You can't really "over-do" it with the above, and can adjust as you go.
Try everything that strikes your interest. Just get small quantities at first, in case you hate it...
One nice, mellow smoke I enjoyed, that should be easy for you to get, is Gawith Hoggarth & Co's North Star. It's a very simple Virginia/Burly that lets you taste the tobacco and set a nice base line for your palette. It's a fine shag, so you can even twist it up easily, for comparison.
The Peter Stokkebye stuff has been pleasant for me, as well. Try the Bullseye flake! (Virginia/Perique) If you want a mild intro to the "English" blends the English Luxury is milder than many and won't bowl you over, if you want to ease your way into Latakia.
Also, as many will attest, if you don't like "Brand X" today, jar it up for a month or two, as your technique will improve and your tastes may change or evolve.
If you like to tinker, an estate pipe or two may be fun. Just be advised that you may get someone else's problem or bad taste and have to rectify it. My first foray into estates landed me two badly "ghosted" pipes. I had to resort to voodoo to eliminate the stench before enjoying them.
Finally, once you do find tobacco you know you like, maybe grab an extra tin for your new "cellar". As smokers are more and more "outcast", tobacco will never be cheaper or easier to obtain than now.
And post pics! We all live vicariously through our shared acquisitions... ::

 

[wasnsfisher]

I too enjoy the Natural American Spirit, in both pipe and hand rolled. It's a nice shag cut that works for both. I use a filterless cob mostly an it don't run too hot if your gentle.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

+ 1 for Brightleaf,

 

[wizhunter]

I had 2 or 3 pots yesterday but don't think i am getting the packing right though i know it will come in time i am a little impatient, i do think the tobacco maybe a tad moist so i will have to be patient and let it dry a bit, some one asked about the loose tobacco i got thyat wasn't named apart from loose tobacco by Gawith, it was from a place called Black Swan Shop, i will look up the brands and types you have all suggested and also the shop Jay mentioned. At the moment because the tobaco is either too moist or not packed right it tastes pretty yucky or maybe it's down to new cobs, either way i need to sort it out.

Thanks again guys

Wiz