Things I wish I knew when I started

[peteguy]

Nobody really told me this but I found out the hard way. I wish I hadn't ran down to the drug store and bought a $10 Grabow and a pouch of Captain Black. I smoked so fast I could have blown glass with the fire I had going. Switched to cigars after that and missed out on 15 years of piping.
After researching and learning from places like this the second time around was and is a great journey.

 

[smokinfireman]

I wish I'd known not to try and re-light the wet dottle. Would've saved a lot of burned nasal passages.

 

[stickframer]

I wish I'd known at the beginning that wiping the rim with a bit o spit before applying a flame to the tobacco can work wonders to avoid scorching the rim.

This woulda saved some major scrubbing early on.

 

[hawke]

I wish I had listened when folks talked of setting aside certain pipes for the same tobaccos or at least casings. Like a Latakia blends pipe, a Perique blends, a Virginia, etc. Also a flake pipe and ribbon cut pipe for each would be cool. Sadly, I still don't do this.

 

[drfrankenstein56]

I wish somebody would have told me the pipe is not a vape. Don't always expect these huge clouds of smoke like you're a chimney. Its for flavor not for signals!

 

[dutch65]

I wish someone had explained to me why quality stem work can make some pipes cost 3 to 5 times as much as production pipes.
Also, why I should just invest in 5 to 10 cobs, and in the long run, add 1 quality briar at a time to my collection, as I could afford them.
IMO, it's much better to invest $600 in 2 quality pipes, than it is to own 20 pipes that cost $30 each

 

[okiescout]

I wish there had been a resource like this 50 years ago...oh, but there was not a PC available 50 years ago, or a fraction of the choices Good ole days... not in some ways. :roll:

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

Don't give up on Latakia just because of one experience. Try several blends across the full range from "Light English" to full on "Lat-Bomb".

My biggest gripe starting out was when I asked for a "heavy Latakia blend" at the local B&M and they let me choose between four blends that I'm now not even sure if they contained any Latakia. Six months after that I learned that I love Lat-bombs.

 

[edwinbaz]

I wish I'd been warned how this addiction would consume you every waking moment. How you physically need it, and if you go a while without it you feel woozy and jittery at the same time; and it's such a powerful physiological and psychological need that grinds at you until you quench it by sitting down and... clicking add to cart.

What? You thought I was talking about smoking the tobacco? That's the harmless and enjoyable part. It's the PAD and the TAD that'll get you. Haha.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Nice one, Edwin!

 

[edwinbaz]

Thanks, jpmcwjr. I wrote it right after buying two more estates, so it came from the heart. Haha.

 

[jkrug]

I wish I would have known to start cellaring tobacco 25 years ago when I took to pipe smoking. ::

 

[newfie]

So many great posts above.
For me, having started pipes after smoking cigars for a few years, I wish I had known how light the draw on a pipe should be. For quite a while I packed a pipe enough to mimic a draw on a cigar and fried my tongue more times than I would like to admit, plus the tobacco I wasted.

 

[dsollars]

1. Escudo Navy Deluxe for Vaper, Dunhill 965 for english...

2. Every time you order your favorite tins add something else to the order that intrigues you ...

3. MM Cobs--you can try out numerous tobaccos and get a feel for each in an inexpensive cob, and if you really screw it up you are out less then $10 bucks...

4. Variety applies to pipe cleaners. Some pipes need thin, some need thick, some need tapered. Get all of them, don't fight them ...

5. Everclear and bristled pipe cleaners work wonders to clean out stems and airways. Clean pipe, happy life...

6. I love about 50 percent of my Ebay estates, the other half I am not sure about ...

7. Warm jacket and space heater is required for winter garage smoking ...

8. If spouse doesn't complain too much about your new hobby, you married the right one.

 

[elbert]

Picking up some good tips, especially that one from sablebrush.
I wish I would have bought a zippo with pipe insert on day one. It makes me blush with shame to think about all those matches...so many matches...
Wish I knew that pipes with smaller bowls don't actually give a much shorter smoke, and that they burn too hot. I've got one in my rotation that I pretty rarely use. Should've just packed less baccy in a normal pipe.

 

[stickframer]

^Both of those sound very familiar!