***What Are You Smoking, May 2025?***

[Sobrbiker]

Dark Sails in the Briarlee for the commute in, now having University Flake from a fresh tin I rubbed out and jarred yesterday, in the unsinkable Ropp J07.
Spent the morning showing a gym rat a couple decades my junior how a 90# jackhammer is ran.
I guess old guys a that get sh*t done use different muscles than body builder types…

 

[Speak Easy]

Spaghetti Western in a Kaywoodie Saxon. It’s a Monday for sure.

 

[gord]

Dark Sails in the Briarlee for the commute in, now having University Flake from a fresh tin I rubbed out and jarred yesterday, in the unsinkable Ropp J07.
Spent the morning showing a gym rat a couple decades my junior how a 90# jackhammer is ran.
I guess old guys a that get sh*t done use different muscles than body builder types…
View attachment 391760

Just love your posts . . . . methinks you're a bit aways from the nasty old fart stage, though!

But you certainly show promise with that jackhammer stunt! Love it! And keep showing your R07 - inspirational for those of use who may have just pitched it. Guess I'll have to buy some tools rather than another pipe, eh?

 

[TheIronMonkey]

We were visiting our friends in Rhode Island, so I didn’t have a chance to watch the UFC PPV on the weekend. Having Seattle Pipe Club Hogshead in a Briar, Sweat, and Tears (BST) Tanshell Large Curve (LC) Swan Neck 3/4 Bent Billiard while I catch up with UFC 315, Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena that took place in Montreal, Canada.

 

[gord]

Vauen No 14 in an Alden.
View attachment 391724

What a wonderful pipe! Again, Lust Springs Forth from the Human Beast. Methinks that pipe has a story behind it, and I'm sure some of us would love to hear it!

 

[telescopes]

Pipe Maker and EMP View attachment 391621

Hey, I recognize that pipe, LOL.

 

[JOHN72]

After several tobaccos today, I am now finishing the last third of mb# Capstan blue, which I left unfinished yesterday.

 

[BurleyVonPuffington]

Or the opposite... a rock anthem on classical instruments!

Awesome indeed! I love those two guys, but it’s hard not to be a little jealous. If you’ve seen them, you know they practically have to beat the ladies off them with a stick. They’re like rock stars. I’d be happy just to have their looks, and not covet the musical talent.

 

[BurleyVonPuffington]

Some of these crossover guys are truly excellent. From my era, I usually cite Jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, who placed in the Queen Elizabeth of Belgium Violin Competition, played in the Lameroux Orchestra in France, and became the generally recognized most technically accomplished Jazz Violinist of the bunch. Guitarist Daryl Steurmer, lead guitar of Genisis in those days, jumped ship to play in the Jean Luc Ponty Band, and was similarly endowed, on both electric and acoustic instruments.

This guy playing "Winter" is superb. I'll look a bit more into him; if he is equally adept on acoustic, he's probably their heir; this flexiblilty between electric and acoustic environments gives them more expressive range and a better selection of repertoire. What impresses me with the clip you provided is his concentration. That's the key. You DON"T play with emotion at the highest levels. You CONTROL the emotion in others up there. There isn't time to emote when playing the Novacek Perpetual Motion, or Paganini's Caprices. Period. Here's an example, and it was my signature encore - I've played this piece in public maybe forty or fifty times. No, you can't use music either - ever notice how many violinists play with their eyes shut in the hard parts?? Ya can either play this stuff or you can't - no middle road. Ya need a good accompanist, too. The piano part is a bitch, too.

Very speed metal piece! Bravo on that one.

 

[PrivatePiping]

Cowboy Coffee in the IMP bent egg. Black french roast on the side.

 

[gord]

Smoke of Note for Today, and a synopsis of what is happening. Actually, I'm trying to exercise some badly needed discipline rather than my "Kid in a Candy Store" modus operandi as of late. Today and until this tongue bite disappears, I'm currently chewing some Smokers' Pride Whiskey Tobacco, which actually tastes very good indeed, while I vainly try to catch up on some post comments. Will continue in this vein until I have done a reasonable amount of the backlog.

Most recent smoke of note, a day or two ago, is the continuing investigation of "L'il Pete" with various Lat Based Balkans, in this case Magnum Opus. I don't know whether or not it's the pipe, which loves these tobaccos, or me, who also loves these tobaccos. Maybe both but it seems to be a combination that is made in Heaven and the pipe and genre are now thusly joined in matrimony.

Skippable Drivel below picture of this magnificent pipe, now one of my very favourites:

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Skippable Drivel:

Apparently, my latest round of whining was not without substance. I have an inner-ear infection, and am now on antibiotics which are working. The infection a few days ago caused me serious vertigo, and was/still affecting my tastebuds, hearing, and thus through undisciplined smoking, tongue bit, loss of smell, and a day or three of rather mediocre shooting. All is noticeably improving and the knowledge of what it was really helps my patience, which is not, you may have noticed, my strong point.

So until I'm back to "normal", I'm exercising discipline, which I actually have, and only doing the chew thing and will post some interesting and relevent smokes of the past week that will be of interest.

Today's relevant post (the "smoke" being itemized above), is the imminent arrival of my Nosewarmer from Mr. Brog, currently out for delivery today, which I am right at this moment waiting for most impatiently. Will post my usual wretched-over-the-top home grown tobacco leaf in progress of this pipe when it arrives today, unless Canada Post screws up, which is not unusual. Until then, here is the online photo of the pipe from Evilbay.

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Cheers 'till next time and have a Great Monday.

 

[PaulRVA]

C&D Exclusive in a Castello 55 and
Diet Coke on the side.

 

[JimInks]

Just finished smoking year 2024 Edward G. Robinson's Pipe Blend in a 2014 Basil Meadows smooth slight bend squashed tomato with an aluminum band and a black pearl acrylic stem in the military mount style.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Did you cut the Starrett down? Never seen a two inch scale. Taking a closer look, is that a Starrett? Made in Athol but can't see clearly enough if it says Starrett, in any event cool scale!

It is indeed a Starrett, and no it is not cut down. It’s also the only
One I’ve ever seen. It’s from the late 1940’s. It’s very handy.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

after dinner smoke of HU Dockworker Flakes rubbed out in a Blakemar briars UK Litchbruyer medium pot

 

[Sobrbiker]

Welding 101 going on, with some Kendal #7/ Brown Twist in the J07 now.

 

[TubbyInTweed]

Doc pulled me out off of work today so I decided to clean out a few pipes. I also managed to open the stem up a little on my Grande Morez so it can pass a cleaner much better now. I haven't taken it for a test smoke yet but the dry pull felt promising.

Keeping me company on my spring cleaning spree was a bowl of GH&Co Dark Bird's Eye Vintage Cut loaded in my Peterson Short Billiard paired with a drip coffee.



Being only half way done with my tinkering and coffee, I loaded up some HH Bold Kentucky into my nameless French paneled pipe.



Hope everyone has a great Monday!

 

[Roach1]

Haunted Bookshop Cake in a small DM Stanwell Freehand.

 

[Tabacco]

 

[EA/DC]

Some '90s ? Balkan Sobranie Mixture in a Charatan's 56 de luxe cutty.



It took a while to rehydrate well after so many years in a pouch but it is a joy to smoke now.