What Brought You To The Pipe?

[augiebd]

I grew up with a family where my parents and aunts and uncles were heavy smokers. Strong cigarettes, some preferred unfiltered brands and ryo were often the choice to keep the cost down. My Dad also enjoyed the occasional cigar. My Mom did die of cancer when she was 39 and I was 7, so although there was a general acceptance of tobacco use there were also strong health concerns. I did smoke cigarettes from the age of 16 to almost 19 but quit when I was 19 b/c of cost and concern of the long term health effects. During my time smoking, I did try a pipe that belonged to my best friend’s Dad and after that, myself and a friend did ryo using pipe tobacco for a while.

Once in my 50’s a number of factors drew me to consider trying the pipe, connection to my Dad who had passed, remembering that pipe tobacco, curiosity sparked by my friend’s Dad’s pipe, nostalgia for the times when I was growing up, a safer way to enjoy tobacco. I picked up a Lorenzetti Bent billiard and rum butter bulk aro and gave the pipe a try nearly five years ago.

I enjoy some many aspects of pipe smoking, the ritual, learning, history, collecting, restoring, reflection, blends to explore...

 

[chopper]

thank you, Chopper. I do not inhale and lead a very healthy lifestyle. I’ve done a lot of due diligence and feel comfortable with this pursuit in the context of how I live. Your response is really appreciated.

cheers
Drew

Your welcome Drew.

You don't inhale? Well there's even better news; that same report found that pipe smokers who don't inhale, have a life expectancy 3 years beyond that of a non-smoker.

How could that be? I've given that much thought.
Firstly, pipe smokers who don't inhale tend to only smoke less than a few bowls daily [Yes people, there are exceptions]

Secondly, smoking a pipe is quite meditative.
I've learnt many different meditation techniques & run a meditation group.
When I'm asked 'What is the best form of meditation', my answer is always 'Whatever works for you.'

Sitting in a lotus position while humming 'Ohhhmmm' bores me to tears [Yes, I did master that one also, lol]
One work colleague once mentioned that he knew he needed to meditate regularly but it bores him. A picture came to my minds eye that led me to ask 'You like to go fishing?'
"Love it' he said.
'And you couldn't care less if you get a bite?'
"Nah, I just love getting out into nature'.
'Well there you go mate, you've found the form of meditation that suits you'.

Sitting on ones verandah watching the sunset while puffing on a pipe is a type of meditation.
Learning how to unwind lowers the heart rate & blood pressure.
It's an accepted fact that those who meditate regularly have a significant lower risk of heart disease, cancer & other illness.

So Drew, the next time you pull your pipe out for a contemplative puff, remind yourself that it's part of a healthy lifestyle & enjoy. : )

 

[virginialover]

I can't say it seemed like the right thing to do for me.

 

[cigrmaster]

I began smoking a pipe because of hoosierpipeguy. We were cigar smoking buddies and knew each other very well. One day I am sitting in my buddies cigar lounge and Hoosier calls me and tells me I need to try a pipe as they are the balls. For 2 weeks he bugged the shit out of me until I relented.

I began smoking pipes and cigars but eventually years ago the pipes won out I can blame Hoosier for all the pipes and tobacco I own.

 

[DarkButterfly]

Nothing specific, just woke up one day and decided I wanted to try it

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I began smoking a pipe because of hoosierpipeguy. We were cigar smoking buddies and knew each other very well. One day I am sitting in my buddies cigar lounge and Hoosier calls me and tells me I need to try a pipe as they are the balls. For 2 weeks he bugged the shit out of me until I relented.

I began smoking pipes and cigars but eventually years ago the pipes won out I can blame Hoosier for all the pipes and tobacco I own.

Guilty as charged. No need to thank me.

 

[diamondback]

Im 34 and have been a dipper for what seems like my whole life. Got intrigued by cigars a few years ago and while I do love cigars, I do not have the patience to sit there for an hour plus. I have since got into pipes and have fell in love with the whole process and have stopped dipping. I guess I have also had a fascination with "old timey man stuff".

Like others have said and I have heard, dip is pretty hard to come off of. Congratulations!

 

[samuelgawith01]

My Grand and Great Grandfathers smoked pipes,and that must have planted the seed.During my childhood,I was always drawn to pipes and tobacco,but didn’t take it for action until the age of eighteen.

 

[Pondfisher]

Cold weather. Love cigars but not the amount of time it took to do so during the frigid months. That and Gandolf the Grey.

 

[Mr_Smokey]

I came to the pipe for health reasons, I had ulcerative colitis (an autoimmune disease causing inflammation and bleeding in the colon) and developed all sorts of symptoms: IBS, chronic fatigue, pain, insomnia, headaches...
I only started this year but things have improved a bit and I'm a lot happier.

My great uncle had UC at 20 years old, he started smoking a pipe and never had a relapse. He said an old guy told him he was wound too tight and would be miserable all his life, he gave him a pipe and he just took to it. I think he smoked Drum in his pipe. Thought I'd add his story in as well!

 

[mso489]

I feel I've posted this thread before, so I'll try to be brief. My dad was a Granger smoker, only smoking one pipe at a time, no rotation until it burned out, from just after breakfast until bedtime (time out for meals). I came to a pipe in my thirties since my late wife had a prolific cigarette habit, and I smoked much less than she, and quit in solidarity when she quit after several tries. I came back to pipe smoking a little after she was gone, as a sort of solace. And took it up again when my wife (I remarried after some years) was in rehab after hip surgery and I needed a way to unwind that didn't involve alcohol, since I was hauling back and forth early and late. I teased her, saying she'd driven me to Cavendish, not because that tobacco was favored so much, but just because it sounded funny to me. She bought me a gift certificate for a custom pipe rack which I set up in her room complete with pipes, to show it off.

 

[waznyf]

I had wanted to put down cigarettes and it seemed like a good alternative. Though I didn't quit smoking cigarettes right away, I can say that I have been free from the addiction for nearly two years now.
Something just drew me to the craft though.... Can't quite explain what. Perhaps I thought that I would appear more cultured, I don't know. Either way, one thing led to another and I fell in love.
Started having kids a few years back and it just seemed like I didn't have time to enjoy a pipe anymore. Slowly but surely I stopped smoking.
Recently though, a friend of mine mentioned that he was interested in pipe smoking and was considering his first purchase. I said, "it's funny that you would bring that to me; I used to live and breathe pipes/tobacco". He and I have been sharing good smokes and conversation at our local B&M ever since. Back in the game baby!

 

[Hunter dave]

The need for the taste of combusted tobacco once I gave up cigarettes and started vaping.

When in college back in 1971, I went to smokers haven in Columbus Ohio. That was a store back then, wonderful gbd pipes, walls of them. They had tobacco blends like sids mix and pure pleasure. I was hooked, too bad the store is no longer there, what a tobacco shop. Those were the good old days