Me, too! Nothing more classic than a classic Canadian billiard! ;-)
What Was your First Pipe?
- Thread starter Hovannes
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My first pipe was an unnamed brand (billiard shape) that my grandfather left me after he passed away. I still have it, but the stem has been gnawed to oblivion. The first pipe that I bought myself was a Peterson Killarney, I think. I don’t own that one anymore though.
You could have done worse. I don't know how, but you could have.
Stanwell Vintage; Made in Denmark. Bought it used on eBay for about 30 bucks I think. It turned out to be THE perfect (beginner) pipe. I’m smoking it right now, and it is still one of my best smokers. Perfectly fit stem (not too tight, not loose). It’s about 5.2 inches, straight stem/shank, slightly canted billiard bowl, still my favorite shape. I might give up on curved stems completely.
Attachments
Dr. Grabow bent billiard.
Bought it when I was 15 and I still have it and smoke it.
Bought it when I was 15 and I still have it and smoke it.
H
HRPufnstuf
Guest
My first pipe was my father's last, a Brigham straight apple. I took it off to university with me where it met an untimely demise as a consequence of inexperience and over-use. 
My first pipe was ten pipes my father passed down to me Thanksgiving 2022 (the Morgan and Eaton we’re the first pipes I purchased).
I blame y’all for that number being more than doubled in a year.
I blame y’all for that number being more than doubled in a year.
H
HRPufnstuf
Guest
It's like "the Quickening" they will all gather together near the end to compete for "the prize".
My first pipe was a Dr Grabow bent Lark. You guys know I like small pipes, but this pipe was tiny..... It came from p&c 11 years ago, in "The Dr is in" kit. I think it came with Borkum Riff, and Carter Hall. I lost it after about 3 years, but that thing got smoked hard and fast every day multiple times a day. It even went through the washer, and I still kept smoking it.
My pipes have gotten much bigger now, but still smaller than most prefer I believe. I have a picture of me with it somewhere....
My pipes have gotten much bigger now, but still smaller than most prefer I believe. I have a picture of me with it somewhere....
A Savinelli 626 Tortuga. A couple months later, I was in Blatter and Blatter to pick up a bent billard.
Bought my first pipe April 15, 2011 from the local tobacco shop (Paul's Cigars) with 2oz of Lane RLP-6, a nail tamper and some pipe cleaners for $35. It was a Czech made bent brandy basket pipe. It had a stinger, which I removed after a handful of smokes. It smokes okay, but it develops a gurgle at times. I still smoke it a couple times a year.
In December 2011, I ordered my first "good" pipe, a Savinelli 645 bent apple short pipe, which arrived just after the new year of 2012. It's still one of my favorite pipes.
Below are my "first pipes," which I've had for the last 10+ years, and still own and smoke all of them.
Top to bottom:
First Pipe: Czech - Bent Brandy Basket Pipe
First "Good" Pipe: Savinelli - Bent Apple Short Pipe
First Meerschaum: Mini Bacchus - unknown carver
First Corn Cob: Missouri Meerschaum - Bent General
First Handmade Pipe: Straight Billiard - Made by me and Sparky's Pipes (I call it the "Reigning Blood Billiard.")
In December 2011, I ordered my first "good" pipe, a Savinelli 645 bent apple short pipe, which arrived just after the new year of 2012. It's still one of my favorite pipes.
Below are my "first pipes," which I've had for the last 10+ years, and still own and smoke all of them.
Top to bottom:
First Pipe: Czech - Bent Brandy Basket Pipe
First "Good" Pipe: Savinelli - Bent Apple Short Pipe
First Meerschaum: Mini Bacchus - unknown carver
First Corn Cob: Missouri Meerschaum - Bent General
First Handmade Pipe: Straight Billiard - Made by me and Sparky's Pipes (I call it the "Reigning Blood Billiard.")
lovely! (it literally says "Your first pipe") :D
G
Gimlet
Guest
When I first tried one as a kid I think it was one of my Dad's or brother's which I "borrowed.."
When I took it up properly in my 20's an old pipe smoker in the pub urged me to get a Meerschaum-lined briar, which I did. I can't remember what became of it. I later settled on a Falcon because it was drier.
When I took up a pipe again a year or so ago I started with a Barling Marylebone bent billiard (it looks like a bent pot in the pic but that's just the angle of the shot. It is a smallish billiard). It's a good pipe, which I now use for mild to medium strength all-day tobaccos, which tend to be pure blends and lightly-cased, non-ghosting aros, like Petersons Elizabethan, Irish Cask etc. It seems to smoke those types of tobaccos particularly well and picks up all the nuances.
When I took it up properly in my 20's an old pipe smoker in the pub urged me to get a Meerschaum-lined briar, which I did. I can't remember what became of it. I later settled on a Falcon because it was drier.
When I took up a pipe again a year or so ago I started with a Barling Marylebone bent billiard (it looks like a bent pot in the pic but that's just the angle of the shot. It is a smallish billiard). It's a good pipe, which I now use for mild to medium strength all-day tobaccos, which tend to be pure blends and lightly-cased, non-ghosting aros, like Petersons Elizabethan, Irish Cask etc. It seems to smoke those types of tobaccos particularly well and picks up all the nuances.
A little Billiard that my older brother stole from a shop in 1965, he stole 2 identical basket pipes, we loaded the up with the remaining tobacco from butts, it was heaven when we found cigar butts, this was when I was 10 years old, when I got my first Newspaper round I used to get my eldest brother to buy me my first pipe tobacco, usually St. Bruno or Condor, my favourite was Players Whiskey Flake, most likely because it was milder, still have that first pipe, Just say's Made in London.
Will have pic's when the rest of my pipes are unpacked, I have been slowly moving in with my Fiancée and only my daily smokers have been unpacked, I have over 300 pipes to unpack and I am building display shelving for all of them, a long job at my age.
My first was a Dr. Grabow Silver Duke bent bulldog. The pipe is still providing great smokes for my best friend today.