What/Who Influenced You to Start Pipe Smoking?

[dcicero]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9) - Bob

Behind every pipe smoker, there is a story they got.. Story as old as their first pipe.. and whenever they are asked how they got in.. the spark can be easily appreciated in their eyes.. They want to share it out loud.. because their love for the hobby is eternal and they know it payed them well.
Share me out Designated Pipe Smokers.. What/Who and When you got influenced to get into the hobby?

Trying to quit cigs

 

[Sloopjohnbee]

good question: as all of us probably know somone in the family smoking - truth be told the reason I became a pipe smoker was a result of watching old movies seeing a briar in so many 'cool' actors grips. I was a cigar smoker early on as were many of the patriarchs in the line but first with the pipe. I justify the pipe with examples of great artists, writers, and scientists even though its all nonsense. smoke and do what YOU love.

 

[forciori]

I started smoking pipes by the influence of this legendary watchmaker: Philippe Dufour.

 

[docpierce]

Commander Rockwell.

 

[docpierce]

Commander Rockwell.

RIP

 

[Dr_Harshit_Joshi]

Trying to quit cigs

I hope you do it soon and find your solace in pipes and blends!
Happy Piping!

 

[Dr_Harshit_Joshi]

good question: as all of us probably know somone in the family smoking - truth be told the reason I became a pipe smoker was a result of watching old movies seeing a briar in so many 'cool' actors grips. I was a cigar smoker early on as were many of the patriarchs in the line but first with the pipe. I justify the pipe with examples of great artists, writers, and scientists even though its all nonsense. smoke and do what YOU love.

wintergarden, very well quoted. Every one got their piece of memoir to share for what influenced them to get along with the hobby. And in my opinion, it's the diversity that brought so many of you into this thread to share out loud your accounts. Gald you found your inspiration from movies.
Enjoy your smokes and blends
Happy Piping!

 

[Dr_Harshit_Joshi]

I started smoking pipes by the influence of this legendary watchmaker: Philippe Dufour.
View attachment 23827

forciori, I hope you are enjoying your smokes and blends..
Happy Piping!

 

[Dr_Harshit_Joshi]

Commander Rockwell.

docpierce, enjoy your smokes and blends..
Happy Piping!

 

[TinCup]

I'd say for me it was the 'unknown pipe smoker' from a long long time ago that got me into it

No one I knew smoked a pipe but even as a kid catching the aroma from a waft of pipe smoke from some random unknown pipe smoker once in a while, it was easily distinguishable from cigars and cigarettes

I always thought I'd smoke a pipe when I was 'old enough' (& for me being old enough didn't mean a certain age but rather it meant an appearance, my appearance) I believed I needed to suit a pipe and pull off smoking one in public. If I could do that then I'd be old enough to smoke a pipe

 

[Dr_Harshit_Joshi]

I'd say for me it was the 'unknown pipe smoker' from a long long time ago that got me into it

No one I knew smoked a pipe but even as a kid catching the aroma from a waft of pipe smoke from some random unknown pipe smoker once in a while, it was easily distinguishable from cigars and cigarettes

I always thought I'd smoke a pipe when I was 'old enough' (& for me being old enough didn't mean a certain age but rather it meant an appearance, my appearance) I believed I needed to suit a pipe and pull off smoking one in public. If I could do that then I'd be old enough to smoke a pipe

TinCup, that's a beauty pipes and pipe tobaccos hold.. I am glad you got into pipes. And I wish you all the good luck for your further ventures with pipes and blends.
Happy Piping!

 

[autumnfog]

forciori,

Didn't know about Dufour, or any other watchmaker for that matter,
but the photo shows what looks like a great work place.
Interior design can be very inspirational.

 

[gervais]

Thanks for your kind words Dr but no need to feel sorry for me. We all have our crosses to bear in life.
We choose our circumstances before we come into this life. Nothing happens without 'permission' at some level and everything happens for a reason.
The physical world is an illusion and this life is just one of many.
I'm clearing karma from past lives so that I may progress to a higher realm in my next.

I'm fortunate to live in a country where I'm looked after with a nice home and reasonable disability pension.
I've recently fostered a 2 1/2yo German Shepherd with a terrible history of abuse who I'm rehabilitating. He has come such a long way in a short time.
I'm able to help others as a clearer of negative entities [the religious call me Exorcist] and I've helped hundreds to see their past life memories. Both activities bring me much satisfaction. I also teach meditation.

I've learnt so much in this life and have had so many unique experiences that has enabled me to see things from a much higher perspective than most.
Best of all I got to help raise my son to be a fine young man who is now studying business law at Uni.
I have much for which to be grateful.

When one has been through the medical system for as long as I, you get to meet others who have it much tougher. Like the 45yo mother who attends the same prosthetic clinic as I, who had all four limbs amputated after contracting meningococcal at 35yo.

You're spot on regarding the differences between specialists and GPs. Most of my GPs have been very supportive and non-judgemental of my choices.
Yes, pain medication is a tough one to navigate with long term pain. At first I didn't cope so well with my diagnosis and was taking over 500mg of morphine daily.
Long story short I woke up to myself and am now on under 150mg daily.

The U.S. opiate crisis has created waves here in Oz so the pain clinic is under pressure to reduce patients or switch them to methadone which I refuse [It's a slight of hand - patients who are prescribed methadone go from the 'Post-op patients who require opiate medication' list to 'Post-op patients who've become dependent on opiate medication'. The former classification makes the Dr's look bad, the latter puts the blame onto the patient. I'm not a junkie so I refuse to be turned into a drugged-out zombie]
Interestingly there's been a change in the pain clinics attitude towards cannabis at my last appointment. I'm hoping to get official authority to use it as part of my treatment plan.

Interacting with the spirit world has brought me many bonuses in life. For example; before the laws changed here regarding the importation of tobacco, there were rumours that it would only affect 'commercial quantity'.
But I had a really bad feeling, so I ordered as much tobacco as I could afford. Other Aussies on social media bagged me out for being 'paranoid' when I advised to stock up.
As it turns out my course of action was correct. I've got at least 35lb of tobacco 'cellared'.
Most of my blends have mild nicotine levels so I can smoke my pipe without fear of exacerbating my condition.

Thanks for reading and wishing you all the good things in life; love, peace and understanding.

Are you a "shaman"?

 

[forciori]

forciori,

Didn't know about Dufour, or any other watchmaker for that matter,
but the photo shows what looks like a great work place.
Interior design can be very inspirational.

Hello there!
Dufour is a living legend - He makes watches in a unique way...
A notorious pipe smoker... He always has one in his hands and another in his pocket.

Best : :

 

[Black Forest Piper]

A friend of mine gave me a pipe for my birthday in 2018. I didn't think I'd like it. I do a lot of work with folks that celebrate with cigars. Celebrate the end of the work day, end of the work week, a project well done, etc. I don't and have never liked cigars all that much even though I've had one or two a year for the last 30 years.
I found the pipe tobacco much more mellow and there's much less of it during a smoke. It also smells "classic" which I love. I didn't love the pipe I was given, it's a basket pipe whose shape I find unattractive...and it's just hard to keep lit. I hope my friend doesn't see this!
I bought some cheaper estate pipes on the bid site and learned how to sanitize and refurbish them. Around that same time I was learning how to use the lathe on my 1954 shopsmith. I made a tamper or two and then I tried making a corn cob pipe. I've made a few of those and love it. Super fun, plus they smoke nice. (The one in my profile pic is a purchased one from Missouri).

Last thing, we have a nice, classic tobacconist shop in town with a "pipe evangelist" on staff. He said "Cigarettes feed an addiction, cigars feed the ego and pipes feed the soul". That really resonated with me and my limited experience with pipes.

 

[docpierce]

Cigarettes feed an addiction, cigars feed the ego and pipes feed the soul.

That's succinct and I really like it.

 

[jaxonlee]

My young childhood was filled with memories of heavenly smells coming from the Smokers Cove, a tobacconist in our local mall, stories of Sherlock Holmes, and the iconic actors Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett who brought Holmes to life. Heck, I tried smoking a pipe before I tried cigarettes; I stuck with the pipe!

 

[chopper]

Are you a "shaman"?

No not a Shaman, although I can relate to their ways.
Close to 30 years ago I went through a Spiritual Awakening that led to 7 years of intense research, study, meditation and ritual practice.

My father is a lay-preacher, my mothers a scripture teacher so I was deeply indoctrinated. Most of the past lives that I've viewed religion was a central part.
My motive was to find the truth. It got to a point where I reached a plateau of awareness that I could live with and be at peace. [Which I believe was my main 'self-assigned' task for this life]
Only a truly Enlightened One will 'know all' [that's not me, lol]
There are truths and there's higher truth.

Now I can see a common thread through most religions and spiritual ways of life.
There's no label that would fit my beliefs. Theosophist would be the closest I guess.

Clearing negative entities [NE] is not something that I actively sought [I've sensed spirits since I was a kid. It terrified me. It didn't help that my father claimed that it was a sign of 'demonic influence' and tried to beat it out of me on a regular basis]
Circumstance forced me into a corner where I felt that I had no choice but to confront something rather dark where others had failed [The RCC's official Exorcist actually fled in terror; SMH]
This is when I learned that confronting NE is something that comes naturally to me.

This involved a family that were experiencing poltergeist activity, spirit possession and inexplicable serious illness in two family members. One of the sons now plays Test Rugby League.

Despite begging for help after several other efforts failed, this family betrayed me big time after I set things right, so I will reveal all publicly when I feel that the time is right.

 

[Tommy Boy]

I got my itch from watching old tv dads on antenna tv. It seemed like a fun way to unwind and think about what to do and how to handle things. They always seem to know what to do. Seemed like real men that had stuff together. Life for me at the time i started puffing pipes was way more stressfull. I had forced myself into management because thats what I thought I was supost to do or want after being with the company for so long. After a year I came to the conclusion it wasn't for me. A simpler slower less drama filled life was for me and i haven't looked back.

 

[beezer]

Back when I was in Fallujah I used to walk the same route each night to get to my hooch and most days I would pass by a Marine MSgt who was calmly sitting outside smoking cigars. I had never smoked anything in my life, but there was something relaxing looking about this guy enjoying his evening smokes. When I got home I started treating myself to a cigar or two a week when a buddy of mine suggested I pick up the pipe, which he found far more relaxing and friendly on the wallet. So I bought a Peterson pipe and a tin of Presbyterian and never looked back. Years later I still smoke the occasional cigar, but much prefer my pipes.