That if the briar bowl isn’t coated when you buy a new pipe, you can actually taste the sweetness of the briar. Sadly that goes away once the pipe is broken in. But what a wonderful added dimension to a smoke.
Your Most Important Discoveries in Pipe Smoking
- Thread starter makhorkasmoker
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Cleaning pipes is overrated. I smoke until it gets plugged, then I ram a welding rod through, and 4/5 pipe cleaners, then I'm good for another couple months.
Also, you get more tongue bite from clean pipes.
Also, you get more tongue bite from clean pipes.
Biggest discovery?
Spend new pipe money on tobacco instead, 99% of the time.
Spend new pipe money on tobacco instead, 99% of the time.
Pacing my smoke and using a tamper properly were game changers. These are the two things I try to get across to new pipe smokers I meet.
Dry more than you think you should. Pack looser than you think you should. Put slower than you think you should. Most importantly, the pipes and tobacco are tools to serve you not vice versa. Don't overtime it. And use water to flush your pipe after each smoke.
Yup. Who smokes whom?
Everybody so far has said the same for my experience‘s.
The only thing I can add is that I have discovered pipe smoking, and although it isn’t the most important aspect of life, it is something I am grateful for every time I light a bowl.
The only thing I can add is that I have discovered pipe smoking, and although it isn’t the most important aspect of life, it is something I am grateful for every time I light a bowl.
Just learning to slow down was very important. Next, learning that relighting was not a bad thing.
I mean, look at the facial expression of @hoosierpipeguy’s grand baby in his avatar, likely just smelt the wonderful aroma that is a fine Virginia blend from Mr HoosierPG and is entranced already.
Thats me most bowls.
Thats me most bowls.
Me deciding to smoke a pipe on any given day is directly proportional to logging onto this forum. 
The breath method and packing my pipe with what I call the roll, stack, and pack method. Two huge game changers for me
Not all tobacco blends are the same and even over time the same blend can be different.
Not all aromatic blends are goopy, wet messes that never dry out.
You can buy blends in Germany that have never been sold in the U.S. and vice versa.
Not all aromatic blends are goopy, wet messes that never dry out.
You can buy blends in Germany that have never been sold in the U.S. and vice versa.
In the beginning, being used to cigarettes, having to smoke for over an hour was disconcerting. I looked for very small bowls at first, like the .5-,6" diameter, but then realized that those pipes took as long as a .8-.9" diameter pipe. In the beginning, I owned by own B&M jewelry store, so I tried slipping out every hour to smoke for five minutes, because it just wasn't prudent to keep a pipe going in the store. But, five minutes of smoking a pipe is a worthless endeavor. So, I just started smoking at my workbench after adding a new intake above my bench for exhaust. It was merely a few feet of tube and an intake to add, because I already had a system installed for the tools.
But anyways, for me the biggest adjustment was getting used to just smoking all day.
But anyways, for me the biggest adjustment was getting used to just smoking all day.
honestly the blends I like the most. It's funny to me but I didn't discover many great blends until about 10 years ago. It's funny it seemed like I discovered two of my personal favorites and then each order after that had more hits in it. That and sip the pipe also was a big one.
My most important pipe smoking discovery, by far, was the day I discovered the Iwan Ries shop.
This was the fall/winter of 2000 and I was still a teenager (barely). I worked as a runner for a fine jewelry shop on Wabash and Madison, downtown Chicago. The Loop, as it is known. I was searching for a gift for my stepfather, who enjoys a good cigar. I had walked past the building that housed Iwan Ries many times, and curiousity (and necessity) finally got the better of me. I eventually found my way into the shop and was immediately blown away by the gorgeous dark wooden walls, and intoxicating aromas. Hundreds of beautiful pipes and dozens of tobacco blends. Prior to this I had crossed paths with a few different old men smoking drugstore aromatics (which always caught my fancy), but THIS was the moment I knew I would be a pipe smoker.
This was the fall/winter of 2000 and I was still a teenager (barely). I worked as a runner for a fine jewelry shop on Wabash and Madison, downtown Chicago. The Loop, as it is known. I was searching for a gift for my stepfather, who enjoys a good cigar. I had walked past the building that housed Iwan Ries many times, and curiousity (and necessity) finally got the better of me. I eventually found my way into the shop and was immediately blown away by the gorgeous dark wooden walls, and intoxicating aromas. Hundreds of beautiful pipes and dozens of tobacco blends. Prior to this I had crossed paths with a few different old men smoking drugstore aromatics (which always caught my fancy), but THIS was the moment I knew I would be a pipe smoker.
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I am in a similar situation to the one you used to be in. I work at home and I do not smoke in the house, so I take short smoke breaks outdoors. My "solution" is to smoke tobaccos so strong that five minutes smoking is enough (for me). I've been using pipes with the very small bowls, too. Just started smoking a pipe with a somewhat larger bowl and I feel an entire new world has just opened up. Now I have all sorts of questions--and readings to do here--about different bowl sizes.
Smoking slow, pipe very dry, a good cleaning...................pack gently, also others require packing by gravity................
Most important discovery is .........
This sh!ts addicting and expensive! Got me feeling like one of them nerdy hipster kids chasing them Pokemon saying "gotta catch them all" as I watch the tins of tobacco stack up LOL
This sh!ts addicting and expensive! Got me feeling like one of them nerdy hipster kids chasing them Pokemon saying "gotta catch them all" as I watch the tins of tobacco stack up LOL
In modern context, there is no such thing as "Bad Tobacco".
Every blend on the market today is high quality, crafted by expert blenders who have been around for decades at least, each blend provides a unique mix of flavors, and anything you don't like today will probably taste great after six months in a jar.
Every blend on the market today is high quality, crafted by expert blenders who have been around for decades at least, each blend provides a unique mix of flavors, and anything you don't like today will probably taste great after six months in a jar.