New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart

[VirtualSmitty]

If you've never smoked a pipe, and want to give it a shot, what are some suggestions/ideas/resources to point said noob in the right direction.

Next time we herf let's chat, I may have a tobacco or two you can try :r

[kzm007]

Say wise men, how do y'all tell the difference between tobacco?

You know, is it English, Latkia, VaPer, etc.?

I ask specifically because all I have is six baggies from Boswell's. My thanks again go out to GAW for the advice on the containers. Got them all filled and labeled. Should've put the damn labels on the side of the containers, not the lids, but whatever.

Anyway, I've got Apple Strudel, Bear Blend, Peaches and Cream, Majestic 586, Maple Leaf, and Sweet Dreams (yep, alphabetized :D). They're all ribbon cut, all brown or a little darker brown, and I want to try to avoid ghosting in my solitary tobak pipe.

How do I tell the difference, now and in the future?

I was looking here http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze43wza/smoke/tobacco.html, but I'm far too n00b to know.

Thanks in advance!

[Commander Quan]

Any tips for smoking a pipe with a deep bowl? I have a pipe that is 2" deep and I can never smoke the last bit without relighting every 3 puffs, I've tried everything, left the ash in, dumped it out, dumped it out and mixed it up and retamped. Is it just too wet from the rest of the smoke?

[Curly Cut]

Say wise men, how do y'all tell the difference between tobacco?
You know, is it English, Latkia, VaPer, etc.?

Anyway, I've got Apple Strudel, Bear Blend, Peaches and Cream, Majestic 586, Maple Leaf, and Sweet Dreams (yep, alphabetized :D). They're all ribbon cut, all brown or a little darker brown, and I want to try to avoid ghosting in my solitary tobak pipe.

How do I tell the difference, now and in the future?

I was looking here http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze43wza/smoke/tobacco.html, but I'm far too n00b to know.
well, most of the time people know what they are when they purchase them. hard to know when they're given to you unless you have had experience and heard of them before.
with names like: maple leaf; peaches and cream; apple strudel; sweet dreams, they sound a lot like Aromatics.

www.tobaccoreviews.com has blend descriptions as well.
here's a link to Boswells tobaccos (http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/brand_detail.cfm?ALPHA=B&BID=234).

Apple Strudel = or is it apple cobbler? either way, it's not flavored with banana. ;)
Bear Blend = Virginia w/ Cherry Carmel flavoring
majestic 586 = burley, virginia, toasted cavendish... doesn't say it's sweetened and nobody has reviewed it yet
maple leaf = maple and vanilla added to cavendish
peaches and cream = peach flavoring added to black cavendish
sweet dreams = virginia and cavendish flavored with "food flavorings that J.M. likes to experiment with."

Any tips for smoking a pipe with a deep bowl? I have a pipe that is 2" deep and I can never smoke the last bit without relighting every 3 puffs, I've tried everything, left the ash in, dumped it out, dumped it out and mixed it up and retamped. Is it just too wet from the rest of the smoke?
to smoke right away?? if it's moistened from the steam that drains down from the smoked tobacco above it, it would have to dry out before you could re-light it.
it happens... "dottle" is a favorite word of mine. ;)

[kzm007]

Thanks Curly! Just gonna go with the flow and enjoy it. I've got a feeling they're all similar enough that it doesn't matter.

And FWIW, Bear Blend has a nice little nic kick for a newbie. Had a couple shakes after smoking a pinch of it, but I feel alert, and some of my back pain actually eased up...interesting, really.

[RightAJ]

Alright, true NOOB here...

SO I have a Dr. Gabrow Duke bent pipe (I took out the filter) that I smoke occationally. I enjoy the aromatic tobacco that I got at my local B&M, but have yet to get down the 'technique' to true pipe smoking.

Tonight I lit up a bowl, and it tasted odd, had a super loose draw (tobacco flakes were getting in my mouth, yuk!), and something made a crackling sound while I was smoking... I realize I probably need to learn the proper way of smoking, but what caused this bad smoke tonight?? Is it the pipe or me?

I appreciate any help!

aj

[-MG-]

Are there any issues (aside from nose ice cycles, and that funny teeth chattering noise) from smoking a pipe in sub-freezing temperatures?

I'll be heading up to north Idaho to visit my inlaws soon, and my FIL and I usually smoke cigars year round despite the cold winters. Should I stick to cigars while wearing 3 layers of clothes and huddling around the patio heater, or will the pipes work just as well?

[Nick]

Alright, true NOOB here...

SO I have a Dr. Gabrow Duke bent pipe (I took out the filter) that I smoke occationally. I enjoy the aromatic tobacco that I got at my local B&M, but have yet to get down the 'technique' to true pipe smoking.

Tonight I lit up a bowl, and it tasted odd, had a super loose draw (tobacco flakes were getting in my mouth, yuk!), and something made a crackling sound while I was smoking... I realize I probably need to learn the proper way of smoking, but what caused this bad smoke tonight?? Is it the pipe or me?

I appreciate any help!

aj

It sounds like you packed just a tad too loose. However it is always better to pack your pipe on the loose side because all you have to do is tamp it down a bit to tighten it up to where you like the draw.

To answer your more general question of is it the pipe or me I can bet that your inexperience is not helping much. I would say its more you than the pipe. Pipe smoking is a finicky activity and it takes years to master, that being said grabows aren't exactly at the higher end of quality but never the less once you start to learn the intricacies of pipe smoking it will become more enjoyable.

[Nick]

Are there any issues (aside from nose ice cycles, and that funny teeth chattering noise) from smoking a pipe in sub-freezing temperatures?

I'll be heading up to north Idaho to visit my inlaws soon, and my FIL and I usually smoke cigars year round despite the cold winters. Should I stick to cigars while wearing 3 layers of clothes and huddling around the patio heater, or will the pipes work just as well?

Temperature will effect the pipe smoke for sure but most likely because you are puffing like a demon due to the cold. However I don't believe it should damage your pipe in any way, you just may end up with a pretty wet smoke and a bit of tongue bite.

[yellowgoat]

My ring fell off the Briar part of my pipe. See pic. Can I use crazy glue?
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn320/maidenfortheheart/IMG00021-20091211-1329.jpg

[JaKaacH]

My ring fell off the Briar part of my pipe. See pic. Can I use crazy glue?


I don't see what it would hurt. I would just make sure to use it sparingly, maybe two very small drops on the inside of the ring. Then slide it on and then rotate it a quarter turn to spread out the glue.

[Mister Moo]

My ring fell off the Briar part of my pipe. See pic. Can I use crazy glue?
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn320/maidenfortheheart/IMG00021-20091211-1329.jpgBesides a slight-slight possible outgassing of toxics from heated cyanoacrylates I don't have best results with them when mating gapped surfaces. Constant heating/cooling and expansion/contraction would send me to something non-toxic that handles expansion better, like a drop or two of Elmers wood glue.

The expert on this, however, is not me. This is only an educated guess. Is there a pipemaker in the house?

[JaKaacH]

Besides a slight-slight possible outgassing of toxics from heated cyanoacrylates I don't have best results with them when mating gapped surfaces. Constant heating/cooling and expansion/contraction would send me to something non-toxic that handles expansion better, like a drop or two of Elmers wood glue.

The expert on this, however, is not me. This is only an educated guess. Is there a pipemaker in the house?

That is true, the "superglues" are not very flexible. I don't know how well the wood glue would bond to the metal ring though.
Maybe the Elmers Ultimate glue would be better. Claims to "bond anything to anything." (Elmers version of Gorilla Glue)
http://www.elmers.com/homerepair/ultimate/
Again use a very tiny amount of glue.

[elderboy02]

Can someone post a pic of how you store your tobacco?

Thanks.

[Mister Moo]

Can someone post a pic of how you store your tobacco?

Thanks.http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/images/canning1.jpg

[elderboy02]

Thanks. I am looking for more of a setup with baggies in tupperware. I don't haven enough to put into a jar. I assume you need to keep the tobacco humidified correct?

[RevSmoke]

Thanks. I am looking for more of a setup with baggies in tupperware. I don't haven enough to put into a jar. I assume you need to keep the tobacco humidified correct?

Actually, it doesn't matter if you have enough or not. The extra space isn't going to hurt. It is the seal that is important to keep whatever moisture is in, in there. I have tobaccos in jars that have no humidificaion devices - the moisture that is already in there stays... And they're cheap. (Although, if you drop them on the cement floor of your basement tobacco cellar, they will break into tiny little pieces.

I personally like my tobaccos a little drier than how they come from the tobacconist. Moist tobaccos cause tongue-bite. So, I even dry them out a bit before putting them into jars.

If I'd suggest anything, it would be not to mix you scented (aromatics and/or blends with Latakia) tobaccos with unscented tobaccos. So, a couple jars might be a good idea.

[htown]

I am interested in pipe smoking, but I haven't bought one yet. What would y'all recommend as a cheap pipe?

[Whee]

I am interested in pipe smoking, but I haven't bought one yet. What would y'all recommend as a cheap pipe?

Start with some cheap corn cobs. They are good to "practice" on and are pretty durable. They tend not to "ghost" flavors as well.

[htown]

Start with some cheap corn cobs. They are good to "practice" on and are pretty durable. They tend not to "ghost" flavors as well.

Where do they sell them?

[Whee]

Where do they sell them?

www.pipesandcigars.com is a good place to start.

http://store.pipesandcigars.com/micocobme.html

[Demented]

Where do they sell them?

Google Missouri Meerschaum, shop around for the best price.

[htown]

www.pipesandcigars.com is a good place to start.

http://store.pipesandcigars.com/micocobme.html

Thanks! On the page with the corn cob pipes there are some cheap hardwood pipes, would you still recommend the cob? Also what would be a couple of good tobaccos to try out. If cigar preference is a good indicator- I lean towards habanos.

[elderboy02]

...
All this jazz and more is discussed in the ASP FAQ (http://groups.google.com/group/alt.smokers.pipes/msg/1bd1b87db15204e0?pli=1), too. Excellent resource. ...

Thanks for this link. It answered about 10 of my questions :tu

[Whee]

Thanks! On the page with the corn cob pipes there are some cheap hardwood pipes, would you still recommend the cob? Also what would be a couple of good tobaccos to try out. If cigar preference is a good indicator- I lean towards habanos.


Anything on that page is a good starter.
I am still a bit nooby on the pipe slope myself. Smoke more cigars than my pipes.

I started with these two.

http://www.pipesandcigars.com/macvancream.html
http://www.pipesandcigars.com/dunmix965.html


I've bought some samplers from this place. Very good stuff.

https://www.tobacco-barn.com/news.aspx?showarticle=25

[Mister Moo]

Thanks! On the page with the corn cob pipes there are some cheap hardwood pipes, would you still recommend the cob? Also what would be a couple of good tobaccos to try out. If cigar preference is a good indicator- I lean towards habanos.A corncob pipe and a pouch of Carter Hall or Prince Albert can make a good starter and a good finisher. Some folks smoke nothing else. They are easy to learn with and there's plenty to enjoy. Do not underestimate the $5.00 corncob pipe - they have excellent smoking properties.

[Mister Moo]

Actually, it doesn't matter if you have enough or not. The extra space isn't going to hurt. It is the seal that is important to keep whatever moisture is in, in there. I have tobaccos in jars that have no humidificaion devices - the moisture that is already in there stays... And they're cheap. (Although, if you drop them on the cement floor of your basement tobacco cellar, they will break into tiny little pieces.

I personally like my tobaccos a little drier than how they come from the tobacconist. Moist tobaccos cause tongue-bite. So, I even dry them out a bit before putting them into jars.

If I'd suggest anything, it would be not to mix you scented (aromatics and/or blends with Latakia) tobaccos with unscented tobaccos. So, a couple jars might be a good idea.What he said.

You can also find 4-ounce jam jars at places like WalMart and Target, etc., if you don't need the big ones. The are cheap and they are 1000x more reliable than baggies and tupperware.

[Demented]

:tpd: A 4 fluid ounce jam-jar will hold an ounces (by weight) of compressed tobacco, an 8 fl. oz. jar will hold 2 oz. B.W. of compressed tobacco, and so on. Should you decide to go this route, a canning funnel comes in very handy and a scale.

I’ve found buying canning jars by the case, tobacco by the pound and dividing it into 2 ounce portions then canning it, cuts cost by about 40%.

[Tuxguy]

do certian blends smoke better in certain style pipes?

[Mister Moo]

do certian blends smoke better in certain style pipes?That's one of those individual opinion things, Jason. Different people with different preferences in pipes and tobacco (and maybe more or less experience) will have different answers. There's not a "yes" or "no" to it but, still, there can be plenty to discuss.

In my opinion, yes. Sure. Sometimes. :tu

[htown]

Is there anything you do to a new pipe before you smoke in it? Do all pipes use screens?

[Demented]

Is there anything you do to a new pipe before you smoke in it?

No, not really. Passing a pipe cleaner through the stem, making sure there are no obstructions before filling and smoking your pipes is a good habit to get into.

It’s a pain finding out you can’t draw through the pipe after it has tobacco in it.

Do all pipes use screens?

Can’t speak for anyone else… I’ve never used a screen of any type in any of my tobacco pipes.

[Ranger_B]

Nope no screens for me. My girlfriend likes those balsa filters.

[Emjaysmash]

No, not really. Passing a pipe cleaner through the stem, making sure there are no obstructions before filling and smoking your pipes is a good habit to get into.

It’s a pain finding out you can’t draw through the pipe after it has tobacco in it.



Can’t speak for anyone else… I’ve never used a screen of any type in any of my tobacco pipes.

:tpd:

[BigFrank]

Is there anything you do to a new pipe before you smoke in it? Do all pipes use screens?
No screens here. Some guys use filters but that's a personal thing. There are a lot of different methods to "breaking in" a new pipe. I just smoke the type of baccy that I intend to use in that pipe. Just take the first couple bowls slow, only load 1/2.

[htown]

Thanks for the info.

[spectrrr]

I just picked up the pipe this week (so uber noob). strolled down to the local tobaconist (thank god there is a GREAT one 3 blocks away!) and picked up four 1oz bags of the first bulk blends that caught my eye in jars. Mostly aromatic names like amaretto, black&gold, cake box, and balkan 1 (that ones not so aromatic). I stayed away from the stronger stuff because I'm learning to smoke inside and don't want a stinky house :D

NOW ON TO THE QUESTION:
I can't keep the $@&^)@*%#@ thing lit! Using 3 different well broken briar pipes. Tried loose and tight loads, etc..... I just don't seem to be finding the groove. (I'm a fairly hands on kinda guy, so NOT finding the groove yet is strange to me). Is is possible that the bulk blends just have too much something or another in em to keep them moist and they'll never burn right? should I got back and pick up a few tins for trying?? If so, recommendations for a few tins? (doesn't have to be aromatic, just shouldn't stench the house too much, strong stuff will have to wait until summer).

[spectrrr]

mmm, and I should add that if I do manage to get it lit in such a way that it stays "lit" for more than a puff or two, its an extraordinarily thin smoke. I'm not expecting billowing clouds here... but this barely qualifies as smoke!

And I guess another similar question... ARE THERE specific tobaccos and pipe styles that lend themselves to generating great billowing clouds of smoke other than when you light them)?

[Emjaysmash]

I just picked up the pipe this week (so uber noob). strolled down to the local tobaconist (thank god there is a GREAT one 3 blocks away!) and picked up four 1oz bags of the first bulk blends that caught my eye in jars. Mostly aromatic names like amaretto, black&gold, cake box, and balkan 1 (that ones not so aromatic). I stayed away from the stronger stuff because I'm learning to smoke inside and don't want a stinky house :D

NOW ON TO THE QUESTION:
I can't keep the $@&^)@*%#@ thing lit! Using 3 different well broken briar pipes. Tried loose and tight loads, etc..... I just don't seem to be finding the groove. (I'm a fairly hands on kinda guy, so NOT finding the groove yet is strange to me). Is is possible that the bulk blends just have too much something or another in em to keep them moist and they'll never burn right? should I got back and pick up a few tins for trying?? If so, recommendations for a few tins? (doesn't have to be aromatic, just shouldn't stench the house too much, strong stuff will have to wait until summer).

mmm, and I should add that if I do manage to get it lit in such a way that it stays "lit" for more than a puff or two, its an extraordinarily thin smoke. I'm not expecting billowing clouds here... but this barely qualifies as smoke!

And I guess another similar question... ARE THERE specific tobaccos and pipe styles that lend themselves to generating great billowing clouds of smoke other than when you light them)?

I'm going to try to answer these as best I can.
1. It takes a little while to be able to smoke through a bowl with only one light. There are several things that you can do try try and fix this.

First, let your tobacco dry out a little bit. If it is very moist from the jar, spread out a thin layer on a table top or other flat surface and let it air-dry for 10-20 mins.

Secondly, learn a method of filling your pipe. The most basic method taught to new pipers is the 1/3 Method. Take some of the air-dried tobacco in your index and thumb and fill your pipe roughly 1/3rd of the way. take you tamper and tamp down lightly. Take a somewhat larger pinch and fill the second third, then tamp again. Finally, fill the last third and tamp lightly- the tobacco should be fairly loose on top. Don't tamp it in so hard that you form a tobacco plug on top (that's a different method).

Thirdly, you need to properly light a pipe. take you lighter and rotate the flame around the top of the tobacco while taking long slow draws. Do this until you see that most of the tobacco on top has become ash or blackened. Tamp this down lightly and make sure it's even across the tobacco. (this is like toasting a cigar for example, to help it burn correctly). Now, use your lighter and bring the flame and rotate again with long slow draws until you see a nice ember glowing. and thats it! your off!

[elderboy02]

Francis, don't worry bud. I have smoked 2 bowls so far and I have the exact same problem. 2 puffs and then I have to relight :(

GreekGodX suggested I use a torch lighter instead of matches and now I get 3 good puffs instead of 2 :r

Hopefully we will get it eventually.

[JaKaacH]

First, let your tobacco dry out a little bit. If it is very moist from the jar, spread out a thin layer on a table top or other flat surface and let it air-dry for 10-20 mins.


Some like to shine a desk light on the layer of tobacco to help dry it faster.
http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=1280210250593&id=62cea21f7426ca265a4ecb276b8ae88e&url=http%3a%2f%2fpbln.imsa.edu%2fimages%2flightbul b_fixture1.gif
I like to take a small glass plate, with a couple bowls of tobacco in a thin layer, and set it on top of the toaster, letting the heat warm up the plate. Warm not hot, this speeds up the drying.
I have also read where some like to load up a couple pipes in the morning and then not smoke them until later that day. If you want a bowl in the morning, load up the pipe before bed, should be ready to smoke when you get up and about.

[Demented]

I just picked up the pipe this week… Tried loose and tight loads, etc... I can't keep the thing lit!

Did you pop out of the womb and hit the floor running? ;) Master driving a car in 1 week? :confused:

If you can strike a match you can smoke a cigar, the pipe requires some knowledge, some practice and some patients.

Start by learning to learning to properly fill the tobacco chamber. I was taught the three step method.

1. Sprinkle, don’t pinch or stuff, sprinkle tobacco into the chamber a little at a time until there is a slight dome of tobacco above the rim of the pipe, then gently push this down so the chamber is about half full. Now puff on the pipe, there should not be any more restriction than an average cigar.
If it’s to tight, remove the tobacco and start again, with practice you’ll be able to do this by feel.

2. Sprinkle tobacco into the chamber again until there’s a slight mound above the rim of the bowl. Now press it down with a bit more pressure than the first time, this time so the chamber is three quarter filled, that’s half the volume left after step 1.

3. Sprinkle tobacco into the chamber until it’s full to the rim, this time press the tobacco down with more pressure, there should be roughly an eighth of an inch between the top of the tobacco and the rim of the bowl.

Don’t over fill the chamber or you’ll scorch the rim of the pipe when lighting it. DO NOT use a torch lighter; these are great for lighting cigars and charring the hell out of briar pipes.

The three step light is most often prescribed for the pipe novice. That’s two charring lights to toast the tobacco and form a bit of ash on top followed by the smoking light, using matches or standard flame butane lighter.

I’ve found a series of short quick puffs work better than long draws to get a pipe smoking.

Is it possible that the bulk blends just have too much something or another… to keep them moist?


Yes. It’s possible that some type of humidicant (Propylene Glycol) has been used to prevent the tobacco from drying out… or it may simply be to damp. If the tobacco is in plastic bags it will dry out soon enough. If you have the tobacco in an air tight jar (the best way to keep it), leave the lid off the jar for a couple of hours and see how it feels.

If the tobacco does not ever dry out it has been chemically treat and I’d find a better source for pipe tobacco.

You’ll also learn over time just how moist you prefer pipe tobacco, and be able to tell by feel if it needs to by dried out or hydrated.

D.

[rhmalone]

I have a noob question. Can you reuse a pipe cleaner or is it a once and done sort of thing? Along with that, can you clip off the really dirty parts and keep using or are we back to one and done?

While I know they're cheap, I don't want to be wasteful or dumb as I get this pipe smoking adventure off the ground.

[RevSmoke]

I have a noob question. Can you reuse a pipe cleaner or is it a once and done sort of thing? Along with that, can you clip off the really dirty parts and keep using or are we back to one and done?

While I know they're cheap, I don't want to be wasteful or dumb as I get this pipe smoking adventure off the ground.

The purpose of the pipe cleaner is to get moisture out of the stem. If a pipe cleaner is dry and clean, use it again.

You can definitely do what you'd like - maybe turn it around and use the other end. In fact, give it a try - what ever you'd like.

If you use a pipe cleaner while smoking, it needs to get all the way to the bowl - and it needs to do it with the bit attached (don't remove the bit while smoking and the pipe is warm - just a word to the wise), so I doubt that can happen if you clip the dirty end off.

There is another issue about reusing a pipe cleaner while smoking, the tars and such are foul tasting if they end up on the bit an you put it in your mouth - trust me on that one.

Of course, if you clean your pipe disassembled, you may very well find your pipe cleaners can be cut in half and used that way.

Here's the deal, you gotta try it and see how it works for you.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[rhmalone]

Thanks Rev. I'll experiment and see what works :)

[fissure]

I've heard that meers don't ghost, so they've been catching my eye. Is this true? It'd be nice to have a pipe that I can just try all sorts of blends in and then when I find one I really like, dedicate a briar to it. Any special needs I need to know about smoking a meer?

Thanks:D

[Emjaysmash]

I've heard that meers don't ghost, so they've been catching my eye. Is this true? It'd be nice to have a pipe that I can just try all sorts of blends in and then when I find one I really like, dedicate a briar to it. Any special needs I need to know about smoking a meer?

Thanks:D

I'm not experienced enough to talk about the Meers, but I know that Cobbs don't ghost either. My Cobb is my go-to pipe if I want to try any new blends out.

[smokehouse]

I've heard that meers don't ghost, so they've been catching my eye. Is this true? It'd be nice to have a pipe that I can just try all sorts of blends in and then when I find one I really like, dedicate a briar to it. Any special needs I need to know about smoking a meer?

Thanks:D

Never had a ghost when smoking mine.
The biggest thing about using a meer is to clean the bowl really good after each use to prevent cake build up. I wipe the inside of the bowl with alcohol after each use.

[fissure]

Never had a ghost when smoking mine.
The biggest thing about using a meer is to clean the bowl really good after each use to prevent cake build up. I wipe the inside of the bowl with alcohol after each use.

Good to know, thanks:tu

[Mister Moo]

Never had a ghost when smoking mine.
The biggest thing about using a meer is to clean the bowl really good after each use to prevent cake build up. I wipe the inside of the bowl with alcohol after each use.No ghosts in my meers. I rarely buy something new that doesn't start in a meer for that crisp, clear picture of what it is.

I clean mine after every smoke by rubbing out the bowl with a looped bristle pipecleaner.

[RevSmoke]

Thanks Rev. I'll experiment and see what works :)

You're welcome, dude.

Good piping.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[RevSmoke]

I've heard that meers don't ghost, so they've been catching my eye. Is this true? It'd be nice to have a pipe that I can just try all sorts of blends in and then when I find one I really like, dedicate a briar to it. Any special needs I need to know about smoking a meer?

Thanks:D

Meers will not ghost because they are non absorbing. Briar will, and so will cobs - much to the disbelief of many. However, if you smoke the same blend in a cob, give it a good 10-20 bowls, then you will notice it. If I smoke my cobs, a little of this, a little of that, it won't happen. Of couse, neither will a briar if you are smoking different blends every smoke. However, if you smoke all English blends, or all aromatics, go to a Virginia in it - either cob or briar - and you will tast the Latakia or flavorings.

[WyGuy]

Noob checking in! I've decided to start down a new slippery slope :r Actually just picked this guy up earlier today to see what the whole pipe thing is all about.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v392/mike2212/photo-1.jpg

I've been looking at some of the Boswell pipes, but unfortunately they don't have some of the swirl/spiral pipes I was interested in at the moment (said to call back next week as they might have it then :banger) Though, something might catch my eye when they update their pipes for sale page this week.

So, what are some must have blends/tins that everyone should try?

[spectrrr]

ok, ;s, I KNOW this question was answered somewhere in this thread already, but I didn't see it....

I picked up a two cobs in Albany last month and have been smoking just those two almost exclusively so that I can get a better feel for the tobacco and smoking techniques, without wondering if it was "the pipe" that didn't work that night.

Anyway, last night I had one that didn't work, but I'm not sure why.

SYMPTOMS: STEAMY tasting smoke, still had "most" of the flavor, but it seemed a little watery and very steamy. It was NOT blisteringly hot (maybe a tad warm), just steamy, which made the flavors go all to hell.

FACTS: strait cob pipe, aromatic tobacco blend, held in sample baggy and tupperware for 2 months. Tobacco left out on the desk for 15-20 minutes to dry out a little bit before loading the pipe (been doing that with most bowls lately). Pipe load was decent quality, I feel that i have at least gotten fairly consistent with my loads (they're not the best, but they are reproducible).

So basically I'm trying to figure out if that tobacco doesn't like that pipe, if that tobacco is just bad, if it was over/under humidified, etc.

[spectrrr]

and one more question: how many times can you use a 9mm filter? once?

[RevSmoke]

ok, ;s, I KNOW this question was answered somewhere in this thread already, but I didn't see it....

I picked up a two cobs in Albany last month and have been smoking just those two almost exclusively so that I can get a better feel for the tobacco and smoking techniques, without wondering if it was "the pipe" that didn't work that night.

Anyway, last night I had one that didn't work, but I'm not sure why.

SYMPTOMS: STEAMY tasting smoke, still had "most" of the flavor, but it seemed a little watery and very steamy. It was NOT blisteringly hot (maybe a tad warm), just steamy, which made the flavors go all to hell.

FACTS: strait cob pipe, aromatic tobacco blend, held in sample baggy and tupperware for 2 months. Tobacco left out on the desk for 15-20 minutes to dry out a little bit before loading the pipe (been doing that with most bowls lately). Pipe load was decent quality, I feel that i have at least gotten fairly consistent with my loads (they're not the best, but they are reproducible).

So basically I'm trying to figure out if that tobacco doesn't like that pipe, if that tobacco is just bad, if it was over/under humidified, etc.

and one more question: how many times can you use a 9mm filter? once?

I think your second post answered your question.

Get rid of the filters - period. Don't use them. They produce steam because they get moist and simply do not dry out.

:2

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[Curly Cut]

I picked up a two cobs in Albany last month and have been smoking just those two almost exclusively so that I can get a better feel for the tobacco and smoking techniques, without wondering if it was "the pipe" that didn't work that night.

Anyway, last night I had one that didn't work, but I'm not sure why.

SYMPTOMS: STEAMY tasting smoke, still had "most" of the flavor, but it seemed a little watery and very steamy. It was NOT blisteringly hot (maybe a tad warm), just steamy, which made the flavors go all to hell.

FACTS: strait cob pipe, aromatic tobacco blend, held in sample baggy and tupperware for 2 months. Tobacco left out on the desk for 15-20 minutes to dry out a little bit before loading the pipe (been doing that with most bowls lately). Pipe load was decent quality, I feel that i have at least gotten fairly consistent with my loads (they're not the best, but they are reproducible).

So basically I'm trying to figure out if that tobacco doesn't like that pipe, if that tobacco is just bad, if it was over/under humidified, etc.

if it's one of those really gooey, "cherries jubilee" type aromatics you get from a large jar at the local shop, then you could leave it out to dry for 15-20 days and it'll still be too moist.
no lie, i had about 8oz of stuff called "peach cobbler" that i had bought my dad way back in '00 or '01. i had some as well, kept it in a very poor sealing ceramic jar that never kept anything moist before... 6 years later, that stuff was still too moist to smoke.

it's got a good amount of "PG" added to it, like the stuff they tell you to add to the foam humidfying things in a cigar humidor. the stuff never goes dry.

[spectrrr]

if it's one of those really gooey, "cherries jubilee" type aromatics you get from a large jar at the local shop, then you could leave it out to dry for 15-20 days and it'll still be too moist.
no lie, i had about 8oz of stuff called "peach cobbler" that i had bought my dad way back in '00 or '01. i had some as well, kept it in a very poor sealing ceramic jar that never kept anything moist before... 6 years later, that stuff was still too moist to smoke.

it's got a good amount of "PG" added to it, like the stuff they tell you to add to the foam humidfying things in a cigar humidor. the stuff never goes dry.

I think your second post answered your question.

Get rid of the filters - period. Don't use them. They produce steam because they get moist and simply do not dry out.

:2

Peace of the Lord be with you.

I think you got it Rev.

I didn't even realize the things had a filter in em till I couldn't pass a cleaner through it and took apart the stem. Mind you this is after about 7 bowls :r (I was also beginning to taste filter gunk, which was getting nasty)

*waves goodbye to the filter*

Smoked another blend last night that I had smoked before and knew how it smoked, and it was a little steamy too, but not AS bad. So I'm thinking it was a two-part problem. Sounds like i might have been a crappy blend with too much humidant in it, I picked up those at the shop around the corner. No problems at all with the ones from Habana Premium, so I'll have to stick with them :)

I guess the real test will be to try smoking the same blend tonight, without the filter.......

Thanks guys!

[spectrrr]

ok, next question:

Good and cheap soft flame lighter?
I've been using a couple cheapo refillable Ronson soft flames, but really they HATE being refilled and one is already broken.

I've also gotten quite accurate and adept with using a Ronson Torch... but they don't like being inverted and I have gas flow problems....


soooooo whats a good (but inexpensive) soft flame, or torch that doesn't mind being inverted?

[GreekGodX]

Francis, I don't know of any torches that like to be inverted. They aren't made to do that, but my blazer doesn't seem to mind if I light it right side up first. I mostly use a torch as I think using a soft flame imparts some chemicals on the baccy.

When I did use a soft flame I went with a zippo with a pipe insert. Always worked and if you have an old zippo laying around it only costs about 3 bucks for the insert. You can also buy a soft flame that comes out laterally. Those can be had for around 20 bucks or so.

[Mister Moo]

ok, next question: ...soooooo whats a good (but inexpensive) soft flame, or torch that doesn't mind being inverted?There about about 40-eleventeen-thousand posts on which is the RIGHT lighter, torch, match, converted hot air balloon- or kitchen stove burner to light a pipe with. It's like the eternal "Cello on or cello off?" thing with the cigar guys.

But! This thread* is a dedicated "Screw the search function" thread, damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead kind of thread. No question to old, no question too hard, no question EVER foolish! So! Here is the soft flame answer:


1. Get a Zippo pipe lighter (with the Zippo black can fluid) if you want sub-$20, lifetime guarantee and very, very good performance.
2. Get a Bic lighter at the run-in store if you want cheap and butane.
3. Get a Corona Old Boy if you change your mind about cheap and want a fine pipe lighter.
4. Get a torch out of your head no matter how many times you watch the Frank Method How To Fill Your Pipe YouTube tutorial.
5. Consider any one of several Old Boy knock-offs for $20.

http://www.tobaccoland.co.uk/images/Sundries/ZIPPO-PIPE-LZ04n.jpg http://www.thegreateststuff.com/IMCoronaLighters.jpg

* top post refresher:

"Attention new pipe smokers! All pipe and tobacco questions answered. All pipe and tobacco problems solved.

Terms of Service: to ask you have to have a serious question; to reply you must have a minimum two years pipe smoking experience. (No snob zone.) There are no stupid questions. Nobody can beat someone with a "Use the search funtion" lead pipe. There will be no rude replies no matter how many times your question has been asked - nosir, not in THIS thread. Maybe a little tiny bit of sarcasm though, just to keep it interesting.

Bring it on."

[Mister Moo]

con't...

6. I can't say enough good things about the flame from paper and wooden matches. The match/pipe combo gives you rock-solid performance, time-honored charm, the grandfatherly "puffFLARE puffFLARE puffFLARE" effect and a soft light for, pretty much, free. Beware stout wooden matches - like those pictured below - that can sustain a flame which is long enough to scorch a rim on both sides of the bowl while lighting the tobacco. A wooden match is not a no-brainer - gotta watch your flame, tobacco and rim* all at the same once.

http://www.thepenleycorp.com/images/Product_photos/thumbs/041146007010.jpg

* and, if you're driving, you gotta watch the road at the same time. That's almost as important as preventing accidental pipe rim charring while driving and lighting. And sometimes you gotta watch that REALLY hot, charcoal-ie black match tip fall in your lap (or down your shirt or sleeve) while you're puffing and lighting and steering and driving and talking on the phone.

Hope this was helpful.

[JaKaacH]

I have a lighter like this one...Paid twice the price listed here. Works good and is butane refillable.
http://www.lilbrown.com/product/tabid/96/productid/5836/sename/vertigo-reach-silver-3-in-1/default.aspx

[Demented]

1. Get a Zippo pipe lighter (with the Zippo black can fluid) if you want sub-$20, lifetime guarantee and very, very good performance.
2. Get a Bic lighter at the run-in store if you want cheap and butane.
3. Get a Corona Old Boy if you change your mind about cheap and want a fine pipe lighter.
4. Get a torch out of your head no matter how many times you watch the Frank Method How To Fill Your Pipe YouTube tutorial.
5. Consider any one of several Old Boy knock-offs for $20.

Top post refresher:

"Attention new pipe smokers! All pipe and tobacco questions answered. All pipe and tobacco problems solved.

Terms of Service: to ask you have to have a serious question; to reply you must have a minimum two years pipe smoking experience. (No snob zone.) There are no stupid questions. Nobody can beat someone with a "Use the search funtion" lead pipe. There will be no rude replies no matter how many times your question has been asked - nosir, not in THIS thread. Maybe a little tiny bit of sarcasm though, just to keep it interesting.

Bring it on."

The best advice you’re going to get, period!

FYI… Bought an Ol’ Boy knockoff in 2003 (did work for ©rap), put up with that POS lighter until last year when I finally broke down and got an IM Corona Old Boy, with nearly a year of trouble free use and free repairs for the life of the lighter from the shop it came from, I can’t imagine buying any other brand of butane pipe lighter.

[Mister Moo]

...I finally broke down and got an IM Corona Old Boy...Me too; it has value for the price.

Reports on Old Boy knock-offs seem cover the range of crap to quality. No idea what to add to that. I got a sweet little Bentley refillable with side-flame and built in tamper last year - it cost $2.00 and worked for, uh, two weeks. I am a long-time Zippo booster but since I got the Old Boy I admit I like the more precise flame, the adjustability, longer period between refills and feel in the hand. I haven't seen the Zippo since the Old Boy showed up but I'll forever have a soft spot in my heart for Zippo products.

[Demented]

I can't think of the brand of that knockoff for the life of me, CRS don't you know. The head broke off the built-in tamper within three days, needed refilling every third or fourth day of use, the striker wheel didn’t work well and it never wanted to light. I bought an eighteen dollar lighter and got what I paid for.

[GreekGodX]

* top post refresher:

"Attention new pipe smokers! All pipe and tobacco questions answered. All pipe and tobacco problems solved.

Terms of Service: to ask you have to have a serious question; to reply you must have a minimum two years pipe smoking experience. (No snob zone.) There are no stupid questions. Nobody can beat someone with a "Use the search funtion" lead pipe. There will be no rude replies no matter how many times your question has been asked - nosir, not in THIS thread. Maybe a little tiny bit of sarcasm though, just to keep it interesting.

Bring it on."

I don't know if this was directed at me or just a general refresh but I didn't see anything wrong with giving spectrr a recommendation. I've only smoked pipes for a little over a year but I just recently went through this same dilemma myself. Thought I'd give my :2 never tried posing as a "pipe old fart".

[spectrrr]

Thanks guys! lots of GREAT info there, much appreciated.

Aww Dan, how did you know I got the idea from that Frank method youtube video :r:r

Although I do have to say I've gotten great consistency from loading the pipe that way. It may not be the "best" way to load it, but it does get me something consistent and smoke-able.

But I will officially banish the idea of a torch :)

I'm sure that Old Boy works quite nice, somewhat akin to the soft flame equivalent of my dupont torch. I'll make that a "one day" goal to work too :)

[Mister Moo]

I don't know if this was directed at me... Nope. Just a refresher - we don't ask for resumes or personal references in this thread.


Made you feel guilty though, didn't it? :D

[GreekGodX]

Nope. Just a refresher - we don't ask for resumes or personal references in this thread.


Made you feel guilty though, didn't it? :D

Yes it did :( Just trying to help out where I can, even if I'm not the most experienced.

[Mister Moo]

Yes it did :( Cheer up! You're always welcome here in the "Old Fart" thread. Oo-PAH!

http://www.michigan.org/global/Media/364/detroit_FS3_Greektown-Night.jpg

[GreekGodX]

Cheer up! You're always welcome here in the "Old Fart" thread. Oo-PAH!

http://www.michigan.org/global/Media/364/detroit_FS3_Greektown-Night.jpg

I feel at home now :)

[Neuromancer]

I can't think of the brand of that knockoff for the life of me, CRS don't you know. The head broke off the built-in tamper within three days, needed refilling every third or fourth day of use, the striker wheel didn’t work well and it never wanted to light. I bought an eighteen dollar lighter and got what I paid for.

NIBO makes an "Old Boy" knock-off and it's a piece of crap...had one and it crapped out so early I wrote them and complained...they sent me another one...same problem, so I gave up...found the Colibri Morpheus to be a decent lighter...it's a two-way that lit one way has an angled flame for pipe lighting and lit the other way, a small torch flame for cigars or whatever...I use it mostly for pipe lighting...one of these days I'll probably break down and get myself a Corona Old Boy, but for now the Morpheus (I actually have two of them...got a great buy on them) is working fine...

[spectrrr]

NIBO makes an "Old Boy" knock-off and it's a piece of crap...had one and it crapped out so early I wrote them and complained...they sent me another one...same problem, so I gave up...found the Colibri Morpheus to be a decent lighter...it's a two-way that lit one way has an angled flame for pipe lighting and lit the other way, a small torch flame for cigars or whatever...I use it mostly for pipe lighting...one of these days I'll probably break down and get myself a Corona Old Boy, but for now the Morpheus (I actually have two of them...got a great buy on them) is working fine...

$20 shipped on ebay seems like a good deal, I might just do that......

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360202236467&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=WXF%3F&GUID=f296fd8211b0a09c13e2ca22ffec6e26&itemid=360202236467&ff4=263602_263622

[Neuromancer]

$20 shipped on ebay seems like a good deal, I might just do that......

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360202236467&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=WXF%3F&GUID=f296fd8211b0a09c13e2ca22ffec6e26&itemid=360202236467&ff4=263602_263622

Yep...that looks like a great deal, but you also need to know it's a one-way deal as Colibri has gone out of business...if it goes bad or needs repairs that's probably going to be a tough thing to get done, so theoretically you could be looking for another lighter in the future...like I said, when I burn through the Morpheus's, I'll probably pop for a Corona Old Boy in place of a pipe at some point...

[Emjaysmash]

Yep...that looks like a great deal, but you also need to know it's a one-way deal as Colibri has gone out of business...if it goes bad or needs repairs that's probably going to be a tough thing to get done, so theoretically you could be looking for another lighter in the future...like I said, when I burn through the Morpheus's, I'll probably pop for a Corona Old Boy in place of a pipe at some point...

I thought Colibri went back in to business again?

[spectrrr]

Yep...that looks like a great deal, but you also need to know it's a one-way deal as Colibri has gone out of business...if it goes bad or needs repairs that's probably going to be a tough thing to get done, so theoretically you could be looking for another lighter in the future...like I said, when I burn through the Morpheus's, I'll probably pop for a Corona Old Boy in place of a pipe at some point...

I thought Colibri went back in to business again?

And the answer is: YES, they are back in business, and honoring all old warranties (which were LIFETIME ones by the way). New products carry a 2yr warranty as far as I can tell, which is plenty for me. I'm a-ok with paying $20 every two years for a lighter. Since pipes are currently my wintertime past time, I imagine I won't have to worry about wearing mine out too quickly.......

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Features/CA_Feature_Basic_Template/0,2344,2791,00.html

[boom]

What is the best way to remove the pre-carbon coating on a bowl.... I think this may be the cause of it tasting bitter with this particular pipe.

[BigFrank]

ok, next question:

Good and cheap soft flame lighter?
I've been using a couple cheapo refillable Ronson soft flames, but really they HATE being refilled and one is already broken.

I've also gotten quite accurate and adept with using a Ronson Torch... but they don't like being inverted and I have gas flow problems....


soooooo whats a good (but inexpensive) soft flame, or torch that doesn't mind being inverted?
http://www.smokingpipes.com/accessories/lighters/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=5909

I have 2 of them.

I used a candle lighter for about a year, and matches. Most guys I speak too just something cheap...

[Neuromancer]

I thought Colibri went back in to business again?

Ah, that's great to know...sometimes it takes a while for news to reach us in the far depths of South Florida...:D

[BigFrank]

Unless it involves the AARP!!! :r

[Jimmy PP]

Well I went looking for pipes this weekend with a friend... I'm not too familiar with the town, I just go down to Missouri to see my girlfriend on the weekends. Anyways, I asked said friend about places that sell pipes, so we go to this shop that turns out to be more of a headshop. The only wooden bowled 'tobacco pipes' they had, the owner said were made out of cherry wood, and the bowls were quite rough. I've never used a tobacco pipe before, and was wondering... A. would a cherry wood pipe be alright, as I see most pipes are made from briar, and B. are the pipes supposed to have rough bowls like that?... It almost looked like it should be sanded down or something... But then again I've never used/owned a tobacco pipe.

I appreciate any help.

-Jimmy PP

[Mister Moo]

Well I went looking for pipes this weekend with a friend... I'm not too familiar with the town, I just go down to Missouri to see my girlfriend on the weekends. Anyways, I asked said friend about places that sell pipes, so we go to this shop that turns out to be more of a headshop. The only wooden bowled 'tobacco pipes' they had, the owner said were made out of cherry wood, and the bowls were quite rough. I've never used a tobacco pipe before, and was wondering... A. would a cherry wood pipe be alright, as I see most pipes are made from briar, and B. are the pipes supposed to have rough bowls like that?... It almost looked like it should be sanded down or something... But then again I've never used/owned a tobacco pipe.

I appreciate any help.

-Jimmy PPYo JimmyPP! A. I think you will do much much better getting a Missouri Meerschaum corncob pipe from an actual tobacconist and, B. all kinds of pipes have all kinds of finishes from smooth to rough to deeply sandblasted and, C. you really want to get a cob and D. a pouch of Carter Hall or Prince Albert.

[Jimmy PP]

Thanks for the quick reply, but I think I made myself unclear. It was the inside of the bowl I was referring to. It almost looked like it was just drilled out, and left all rough on the inside. The outside was a very nice red finish. But I'll check out a few smoke shops and see what they have. However, this 'headshop' had a small selection of pipe tobacco, including a Black Cavendish which I was eyeballing... at $4 an ounce. Which from what I've seen online is quite a steep price?

-Jimmy PP

[Mister Moo]

Thanks for the quick reply, but I think I made myself unclear. It was the inside of the bowl I was referring to. It almost looked like it was just drilled out, and left all rough on the inside... ...Black Cavendish which I was eyeballing... at $4 an ounce. $4.00/ounce isn't crazy-wild-high; tins are two-ounces and they usually sell for $7-$12/ea. Bulk is usually $2.50-ounce and up, depending.

Rough finish inside the bowl? Maybe it was coated with something a little raggedy to protect the wood from burning - that's not unusual. I never saw a new pipe with a drilled out chamber that was rough raw wood, though.

Black cavendish... it'd go well with a cob. :)

[skier171]

Noob Question Here...

I have smoked a estate brior for the last year and a half, and a friend gifted me a Missouri Meerschaum corncob...looking into the bowl, there is a wood tube shaved off going almost most completly across the base of the bowl. Should there be any type of screen or filter there? There is a paper filter in the stem.

And I know I read this before in this thread (great work reading..), but can I smoke a corncob daily? multiple bowls?

lastly, I have some tobacca thats been sitting in my cabinent for far too long (6 monthish) but its my favorite blend from a shop down in kc...is there any way to revive that so it can be smoked again?

Thanks for the help guys

matt

[Neuromancer]

Noob Question Here...

I have smoked a estate brior for the last year and a half, and a friend gifted me a Missouri Meerschaum corncob...looking into the bowl, there is a wood tube shaved off going almost most completly across the base of the bowl. Should there be any type of screen or filter there? There is a paper filter in the stem.

And I know I read this before in this thread (great work reading..), but can I smoke a corncob daily? multiple bowls?

lastly, I have some tobacca thats been sitting in my cabinent for far too long (6 monthish) but its my favorite blend from a shop down in kc...is there any way to revive that so it can be smoked again?

Thanks for the help guys

matt

That's they way they're supposed to be...long tube no screen at bottom...not really into cobs (don't care for them for some reason) but I understand those that use them smoke them daily, and I'm gonna guess sometimes several times a day, and/or multiple bowls....

As for rehydrating the tobacco...get yourself one of those little spray bottles (misters) they usually have in the pharmacy/toiletries section at WalMart...use distilled water only...spread the tobacco on some paper towels and give it a light misting to get it to where you want it hydration-wise...if you over wet it pat it with a dry paper towel or let it sit a bit until it dries a bit more...you should be able to tell by feeling a pinch of it when you have it the way you want it...

[skier171]

awesome. thank you very much for the quick response. looks like im stopping by walmart on my way home from work today.

[Commander Quan]

All the MM cobs are like that, no you don't need a screen, and you don't even need that paper filter in the stem. Use if if you like but most people just throw them away before they starts smoking the pipe.

Cobs are sorta the workhorses of pipe smoking, you can ride them hard and they don't mind. If you want to smoke multiple bowls go ahead just run a pipe cleaner down through the stem a couple times and then bend in in half and go around the inside of the bowl.

The 6 month old baccy may be perfectly fine to smoke right now, pinch some between your fingers, if it doesn't crumble into pieces I'd smoke it as is, if you think it's too dry put it in a bowl with a wrung out paper towel over top and check on it periodically till it is where you want it.

[skier171]

What is the paper filter in there to do? I don's understand why cobs have those, while briar's dont?

[Neuromancer]

It's supposed to absorb tar and nicotine and to some degree it does...it also tapers down the whole draft hole business..som like it and some throw them away but if you do, realize you're going to have a very large draft hole running through most of the shank and stem...you can buy more of those if you want...Medico filters fit fine...

[Mister Moo]

It's supposed to absorb tar and nicotine and to some degree it does...Too bad it doesn't absorb the taste from the first five bowls! Hey! I love a cob - smoke one all the time - but that wood thingie sticking in the chamber needs to char out over several smokes. Don't be alarmed if the second half of your first several smokes tastes like your old Pinewood Derby car.

[Neuromancer]

Too bad it doesn't absorb the taste from the first five bowls! Hey! I love a cob - smoke one all the time - but that wood thingie sticking in the chamber needs to char out over several smokes. Don't be alarmed if the second half of your first several smokes tastes like your old Pinewood Derby car.

I'd love to know why you were smoking your old Pinewood Derby Car...then again, maybe I don't want to know...:D

[Jimmy PP]

Too bad it doesn't absorb the taste from the first five bowls! Hey! I love a cob - smoke one all the time - but that wood thingie sticking in the chamber needs to char out over several smokes. Don't be alarmed if the second half of your first several smokes tastes like your old Pinewood Derby car.

I'm happy you just said that, because I just picked up a cob pipe and some captain black cherry... The smell of the tobacco was almost overwhelming, I assumed the taste of all of that cherry would make me want to puke... But I could hardly even taste it. I could taste it a little at first then it just started tasting like crap. My mouth tastes like I just licked an ash tray.

I also forgot to get pipe cleaners. And I'm using a 308 winchester case to tamp(don't worry, its been fired... And its fresh out of my case tumbler, so its clean)... And it also went out every time I went to tamp.

I also burnt the hell out of the top of the bowl... Good thing the pipe only cost $4. I almost opted for the $20 one, but I kept all of your opinions in mind, and for those I thank you all :)

-Jimmy PP

[Slow Triathlete]

What is the best way to remove the pre-carbon coating on a bowl.... I think this may be the cause of it tasting bitter with this particular pipe.

Troy,

Take some really light grit sandpaper and wrap it around your finger and then rub it around in there. Only do this enough to take off the coating. You definitely don't want to get too wild in there and shave it down too much!

[spectrrr]

I'm happy you just said that, because I just picked up a cob pipe and some captain black cherry... The smell of the tobacco was almost overwhelming, I assumed the taste of all of that cherry would make me want to puke... But I could hardly even taste it. I could taste it a little at first then it just started tasting like crap. My mouth tastes like I just licked an ash tray.

I also forgot to get pipe cleaners. And I'm using a 308 winchester case to tamp(don't worry, its been fired... And its fresh out of my case tumbler, so its clean)... And it also went out every time I went to tamp.

I also burnt the hell out of the top of the bowl... Good thing the pipe only cost $4. I almost opted for the $20 one, but I kept all of your opinions in mind, and for those I thank you all :)

-Jimmy PP

DISCLAIMER: I'm not even at the level of "young fart" yet. Greenhorn, wet behind the ears, those are more fitting descriptions :)

Having been where you are Jimmy, keep at it. It took me a few months, but I finally learned to load the pipe in such a way that it stays lit part of the time and only needs tamped a few times. And I got a eel for what kinds of tobacco work and don't. And well... the world just starts lining up for you :)... until then, keep at it, it doesn't take long to get there.

I'll leave the wet aromatic tobacco bit and any other actual advice for an old fart to touch on, just wanted to give you a bit of encouragement that it will get much better fairly quickly. :D

[Jimmy PP]

Actually I haven't really been having too many problems. By the third bowl I had looked bowl packing up on youtube. And I found a way that works pretty good... I sprinkle tobacco into the bowl until full, tap the side to get it to settle down, then pinch tobacco in my fingers and set it on top, and coax it in by pushing on the sides, then repeat........ And the third time I smoked it didn't go out once. I did tamp it about every 5 minutes though. Who else does it like this?

I was smoking for at least half an hour, if not longer... I really didn't expect a tiny bowl to last that long!

[BigFrank]

I did tamp it about every 5 minutes though. Who else does it like this?

I was smoking for at least half an hour, if not longer... I really didn't expect a tiny bowl to last that long!
I'm not sure what the rule of thumb is with tamping. I usually forget too, and end up tamping then relighting. It also really depends on what type of tobacco you are smoking.

[BigFrank]

Here's a question for ya fellas...

I have two Peterson Pipes, Donegal Rocky Style pipes with the sterling silver bands. What can I do to clean the silver up? They are starting to look a little dirty.

[Neuromancer]

Wright's Silver Polish but use a q-tip to put it on and be careful you don't get any on the briar, although it probably wouldn't hurt the finish...I do it carefully and don't want to chance it anyway...

Wright's Silver Polish on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220339082641&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=WXI8&GUID=53815a991260a040b14005f0ffffcdd6&itemid=220339082641&ff4=263602_263622)

[Demented]

What can I do to clean the silver up? They are starting to look a little dirty.

Wright's works fine if you have it around. I've use Berbia stem polish for some time now without any harm I can see, use a soft cloth and polish the metal band at the same time as vulcanite stem.

[WyGuy]

Got a question. What is the best way to go about removing the gunk (tar I assume) left over in the very bottom of the bowl? I was just using the pick on my pipe tool, but feel like that may damage the pipe. Or maybe I'm just over concerned because it's a new pipe.

[spectrrr]

got a question - I got a crapload of old pipes whose stems taste horrible. Plenty of ways to restore... whats the easiest?

[RevSmoke]

Got a question. What is the best way to go about removing the gunk (tar I assume) left over in the very bottom of the bowl? I was just using the pick on my pipe tool, but feel like that may damage the pipe. Or maybe I'm just over concerned because it's a new pipe.

If it is a briar pipe, you're good. Not a problem.

[Demented]

Got a question. What is the best way to go about removing the gunk left over in the very bottom of the bowl?

What "GUNK" are you talking about - When do you see this gunk?

If you’re talking about the moisture in the bottom of the bowl after smoking, leave it alone, you need it to form cake in the bottom of the bowl.

Let the pipe cool after smoking before stirring the dottle and ash up from the bottom of the bowl, place your thumb over the top of the bowl and shake the pipe to coat the inside with the ash, then set it down and leave it alone for 1 or 2 days, 3 would be better.

The next time you’re going to smoke the pipe, pass a pipecleaner through the stem into the bowl, making sure there aren’t any obstructions. Use a pipecleaner to gently remove any loose ash from the chamber walls, the “GUNK” from your last smoke will have absorbed into the dottle and ash you left in the bowl, this in turn forms the cake which will help to prevent the briar from burning.
I was just using the pick on my pipe tool, but feel like that may damage the pipe. Or maybe I'm just over concerned because it's a new pipe.

The pick is meant to be used for clearing obstructions from the draught hole. Obsessive scraping/picking at the inside of a briar pipe can ruin it, you may even pick a hole in the bottom of the bowl.

[Mister Moo]

got a question - I got a crapload of old pipes whose stems taste horrible. Plenty of ways to restore... whats the easiest?If they're not grungy-nasty-oxydized-brown-and-green vulcanite then it's easy. Rout them out with bristle pipecleaners dipped in Everclear (or any other highproof option like 91% isopropyl or vodka). You can clean dried yuk around the buttons with toothpaste or baking soda and a soft toothbrush.

Nasty on the outside vulcanite takes a little more effort. Which is it?

[WyGuy]

What "GUNK" are you talking about - When do you see this gunk?

If you’re talking about the moisture in the bottom of the bowl after smoking, leave it alone, you need it to form cake in the bottom of the bowl.

Let the pipe cool after smoking before stirring the dottle and ash up from the bottom of the bowl, place your thumb over the top of the bowl and shake the pipe to coat the inside with the ash, then set it down and leave it alone for 1 or 2 days, 3 would be better.

The next time you’re going to smoke the pipe, pass a pipecleaner through the stem into the bowl, making sure there aren’t any obstructions. Use a pipecleaner to gently remove any loose ash from the chamber walls, the “GUNK” from your last smoke will have absorbed into the dottle and ash you left in the bowl, this in turn forms the cake which will help to prevent the briar from burning.


The pick is meant to be used for clearing obstructions from the draught hole. Obsessive scraping/picking at the inside of a briar pipe can ruin it, you may even pick a hole in the bottom of the bowl.

I found the gunk after I got home and gave the pipe a mild cleaning to get rid of any loose ash. The "gunk" was right after the draught hole in the very bottom of the bowl, the bottom of the bowl is rather pointed in shape so a rather good environment for that sort of build up I suppose. From what you said I now believe it was just moisture buildup and will be sure to leave it alone from now on. Thanks!

[skier171]

Another noob question.

Is there a site similar to the devil site for pipe tobacco?
I want to try a big varity, and the B&M's here have a small selection of pipe tobacco around here. If there isnt, where would you suggest getting tobacco online?

[DrDubzz]

pipesandcigars.com
smokingspipes.com
4noggins.com
marscigars.com

any of those will be a good place to find tobacco, unfortunately (by that I mean thank the Lord) there's no "pipebid" out there

[BigFrank]

pipesandcigars.com
smokingspipes.com
4noggins.com
marscigars.com

any of those will be a good place to find tobacco, unfortunately (by that I mean thank the Lord) there's no "pipebid" out there
or pipe JOE...Pipe tobacco is cheap which is good. But that still doesnt help the fact that it's easy to turn into a Hoarder when it comes to pipe tobacco tins...

[Curly Cut]

actually, a "pipebid" wouldn't be too bad. i'd be down for a place that has a lot of pipe tobacco that goes for a lot cheaper than it does in B&Ms.

[Paulmac]

I want pipebid!
SWMBO surely does not

[spectrrr]

If they're not grungy-nasty-oxydized-brown-and-green vulcanite then it's easy. Rout them out with bristle pipecleaners dipped in Everclear (or any other highproof option like 91% isopropyl or vodka). You can clean dried yuk around the buttons with toothpaste or baking soda and a soft toothbrush.

Nasty on the outside vulcanite takes a little more effort. Which is it?

Nasty on the outside, I assume its Vulcanite (they're on mid to nice briars). Some are worse than others. The really bad ones have changed colors, but most of the bad ones just have a slightly visible crystallization on the outside of them. The good ones look fine but still taste like **** when you lick the outside.

[Neuromancer]

pipesandcigars.com
smokingspipes.com
4noggins.com
marscigars.com

any of those will be a good place to find tobacco, unfortunately (by that I mean thank the Lord) there's no "pipebid" out there

4 great sources...I could add one more to the list...

cupojoes.com

[Mister Moo]

Nasty on the outside, I assume its Vulcanite... the good ones look fine but still taste like **** when you lick the outside.I heard there are people who sell used pipes and they pee (or worse) on the stems before they ship them. Never knew why. I always clean and sterilize each pipe I buy in case... you know.

Scour the inside of the stem with a bristle cleaner and alcohol, then:

I never tried this but a reliable hardcase told me a tablespoon of OxiClean in a quart of water soaks nasty vulcanite clean in 30-minutes or longer and, he said, doesn't think it'll hurt any ink or nomenclature on a stem. Do a test soak first if there's any nomenclature you care about on these pipestems. Sounds like the easy way to me.

There is the traditional soak in 100% chlorine bleach. It really works well but will damage nomenclature on a stem unless it's covered with a dab of Vaseline. Bleach takes an hour or three and it leaves vulcanite black as ink but feeling a bit furry. After a bleach soak (and water rinse) it'll need to be rubbed out with mild polishing abrasive. I never used sandpaper to clean stems - only MicroMesh polishing cloth (1500-12,000 for perfection). Depending on how furry the stems are post-bleach you may be able to skip sanding and find that a paper towel rubdown with toothpaste and/or baking soda will finish things up nicely.

Finish with a light rub of olive oil.

I used a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser followed by toothpaste once. I thought it worked so-so; no trick to try it - some people swear by Magic Eraser. Personally I didn't think it worked very well (but it worked so-so, right?) on bad oxidation, I hate the feel of the things in my hand and I felt it needed a lot of rubbing pressure. Try that if you have one around. Nothing ventured. Any of these processes will make vulcanite or ebonite stems look like new and render them tasteless.

http://i35.tinypic.com/2dkzne0.jpg

[reverett]

Well, I would have a question, but (over the course of the preceeding few days) I read this thread all the way through and you have answered everything I can think of! Good Show! Thanks Old Farts! (and Pipe kid)

[spectrrr]

:wo, thanks, I'll give the oxiclean a try. :tu


PEE? :pu
fortunately all my pipes are from my grandfather's estate, no ebaying for me

[Neuromancer]

...There is the traditional soak in 100% chlorine bleach. It really works well but will damage nomenclature on a stem unless it's covered with a dab of Vaseline. Bleach takes an hour or three and it leaves vulcanite black as ink but feeling a bit furry. After a bleach soak (and water rinse) it'll need to be rubbed out with mild polishing abrasive. I never used sandpaper to clean stems - only MicroMesh polishing cloth (1500-12,000 for perfection). Depending on how furry the stems are post-bleach you may be able to skip sanding and find that a paper towel rubdown with toothpaste and/or baking soda will finish things up nicely.

Finish with a light rub of olive oil.....



Olive Oil can turn rancid sitting on the stem of a pipe if you don't rotate it fast enough...you're better off buying a can of Briar Pipe Wipe and some Handi-Wipes and making yourself some great polishing cloths...Briar Pipe Wipe has Mink Oil, Beeswax, and Lemon Oil in it...much better than olive oil...

[Curly Cut]

:wo, thanks, I'll give the oxiclean a try. :tu
if you soak it in oxiclean, put a dab of Vaseline on any markings on the stem.

[Mister Moo]

Olive Oil can turn rancid sitting on the stem of a pipe if you don't rotate it fast...http://www.jamster.com/storage/view/335/0/ba/Baby_Cow_is_spinning.gif

I must be a fast roto-tater; never experienced a rancid pipe (neither do I coat my pipestems until they're soggy).

[woops]

I never tried this but a reliable hardcase told me a tablespoon of OxiClean in a quart of water soaks nasty vulcanite clean in 30-minutes or longer and, he said, doesn't think it'll hurt any ink or nomenclature on a stem. Do a test soak first if there's any nomenclature you care about on these pipestems. Sounds like the easy way to me.


I've used Oxiclean an a few ULTRA nasty vulcanite stems. I was real generous and didn't measure when I did this. Stems didn't have a nomenclature, so that wasn't a worry for my particular cleaning. I can say that the Oxiclean worked great! The stem was so nasty that the soak fizzed and bubbled when I dropped it in .... as if I had added an Alka-Seltzer.

[spectrrr]

grocery store run scheduled for tomorrow, I'll pick up some oxiclean.

WHY the olive oil or pipe oil or anything for that matter. Or rather, the real question - what happens if you do nothing?

[Neuromancer]

grocery store run scheduled for tomorrow, I'll pick up some oxiclean.

WHY the olive oil or pipe oil or anything for that matter. Or rather, the real question - what happens if you do nothing?

The pipes end up looking dull...

[Demented]

WHY the olive oil or pipe oil or anything for that matter. Or rather, the real question - what happens if you do nothing?

Applying oil to vulcanite stems retards oxidization. I prefer USP (food grade) mineral oil, its colorless, odorless and imparts no flavor of its own, better still it's cheap and will not go rancid.

p.s. it’s sold in supermarkets and pharmacies as a laxative.

[spectrrr]

Ahhhhh, "retards oxidation", dems is the magical words :tu, definately need that since I won't be rotating through the pipes all that much. Thanks!

*adds laxitive to grocery store list*

oxiclean and laxitive.... should look good going through the checkout. I'll just tell him the doc told me to clean out my colon but I coulfnt afford "dem fancy medicines" :tg
Posted via Mobile Device

[Demented]

Ahhhhh, "retards oxidation", dems is the magical words :tu, definately need that since I won't be rotating through the pipes all that much. Thanks!

That rubber stuff will oxidize in time no matter how often the pipe is smoked. Prevention is better than polishing IMO.

[cort]

oxiclean and laxitive.... should look good going through the checkout. I'll just tell him the doc told me to clean out my colon but I coulfnt afford "dem fancy medicines" :tg
Posted via Mobile Device

:r Nice Francis

[BigFrank]

Looks more like you plan on crapping your pants!!!

[spectrrr]

Looks more like you plan on crapping your pants!!!

Same end result, right? :r:r
Posted via Mobile Device

[billyrayvalentin]

I just landed a sampler in the Newbie Pipe Tobacco Trade with English blends, Aromatics, and Vapers. I remember reading something about certain pipe tobacco's soaking up the aromas in the air around them.

Is it okay to keep several different blends in close proximity to each other as long as they are all in their tins or zip locked?

Would there be any reason to separate certain blends from the rest?

Could several different blends be kept together in a mason jar or other sealed container as long as they are all individually zip locked?

Thanks in advance.

[BigFrank]

I tend to keep blends separate. I've found that extremely strong tobaccos, usually aromatics tend to bleed into others. I'm still pretty newb at this, but I would just keep em separate. Main thing is plastic allows things to bleed out. Glass or tins not so much.

[Neuromancer]

I just landed a sampler in the Newbie Pipe Tobacco Trade with English blends, Aromatics, and Vapers. I remember reading something about certain pipe tobacco's soaking up the aromas in the air around them.

Is it okay to keep several different blends in close proximity to each other as long as they are all in their tins or zip locked?

Would there be any reason to separate certain blends from the rest?

Could several different blends be kept together in a mason jar or other sealed container as long as they are all individually zip locked?

Thanks in advance.
:tpd: I have to agree...for a short time the baggies will be fine...I wouldn't put them altogether in a mason jar or humidor or anything like that...I got the C&D Sampler (1 oz. or so of about 10 different blends) and stuck them in a small empty humidor to keep for a few days and totally forgot about them for ages...when I opened it up again I had a pipe tobacco smell in the humi that I still am working at to get out, and all the blends smelled the same and tasted the same...here an idea...go back to the Newbie Pipe Tobacco Trade thread and you'll see a few links and pics I posted for you showing little humidifiers for pipe tobacco...they use pg solution or distilled water...the best buy and best for your purposes would be the little round button ones...buy two packs of those...10-12 or so...then go to the grocery store or wherever they have canning supplies, and get yourself a box (12) of the smallest mason jars they have...I found half-pint ones that hold what I'd guess to be 2-4 ounces of tobacco in each...use those to dump the contents of the baggies into, drop in a humidifier button and you're good to go...I think it was only a few dollars for the canning jars, and they may even have ones that are half the size of the half-pint ones but I'm not sure as I'm not a maven on canning jars...just looked at what would fit my use for some bulk tobacco I was blending and storing...

PS - or you could just buy the smallest size canning jars and stuff one baggie into each individual jar...the baggie should help keep it moist enough in the jar for a short while and the flavors wouldn't blend...

[Gary]

ok, here's a question:

had my first pipe experience recently, a MacArthur Corncob, tried Westminster, and Billy Budd, and Frog Morton Across the Pond. Tried all 3, and all had a very similar taste, the taste of a mixture of burning plastic and a BBQ pit. Weird. I did see a YouTube review saying the Westminster tasted like burning tires. The wife said it smelled like burning wood.

Wondering if I should try another tobacco, or stick with the 3 that I have?? Quite different than the cigars I've been smoking.

[Curly Cut]

if i recall, all 3 of those are "latakia" blends. i'm guessing on the "billy budd", never heard of it. but i do know that Frog and Westminster are heavy on the latakia and have some oriental as well.

they will be very, very similar in taste due to the amount of latakia in there.
if one were a light english, or a light oriental blend, where there were more Virginias present, you could then taste a little bit of difference between the light ones and the 3 you currently have.

there are other genres of pipe tobacco as well, that don't taste anything remotely close to the 3 you have (amen to that).
right now, i'd say you're smoking full english blends, heavy in latakia, generous helping of orientals, and not as much VAs.
you may want to try different blends in different genres. the problem is, if you're still smoking cigars regularly, and those heavy latakia blends, then a light VA based blend might only taste like hot air to you.

[Jack Straw]

I think a full flavor VA or VAPer stands up to the amount of flavor in a cigar, sometimes more.

[BigFrank]

if i recall, all 3 of those are "latakia" blends. i'm guessing on the "billy budd", never heard of it. but i do know that Frog and Westminster are heavy on the latakia and have some oriental as well.

Billy Budd:
A heavy Latakia blend with rough-cut burly and bright Virginia flake and a good amount of rough-cut Connecticut and Wisconsin maduro cigar leaf.

[Aron]

I dare say this has become my favorite thread on CA. Congrats, Mr Moo, you have left me thoroughly entertained =D

I'll ask a question as soon as I van get to a proper computer.

[Mister Moo]

I dare say this has become my favorite thread on CA. Congrats, Mr Moo, you have left me thoroughly entertained =D
Nice to know folks can still get service with a smile these days. And by the way, if you have read all 388 posts there is no way you have a question that isn't answered already. Go back. Read them ALL you lazy slacker.

[spectrrr]

Nice to know folks can still get service with a smile these days. And by the way, if you have read all 388 posts there is no way you have a question that isn't answered already. Go back. Read them ALL you lazy slacker.

based on the picture that kid texted me a few days ago, I wouldnt count on it :tg

[Mister Moo]

based on the picture that kid texted me a few days ago, I wouldnt count on it :tgI suppose a few things haven't been well covered yet.

Pipe with a prickly pear cactus growing out the bowl? (How did this happen?)

Pipe dangling from the empennage of a B-52 in flight? (How do I safely reach my pipe? Will 15 hours exposure to -50* damage my pipe?)

Pipe on the deck of the Titanic? (Will great-grandpaws pipe still smoke OK when Ballard brings it up?)

[Aron]

I suppose a few things haven't been well covered yet.

Pipe with a prickly pear cactus growing out the bowl? (How did this happen?)

Pipe dangling from the empennage of a B-52 in flight? (How do I safely reach my pipe? Will 15 hours exposure to -50* damage my pipe?)

Pipe on the deck of the Titanic? (Will great-grandpaws pipe still smoke OK when Ballard brings it up?)


Mr. Moo, you have NO idea what you've just gotten yourself into.

Prepare to laugh at me, because this is a good one:

From my very first pipe, ever.

5617

Let's just say the match flame got a little too close to the bowl for a little too long. And it was so hot there was no safe way to extinguish the smoldering pipe with my fingers.

Needless to say, I smoked roughly an eighth of my new pipe along with the rest of the tobacco.

I've been doing much better since then :D

[wrench turner 85]

crap happens

[spectrrr]

Did the smoke have delicate notes of corn and missouri heartland?

;s

[Aron]

Amazingly, I didn't really taste any of the corn. And sadly, it was a generic corncob, not a Missouri Meerschaum. I do, however, have these on the way, which I just won from eBay!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160412390286&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

[OLS]

pipe oil or anything for that matter.

I cannot say this is great, cause I am a newbie, but all this talk about beeswax made me go
and get an old beeswax candle kit and make a chunk out of it. I rubbed some onto the wood
and polished it with a cotton cloth. The more friction the cloth made, the easier it took to the
bowl and the more lustrous the bowl became. As the bowl would warm, the beeswax chunk applied
now and again applied much easier and smoother. Looks and feels nice.

[Mister Moo]

:pi Attention new pipe smokers! :pi

:tu All pipe and tobacco questions answered.
:tu All pipe and tobacco problems solved.

Terms of Service: to ask you have to have a serious question; to reply you must have a minimum two years pipe smoking experience. (No snob zone.) There are no stupid questions. Nobody can beat someone with a "Use the search funtion" lead pipe. There will be no rude replies no matter how many times your question has been asked - nosir, not in THIS thread. Maybe a little tiny bit of sarcasm though, just to keep it interesting.

Bring it on.Top post review.

[GreekGodX]

How do you guys store your open tins of baccy? I use mason jars but it's kind of annoying having a new mason jar for every new tin I open. Maybe a cooler-dor for pipe tobacco? My other means of storage is a tupperware with baccy in zip loc bags and a humidification device. I don't really like this as it isn't very organized.

Any suggestions?

[rhmalone]

I keep the tobacco in the ziplock pouch the store puts it in (they label what it is), then I keep those pouches in an old cigar box (an AF 858 box -- I only keep about 6oz or so on hand, about 2-3 different blends).

For what it's worth...

[Mister Moo]

I try to keep no more tins open than what I'll smoke in a month or so - that way it may dry out a bit but, mostly, only enough to make it improve. Beyond that the plastic-bag thingie works for a few weeks but, in my experience, I leave stuff in a baggie longer than I plan to and it turns to dust. Hard to beat those little glass jam-jars with rubber seals on the lid.

If you try to keep small amounts of tobacco moist with a water-soaked clay button or a (thin-thin) slice of apple you need to be careful not to over-moisten - it's easy to generate mold if you don't sweat the H2O details.

[MarkinAZ]

In addition to what Dan has mentioned, I use the Libby type glass jars for storage. The lids generally have a soft plastic seal and snug real tight when placed on the jar. You can see an example here:

http://www.nextag.com/Libbey--2700000/glass-jar-with-lid/brand-html (http://www.nextag.com/Libbey--2700000/glass-jar-with-lid/brand-html)

Look for Libby 70995 15oz at the bottom of the page.

You can find these at a very cheap price at your local thrift shop or 99 cent store (hey, they're actually 99 cents too!). Mine will hold around 3 oz each, and the one I recently purchased at the Salvation Army store cost $2.95 and easily holds 8oz+.

Hope this helps you...

[Mister Moo]

I... I am a newbie... ...talk about beeswax made me go... ...warm...Beeswax will darken unlike other pipe polishes, oils or waxes; this makes it undesirable for someone with a light-finished pipe if they want to stay that way. It also goes a little tacky at relatively low temperature, typically the case with beeswax-coated meerschaum pipes. Beeswax is quick to pick up dirt, oil or tobacco pieces that may be on the smokers hands/fingers. So, while there's nothing inherently wrong with applying beeswax on briar you should know your pipe may unexpectedly darken and the exterior will probably get sticky by mid-smoke.

[OLS]

So, while there's nothing inherently wrong with applying beeswax on briar you should know your pipe may unexpectedly darken and the exterior will probably get sticky by mid-smoke.As long as there is nothing INHERENTLY wrong, lol. Newbness strikes again.:r

[GreekGodX]

Thanks for the tips guys. I've realized I have a lot of open tins. I hate to see it get too dry. I'll prolly just get a few more mason jars or those Libbey ones. Not a fan of the ziploc, I just don't trust them..

[macsauce13]

Do I have to put a screen in the bottom of the bowl? I am about to smoke my first bowl ever.

[Mister Moo]

nah

[baldanders]

Just got a lot of 5 estate pipes off fleebag. They need a good cleaning. Whats the best way to go about cleaning them?
Thanks in advance.

[Mister Moo]

Just got a lot of 5 estate pipes off fleebag. They need a good cleaning. Whats the best way to go about cleaning them?
Thanks in advance.Scrape old crap from the bowl with a Czech pipe tool; spit/paper towel to clean grunge off the rim; wipe bowl exterior with damp soapy cloth until clean; Everclear dipped bristle pipecleaners to rout out the stems. That's the easy stuff.

If the stem are vulcanite and have yellowed, greened or browned there are more serious measures to investigate. Start with Magic Eraser or toothpaste and baking soda for the easiest first effort at removing oxidation. There are all kinds of approaches to cleaning stems, some easier than others. Soaking in OxyClean is said to work; bleach soaking DOES work but can damage (or whiten) markings on a stem and it also furs up vulcanite, thus demanding a fine sanding or polishing after a soak.

Bowls invariably carry some kind of ghost or stink (not to mention spiders, fleas or germs). Brace bowl securely with stem removed in a tipped back position; pack with coarse kosher salt or cotton balls; fill gently to 80% full with Everclear or 91% unscented rubbing alcohol. Do not let drops of booze overflow or touch the outside of the pipe - it'll strip finish in one micro-second. Soak until dry, remove salt (or cotton) and, if nasty looking, refill and repeat. This process destinks, de-ghosts and sanitizes.

That's about it. Practice on the crappiest pipe first to refine your soak-and-scrub technique. Good results can be very rewarding.

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=15299&highlight=estate

[baldanders]

Thanks for the info going to tackle this over the weekend.

[RevSmoke]

If you use salt, do not let it sit for more than 20 minutes. Salt soaks into the briar and may cause the pipe to crack. Use cotton balls and give it couple hours, no need to wait till evaporation.

[KenyanSandBoa]

I have a question for the Old Farts:

There is local convenience store that specializes mainly in cigars and alcohol, but has a fair share of pipe tobacco as well. Me question is, are there decent tobaccos that are more mass produced than others? I have a feeling they are not stocking some of the premium tobaccos you guys prefer, but what is a safe brand for me to look for to try?

Thanks!!

[Mister Moo]

I have a question for the Old Farts:

There is local convenience store that specializes mainly in cigars and alcohol, but has a fair share of pipe tobacco as well. Me question is, are there decent tobaccos that are more mass produced than others? I have a feeling they are not stocking some of the premium tobaccos you guys prefer, but what is a safe brand for me to look for to try?

Thanks!!You need the American Classic Combo, Ken'oa: a pouch of Carter Hall (or Velvet or Prince Albert or Half & Half) a regular sized Missouri Meerschaum corncob pipe (not one of those little mini-things) a bag of fluffy (not bristle) pipecleaners and a Czech pipe multi-tool (or a 10-penny nail). Add to that a box of wood or paper matches and you are golden. $10 to play. Many have concluded it's the best smoking combination on earth at any price.

[MarkinAZ]

Might as well throw a pouch of Granger in there too Dan:D

[KenyanSandBoa]

You need the American Classic Combo, Ken'oa: a pouch of Carter Hall (or Velvet or Prince Albert or Half & Half) a regular sized Missouri Meerschaum corncob pipe (not one of those little mini-things) a bag of fluffy (not bristle) pipecleaners and a Czech pipe multi-tool (or a 10-penny nail). Add to that a box of wood or paper matches and you are golden. $10 to play. Many have concluded it's the best smoking combination on earth at any price.

Might as well throw a pouch of Granger in there too Dan:D



Thanks guys. :tu

I actually have all the equipment to play, I'm just not familiar with the brands of tobacco yet. Marc hooked my up good in the pipe NST, but I figured I might as well pick up some various tobaccos to have on hand and age.

Thanks again...I'll let you know what I pick up.

[Mister Moo]

Might as well throw a pouch of Granger in there too Dan:D

Yeah. Shame on me. How about that Granger? I never actually smoked any Granger, sad to say. I stopped at Carter Hall and figured it (and a cob) couldn't possibly get any better. Gotta try some Granger.

[mariogolbee]

I know the answer may be in here somewhere but it took a while just to read through the first few pages. Can I keep pipe tobacco in a desk top humi?

Thanks in advance!

[BigFrank]

I know the answer may be in here somewhere but it took a while just to read through the first few pages. Can I keep pipe tobacco in a desk top humi?

Thanks in advance!
First answer No. Then..
A lot of factors can play a role in this answer. I'm not sure at what humidity tobacco is ideal to store. But you can keep it in there but it will dry out. Is it in the tin? Just laying it in there?

Two options I always use are as follows. If I'm going to smoke it, within the next 4-6weeks I just keep it in the tin. If I'm going to open a tin, and not smoke it often it goes in a rubber gasket/mason jar.

[RevSmoke]

I know the answer may be in here somewhere but it took a while just to read through the first few pages. Can I keep pipe tobacco in a desk top humi?

Thanks in advance!

First answer No. Then..
A lot of factors can play a role in this answer. I'm not sure at what humidity tobacco is ideal to store. But you can keep it in there but it will dry out. Is it in the tin? Just laying it in there?

Two options I always use are as follows. If I'm going to smoke it, within the next 4-6weeks I just keep it in the tin. If I'm going to open a tin, and not smoke it often it goes in a rubber gasket/mason jar.

Why can't you keep tobacoo in the humi? I have! The problem is that if you have cigars in there too, they will take on the flavors of the tobacco, especially if it is an aromatic or English blend.

As for the humidity level of tobacco, everybody's tastes are different. I like my tobaccos much drier than they are when shipped.

Bulk tobacco I keep int mason jars.
If I have a few tins or pouches., I keep them in tupperware or complete seal rubbermaid.

Well, that's :2

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[BigFrank]

I keep mine with Acids...lololol :r

[mariogolbee]

Right now I have five or six snack sized sandwich bags with maybe 2-5 oz in them and one tin, compliments of Troy the "tobacco as bubble wrap" bandit. I don't know how often I'll be smoking just yet and I don't what a bunch of mason jars lying around. I do have a couple of very small desktop humi's though. There would not be any cigars in there with the bags.

[Demented]

Can I keep pipe tobacco in a desk top humi?

Sure, if you remove the sponge and or beads, but it will dry out in short order, 13% seems to be the humidity level for pipe tobacco, but peoples taste differ. Tobacco in plastic bags it will dry out to much, in or out of a humidor.

The non-aromatic cedar the humidor is lined with, will take on the aroma and flavor of the pipe tobacco, after which these aromas and flavors will be imparted to any cigars you put in the humidor, even after the pipe tobacco is gone.

Airtight jars are the best and safest bet.

[RevSmoke]

Right now I have five or six snack sized sandwich bags with maybe 2-5 oz in them and one tin, compliments of Troy the "tobacco as bubble wrap" bandit. I don't know how often I'll be smoking just yet and I don't what a bunch of mason jars lying around. I do have a couple of very small desktop humi's though. There would not be any cigars in there with the bags.

Do you have any rubbermaid or tupperware? Something big enough to get everything into and with an airtight seal should be fine.

You could put all the baggies in one mason jar - if they fit. Keep the tin tightly sealed.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[mariogolbee]

Thank you gents. I suppose I'll be using a mason jar for now. Should I also throw a humi pouch in the jar or would that raise the rh too much?

[Demented]

Should I also throw a humi pouch in the jar?

No. The tobacco will be the same when it comes out of the jar as it was when it went in. humi pouch is for cigars.

[mariogolbee]

No. The tobacco will be the same when it comes out of the jar as it was when it went in. humi pouch is for cigars.

Time to raid the fridge then. Thanks.

[Demented]

You could put all the baggies in one mason jar.

Putting different blends in one container, whether or not they are in plastic bags will lead to a marriage of flavors.

[Zoomschwortz]

I have a question,

I'm not new to pipes, but I don't smoke them very often, so I believe that I fall under the Newbie pipe smoker title.

My question concerns a pipe I bought for my wife (her first) this past Friday. She always liked the look of the Church Warden pipes so I surprised with one and she smoked it for the first time yesterday.

Here is the question: How can I tell if there is a filter in the stem?

I tried to clean it last night and the pipe cleaner will not go through the stem. It looks like the stem is a 2 piece model, but I can't get the 2 halves to separate and I don't want to break her new pipe. Any suggestions?

Thanks
Ken

[Demented]

Hello Ken,

Without putting hands on it, it’s kind of hard to say. Have you tried removing the stem from the bowl and running a pipecleaner through it from the mortice end?

[Zoomschwortz]

Hello Ken,

Without putting hands on it, it’s kind of hard to say. Have you tried removing the stem from the bowl and running a pipecleaner through it from the mortice end?

Yes I have and the pipe cleaner stops after about 2" that's why I'm thinking it might have a filter.

It looks like the stem might seperate in the area that the pipe cleaner stops when inserted from the top, but try as I might, the upper half of the stem will not twist from the lower half.

When I get home tonight, I will post the name of the pipe incase someone might know about this pipe. It was made in Italy.

My biggest worry is in harming the stem, so I haven't used any tools (ie pliers) to try an seperate the top from the bottom (if there really is a top and bottom)

Thanks
Ken

[Neuromancer]

Yes I have and the pipe cleaner stops after about 2" that's why I'm thinking it might have a filter.

It looks like the stem might seperate in the area that the pipe cleaner stops when inserted from the top, but try as I might, the upper half of the stem will not twist from the lower half.

When I get home tonight, I will post the name of the pipe incase someone might know about this pipe. It was made in Italy.

My biggest worry is in harming the stem, so I haven't used any tools (ie pliers) to try an seperate the top from the bottom (if there really is a top and bottom)

Thanks
Ken

It would help if you post a picture of it...

[Zoomschwortz]

The pipe is a Rigoletto Churchwarden Marrone Chiaro - Billiard.

It is in the top right hand corner of this link.http://www.pipesandcigars.com/rigolettopipes.html

[RevSmoke]

Putting different blends in one container, whether or not they are in plastic bags will lead to a marriage of flavors.

Yes, they will. It isn't a big deal with me. I put different aromatics together. I put Virginias together. I put English blends together.

But, that's just one person's opinion.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[Neuromancer]

I have a question,

I'm not new to pipes, but I don't smoke them very often, so I believe that I fall under the Newbie pipe smoker title.

My question concerns a pipe I bought for my wife (her first) this past Friday. She always liked the look of the Church Warden pipes so I surprised with one and she smoked it for the first time yesterday.

Here is the question: How can I tell if there is a filter in the stem?

I tried to clean it last night and the pipe cleaner will not go through the stem. It looks like the stem is a 2 piece model, but I can't get the 2 halves to separate and I don't want to break her new pipe. Any suggestions?

Thanks
Ken

Yes I have and the pipe cleaner stops after about 2" that's why I'm thinking it might have a filter.

It looks like the stem might seperate in the area that the pipe cleaner stops when inserted from the top, but try as I might, the upper half of the stem will not twist from the lower half.

When I get home tonight, I will post the name of the pipe incase someone might know about this pipe. It was made in Italy.

My biggest worry is in harming the stem, so I haven't used any tools (ie pliers) to try an seperate the top from the bottom (if there really is a top and bottom)

Thanks
Ken

The pipe is a Rigoletto Churchwarden Marrone Chiaro - Billiard.

It is in the top right hand corner of this link.http://www.pipesandcigars.com/rigolettopipes.html

Okay, first of all that pipe is made to come apart so it just may be a very tight fit...try twisting the bowl and stem carefully from side to side to see if you can ease the stem out...after that put some graphite on the tenon so it slides easier and doesn't stick again...second, the reason the pipe cleaner is stopping a few inches in is because you're hitting the beginning of the bend...I doubt that pipe has any kind of filter in it...third, if you are going to clean the stem with regular and/or bristle pipe cleaners you need to get some of the churchwarden size pipe cleaners...hope this helped...

[Zoomschwortz]

Okay, first of all that pipe is made to come apart so it just may be a very tight fit...try twisting the bowl and stem carefully from side to side to see if you can ease the stem out...after that put some graphite on the tenon so it slides easier and doesn't stick again...second, the reason the pipe cleaner is stopping a few inches in is because you're hitting the beginning of the bend...I doubt that pipe has any kind of filter in it...third, if you are going to clean the stem with regular and/or bristle pipe cleaners you need to get some of the churchwarden size pipe cleaners...hope this helped...

Thank you.

The stem does come out of the pipe without and trouble.

With the stem removed from the bowl and while inserting the pipe cleaner into the stem at the bowl end, the cleaner stops within a couple inches.

It is hard to see in the picture, but 1 1/2 squares up from the bowl, the stem looks like it could be 2 pieces, but it sure doesn't want to move at this point.

I do have the long pipe cleaners and there is no problem getting the cleaner 8-10 inches into the stem from the mouth side, but then it stops.

Thanks again.
Ken

[Neuromancer]

I see what you're talking about where it looks like the stem might be two pieces...the only thing I can figure out at this point is that something got in there and blocked the stem...I'd call pipesandcigars.com at this point and explain it to them and they should be able to tell you if the stem is a 2-piece, and/or whether there's some kind of filter jammed up in there now...

[Zoomschwortz]

I see what you're talking about where it looks like the stem might be two pieces...the only thing I can figure out at this point is that something got in there and blocked the stem...I'd call pipesandcigars.com at this point and explain it to them and they should be able to tell you if the stem is a 2-piece, and/or whether there's some kind of filter jammed up in there now...

Thank you.

I'll give it a try.

Have a great weekend.
Ken

[Mister Moo]

Old farts are failing with this stem juncture at every juncture. Here's my shot.

I had one pipe - a good pipe at that - with an internal distortion inside the pipestem airway. Mostly it blocked a pipecleaner yet I could blow air through it. Sometimes I could work a pipecleaner through it (or past it) by bending the end of the pipecleaner a few degrees and twisting it, pushing and probing, until it found the passage and passed; other times a pipecleaner would get blocked, pop through and then drag on the way out leaving a wad of cotton caught in the airway. Then one day after dozens of tries the irregularity broke loose (I never saw what it was), a wad of cotton blew out and all was well.

Conclusion is same as above whatever the problem is - call the seller and ask what's the deal and/or send it back if that's possible. There is no good reason for an airway to prevent passage of a pipecleaner unless it has an internal filter (and, presumably, a way to remove it).

[Zoomschwortz]

Old farts are failing with this stem juncture at every juncture. Here's my shot.

I had one pipe - a good pipe at that - with an internal distortion inside the pipestem airway. Mostly it blocked a pipecleaner yet I could blow air through it. Sometimes I could work a pipecleaner through it (or past it) by bending the end of the pipecleaner a few degrees and twisting it, pushing and probing, until it found the passage and passed; other times a pipecleaner would get blocked, pop through and then drag on the way out leaving a wad of cotton caught in the airway. Then one day after dozens of tries the irregularity broke loose (I never saw what it was), a wad of cotton blew out and all was well.

Conclusion is same as above whatever the problem is - call the seller and ask what's the deal and/or send it back if that's possible. There is no good reason for an airway to prevent passage of a pipecleaner unless it has an internal filter (and, presumably, a way to remove it).

Thankyou for your help.

I tried to probe it with a Czeck tool last night and couldn't get it past or through the blockage.

I will be near the store this weekend, so I will stop in and see what they say.

There is a seam in the area of the blockage and I noticed that one side is black and the other side is very dark gray. If by chance it is supposed to come apart, I would rather have the shop fix or break it or remove the blockage because I have little doubt that one day it will become completely blocked so I better get this thing figured out soon.

Thanks again.
Ken

[Commander Quan]

You could try hand turning a drill bit to get the plastic or whatever is in there out.

[Zoomschwortz]

You could try hand turning a drill bit to get the plastic or whatever is in there out.

I was thinking about that, but wanted to hold off until I knew for sure if it was a filter or not and the more I think about it, this will be a good test to see how the B&M handles this problem.

They get premium prices for their products and I'd like to see if their service is the same, besides, if I break my wifes new and very first pipe, she won't be very happy with me.

Thanks
Ken

[RevSmoke]

Ken, Pipes and Cigars is good peeps. Give them a call and see if they have advice for you. They may not without seeing the pipe. I would guess that they'd either have you send it back or bring it in.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[Mister Moo]

...There is a seam in the area of the blockage and I noticed that one side is black and the other side is very dark gray... KenNew thought. The maker fused two vulcanite (or lucite) sections together for the long stem; it finished with a visible join on the outside and has a major burr inside.

Same conclusion.

[Zoomschwortz]

Ken, Pipes and Cigars is good peeps. Give them a call and see if they have advice for you. They may not without seeing the pipe. I would guess that they'd either have you send it back or bring it in.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

OH NO! I believe that I gave the wrong impression.

I didn't buy this from Pipes and Cigars, but I sure wish I would have, because their price for this pipe was much better than what I paid.

I bought this pipe from a local B&M and it just happened that the only picture I could find online, was theirs.

After seeing Pipes and Cigars prices, I will be checking in with them before I buy another pipe.

I'm sorry about the confusion. It was all my fault.

Thanks for the help.
Ken

[RevSmoke]

OH NO! I believe that I gave the wrong impression.

I didn't buy this from Pipes and Cigars, but I sure wish I would have, because their price for this pipe was much better than what I paid.

I bought this pipe from a local B&M and it just happened that the only picture I could find online, was theirs.

After seeing Pipes and Cigars prices, I will be checking in with them before I buy another pipe.

I'm sorry about the confusion. It was all my fault.

Thanks for the help.
Ken

OK, even better. If it is a local B&M, get over there and give the pipe to them, they should be able to figure it out and stand by their product.

[Cornbread556]

All right guys I've been looking in all the wrong places for an answer. What do I use to polish my briar. I'm guessing that old english might not be a good idea. Two of my pipes have what I thought may be charing around the rim. But I can scrape it off with my thumb kind off sticky. What do I use to clean this area?

[MarkinAZ]

All right guys I've been looking in all the wrong places for an answer. What do I use to polish my briar. I'm guessing that old english might not be a good idea. Two of my pipes have what I thought may be charing around the rim. But I can scrape it off with my thumb kind off sticky. What do I use to clean this area?

If Mr. Moo wakes-up, I'm sure he'll have a spot on answer to your question Robert:D

[spectrrr]

If Mr. Moo wakes-up, I'm sure he'll have a spot on answer to your question Robert:D


:tpd:

[Cornbread556]

No big hurry. Just want to take care of my pipes since I'm starting to get a handfull of real nice ones. That and I try to take care of what I got.

[Mister Moo]

Sorry - low bandwidth at the Friedman Field Research Station in Edmunds, Maine. Fascinating place if you like moose, mussels, clams, geology or wildflowers. :) Very slow to get things done outside of batches.

Human nose oil is excellent; carnauba wax needs a little friction/heat to apply - experience needed so don't try it on a pipe you love fist time out; Halcyon and Halcyon II can be finger-applied and hand buffed to a nice luster; and one drop of olive oil and a soft cotton rag do fine on briar and stems.

[Cornbread556]

Thanks for the reply. I bet it feels better in Maine than it does in La.

[Neuromancer]

As far as the charring around the rim, use a little saliva to wet it down and wipe it off with something...there is a spray can called Arango Briar Pipe Wipe you can buy...you get some handi-wipes and saturate them with the Briar Pipe Wipe then let the handi-wipe dry and you have a polishing cloth that works great...

[MarkinAZ]

Thanks for the reply. I bet it feels better in Maine than it does in La.

Robert, you may want to peruse the following thread I created a while back, asking for suggestions on cleaning a newly found pipe:

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=24452 (http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=24452)

It has some constructive criticism by some of our Inmates here...:tu

[Cornbread556]

Thanks again you guys are full of win

[Mister Moo]

Thanks again you guys are full of winFull of wind? Moi?

[MarkinAZ]

Thanks again you guys are full of wind

Yeah, I think thats what he ment Dan;)

[Mister Moo]

Yeah, I think thats what he ment Dan;)

Can't be sure who he was talking about...

[Samsquanch]

Where do you store your pipe tobacco? I've recently been on the hurtin' end of a NST pipe tobacco trade and have 16 baggies with tobacco in them. It'll take me a while to smoke all of this, even while sharing with friends. I'm thinking of buying a one of those airtight containers used to store flour in. Should I keep a humidification device in the jar? At what humidity? Thanks!

[MarkinAZ]

Where do you store your pipe tobacco? I've recently been on the hurtin' end of a NST pipe tobacco trade and have 16 baggies with tobacco in them...


Hello Andrew,

I saw the damage that Marc sent you. I'm sure you'll find something decent to smoke in that mess;) Regarding your storage question, you may want to try a small cooler with some sort of humidification device (beads, etc.) inside to store the baggies. You can also use this cooler for future purchases too.

If there's a tobaccy that you're gonna smoke on a regular basis, and you're gonna buy 5 or more oz to keep on hand, you may want to look into mason jars or something like this:

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/libbey-70996-22-oz-storage-jar-with-lid-12-cs/55170996.html (http://www.webstaurantstore.com/libbey-70996-22-oz-storage-jar-with-lid-12-cs/55170996.html)

You can usually find the Libby storage type jars at Goodwill shop, 99 cent stores, etc. for around, well, 99 cents to $4.00 each. Wash them out and they are as good as new.

Hope this helps you out...

So where is that old fart anyways?:D;)

[Cornbread556]

So where is that old fart anyways?:D;)[/COLOR]

Last I checked he was full of wind

[BigFrank]

Where do you store your pipe tobacco? I've recently been on the hurtin' end of a NST pipe tobacco trade and have 16 baggies with tobacco in them. It'll take me a while to smoke all of this, even while sharing with friends. I'm thinking of buying a one of those airtight containers used to store flour in. Should I keep a humidification device in the jar? At what humidity? Thanks!
I pick them up by the case for under 10 bucks. New. Ball Mason Jars.

[Samsquanch]

What humidity do you keep the tobacco at? Should I use beads or just a sponge? Thanks.

[MarkinAZ]

What humidity do you keep the tobacco at? Should I use beads or just a sponge? Thanks.

If you're gonna keep the tobacco's in those baggies and in a cooler, I'd use beads to keep the RH in the 68-70 range.

For me, I have the Libby type jars which I simply keep in a drawer, mid-level in the highboy...

[BigFrank]

What humidity do you keep the tobacco at? Should I use beads or just a sponge? Thanks.

I just toss the tobacco into the jar as soon as I get it.

[yachties23]

Occasionally as I'm smoking a bowl, as I get to the bottom half to third it sometimes becomes bland, or even worse sours. What am I doing wrong?

[Mister Moo]

Occasionally as I'm smoking a bowl, as I get to the bottom half to third it sometimes becomes bland, or even worse sours. What am I doing wrong?And hard to keep lighted? That would probably be the result of accumulating moisture. Your pipe needs to dry out. Discover soggy dottle or look for a swampy pipe heel to confirm.

Briar pipe? Meer? Cob? How many smokes per day - per week?

[yachties23]

Briar mostly, I do have a couple corn cobs as well.

I was thinking I may be smoking too fast (hot,) but I'm not really sure. I've noticed it with different blends and in different pipes. I've been pretty good at keeping them clean (to my knowledge) and haven't ever really noticed much moisture buildup when I finish up.

Oh, and It depends, I usually smoke a bowl, than clean, put back up, and smoke again in a day or two.

[Mister Moo]

If the briar is wet you can tell by looking into the bowl. Wet down in the heel of the pipe (at the airway) looks... wet. A couple of smokes/day and a few days rest shouldn't be a problem for a briar - but it might be. Inspect. It's hard to get a cob wet - if they get damp or stale smelling - a day out in the sun makes things smell/smoke better.

So if your pipes are dry enough, try smoking half-filled bowls for a while to improve filling, tamping and smoking technique; try not to over compress on the fill or the tamp. Allow a draw with slight restriction but not tight-tight. And, it's easy to say but hard to do when you start out, smoke slower. :) There is a balance you achieve between tobacco selection, tobacco moisture level, filling/tamping compression and speed of smoking that makes it all work out. Best way to find the balance is to practice and know perfection is just around the corner.

What are you smoking, by the way? Something from a tin, a can or a B&M glass jar? What brand9s) and where from?

[yachties23]

I've noticed it with some McB Virgina1, CD bayou morning flake, and mostly some store bulk stuff. Pipes look dry for the most part, I think its more a technique thing to be honest. I was all excited my re-lights had dropped significantly, but that may be to smoking too fast. I'll try the half bowl thing for a bit, thanks for the advice Moo, you are a cow amongst men.

[Mister Moo]

Pipe smoking takes a bit of time to unwrinkle - it'll all come together but, until then, there is plenty of good smoke along the way.

[postjack]

So I was just on the receiving end of a great deal of pipe tobacco due to the NST. :) Is there any reason I shouldn't store this tobacco in my Edgestar with my cigars? i'm not right now, wanted to check if it was cool first.

[MarkinAZ]

So I was just on the receiving end of a great deal of pipe tobacco due to the NST. Is there any reason I shouldn't store this tobacco in my Edgestar with my cigars?

Hello Jack, unless you want your cigars smelling like GLP Robusto or Charring Cross, I would probably store your newly gathered tobaccy and place them in another type of container (maybe a small Coleman type cooler, Tupperware, etc...).

Others will have further constructive criticism for you...:)

[Mister Moo]

...probably... Certainly?

Poly-bag 'em, stick them in a clean jar, screw on the lid and they'll stay ready-to-smoke for a long time. Pipe smokers generally suffocate their tobacco to good effect.

[postjack]

thanks Mark and MisterMoo, I'll grab some more bags and a jar! this pipe tobacco smells wonderful but not so wonderful I want all my sticks to smell like it.

[BigFrank]

I would just pick a case (12) of Ball mason jars. I've tried just about every route one can take and as far as storage issues and price goes, the mason jars cannot be beat. The Wal-Mart near me has a "roll back on half pint (8ounce) jars for 6 bucks. I find that the half pint jars hold about 1 ounce and change of a ribbon cut tobacco ( more if you mash it down ) and over 2 ounces of a flake style tobacco. I just toss the tobacco in, close the lid tight and label the jar.

[thebayratt]

On average, how many bowls can you get out of a 50g tin?

I know its determined with bowl size, but just a general idea will do.

[MarkinAZ]

On average, how many bowls can you get out of a 50g tin?

I know its determined with bowl size, but just a general idea will do.

Here's a thread to peruse that may help answer your question Shawn:

http://pipesmokersforum.com/forum/index.php?app=forums&module=forums&section=printtopic&client=printer&f=8&t=3593 (http://pipesmokersforum.com/forum/index.php?app=forums&module=forums&section=printtopic&client=printer&f=8&t=3593)

[hotreds]

Pipes and cigars has some nice samplers. Any other websites that offer a variety of samplers to try?

[MarkinAZ]

Pipes and cigars has some nice samplers. Any other websites that offer a variety of samplers to try?

You can try the following:

http://www.ljperetti.com/tobacco.html (http://www.ljperetti.com/tobacco.html)

You can choose from their burley, english, cavendish, or flake blends, and then choose an ounce of a particular blend and build your own sampler.

Basically, you can do this from a number of online retailers that offer bulk and the opportunity to purchase in one ounce increments of that particular blend.

[yachties23]

So I picked up a yello bole from a cigar store that was clearing out their rather small pipe collection. Its brand new, but looks like it had been sitting there for a couple years. Cleaned the briar, and rubbed the inside of the bowl with a paper towel, but I'm having a problem with the stem, its all discolored. Any suggestions on how to remedy this?

[Commander Quan]

Start by cleaning it with a Mr. Clean magic eraser. If that doesn't work you may have to go to some very fine grit sandpaper to clean the oxidized Vulcanite.

[Commander Quan]

Pipes and cigars has some nice samplers. Any other websites that offer a variety of samplers to try?

Call Cornell and Dehl and they'll put together a sampler for you.
"We offer a Trial Pack, (5 blends, 2 ounces each, you pick'em, including premium blends - pressed, too, if it's available) for $31.00, or 8 blends for $40.00 plus S&H. The trial pack may include C&D tinned tobaccos, GL Pease tins, Two Friends blends, and Hermit Capt. Earle blends but the sample will be 1 ounce. "

http://www.cornellanddiehl.com/oldindex.html

[Mister Moo]

...I'm having a problem with the stem, its all discolored. Any suggestions on how to remedy this?A soak in Clorox does wonders but it will also fur up the finish so it'll need subsequent buffing and polishing - it may also remove inked imprints or, at least, make them VERY white.

Woodworking supply joints sell a very cloth-like fabric backed polishing cloth called Micro Mesh. Wet sanding consecutively with 1500/2400/3600/6000/8000/12000 grits will take the worst looking vulcanite to wet-glass finish. It is pretty quick - maybe 20-30 minutes to hand sand crap into perfection.

If you don't have a LOW (I mean, low) speed buffer with small soft flannel wheels don't bother with a benchgrinder cause they will, sooner or later, tear up a nice pipe - trust me on that; if you have a lathe they can be made into great pipe buffers. After fine wet sanding, buff with Tripoli and finish with White Diamond compound.

Absent powered equipment, you cannot beat a little bleach and Micro Mesh in my opinion. So far.

Latest Micro Mesh job with a little wax to finish (last night):

http://i56.tinypic.com/2daj6sy.jpg
http://i51.tinypic.com/ddm22t.jpg

[BigFrank]

Nice looking restore there M'Mo'...Need to do a restore job myself on an old pipe I've got.

[BluesGuy]

Damn Moo....that pipe turned out nice

[Mister Moo]

Well... it did! Nobody was more surprised than I was!

[MarkinAZ]

Well... it did! Nobody was more surprised than I was!

Excellent restor job on the pipe Dan...:tu

[BigFrank]

Hey M'Mo', how long does one of those Micro Mesh kits last. If you just plan on polishing pipe stems?? Also is pipe stem polish worth picking up?

Also, I've got an old nasty stem. I've soaked her in Oxy Clean and scrub her to high hell with a magic eraser, but looks flat and dull. I read somewhere you can polish with Olive Oil. After I put the olive oil on the stem it looks fine, but once I rub it away it goes back to dull town. Need some guidance here.

[scoot]

Is Squadron Leader still available? It seems to be out of stock everywhere I look?

[Mister Moo]

Hey M'Mo', how long does one of those Micro Mesh kits last. If you just plan on polishing pipe stems?? Also is pipe stem polish worth picking up?

Also, I've got an old nasty stem. I've soaked her in Oxy Clean and scrub her to high hell with a magic eraser, but looks flat and dull. I read somewhere you can polish with Olive Oil. After I put the olive oil on the stem it looks fine, but once I rub it away it goes back to dull town. Need some guidance here.

Short of making/buying a proper low speed buffing wheel Micro Mesh is unbeatable to take any stem from scars to stars. I bought a sample set (6"x6" approx pieces from 1200-12,000) a couple of years ago. It lasts a long time big guy. Absent a sub-1000rpm wheel (and Tripoli, White Diamond and carnauba) MMesh, a sink and a little patience is the real deal. IMO.

[Mister Moo]

Is Squadron Leader still available? It seems to be out of stock everywhere I look?Bulk is coming and going - here's 450g http://www.cupojoes.com/cgi-bin/dept?dpt=F&srch=DF&tier2=68;

[MrsCigarLover]

I ran out of matches.... so grabbed my ST Dupont torch lighter....

ummm.... any suggestions on how to get the black off the rim of my pipe or is it burned beyond repair??

[BigFrank]

I ran out of matches.... so grabbed my ST Dupont torch lighter....

ummm.... any suggestions on how to get the black off the rim of my pipe or is it burned beyond repair??

Just take a q - tip and wet it with saliva and use it to wipe down the rim of the pipe. This is what I do. I usually do it when I clean my pipes. If the rim charring is bad, you may need a few q-tips...

[Mister Moo]

Short of making/buying a proper low speed buffing wheel Micro Mesh is unbeatable to take any stem from scars to stars. I bought a sample set...

http://micro-surface.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=273_191&products_id=87

Micro-Mesh™ Regular, 1500, 1800, 2400, 3200, 3600, 4000, 6000, 8000, 12000 - 9 sheets total, 1 per grade. Primary Use: Softer wood, plastics, paint

something like above - $21 and change depending on where you buy it - does it all and lasts a long time. The abrasive is on a cloth/foam backing and is quite flexible when working in tight spots; wet sand and rinse often and, when done, leave clean paper out to dry for later use.

[Emjaysmash]

Not sure if this has been asked before, but I'll give it another shot:

What qualifies an aromatic blend as an aromatic? For example, Butternut Burley is burley tobacco, with a topping. Is it an aromatic? Is it a Burley? Is it and aromatic burley?

[BigFrank]

Not sure if this has been asked before, but I'll give it another shot:

What qualifies an aromatic blend as an aromatic? For example, Butternut Burley is burley tobacco, with a topping. Is it an aromatic? Is it a Burley? Is it and aromatic burley?

Here is a good read if ya get some time MJ. http://pipedia.org/index.php?title=Pipe_Tobaccos

I might have to pop a tin of of BB tonight and revisit it.

[Emjaysmash]

Here is a good read if ya get some time MJ. http://pipedia.org/index.php?title=Pipe_Tobaccos

I might have to pop a tin of of BB tonight and revisit it.

Thanks!

[Benwoo]

So anything with out a plain black stem kind of gets my attention these days. I almost picked up an estate pipe with a clear acrylic stem. Has anyone seen any odd things happen using the salt/alcohol treatments with acrylic or lucite? Lucite I figure is no big deal but it would kind of suck to melt or cloud a clear acrylic stem.

On a side note how do you guys get rid of the burnt rubber vulcanite skank smell? Seems no matter what I do it keeps a funk.

Oh and howdy it has been awhile =D

Chris

[Mister Moo]

Not sure how salt and alcohol figures in with stems, B'oo; I only treat briar with salt and booze.

To destinkify a vulcanite stem (my fave) I use bristle pipe cleaners dipped in Everclear for the inside and clean the exterior back to shiny black with MicroMesh; if you have a for real low speed buffer, buff with Tripoli, White Diamond and polish with carnauba).

[Benwoo]

So a usual alch swabbing should remove the burnt rubber funk?

Ok TY Moo

[Mister Moo]

So a usual alch swabbing should remove the burnt rubber funk?

Ok TY Moo
Well, maybe. It depends on how funky the outside is. When vulcanite oxidizes it does get funky.

Stem in post #481 above was funky inside and out....

[BigFrank]

So anything with out a plain black stem kind of gets my attention these days. I almost picked up an estate pipe with a clear acrylic stem. Has anyone seen any odd things happen using the salt/alcohol treatments with acrylic or lucite? Lucite I figure is no big deal but it would kind of suck to melt or cloud a clear acrylic stem.

I have a Boswell pipe with a acrylic stem that is anything but black. As others said, no salt treatment on the stem. I just take a bristled pipe cleaner, soak it in some rum and scrub that SOB till theres no gunk. I run a pipe cleaner through it, let it dry then give it a practice sip and if there is still a funky taste I just run a few more booze soaked cleaners through the stem...