New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart - Page 10

Nick · 03-18-2009, 11:59 PM

95% of the time I like to smoke tobacco that is drier than most would like. Other people will take the tobacco right out of the tin to the pipe as wet as it comes. It is really a matter of personal preference (like most things concerning pipe smoking). If you like you're tobacco to be a bit damp and springy then that is how you like it and no one should convince you otherwise. If you like it as dry as a bone then that is great too. Try experimenting with different moisture levels and see what you like. You may find you like one blend as dry as the desert but other blends you like to have quite moist. Part of the enjoyment of pipe smoking are the intricacies and experiments. Just remember to have fun and be patient.

Cheers
Nick

SSatVT · 04-08-2009, 03:00 PM

Alright old farts, I have a question being a noob and all...

When I am smoking my corn cob, I have gotten it to stay lit for most of the bowl, but after I tamp or dump (depends on my mood, I guess) for the last time the tobacco stays lit and after a few more sips, it goes out. Is there something that I am doing wrong or is this just the nature of the pipe? there is usually about 5 minutes or so worth of tobacco let when this happens.

Thanks for the help, old wise ones.
Posted via Mobile Device

04-09-2009, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSatVT

Alright old farts, I have a question being a noob and all...

When I am smoking my corn cob, I have gotten it to stay lit for most of the bowl, but after I tamp or dump (depends on my mood, I guess) for the last time the tobacco stays lit and after a few more sips, it goes out. Is there something that I am doing wrong or is this just the nature of the pipe? there is usually about 5 minutes or so worth of tobacco let when this happens.

Thanks for the help, old wise ones.
Posted via Mobile Device

If it is like many corncobs I have seen, the draught hole is high. This causes the final "5 minutes worth" of your bowl to be near or below where the stem comes through. You aren't going to be drawing enough air THROUGH the tobacco to keep it lit. Not much you can do with it which is one of the reasons cobs are cheap.

fissure · 04-10-2009, 11:07 AM

Sorry if this has already been asked.....

What are some good non flavored baccy's for a pipe newb to start out with? I bought a sampler of Boswell flavored a couple years ago, and then switched to cigars. Now want to get back into the pipe a little more.

Mister Moo · 04-10-2009, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fissure

Sorry if this has already been asked.....

What are some good non flavored baccy's for a pipe newb to start out with? I bought a sampler of Boswell flavored a couple years ago, and then switched to cigars. Now want to get back into the pipe a little more.

A clever BOTL on another board hit good-starter highlights with:

For VA: Rattray's Hal O The Wynd or Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake
For English: GL Pease Westminster or Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader
For Va/Per: AC Peterson Escudo or pipesandcigars.com Anniversary Kake
For Burley: pipesandcigars.com Butternut Burley

These are tested winners that most pipe smokers will acknowledge as top-drawer examples of their class. Or not. Personally, I like Squadron Leader (SL) a lot but think it's either oriental or an atypical english blend. I suggest SL but also a more classic alternative for english tobak, Stokkebyes Proper English.

fissure · 04-10-2009, 12:12 PM

Thanks Dan

Curly Cut · 07-24-2009, 09:29 PM

someone did an actual test in temperature of the "smoke" from a churchwarden compared to a normal sized billiard and there wasn't a discernable difference in temp of the smoke/steam - not one that would be noticeable by the tongue.

i have a neighbor that loves his churchwarden pipes, but i attribute that to his pure laziness of not wanting to lift his arms to hold the pipe up by his chin - he'd rather fold his arms, rest his pipe on his forearm... any excess movement might make him pass out.
(not sarcasm - i have a pic of him smoking a churchwarden with his arms folded, pipe resting on his arm)

TheTraveler · 07-27-2009, 10:51 AM

Not a pipe newbie but I do have a question to ask for those older and wiser inmates. I've picked up a handful of estate briars at antique shops, yard sales and flea markets over the last year. All but two of them had a wad of unsmoked tobacco left in them and all but three had a crazy-thick cake on them. My questions are:
. Have smokers' habits changed that much in the last twenty years?
. Did 'old-timers' make a habit of leaving unsmoked tobacco in the bowl?
. Am I making too big a deal over these neglected pipes when compared to the (assumed) larger number of well-maintained pipes still in smokers' rotations?
. Why, oh why, did 'old-timers' leave such thick cakes in their pipes?

Mister Moo · 07-27-2009, 01:32 PM

Quote:

...I've picked up a handful of estate briars at antique shops, yard sales and flea markets over the last year. All but two of them had a wad of unsmoked tobacco left in them and all but three had a crazy-thick cake on them. My questions are:
. Have smokers' habits changed that much in the last twenty years?
. Did 'old-timers' make a habit of leaving unsmoked tobacco in the bowl?
. Am I making too big a deal over these neglected pipes when compared to the (assumed) larger number of well-maintained pipes still in smokers' rotations?
. Why, oh why, did 'old-timers' leave such thick cakes in their pipes?

I've wondered about those guys too. My take is they weren't thinking too hard. I have purchased a couple of trashed estate pipes of real quality that were, fortunately, recoverable. Mostly, though, the trashed ones I see were pipes without any particular merit then or now.

Take a not-too-whippy Grabow from Sparta, NC, fill it with goop-oid aromatic drugstore stuff 10-15 times a week and, voila - caked thick and nasty in a year. Two years and maybe 11 pipecleaners later you're halfway thru a smoke and think, "Feh! This pipe tastes like dog pooter. I will go back to General Hardware and buy a new one." Old stinky, half-smoked and never cleaned, goes to the back of the dresser drawer until 40-years later when the kids are cleaning things out. I got a great Brakner like this recently - most of the rest have been Grabows or no-names.

TheTraveler · 07-27-2009, 01:51 PM

Thanks, Dan. I was thinking along those lines too. Hey, their loss is certainly our gain!

alley00p · 07-28-2009, 08:52 PM

By way of introduction, I used to smoke pipes back in the '70s, but sort of got away from the habit when my favorite tobacco disappeared from the scene. My pipes all got packed in an old cigar box and disappeared somewhere in the house when we did some major remodeling in the late '80s.

I decided to try pipe smoking again recently, but since I can't find my old pipes right now, and I missed out on some of the recent sales in the WTS/WTB/WTT thread, I headed over to Ebay. I picked up a couple of estate pipes that look decent and will try them out when they arrive.

While searching, I came upon this device: "PIPE CLEANING RETORT - Item #270434301489". Has anyone ever used something like this to clean pipes, especially estate pipes that are especially dirty?

Thanks in advance! I'm sure that I'll be back with more questions for you esteemed "Old Farts", as soon as my "new" pipes arrive next week!

alley00p · 08-17-2009, 07:18 PM

I'd like to ask a newbie question. What do many of you mean when you talk about rubbing out some tabak before filling your pipe bowl?

There are some terms used by many of you that just don't compute to this newbie smoker.

I've always just filled the bowl with the chosen tobacco, lit, it and commenced smoking.
What am I missing here?

Thanks in advance!

Mister Moo · 08-17-2009, 09:55 PM

Many tobaccos are compressed (flat or round) and then sliced into flakes. While flakes can often be rolled up or folded and simply stuffed (or screwed) into a pipe there are times where you might do better breaking the stuff up into finer pieces. Sometimes a flake tastes better and sometimes it burns better when it's "rubbed out" to a finer texture. If you get your hands on some flake tobak you'll figure it out in about 2-minutes.

Some flakes are pre-mangled (shredded) at the factory and they call that ready-rubbed. Some ready rub is good right into the pipe and, sometimes, it's a bit too coarse and needs to be rubbed out further by the smoker. And so on and so forth. Try some flake tobaks. They great.

Slow Triathlete · 08-18-2009, 08:57 AM

Also, you can always cut up a flake with a knife or put it into a coffee grinder for a finer cut if you like. There's really no right or wrong way to smoke flakes or rub them out.

I always rub out my flakes somewhat. I have tried to get the fold and pack technique down but it never works for me. I have, however, seen Moo fold and pack some Navy Flake and it worked like a dream. I guess it comes with experience.

Mister Moo · 08-18-2009, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slow Triathlete

Also, you can always cut up a flake with a knife or put it into a coffee grinder for a finer cut if you like. There's really no right or wrong way to smoke flakes or rub them out.

I always rub out my flakes somewhat. I have tried to get the fold and pack technique down but it never works for me. I have, however, seen Moo fold and pack some Navy Flake and it worked like a dream. I guess it comes with experience.

The trouble is that, while you might be a fart, you're not an OLD fart. It's all the difference. However, the clock is ticking. I've had more good luck with fold'n'stuffing MacBarens Navy Flake than some others. Maybe this is because MNF arrives more dry in the tin than many others - or maybe the burley burns better than my more favored un-burley flakes. shrug Try the Mac - it's a snap as flakes go. Escudo is a good roller-folder if it's dry enough but can ruin my day when it's fresh and damp.

'A'y'oop, there are many flake products to try and experiment with when you feel inclined. Some people favor them and some never bother. Escudo is the all time great VaPer; Stokkebyes Luxury Bullseye Flake is a rocksolid great product; the MacB Navy Flake is good; Full Virginia flake... It's a long list of what to try.

alley00p · 08-18-2009, 02:10 PM

Thanks Dan and Scott! Most of the tobacco that I've tried seems to be cut in "ribbons" I guess, but I came across a couple of small tins at a small shop nearby that had a tin of Dunhill Light Flake Virginia Tobacco - possibly Murray's - it says made in the UK, and I also bought a small tin of Mac Baren Viginia Flake. Are these the "VA" types of tobaccos that I hear so much about on this forum? Are these decent blends? I've never smoked any of these. I've pretty been enjoying my Klompen Kloggen sample as well as Carter Hall and good ole' Prince Al, while breaking in my new "estate pipes.

Slow Triathlete · 08-18-2009, 08:20 PM

I bow down to your wisdom Moo. You are correct. I am not as long in the tooth as you but I'm not too far behind.

Knock, knock
Who's there?
40 years old
Oh crap!!

Slow Triathlete · 08-26-2009, 08:44 PM

Matt, a ton of people do that. They make their own tobacco parfait if you will. I usually do something similar if I do this like a Virginia on top and a Virginia/Perique blend on bottom. But I have heard of some crazy combinations like an aromatic on top and a heavy latakia blend on bottom.

It is all about personal tastes. If you have two favorites give it a try. You never know what you may find.

On a side note, this reminds me of a time in college when I thought that it would be a good idea to put garlic powder on my tuna fish sandwich. My thought process was that I liked tuna fish sandwiches and I liked garlic powder so why not mix them?!?!?! Do not try that at home. It was disgusting!

RevSmoke · 08-26-2009, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slow Triathlete

Matt, a ton of people do that. They make their own tobacco parfait if you will. I usually do something similar if I do this like a Virginia on top and a Virginia/Perique blend on bottom. But I have heard of some crazy combinations like an aromatic on top and a heavy latakia blend on bottom.

It is all about personal tastes. If you have two favorites give it a try. You never know what you may find.

On a side note, this reminds me of a time in college when I thought that it would be a good idea to put garlic powder on my tuna fish sandwich. My thought process was that I liked tuna fish sandwiches and I liked garlic powder so why not mix them?!?!?! Do not try that at home. It was disgusting!

First, I like garlic on my tuna - kills the taste of the tuna.

Second, I like parfaits. VaPers, with English. VA, with VaPers. And yes, VaPers finished with English.

09-06-2009, 01:38 AM

1. What humidity should I store my pipe tobacco in?

2. Is the tobacco okay with various blends in their own individual plastic baggies yet intermingled with other blends in their own plastic baggies? For example I've 3 small bags of tobacco, each a different blend, in the same humidor.

3. Lastly, is there any issue keeping a tin of tobacco in my humidor with my other non-tinned tobacco?

Thanks in advance!

03-18-2009, 11:59 PM	#1
Nick Feeling at Home Join Date: Jan 2009 First Name: That's confidential Location: Cali Posts: 623 Trading: (4)	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa 95% of the time I like to smoke tobacco that is drier than most would like. Other people will take the tobacco right out of the tin to the pipe as wet as it comes. It is really a matter of personal preference (like most things concerning pipe smoking). If you like you're tobacco to be a bit damp and springy then that is how you like it and no one should convince you otherwise. If you like it as dry as a bone then that is great too. Try experimenting with different moisture levels and see what you like. You may find you like one blend as dry as the desert but other blends you like to have quite moist. Part of the enjoyment of pipe smoking are the intricacies and experiments. Just remember to have fun and be patient. Cheers Nick __________________ "Kid Pipe" -Thanks Moo "A wise woman never separates a man from his pipe", Laurette Taylor

04-10-2009, 11:07 AM	#4
fissure DHC Black Ops Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Steve Location: Grand Blanc, Mi Posts: 1,184 Trading: (48)	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa Sorry if this has already been asked..... What are some good non flavored baccy's for a pipe newb to start out with? I bought a sampler of Boswell flavored a couple years ago, and then switched to cigars. Now want to get back into the pipe a little more.

04-10-2009, 12:12 PM	#6
fissure DHC Black Ops Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Steve Location: Grand Blanc, Mi Posts: 1,184 Trading: (48)	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa Thanks Dan

07-24-2009, 09:29 PM	#7
Curly Cut Not Scary Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 669 Trading: (9)	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa someone did an actual test in temperature of the "smoke" from a churchwarden compared to a normal sized billiard and there wasn't a discernable difference in temp of the smoke/steam - not one that would be noticeable by the tongue. i have a neighbor that loves his churchwarden pipes, but i attribute that to his pure laziness of not wanting to lift his arms to hold the pipe up by his chin - he'd rather fold his arms, rest his pipe on his forearm... any excess movement might make him pass out. (not sarcasm - i have a pic of him smoking a churchwarden with his arms folded, pipe resting on his arm) __________________ *To be 2nd guessed, You have to be the 1st guesser.*

07-27-2009, 10:51 AM	#8
TheTraveler giggity giggitty Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Jonathan Location: Near a Walmart Posts: 1,813 Trading: (12)	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa Not a pipe newbie but I do have a question to ask for those older and wiser inmates. I've picked up a handful of estate briars at antique shops, yard sales and flea markets over the last year. All but two of them had a wad of unsmoked tobacco left in them and all but three had a crazy-thick cake on them. My questions are: . Have smokers' habits changed that much in the last twenty years? . Did 'old-timers' make a habit of leaving unsmoked tobacco in the bowl? . Am I making too big a deal over these neglected pipes when compared to the (assumed) larger number of well-maintained pipes still in smokers' rotations? . Why, oh why, did 'old-timers' leave such thick cakes in their pipes? __________________ "My life is my own."

04-08-2009, 03:00 PM	#2
SSatVT Still Watching My Back Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Seth Location: Triad, NC Posts: 102 Trading: (2)	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa Alright old farts, I have a question being a noob and all... When I am smoking my corn cob, I have gotten it to stay lit for most of the bowl, but after I tamp or dump (depends on my mood, I guess) for the last time the tobacco stays lit and after a few more sips, it goes out. Is there something that I am doing wrong or is this just the nature of the pipe? there is usually about 5 minutes or so worth of tobacco let when this happens. Thanks for the help, old wise ones. Posted via Mobile Device

07-27-2009, 01:51 PM	#10
TheTraveler giggity giggitty Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Jonathan Location: Near a Walmart Posts: 1,813 Trading: (12)	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa Thanks, Dan. I was thinking along those lines too. Hey, their loss is certainly our gain! __________________ "My life is my own."

07-28-2009, 08:52 PM	#11
alley00p Adopted MassHole Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Charlie Location: HOCKEYTOWN! Posts: 1,770 Trading: (41)	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa By way of introduction, I used to smoke pipes back in the '70s, but sort of got away from the habit when my favorite tobacco disappeared from the scene. My pipes all got packed in an old cigar box and disappeared somewhere in the house when we did some major remodeling in the late '80s. I decided to try pipe smoking again recently, but since I can't find my old pipes right now, and I missed out on some of the recent sales in the WTS/WTB/WTT thread, I headed over to Ebay. I picked up a couple of estate pipes that look decent and will try them out when they arrive. While searching, I came upon this device: "PIPE CLEANING RETORT - Item #270434301489". Has anyone ever used something like this to clean pipes, especially estate pipes that are especially dirty? Thanks in advance! I'm sure that I'll be back with more questions for you esteemed "Old Farts", as soon as my "new" pipes arrive next week! __________________ Alley00p - I may be a FOG, but I'm still trying to dance!! Just don't trip over my cane!

08-17-2009, 07:18 PM	#12
alley00p Adopted MassHole Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Charlie Location: HOCKEYTOWN! Posts: 1,770 Trading: (41)	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa I'd like to ask a newbie question. What do many of you mean when you talk about rubbing out some tabak before filling your pipe bowl? There are some terms used by many of you that just don't compute to this newbie smoker. I've always just filled the bowl with the chosen tobacco, lit, it and commenced smoking. What am I missing here? Thanks in advance! __________________ Alley00p - I may be a FOG, but I'm still trying to dance!! Just don't trip over my cane!

08-17-2009, 09:55 PM	#13
Mister Moo I barely grok the obvious Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Dan Location: Lizard Lick, NC Posts: 1,417 Trading: (3)	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa Many tobaccos are compressed (flat or round) and then sliced into flakes. While flakes can often be rolled up or folded and simply stuffed (or screwed) into a pipe there are times where you might do better breaking the stuff up into finer pieces. Sometimes a flake tastes better and sometimes it burns better when it's "rubbed out" to a finer texture. If you get your hands on some flake tobak you'll figure it out in about 2-minutes. Some flakes are pre-mangled (shredded) at the factory and they call that ready-rubbed. Some ready rub is good right into the pipe and, sometimes, it's a bit too coarse and needs to be rubbed out further by the smoker. And so on and so forth. Try some flake tobaks. They great. __________________ "I hope you had the time of your life."

08-18-2009, 08:57 AM	#14
Slow Triathlete I Need A Beer!! Join Date: Nov 2008 First Name: Scott Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 369 Trading: (11)	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa Also, you can always cut up a flake with a knife or put it into a coffee grinder for a finer cut if you like. There's really no right or wrong way to smoke flakes or rub them out. I always rub out my flakes somewhat. I have tried to get the fold and pack technique down but it never works for me. I have, however, seen Moo fold and pack some Navy Flake and it worked like a dream. I guess it comes with experience.

08-18-2009, 02:10 PM	#16
alley00p Adopted MassHole Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Charlie Location: HOCKEYTOWN! Posts: 1,770 Trading: (41)	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa Thanks Dan and Scott! Most of the tobacco that I've tried seems to be cut in "ribbons" I guess, but I came across a couple of small tins at a small shop nearby that had a tin of Dunhill Light Flake Virginia Tobacco - possibly Murray's - it says made in the UK, and I also bought a small tin of Mac Baren Viginia Flake. Are these the "VA" types of tobaccos that I hear so much about on this forum? Are these decent blends? I've never smoked any of these. I've pretty been enjoying my Klompen Kloggen sample as well as Carter Hall and good ole' Prince Al, while breaking in my new "estate pipes. __________________ Alley00p - I may be a FOG, but I'm still trying to dance!! Just don't trip over my cane!

08-18-2009, 08:20 PM	#17
Slow Triathlete I Need A Beer!! Join Date: Nov 2008 First Name: Scott Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 369 Trading: (11)	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa I bow down to your wisdom Moo. You are correct. I am not as long in the tooth as you but I'm not too far behind. Knock, knock Who's there? 40 years old Oh crap!!

08-26-2009, 08:44 PM	#18
Slow Triathlete I Need A Beer!! Join Date: Nov 2008 First Name: Scott Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 369 Trading: (11)	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa Matt, a ton of people do that. They make their own tobacco parfait if you will. I usually do something similar if I do this like a Virginia on top and a Virginia/Perique blend on bottom. But I have heard of some crazy combinations like an aromatic on top and a heavy latakia blend on bottom. It is all about personal tastes. If you have two favorites give it a try. You never know what you may find. On a side note, this reminds me of a time in college when I thought that it would be a good idea to put garlic powder on my tuna fish sandwich. My thought process was that I liked tuna fish sandwiches and I liked garlic powder so why not mix them?!?!?! Do not try that at home. It was disgusting!

09-06-2009, 01:38 AM	#20
Slavac Guest Posts: n/a	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa 1. What humidity should I store my pipe tobacco in? 2. Is the tobacco okay with various blends in their own individual plastic baggies yet intermingled with other blends in their own plastic baggies? For example I've 3 small bags of tobacco, each a different blend, in the same humidor. 3. Lastly, is there any issue keeping a tin of tobacco in my humidor with my other non-tinned tobacco? Thanks in advance!