I checked the briarpatch yesterday and joined. Looks like a good place with good people.
I've been trying all kinds of different tobaccos, It seems that I like to change it up a lot and haven't really settled on an every day blend, although I bought a pound of Lane 1Q and tend to grab a quick bowl of that often when I take the dog out. I have about ten different briars now and have them "kinda" dedicated to different types of tobaccos. I usually grab a pipe based on what I feel like smoking, but sometimes I grab a tobacco based on the pipe I want to smoke. Ha!
I have bought a handful of estate pipes on Ebay-mostly cheaper pipes that were in rough shape so I could work on my restoration skills. I got a couple of beat up Brewster coupon pipes for about 10 bucks that had serious stem issues and restored them. I started using one for cherry aromatics (I've settled on Lane Very Cherry for when I want to go that way) and it is a great smoker and turning into one of my favorite pipes. P&C runs a special every now and then on unfinished Savinelli for 50 bucks. I got a large bent brandy and love it so much a bought another, a bent Dublin. Both are great smokers.
My favorite cheap Brewster
View attachment 553670 View attachment 553675View attachment 553671View attachment 553672
This one had an over severely oxidized, over-clocked stem that I had to clean up and reset. The briar was dark and filthy and it was almost closed off with cake. When I finished it, I gave it to my son.
View attachment 553676