Pipe smoking, a lost art.

[Arlen]

I'm a big pipe smoker myself and have turned many friends on to the hobby. I only have a modest collection of pipes at the moment but all of them are well loved and used regularly. I'll often pair different tobaccos with beers. (A friend of mine even created a cocktail to go with Black Cavendish.)
It's one of my many 'old man' hobbies according to my wife.

 

[Dan]

Anybody into the english blends? I had a tin of Latakia from either McBarrens or McClellans at one time, broke in a pipe with it and only smoked it in that pipe. Very unique flavor, enjoyed while it lasted which was a very long time but never bought another tin.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Anybody into the english blends? I had a tin of Latakia from either McBarrens or McClellans at one time, broke in a pipe with it and only smoked it in that pipe. Very unique flavor, enjoyed while it lasted which was a very long time but never bought another tin.

The only Latakia blend that comes to mind for me right now is McClelland Oriental No. 1.

Really liked the black pepper finish on that one.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

My all time favorite is Torben Dansk - Blue Note. But if I had to stick with one line of tobacco only, I'd be happy with any Frog Morton.

 

[Dan]

That might be what it was. It's been a few years.

Think I need to find a local tobacco shop and start trying new tobaccos again. There are plenty of places online to shop but nothing like opening a jar and checking it out ahead of time. When I lived in southern Ca many years ago there was a mom and pop tobacco shop I frequented often. One day I was sniffing the jars and the mama told me they put different tobaccos around their house like you would potpourri. I thought it pretty cool at the time, but not so much now.

 

[Dan]

My all time favorite is Torben Dansk - Blue Note. But if I had to stick with one line of tobacco only, I'd be happy with any Frog Morton.

I've read about Frog Morton and it always sounded interestinig (maybe the cool name) What's it like?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I've read about Frog Morton and it always sounded interestinig (maybe the cool name) What's it like?

It's been way too long for me to recall any specific details but I always remember them to be a very smooth, silky touch of sweet, and not overpoweringly aromatic smoke. No one thing stands out in my memory of any of the Frog Morton's except that I consistently enjoyed them all.

 

[Dan]

Looks like another I need to try!

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Looks like another I need to try!

My local used ot offer a 4 tin sampler of Frog Morton for $35 flat.

 

[Dan]

The problem with living where I do is there aren't any tobacco shops around. Well that's probably not completely true since I haven't really checked recently. I think the last time I bought tobacco locally it was at a mall store called John (something). Not bad, they have a few cigars and bulk pipe tobacco but no "specialty" tins. And no Frog Morton. Looks like internet shopping is going to be the win, again.

 

[aygov]

You HAVE to get a pipe. Even if you only use it to smoke the last 2 inches of the cigar, you will get more than your money's worth.

Good pint, er, point.

aygov, Next time you go to a drug store (CVS, WalGreens) look behind the register for drugstore bags of tobacco. Around there you will likely find a Grabow pipe (A Duke, or a Savoy most likely). Should be around $10 at most.

stay away from the bulk bags of tobacco (IMO) but a pouch of Prince albert is a decent smoke. Captain Black is amazingly aromatic but a bit rough. I actually like to blend the PA with the CB for a decent working mans tobacco if I can;'t get to a smoke shop for a quility tin.

Thanks for the tips guys!

 

[static]

Smoked some of the tobacco I grew last year, last night.

Mild but extremely pleasant. Probably should have shredded it more like spaghetti, but it works.

Not to derail but.... Cheezy grows his own? Whats da scoop?

 

[jeepinjeepin]

Not to derail but.... Cheezy grows his own? Whats da scoop?

Kinda got me interested too. Next door neighbor grew some from time to time. His father farmed several hundred acres of tobacco. I wonder if they still have any seed?

 

[cheezydemon3]

I was hoping for Captain Black, so homegrown was a little disapointing at first.

The hot curing required to get the rich caramels and roasted notes are out of reach for the residential homegrower I am afraid.


That said, for a nice sweet mellow smoke with NO additives, it is quite nice.

I had 6 plants grown from seed that reached 7-8 ft tall each. Hung them in the attic for 6 months to cure. Humidity levels need to be watched, but I lucked out that summer.

The smell of hanging tobacco coming from the attic vent mixed with my harvesting hops was magic.

 

[Dan]

Sorry these pics are so big.

A few pics of my pipes and pipe stuff.

The Sherlock Holmes pipe case. I inherited from my dad. Inside are some of my pipes and ones inherited from Dad and my uncle.

[/IMG]

Opened up.

I really need to clean these old pipes up and start using them again.

The white one on the bottom is my uncle's old meerschaum. He had a calabash but I don't know where it is right now. He literally chewed through the tip of the stem and the little bit of white you see at the top of it is a band aid holding it on. For real, a band aid! I've never smoked it. This pipe has not had tobacco in it in 20 years and it still smells sweet.

A Danish pipe. I can't make out the makers name anymore. I think the letters shrunk over the years. I made that little pipe stand, had a few of them and gave away to friends over time.

The next couple photos are of a pipe rack I made around 15 years ago. Holds 9 pipes and there is some storage area for tobacco, pipe cleaners, matches, etc. The wood I believe is maple, I don't remember.

 

[static]

:rockin:

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

My very modest collection. A few Missouri Meerscam, a couple Lorenzo, some Grabow, Churchwarden, and a small sampling of leftover tobacco's.

Mithral, Frog Morton Across the Pond, Blue Note, Oriental No. 1, Barberry Coast, Burley London Blend, Virginia No. 1, RLP 6, and Butternut Burley.

 

[Dan]

Great collection GMB! I really like that Churchwarden. I've got to get me one of those things. From what I've heard they are about the coolest smoking pipe ever made.

Edit:

PS. You ever smoke one of those briars while posting on the "Riddle Thread" ?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Great collection GMB! I really like that Churchwarden. I've got to get me one of those things. From what I've heard they are about the coolest smoking pipe ever made.

Edit:

PS. You ever smoke one of those briars while posting on the "Riddle Thread" ?

I do like mine, but it gurgles everytime. That one is 12 Inches from bit to bowl.

As to the riddles, possible.

I need to find my LoTR style churchwarden. Now that one is truely something. Not sure where it is now. Wasn't with the others. IIRC, it's something like 20 Inches. Hard fvcker to clean too.

 

[Dan]

I hate when a pipe gurgles. Amazing how popular they use to be back in their heyday. Maybe it's just me but I don't think as many people smoke them as when I was growing up. It takes some practice and technique to successfully smoke a briar. Patience is key... hmm, that sounds familiar on the HBT forum!

Yeh I know what you mean about a pipe gone missing. One of my best pipes, I don't even remember the name of it or who made it but I think it is a Peterson. I broke the bottom of the tip from biting down to hard. Greatest pipe in the collection and it seems to have gone on a walkabout and is missing in action.

Missouri Meerscam, I just caught that on rereading your post. Never heard that term before. Would that happen to be corncob pipes?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Missouri Meerscam, I just caught that on rereading your post. Never heard that term before. Would that happen to be corncob pipes?

Yep. It's the cobb brand. Just can't make that kind of thing up.

Regarding your collection, I am coveting that Rodesian.

 

[Dan]

Thanks. I have to admit I didn't know what a Rodesian was and had to google it!

I've always just heard them referred to as 1/4 bent. I guess I have two or three of them. The one that is faded orangish with the large bowl (it's faded because it sat in the sun in my car to long) is a bit of a dissapointment. The walls are fairly thick, it was sort of expensive around $120 and just doesn't smoke as cool as I thought it would. That would more than likely be fixed if I smoked it a lot more and built the cake up on the walls.

Probably the best seasoned pipe I have was my dad's favorite. It's on the upper shelf of the SH cabinet, the square bowled one. You can see it's pretty well broken in. The one to it's left a Canadian is a pretty good smoker too. (Also one of my Dad's old pipes)

 

[Dan]

Yep. It's the cobb brand. Just can't make that kind of thing up.

Regarding your collection, I am coveting that Rodesian.

I really like corncob pipes. They're cheap and smoke great in my experience. Sometimes when I'm feeling a bit country and working in the yard, just got to throw on the bib-overalls and fire up my corn cob.. err Missouri Meerschaum!

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Yeah. I am talking about the Orange'ish one with the fat, flat, and very round bowl. The one next to it looks like a tomato.

What you describe about the Rhodesian is my churchwarden. Burns too hot (the finish has even blistered and I don't don't draw it hard), taking way too long to season properly as a result, and it gurgles everytime no matter what I do. But it feels so nice in the hand.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I really like corncob pipes. They're cheap and smoke great in my experience. Sometimes when I'm feeling a bit country and working in the yard, just got to throw on the bib-overalls and fire up my corn cob.. err Missouri Meerschaum!

Yep. Those and my mini grand duke are my yard pipes. The churchwarden is my sittin' on my arse pipe. And the Lorenzo's are my brewin', gamin', or travelin' pipes.

 

[Dan]

Yeah. I am talking about the Orange'ish one with the fat, flat, and very round bowl. The one next to it looks like a tomato.

What you describe about the Rhodesian is my churchwarden. Burns too hot (the finish has even blistered and I don't don't draw it hard), taking way too long to season properly as a result, and it gurgles everytime no matter what I do. But it feels so nice in the hand.

Tomato! That's funny. My camera sucks. The pipe is actually not red and smoke pretty decently.

I'm suprised to hear your churchwarden is a hot pipe. I always read they were one of the coolest smoking pipes around. I hate when my pipe starts gurgling. I don't remember what brand it is, it might be some Petersons? (I'm probably wrong) but they have a drain in the bottom, or resevoir to hold the liquid that builds up.

You might find this interesting. Two of the pipes in the top shelf of the SH cabinet have bowls that screw on/off. The skinny ones. Under the bowl is a filter/sponge. It helps with moisture control. Works pretty well.

Yep. Those and my mini grand duke are my yard pipes. The churchwarden is my sittin' on my arse pipe. And the Lorenzo's are my brewin', gamin', or travelin' pipes.

I really like the Lorenzo shape. I wish I could find my uncles old meerschaum calabash though. Man, I could be a genious with one of those things.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Tomato refers to the shape, but it could be the camera angle.

Never seen anything with a moisture control aside from a filter type pipe.

One of my Lorenzo's is a Filtro, the other is not. And of course all the Grabow's are filter'able. The one pipe that NEEDS a filter is the churchwarden. That would resolve the gurgling. As for it being hot, it's just the bowl. The smoke is silky. I am sure once that bowl gets properly seasoned it will cool off just fine.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

What got you started on pipes?

For me it was a gift. My MIL knew I liked to smoke and she was traveling here from Malaysia for an extended stay. She brought me a cheap, chinese made bulldog pipe and a pouch of local tobacco.

I liked the novelty of pipes but never got "committed" into smoking only a pipe. I packed them all away last year. Smoking only once in a while. This thread brought them all back out.

 

[Dan]

Good to hear that. I'm going to get a churchwarden! Think I might get back into the pipe smoking hobby in general. Do you use anything to clean the exterior?

I think I use to use Pledge on the bowls exterior, olive oil on the stem and I believe bee wax shank(?) the part that fits into the pipe.

I think I used a heavily salted water solution or maybe it was just pure salt in the bowl to clean them. Used sweetner a few times but then read someting about putting rum in the bowl. My pipes, the ones I have bought don't smell anywhere near as sweet as my Dad's or uncles. I think they both used a sweetner. Like the title of this thread said "...lost art" I just don't think there is as much common knowledge about pipes as there once was.

I remember walking into "The Tinderbox", inside the local mall. People were smoking pipes in there, talking about pipes, checking out tobaccos, the owner always had a pipe in his mouth and seemed to prefer flannel shirts! Hmm.. what happened to those days?

 

[Dan]

What got you started on pipes?

For me it was a gift. My MIL knew I liked to smoke and she was traveling here from Malaysia for an extended stay. She brought me a cheap, chinese made bulldog pipe and a pouch of local tobacco.

I liked the novelty of pipes but never got "committed" into smoking only a pipe. I packed them all away last year. Smoking only once in a while. This thread brought them all back out.

Ooops sorry.. not really!

For me? I guess I grew up around pipe smokers. Always loved the aroma of pipe smoke. So one day I was driving in Ventura Ca and saw a pipe shop. Stopped in, came out with a tiny, man I mean tiny pipe and some vanilla aromatic.

Went home tried it, liked it, my wife at the time liked the smell and just like homebrewing found out I could build stuff for my pipes, discover new tobaccos, new types of pipes.. etc. I was into it pretty heavy for 5 o 6 years but got to admit that was only at home. I didn't know anybody my age that smoked a pipe. I was around 28-30 I suppose.