Sitting here in my darkened study, my cat on my lap, my Chacom pipe clenched in my teeth, a nice glass of Port Wine, I wonder... why do I smoke a pipe? I remember, as a young boy, to find the smell of the pipe smoke something wonderful and wishing that my father gave up on cigarettes and smoked a pipe instead just to smell the smoke. Then, when I was a teenager I decided to buy myself a pipe. I bought a bent billiard (a very bad one...) that served me for several years. I sucumbed to cigarettes, but the pipe was always a constant. All this made me wonder why I do this - why WE do this. Setting myself free from cigarettes made me discover the true pleasures of smoking a pipe. The relaxation, the aroma, the comfort, the distinction, that little off-beat thing that all pipe smokers have. We're a good bunch of guys. The only "rotten apple" was Stalin. But he looked like a good guy, at least... in fact, I'm sure we all do. Because we are pipe smokers! So, why do you smoke your pipes?
My first pipe was a no name briar billiard, okay pipe. my second pipe, which I think I gave to a friend to get him hooked (and I did, big time) was a peterson natural, billiard. it took the color from the oils of my hands, it was a fantastic smoker, and when it got where I liked it I went ahead and polished it with beeswax. I started having discomfort from holding the pipes in my teeth (I was smoking really often for a while, as a bachelor, pipes scattered everywhere with lighters and tamps at hand, little tobacco spills where I had set pipes down and they tipped, ash trays with cork tamps aplenty) so I switched styles. I moved to sitters (a good poker that sits is the IDEAL pipe) and full bents. I have some that aren't still and set them in a rest (gave that away too, need a new one) but only smoke pipes that need a rest when I'm, well, at rest. they suck for being active as you dont' want to carry a rest around and can't just set the pipe down everywhere. .....................
I like to light them with a match or a pipe lighter. I mouth the bits a lot and smoke really wet so normally let my tobacco dry a bit and I usually run a fluffy cleaner down the stem at least once. for this reason I take all the balsa filters out of savinellis. current lineup- (wow, I must really like that friend, I gave him some real nice pipes. I'm down to 6) Large Bekler Sultan (meerschaum) custom volcano by catspaw pipes in canada stanwell king, half bent freehand with plateau top Larryson Poker (what I had always dreamed of in a poker, carved to look like a tree, doesn't sit well empty, but with the bowl full sits okay) savinelli full bent custom poker/hawk by catspaw I'd really like a rhodesian or bulldog at this point. never had one, always wanted one. also another savinelli vifte panel, had one, never smoked it (it was too beautiful) sold it and regret the hell out of that one. Red
Evening Gentlemen just thought to drop you all a line before I head out on my horse for awhile, (rodeo coming up] I will be smoking a Petesen bent stem, whilst out. I find it a great steadier ! I also have my late fathers' Falcon with a straight stem, smokes nice and cool, an old corn cob of his as well of indeterminate make, finally picked up a ver long stem cherry wood pipe from an antque store, unused, holds about half an ounce and is a good pipe in front of the fire, really frightens the tobacco nazis. Tobacco is generally Borkum riff cherry cavendish, the girls really like the smell. Prefer Erinmore flake when I can get it and occasionally Dr Pat when I need a few more tins for minne' balls, holds 13 which is the no of shots our events are. Light with either matches or a zippo. Would love some of those strike anywhere matches but they are either illegal of unobtainable here. Cheerio Heelerau
My father smoked half&half for many years and I loved the smell of his pipe. I tried smoking a pipe at 18 or so and got tongue bite so badly that I gave him the pipe and didn't touch another for ten years. Took it up at 28 and stuck with it. At that time I bought a book on pipe smoking and took it slow. I love pipes aesthetically and of course for the wonderful flavors and aroma. The relaxation and I guess just as in shaving with a straight razor there is a certain romance to my mind in being a pipe smoker.
I'm with Jimmy; flavor, aroma, and relaxation. I like to have smoke while reading a good book or while watching TV or a movie. I also find that it helps reading for school, writing papers, and grading papers go by much more quickly. Favorite places to smoke are my recliner in my living room and my chair out on my deck.
I only smoke outside... Sounds like i am missing out.
I find that very little things are more pleasurable than smoking my pipe indoors, sitting deeply in a sofa, my cat purring on my lap... I also smoke when working - I found a way to be concentrated in work while smoking my pipe - and that seems to help me keep my focus on my work. I like to smoke outside as well, but I seem to find that smoking while strolling along will consume the tobacco a lot faster than when sitting down. Smoking a pipe is a fantastic experience. I love it. And I don't miss my cigarettes (too much...).
Thanks for the invite ! We'll I used to be a cigar smoker, and found my old pipe one day back in the early 90's, I found the smoke lighter and relaxing and I had many choice flavors. Pending on the situation and what I was craving for. I am a big english fan, Dunhill , Rattray, SG XX, SG Perfection name a few. When company is around as I might offend non smokers I light up some Q1, overall pipe smoking is the best, would have it no other way, extremely relaxing
Gentlemen, looks like I waffled of track some, I find the whole ceremony of loading, firing, cleaning ver relaxing. Some of the old timers, my late father included smoked pipes at least some of the time. Love the smell, I find others do as well, oft times comment it reminds them of their grandpappys. My wife smoked a pipe when she worked in the bank, although senior management thought is somewhat unladylike. When visiting a mate in Vernal Utah, he gave me a beaded buckskin tobacco pouch with clay pipe slung on the outside. Interestingly the pouch only holds a small amount, I guess those old mountain men must have traded baccy from the Indians. Have any of you chaps got access to an old time tobbacconist who would make up special blends ? Cherio
