I'm thinking of taking up pipe smoking to try and get rid of some of my more unsavory habits. This seems to be a disappearing thing, but I can still remember going into the homes of pipe smokers as a kid and being overwhelmed by the sweet scent. Does anyone know a starting point here? I did it for a while as a teen, but never smoked anything other than Carter Hall or Prince Albert. Point the way.

Do you have a tobacco shop near you? They should be able to point you in the direction of good tobacco. When I briefly smoked a pipe, I usually smoked a cherry or vanilla. I'd never smoke tobacco you could buy in a grocery store. I'd recommend going with a meerschaum pipe first. Its easy to clean, and probably won't set you back much money.

what he said - seek out a tobacconist..who can set you straight re: different types of tobacco and pipes.

i third going to a tobacco shop, they'll set you up with something nice, and from my experience it wasn't even too expensive.

Sucking cock?

i remember fondly my friend's grandfather smoking a pipe at our t-ball games. still have never tried it, regardless of how much i smoke various things.

speaking of which, john larroquette's son recently gave me a nice glass piece that i smoke things with magical properties in it. i call the pipe "fielding".

I started smoking a pipe a little over a year ago. I've put them on the shelf for a bit, but will probably switch back to it before the year is up.

First: Don't blow a bunch of money on a briar pipe right away
If you're going to smoke more than two times a day, you really need to have a rotation of a few pipes. Otherwise they don't dry out between uses, and don't smoke as well. Corncob pipes are great to start with, they don't take time to season and are cheap. Get 2 or 3, and then add some briars after you've decided its for you.

Second: Be careful what kind of tobacco you buy
To start, avoid anything heavily aromatic. Goopy cherry tobaccos and such will literally burn you. The extra moisture turns into steam when you smoke and you will have a bad time. You might not notice it right away, but its way too easy to burn every tastebud off your tongue and it takes a week to get them back.

Third: Learn how to tamp and light your pipe
I didn't have a grandpa around to show me how to load and light a pipe. There's a bit of an art to it. You can find videos on youtube for this.

As far as tobaccos are concerned, I like the nutty taste of burleys a lot, and they contain a ton of nicotine. Virginias are also nice, with a sweet taste that I'd liken to smoking a hayfield. The funky, heady english tobaccos and periques are a bit outta my league.

I like aromatic tobaccos well enough, but as said earlier I avoid goopy stuff. Even then, I'll leave a plug of tobacco out to dry for an hour before loading it into a pipe.

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Why would anyone under the age of 104 decide to smoke a pipe? These days there's such a vast array of other ways to become that punchable.

Just, no.

My Dad smoked Sir Walter Raleigh tobacco and drank Ten High bourbon and his breath was always horrendous. He would snore at night, exhale through his mouth and fill his room with a bad stench. How did my Mom stand it ? I think I psychologically mixed him up with the Popeye cartoon character (who also smoked a pipe) and it affected my relationship with him. I always enjoy watching Seinfeld, when Kramer uses a pipe and he hits it on the wall and such.

get one like this...

Pipes are as valid a hobby as cigars, single malt scotch and microbrews. Tobacco is an important part of our cultural heritage and pipes are a damn fine way to enjoy it.

how is pipe smoking a "hobby"?

like any other hobby, you don't get paid to do it, so you're just doing it for your own pleasure. Once you get paid to do it, you're a professional.

heady

phatty

Anyone ever try to smoke tobacco out of one of these? Tried it once and was a terrible idea.

An Inglorious Meershaum like the one above probably goes for at least a grand. I'd say pipe collecting definitely counts as a hobby, and I don't know of any pipe smokers in my family who did not have a sizable collection of pipes. Add in the number of tobacco blends from private labels to explore, and I'd say its a hobby.

Sorry I opened this can of worms. The wife struck this idea down with haste.

you're married to Radcliffe?

Obviously the better half

Awesome.

Awesomer.

just don't tell her dude