First Pipe...now what?

[Mayonaise]

I've just (as of yesterday) became a pipe owner. I decided a couple of days ago that as the weather will soon be cooling, I'd like to take up a new hobby. I have smoked a few cigars in the past during the fall, winter and spring months and thought that the pipe would be an interesting alternative. I started looking online and was surprised at the vast selection of pipes. Material, size, shape.....WOW. I haven't even began to investigate all the options of tobacco choices. I decided to skip the corn cob phase and selected Briar. At first I was a little intimidated by the unavoidable "break in" for briar pipes. Then I realized, the break in period would give me a great excuse to smoke more often right at the beginning, in limited phases of course. After much browsing on all the big name websites, and looking at the half dozen pipes available in my local cigar store, I found "the one". It is a Kaywoodie Magnum estate pipe. I probably paid too much for it, but I couldn't help it. I came across it on an Estate Pipe website, really liked it but kept looking. After a couple of days I realized I just kept coming back to that pipe. I was very attracted to the partial polished, partial rusticated look. I have read both good and bad things about Kaywoodie but there is not much information about the Magnum series. I think it was manufactured between 1974 and 1989. So now I sit and wait for my new friend to arrive. I'm sure once I become a certified pipe smoker, there will be many more questions to come. Until then, I guess I'll start educating myself about tobacco selections.
Thanks BoB,
Mayonaise

[/img]

 

[J Soshae]

Welcome & Grats! Looks like you did a good job picking a first pipe.

Your story brings back the memory of my first pipe almost 20 years ago. It is a rewarding journey. Enjoy the quiet moments you get alone with the pipe. Don't stress over the learning curve.

Good to have you in the brotherhood!

 

[Richard Burley]

Welcome. Just a suggestion: cobs are not a "phase," but rather a standard few briar pipes measure up to.

(Yes, I'm including the heavies, e.g. Dunhill, Castello, etc. Just an opinion, but you're going to get a lot of that here.)

 

[RDPipes]

Although you may have paid a little more then I would have for the particular pipe
I think you picked the only one they had that was worth a dang. There prices do seem
high for what they have and I would suggest eBay or others estate sellers from now on.
At any rate you've got a nice pipe to start and being it's an estate/experienced pipe
you shouldn't have much of a break in period if any depending how close they reamed it.
All there's left to do now is find you a GOOD tobacco that agrees with you that you can enjoy.
I would, in my experience stay away from drugstore blends and find a nice Virgina
and or Burley blend to start with. Practice your packing and smoke it slow with a sip
rather then a suck and puff to avoid tongue bite.
After some time you'll get the hang of it and your taste buds will tell you which you prefer in
the way of tobacco blends. We've all been there so feel free to ask questions even if they sound
stupid or uneducated to you. There are many here that will be glad to answer them without
ridiculing you for not knowing. Welcome a board sir.

 

[bentbulldog]

That is a pretty pipe!! Good choice. If you find that you stay with the hobby, the price will be more than worth it in the long run.

My first venture into pipes was with a cob and smokers pride cherry cavendish. Spent $8 12 yrs ago and still at it thousands of dollars later.

The next step is to discover the hobby. Learn about the different tobaccos, pipe makers, shapes, the history, techniques etc... then of course getting more pipes. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Welcome to the Brotherhood!!!

 

[Retrogasm]

...really liked it but kept looking.  After a couple of days I realized I just kept coming back to that pipe.

Yeah, that's how I function as well. Once I've seen what I presently consider an ideal shape I'll hold every other pipe to that standard and find them wanting. There's no remedy except a purchase. So with that in mind, and in regards to the thread title: your next pipe?

In any case, welcome to the forums and good luck with the first steps of finding and smoking a good tobacco.

 

[monbla256]

Nice looking pipe ya got and welcome to what can become a lifetime of self indulgent pleasure. There are really no hard and fast "rules" as for each one you are told there are 10 folks who'll swear it's different !! Just take your time, resist the prevalent idea that you have to try every blend around NOW and be patient and you'll be in for a lifetime of learning and pleasure!! :twisted: :twisted:

 

[bentbulldog]

Nice looking pipe ya got and welcome to what can become a lifetime of self indulgent pleasure. There are really no hard and fast "rules" as for each one you are told there are 10 folks who'll swear it's different !! Just take your time, resist the prevalent idea that you have to try every blend around NOW and be patient and you'll be in for a lifetime of learning and pleasure!! :twisted: :twisted:

That's assuming and praying that "they" continue to allow it for the remainder of our lifetime. I'm always on edge thinking that at any moment they will cut the cord one way or another.

 

[d4klutz]

That is a very nice looking pipe. I would agree with the others. Find a light burley or virginia baccy and enjoy. If you don't find one you like the smell of, try an aromatic. Lane 1Q is a popular choice. Just make sure to give it a little drying time before you pack it. I had the hardest time with my packing. I finally realized that I want almost no resistance through the pipe when I draw, just a very slight one. It will pack in over time, so you don't want it to where you cant draw at all. Youtube vids are good to watch as well. Do a TON of research and then throw everything you learned out the window and experiment. Like one poster said, there are no hard and fast rules. It is different for everyone.

 

[Oxman]

Welcome to the brotherhood - in more than one way!

That is a nice looking pipe - good choice for a starter and dont worry about the breaking in, its really not an issue with a reasonable pipe, besides, your taste sensors will not notice the difference at the moment anyway.

Take your time and enjoy the ride. Happy puffing.

Oxman

 

[Briar Spirit]

Lovely pipe you have on the way, oddly enough I'm smoking a Grabow Poker as I type, your journey into the realms of tobaccos is going to be a wonderful and exciting one. I don't know if any tobacconists in the US do the same thing but several etailers in the UK offer 5g sample packs for new smokers to get a taste of many blends before committing to a full tin or more of any blend, might be worth looking into, enjoy the journey. :cheers: :sunny:

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

Enjoy. I suggest handing off your wallet to a trusted friend, because left unchecked, you will soon find yourself justifying purchases measured in pounds rather than ounces.

My advice: take everything you read with a grain of salt. I waited way too long to try some of my (now) favorite tobaccos simply because they were out of favor with the internet literati. Smoking a pipe is not nearly as complicated as we make it out to be. Put some tobacco in your pipe, light it one fire, smoke it. If you like it, smoke more of it, if not, don't. Don't worry about the proper dispersion of molecules within the bowl, or the appropriate torque setting of the stem.

Smoke what you like and like what you smoke.

(Also, pick up a tin of McClelland's Blackwoods Flake and thank me later).

 

[Mayonaise]

Enjoy. I suggest handing off your wallet to a trusted friend, because left unchecked, you will soon find yourself justifying purchases measured in pounds rather than ounces.

My advice: take everything you read with a grain of salt. I waited way too long to try some of my (now) favorite tobaccos simply because they were out of favor with the internet literati. Smoking a pipe is not nearly as complicated as we make it out to be. Put some tobacco in your pipe, light it one fire, smoke it. If you like it, smoke more of it, if not, don't. Don't worry about the proper dispersion of molecules within the bowl, or the appropriate torque setting of the stem.

Smoke what you like and like what you smoke.

(Also, pick up a tin of McClelland's Blackwoods Flake and thank me later).

I should really take your wallet suggestion seriously.  As I sit here checking the delivery status of my recently purchased Kaywoodie, I can't stop looking at all the other pipes and tobacco options online.  I am especially drawn to a deal on P&C .com.  It's the Missouri Meerschaum Ultimate Intro Sampler for $39.95.  Four MM corn cob pipes and their complimenting tobacco pouches.  As my 3 year old says every time I open the pantry for him to select a snack "Hmmmmm".  If anyone has experience with this selection, I would greatly appreciate your advice.  My plan is still to make a trip to the closest pipe shop (an hour away) for some one on one advice as soon as my Kaywoodie gets here.

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

I think that P&C deal is really great for a new smoker. Getting a few cobs is a great idea, and I have heard good things about the blends (though I haven't tried any just yet).

 

[bentbulldog]

Listen to Dave on both the Wallet and Blackwoods!

Buy a 3.5oz of Blackwoods (but don't smoke it yet) THEN throw your wallet over the fence where nobody passes by. By the time you find it, you'll have enough to buy another few pipes.

PAD is a DISEASE! I spent more than I should've in the past month and I just asked my wife to hide the cards!

Just as everyone else already mentioned. Take your time. You're in it for the longhaul. It's an experience not an event. I would even suggest keeping a journal/log but thats me.

 

[huffelpuff]

Very nice choice of pipe. You did good. As suggested by others a light Virginia or burley or even a light English are going to be your best bets. Go slow and enjoy the journey.

Jim

 

[KevinM]

I agree with the posters who say (or at least imply) that there's no ned to take an either/or strategy to pipery. Briars have a lot of character. Cobs are eager to please. (And cheap.) Aros can be interesting, English and Vas are satisfying, there's a reason codger blends have been around a long time. So enjoy yourself and play the field. One thing you might try is a smoker's diary which will help you keep track of which tobaccos you enjoy and what pipes handle them best. My diary is a fifty cent school notebook, and each entry simply names the pipe, the tobacco and a very brief evaluative comment. It can be useful, especially when your rack and tobacco hoard are well populated. Happy tobacco trails to you.

 

[Puffer Mark]

Welcome.

That's a nice pipe. Don't sweat the price. if you stick with this hobby (read obsession), in a few years when talking about your first pipe you'll preface the price with "and all I paid for it was . . ."

 

[SpeedyPete]

Welcome.  Just a suggestion: cobs are not a "phase," but rather a standard few briar pipes measure up to.

(Yes, I'm including the heavies, e.g. Dunhill, Castello, etc. Just an opinion, but you're going to get a lot of that here.)  

Yes, oh yes!!!! :cheers: No serious pipesmoker can go without at least one corn cob pipe.

 

[SpeedyPete]

Welcome aboard and congrats on a very nice pipe. Can't go wrong with a "K" All you need now is tobacco YOU like, matches, reamer, tamper, pouch, and a Country Gentleman :twisted: