How I learned to smoke a pipe

ocpunk714

I was listening to the Pipe and Tamper podcast interview with Eddie Gray and he was talking about the YouTube videos that taught him how to light up. This was the video I came across when I first started out.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cPC9mpBadcY

pipeman83

I learned by trial & error when I took up the pipe 35 years ago I didn't have anyone to show me and there was no youtube.

ocpunk714

I wasn’t even born yet when you started smoking. Lol. I’ll be 35 next month. You definitely didn’t have YouTube

Kmhartle

Like @pipeman83, I started my pipe smoking before the age of the Internet. A lot of trial and error indeed. (Even when the Internet first became available, who had time for dial up connection? It was often quicker to walk to the library and read a book on pipe smoking than it was to wait for a page to load.)

Charles

I learned the basics by watching my dad and the neighbors.  The hard part was learning how to pack the pipe so it would smoke.  I use to pack it so tight that when I lit the pipe, or tried too anyway, the draw was so difficult that I got dizzy just trying to get any smoke through the stem.  I was about 15-yrs old and was doing just what I thought I saw others do.  Finally figured it out after a few months and realized the pipe need not be packed so tight.  A neighbor took pity and showed me how to pack a pipe after he saw my determination. He was a great guy and a WWII veteran Marine.  Smoked many bowls throughout the years before his passing about seven years ago.  He was also responsible for getting me into smoking cigars when I turned 18 as that was his day to day passion.

thebadgerpiper

I had no one around here to teach me, so I gleaned all I could from articles online before I started. After the first few bowls, I watched a video on how to pack a pipe on youtube, and that helped me get the basics down.

Bentbrier

Like some have said, I learned through lots of trial and error and like @pipeman83Kmhartle there was no you tube or internet.  I did read a book by Richard Hacker back in the early 80's that gave plenty of good pointers.  It was a long and ultimately rewarding journey.  I really don't think 

motie2

For an excellent primer on pipe smoking: 

https://www.alpascia.com/moments/d/tips-for-beginners-i22386.html

pipeman83

@Bentbrier, The Ultimate Pipe Book, I read it also.

Woodsman

I started out at 15 with no help, at 17 I worked nights and weekends at a Drug Store, the Pharmacist there smoked a pipe and taught me a lot on packing and smoking.

motie2

I first took up the pipe as a seminary freshman, without help or guidance. There was no internet. The biggest hurdle was learning how to pack the bowl.

PappyJoe

I started smoking a pipe while stationed on an icebreaker floating around in an icepack between Alaska and Russia. There were a number of the older (they were all older and more experienced than me at the time.) guys who would sit on the fantail and smoke their pipes and talk in their free times. I asked one of the guys I worked for and he said I would be welcomed unless they were talking about something I didn't have clearance to hear or personnel matters. 

I joined them. Was welcomed and taught a lot about smoking a pipe and being a good shipmate. I picked up some leadership tips that I used throughout my 21 year career and passed on to others.

Winton

I surfed the web to learn how to smoke a pipe. I knew not to inhale. But how do you pull the flame down onto the tobacco if you are not inhaling while you are lighting the pipe? This was my first post on another pipe forum. Once it was explained, lighting the pipe became much easier.

buflosab

Like some of you I learned by my self. What I did have to learn was cleaning my pipe. Cleaned it Somtimes but not nearly enough. The other thing I had to learn was the difference between non-aromatic and aromatic Definitely fell into the aromatics.

motie2

<<the difference between non-aromatic and aromatic >>

The Wide World Of Aromatics by Mary Walters

When most people think of aromatics, they often imagine the sweet scent of vanilla or caramel rising from their pipe and filling the room. While yes, quite a few blenders use caramel or vanilla in their mixtures, there's a whole world of aromatic tobaccos out there. Allow me to open the door to this world by breaking down the main types of aromatics popular today.

Lakeland Aromatics — Let's start with Lakeland aromatics. Named after a region in England and therefore being a traditional English style of aromatic, Lakeland blends are usually a mix of Virginias topped with spices, rum, and rose. This type of aromatic delivers a light and floral scent as well as a smooth and pleasant smoke. The most well-known producers of these types of tobaccos are Gawith & Hoggarth and Sam Gawith. Lakelands are fantastic blends but be warned, they are known to ghost pipes, so please make sure to designate a specific pipe for Lakelands.

Danish Aromatics — Next up is Danish style aromatics. These are usually Virginia-Burley blends topped with anything from fruit and spices to wine and nuts. They deliver a rich and full flavored smoke with a lovely room note. W.O. Larsen and Mac Baren are both excellent and have a variety of options to choose from. I absolutely love the Danish style aromatic but I would highly suggest taking it slow when smoking. Danish aromatics have the habit of being a bit bitey if smoked too quickly.

American Aromatics — Last but not least, American aromatics. These blends are mostly made up of Cavendish and Burleys and are usually topped with notes of caramel, chocolate, vanilla, honey, and rum. These mixtures are usually very, very mild and good for an all-day smoke. If you want something to satisfy your sweet tooth, go with an American style aromatic. Cornell & Diehl and Sutliff are both great places to start. My only advice with these blends would be to let them dry a little before you smoke. If too wet, they can get a bit goopy in the bowl.

So there you have it! The wonderful world of aromatics. Go forth and try some for yourself. You might find some blends you never thought you'd like! 

motie2

Non-Aromatic Blends

This is a “catch-all” category. Basically, if a blend isn’t an aromatic or an English blend, it’s lumped into the non-aromatic group. This broad grouping includes a variety of blend types including Virginia, Virginia/Perique, Burleys, Virginia/Burleys, and semi-aromatics. The main distinction here is that there are no top-dressings applied, or that the top-dressing is light enough that it doesn’t have much of an influence.

Among these might be some blends that include Latakia, but it’s usually added in such a small amount that it’s more of a background component. Besides the Virginia and Virginia/Perique blends, a number of our “house” blends fall into this category, such as Hearth & Home Marquee El Niño, and the Signature Series’ Freight Train, Stogie, and Steamroller.

Flavor profiles in this grouping can range from delicate and sweet to bold and spicy. For anyone in the area, the aromas may be mildly pleasant to inoffensive, although some that contain dark-fired Kentucky or dark Burley in significant amounts might fall into the “That stinks!” group.

Because this is such a broad collection of blends, they can be very cool to fairly hot-smoking, especially in the case of Virginia-based blends. Extra slow smoking is strongly recommended for these blends, not only to save your tongue, but to coax the maximum flavor out of these sugar-laden tobaccos.

ENGLISH (Oriental) BLENDS

A lot of polite, if contentious, discussions have been held in recent years about the accuracy of the use of “English” to describe certain pipe tobaccos. The moniker has become common usage though, so for the sake of brevity, we’ll refer to any blend which uses Latakia as the dominant note as an English blend.

Latakia begins as a Turkish Oriental varietal called Smyrna. These leaves are hung in barns on the island of Cyprus, and a smoldering fire is started on the floor of the barn. The smoke from the aromatic woods eventually permeate the tobacco, turning it dark brown to black, depending upon how long it hangs there. When burned, the tobacco gives off a campfire-like aroma, and imparts a similar flavor, although there are also some savory and spicy elements as well. The smokiness can easily dominate a blend.

Other common elements in an English blend are Virginias and Orientals (which includes the subset of Turkish tobaccos, as well). When Orientals are the secondary note, they’re often referred to as Balkans, but we’ll still keep them under the English blend category.

When Cavendish (especially black Cavendish) is added, the blend might be called a Scottish blend, and if Burley is added in any significant amount it becomes an American/English. Some blends may also include dark-fired Kentucky and cigar leaf.

The primary characteristics of these blends is that signature smokiness and a tendency to smoke slowly and coolly. While the flavor might delight the pipe smoker, the pungency of the Latakia might not please the noses of standers-by, so pick your smoking venue wisely.

ChaplainCorey

@PappyJoe love that story! Seems like the military has changed so much but some things are still the same. 

I just got got back from my first deployment to Afghanistan. I taught my chaplain assistant (Religious Affairs NCO they call it now) how to smoke a pipe. We carved pipes from the kit we got from Man Crates and then he watched a lot of YouTube. I really do love sharing this hobby with others

ghostsofpompeii

I learned to smoke a pipe about 50 years ago - but once I joined the Pipe Smoking Community and began watching YouTube videos and learned the proper smoking techniques from guys on this forum and YouTube presenters, then I learned to enjoy the total pipe smoking experience. Which includes everything from mastering the breath method and the elimination of tongue bite, buying and restoring Estate pipes, experimenting with creating my own pipe blends, and the ultimate experience of building my own tobacco cellar. And best of all ... the friendships I'm made along the way. 

PappyJoe

@ChaplainCorey - Glad to hear you made it back safely. Good job on bringing a new man into the pipe smoking fold. 

motie2

Yes, Chaplain, thank you for your service!!!!!    (double entendre not intentional)

Mangoandy

1986. English major at a small liberal arts private college. It seemed to fit that I should have a pipe.
I spent weeks visiting the local tobacco shop before I committed to a rusticated Savinelli Roma. The proprietor of the shop taught me to pack and light the pipe.
I still have that pipe and proves to me how a pipe can hold memories.

ChaplainCorey

Thanks for the support gents.  Just glad to be home so that I can do little things like take my daughters ice-skating and smoke a pipe while I grill some burgers. So good to be back 

Bentbrier

Like some have said, I learned through lots of trial and error and like @pipeman83Kmhartle there was no you tube or internet.  I did read a book by Richard Hacker back in the early 80's that gave plenty of good pointers.  It was a long and ultimately rewarding journey.

Bentbrier

Like some have said, I learned through lots of trial and error and like @pipeman83Kmhartle there was no you tube or internet.  I did read a book by Richard Hacker back in the early 80's that gave plenty of good pointers.  It was a long and ultimately rewarding journey.

johnscs

Similar pre-internet pipe apprenticeship in the mid-80s here. I had wanted to smoke pipes from an early age and observed my grandpa's technique for a long time. First few pipes in my mid-teens involved a lot of relighting, repacking, and no shortage of frustration. After giving it a try and hoping for a much better experience, I figured out that my grandpa packed his tobacco loosely at the bottom of the bowl and more firmly toward the top. And then I noticed how he almost always tamped after the first light and then re-lit the bowl. Those techniques really improved my ability to keep the pipe lit and let me enjoy pipe smoking through my high school years. The summer before starting college, I graduated from my Dr. G and Medico pipes to a decent quality no-name briar that I bought in a legit pipe shop. The guys in the shop introduced me to 1Q in bulk and gave me a quick lesson in how to break in my new briar. Both the pipe and the 1Q were a real step up from Borkum Riff and SWR in a Dr. G. My interest in trying new blends and enjoying the hobby really took off from there, but I still learned plenty from hanging out at pipe shops, getting friends into pipes, and sharing a bowl or two with my dad and grandpa. 

KA9FFJ

50 years ago I was fortunate to have an Uncle that was an avid pipe smoker. I contacted him once I started and he mentored me. Immediately gave me a respectful appreciation for the "art of pipe smoking"...

Kmhartle

One of the things I appreciate about pipe smoking is it is a constant learning process. Every pipe has its nuances, as does every tobacco. Nearly a 30 year pipe smoker here and I'm still learning! 

pipeman83

Amen to that @Kmhartle, 35 years for me and still learning new things.

KA9FFJ

Well said @Kmhartle How true, how true...

jim102864

I learned by watching lots of You Tube videos and doing some online research. I credit Muttnchop Piper with helping me understand smoking technique and basics of pipe smoking and cleaning.  He's a calm and interesting presenter which helped enormously.  

pwkarch

Over 50 years of Pipe Smoking here. I learn something new almost every day. There are things that the "newbies" can teach me. We all can continue to learn ONLY if we listen. I watched my Dad smoke a pipe and loved the aroma. I watched my uncle smoke cigars and loved that aroma. I watched, listened and learned, and thus became a pipe and cigar smoker (and ciggarettes while in the service).

That is why this site is so informative, every day I see something that someone posts that allows me to further my enjoyment in pipe smoking. And I enjoy p[osting stuff that hopefully someone else can enjoy and use.