Feeling alone and lost.

Rebelheathen

I’ve been a member to TPL for 2 months now. The info here and support is amazing. I definitely feel welcome. But I’m a 25 year old in Charleston. People my age around here are all about vaping. The local tobacco shop is 95% cigars. They sell a selection of Lane Limited tobacco. Some accessories of course. The guys is very helpful. He hosts strictly cigar enthusiasts events quite often. But other than my grandfather I’ve NEVER met another pipe smoker. I’ve come across people that have smoked a pipe before. But it wasn’t for them. And my grandfather doesn’t smoke a pipe anymore. He loves his Dutch masters haha. My family is supporting. I follow the heavy hitters on YouTube when it comes to pipe smoking and pipe restorations. Anyway. I just wish I could sit and chat in person share opinions on blends. 

RockyMountainBriar

Amen Brother.

Rebelheathen

I mean there’s just so much info out there. I can look up anything I want and here a review. Or a how to. But I think it would be so cool to sit down talk, smoke, learn, laugh, discuss!!! Be human!!!

ghostsofpompeii

@Rebelheathen Brother I feel your pain. I'll sit for hours in the evening watching YouTube Pipe Presenters, any one of which I'd be more than happy to have as a smoking buddy, but there isn't a soul around that shares my passion for pipe smoking. When I worked in the Steel Mill there were about a dozen guys I worked with that smoked a pipe, but once I retired I haven't bumped into a soul with a pipe in their mouth.

I tried transitioning my oldest son from cigarettes to a pipe, hoping to groom him into my smoking buddy -  and he has come over once or twice with the pipe I gave him, and probably the same amount of tobacco I gave him as well. Doubt if he's even made a dent in the stuff.

Like you, I wish I had someone local to sit and chat with while smoking a pipe, swapping blends, bragging about our cellars, and sharing our latest Estate pipe discovery.. I feel the same way about music ... I like progrock and no one I communicate with on a regular basis does. So I can't talk music or smoke a pipe. Two things I did quite a bit back when I was working. Sadly your much younger and this would be the time you'd be establishing future lifelong smoking buddies.

I'm not tech savvy ... but you may be - and I'd suggest starting a YouTube channel of your own. In some way it appears to be a great way to develop the communal relationship you're seeking. I'm more of a lurker as far as the YouTube Pipe Community because I watch the programming on a SmartTV and can't interact. For that I have to go to my computer, which is in another room. But when you watch a guy like Matches860, Cherry On Top, Sgt. Savinelli, The Artful Codger, Muttnchop Piper, Eddie Gray from The Pipe Nook, or the score of pipe presenters you'll get a sense of community these guys have established with their members - which is never more apparent when watching a live chat as the presenters seem to know so many people on a personal basis. And occasionally meet up.

I think for many of us that's about the best we as pipe smokers can ask for since our number is so small - unless you're lucky enough to have a pipe club nearby. You might consider clicking the 'Community' option at the top of the page and click on the list of Pipe Clubs. You might actually locate one near you. 

Rebelheathen

@ghostsofpompeii not a bad idea about starting a channel. Hmmmm. I love exploring new music. Im going to dig into “progrock” I’ll let you know about that. 

KA9FFJ

@Rebelheathen . You live in a good sized town. Chances are there are a few just like you who feel the same way.  Try putting out flyers at the smoke shops and perhaps a short add in the paper with the intent of starting a pipe club. If you feel ok with the idea, leave your phone # for them to contact you. You may not get a pipe club started, but you might get a few pipe smoker contacts.
My hope is that you would be pleasantly surprised at the response... Just sayin'... 😁

Kmhartle

I completely understand how you feel. I bought my first pipe at the ripe old age of 22, well before the internet. My only pipe smoking interactions were with the gentlemen who ran the tobacco shop where I bought that first basket pipe. While the camaraderie I've enjoyed with the fine folks of this forum has been fantastic, it isn't quite the same as sitting down with someone who also enjoys pipe smoking. In fact, short of visiting the local tobacco shop on occasion, where they have a nice smoking lounge, I don't recall ever sitting with any other pipe smokers. I think @KA9FFJ has an excellent idea that I might just try in my area. 

Michael308

I'm right there with you buddy. I got my dad smoking a pipe and when I can find the time I'll go up to his farm and sit on the porch and smoke with him. I got a buddy of mine started on a pipe but he works the opposite rotation from me. Other than that I'm on my own. If I'm ever in Charleston I'll hit you up. If you ever come to the Clemson or Greenville area hit me up. I'll be more than happy to meet up with you. 

motie2

After nearly 35 years in two NJ towns, I've never seen another pipe smoker out and about. The nearest pipe shop is in NYC,or almost an hour away in NJ.

So it goes....

riobrusa

Around 98/99, I took a part-time job at Smoking' Snuff, just to meet others pipers. I did this because back then was feeling like the last pipe smoker in this planet. The shop went out of business at 04 and my interaction with pipe community was over till 17 when jointed TPL. 

buflosab

@motie2, You echo my experience, I've gotten so used  to sort of standing alone as far as pipe smoking goes I don't even think about it. Solitary can be good sometimes. Yes it would be nice to know someone to converse with face to face, but we have the next best thing, TPL.

Winton

I feel lucky to see a roomful of men at our monthly Chicago Pipe Club meetings. Any you would freak if you visited the 3000 sq ft smoking tent at the Chicago Pipe Show. 

jim102864

My only interaction with other pipe smokers is during my monthly pipe club meeting. Otherwise,  I bring my pipe every Saturday to my cigar shop and usually have a bowl before the regulars arrive. I then switch to cigars as i enjoy them and want to smoke what my friends are smoking. Then, depending on my plans for the rest of the day, I'll alternate between my pipe and cigars til it's time to go home. I enjoy the solitude of smoking alone in my garage with the door open, tge birds fluttering about and the fresh air as i am now. So goes the life of a pipe smoker.

RockyMountainBriar

     When I started smoking a pipe in October 2012, I had occasionally smoked cigars socially with my brother and some friends, and on a few ice fishing outings.  Cigars always made me need to brush my tongue afterwards.  I decided to try a pipe. My father smoked cigarettes his whole life from the time he was about 12, except he and his twin brother tried a short bout with pipes in the late 50’s early 60’s.  I came about in ‘64’ and he had quit smoking a pipe by then.  I’m sure it was too much trouble, he needed his nicotine streamlined.  
     One of my cycle riding buddies smoked a pipe.  He actually ended up working at a local B&M tobacconist for a year or so.  We had drifted apart during that time, so I only got to ask about some “pointers” and smoke a pipe with him one time.   Sadly he passed away May 30, 2018.  I always wanted to make a pipe for him after I got my lathe, but I procrastinated and now it is too late.  He was a few years older than I (he was only 61+ when he passed through the gates) and had smoked a pipe for many years, I’m not sure how long.  I regret not making the time for more sit down smokes with him.  So my friends...act now, life is short.
     There are no pipe clubs here, and smoking is illegal in businesses, so no public pipe lounge.  There is at least one private cigar lounge/club, but the membership fee is $68 a month...ouch....too rich for my blood.....and they probably frown upon pipes anyway.  So, I guess for now, I’m destined to smoke alone, contemplate, and solve the worlds’ problems on my own.  Which, when alone is much easier to do, there are no dissenting opinions😬

PappyJoe

@jim102864
I feel your pain brother. The only time I really see other pipe smokers is at my monthly pipe club meeting. Both of my sons are occasionally pipe smokers but one lives 260 miles west of me and the other is 600 miles to the northeast. I could drive to my local B&M and hang-out but it's 35 miles away and I would have to drive through New Orleans to get there. 

I know there are other pipe smokers closer to me because there is a small cigar and wine shop about two miles from my house and they have increased the number of bulk pipe blends and pipes they carry. About 6 months ago all they had were some Rossi's, now they have both Peterson and Savinelli pipes on display. I am cautiously optimistic but smoking is not allowed inside the shop because of state law.

AnantaAndroscoggin

Don't know any pipe smokers hereabouts, either, though some stores still stock some pouch pipe tobacco, along with the roll-your-own stuff, so somebody must be buying it.

When Maine's anti-smoking law went into effect a couple of decades ago, one guy in Biddeford tried to get around it by having his establishment "change into" a membership smoker's diner. After spending a lot of time and money in court, he lost.

motie2

Outlier -- a person or thing differing from all other members of a particular group or set.

Pipe Smokers are outliers amongst outliers.

mapletop

You know a thought occurred to me, the one place most pipe smokers go besides a local B&M if there even is one available to them, is the online purveyors of pipes and tobacco.

Suppose one or all of the big three, Smoking Pipes, Tobacco Pipes, and Pipes & Cigars added a coupe of pages to their websites to help pipe smokers connect.

I can think of several methods to accomplish this and the potential benefit for their enterprise would be increased traffic.

Just a thought

KenofAhwlby

The weather is getting warmer,,, In good weather I meet a few other pipe smokers at the open air pavilion by the rail trail.

thebadgerpiper

@Rebelheathen You're certainly not alone in feeling that way. Even here in upper Illinois, it can get lonely unless you get a chance to go to the Chicago Pipe Club. I've seen one pipe smoker in town, but that's it.

It might be worth looking into some sort of video chat hangout where people on the board can go hang out and chat pipes once a week. I know there's skype, but there should be other services where multiple people can hop on if they want.

ghostsofpompeii

Before nearly all restaurants became No Smoking there were several in my area that had designated Smoking areas for cigarette smokers, yet pipes and cigars were not allowed. It's no wonder you don't see many of us walking around in public. In the eyes of the restaurateurs we were pariahs even back then.    

buflosab

I'm not sure my comment was worthy of a dislike, didn't really say anything that anyone else didn't say. Sorta stunned by the critique.

motie2

@buflosab
I think it may have been in error......

Kmhartle

@buflosab I would venture a guess that the dislike was unintentional. I have been guilty of accidentally hitting reaction buttons as I scroll through posts on my phone. Fat fingers, small screen. 

buflosab

Thanks gentleman, you are probably right.I will leave it be.

thebadgerpiper

The dislike button is a difficult one. There have been times where I've thought about using it, like when someone is going through a hard time, but I don't want it to seem like I dislike what the person says, but rather the situation itself.

RockyMountainBriar

@thebadgerpiper
I have had the same dilemma.

motie2

During my year in hell (2018), several of our members used the dislike button to say they didn't like what was happening to me as I reported it. Nothing in my posts was offensive, but the "dislikers" were expressing their sympathy and concern.

On the other hand, I well remember Mr. Cartwright using the dislike button several times to castigate me for not being close minded enough to suit his politics......

Rebelheathen

@buflosab sorry sir. Case of the fat finger!! Sorry sorry sorry. Even when I read you second comment I was thinking to myself. Who disliked what!?! 

buflosab

@Rebelheathen, Thank you for the reply, it's fine,I wasn't being overly sensitive. It's like some of the other members stated when one hits like button it's pretty straight forward,the dislike button can have a bit of ambiguity. All is well, best of luck to you and welcome to TPL.

thebadgerpiper

@Rebelheathen No worries, it happens to us all.