A question for the pipe smokers amongst us!

[Man of Tanith]

Another alternative to corn cobs are basket pipes
Or blakemar brairs (you'll of seen em if you follow my IG)

I started on aromatics then moved to latakia heavy baccies now it varies more

Be aware the collection of pipes is a dangerous path i seem to have a lot more than intended
Same with tobacco as it happens

 

[Nice65]

Latakia is my favourite Autumn and Winter, or sitting around a fire. I like Perique very much too, I’m not a fan of the top dressed tobaccos anymore.

Mr Magic, consider buying second hand, most of mine are, and smoke better than new. Collections of pipes come up on eBay all the time. Pipes take a good while to absorb oils under heat and age nicely, but a second hand one can be cleaned, or professionally refurbished. Even down to reaming the bowl and getting rid of the “cake”. However, the build up of “cake” makes a better pipe.

The cob pipes are a good start, google for decent ones. If not, I’ve several that are just sitting in a drawer, used but certainly ok.

Edit: meant for Mr Magicfingers.

 

[Janne]

Borkum Riff.....
Cavendish something.
Dunhill... ( a bit dry in taste)

Ah, dangerous youth!

 

[Robson Valley]

I'm the winner. Two years ago this April, I quit tobacco. I've convinced myself that the first puff, the first drag,
and I'll still be smoking when they screw the lid down. Gawd but the urge to smoke 47 cigarettes is strong some days.

 

[Janne]

3 years plus one month for me.
Am fatter, have the same smell and taste and get sick just as much.
So pretty pointless.
I just waste the cash on something else instead, do double pointless!

Getting a new gun next week. That is about 8 months of smokes.

 

[glyn77]

I like the lakelands, flavoured but without being too goopy, and the quality of the tobacco is obvious. G&H Grasmere flake, Bob's chocolate flake being my personal favourites.

 

[Man of Tanith]

I like the lakelands, flavoured but without being too goopy, and the quality of the tobacco is obvious. G&H Grasmere flake, Bob's chocolate flake being my personal favourites.

Ennerdale flake is a personal favourite of mine although it can ghost a pipe somewhat.
By definition St.Bruno is technically a lakeland which always surprises me

 

[glyn77]

Ennerdale's nice. tried kendal and kendal vanilla recently but wasn't too impressed.
I got some Gawith's Grousemoor recently - I like the taste but it's missing something for me, very unsatisfying despite having a nice flavour.
I've never tried St.Bruno but hear good things

 

[Robson Valley]

I bought a Sitka elbow adze blade to haft and carve with (story poles). = one 250g can of tobacco for DIY fags.


There was one long stretch where I was seriously considering building/carving a briar from a kit of parts. Sure came close to doing that. Anybody done a kit?

 

[Man of Tanith]

There was one long stretch where I was seriously considering building/carving a briar from a kit of parts. Sure came close to doing that. Anybody done a kit?

I have one
Just not got round to it yet

 

[glyn77]

I bought a Sitka elbow adze blade to haft and carve with (story poles). = one 250g can of tobacco for DIY fags.


There was one long stretch where I was seriously considering building/carving a briar from a kit of parts. Sure came close to doing that. Anybody done a kit?

I made one from cherry, not from a kit but from a chunk of cherry, an acrlyic rod and some delrin rod for the tenon. Drill press, dremel, hand tools.

Oh and swearing. Lots of swearing.

Turned out all right though eventually. It's a royal pain without a lathe.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/AOJMUlghZ5stxMAJ3

 

[Robson Valley]

I smoked a pipe in a past life during a job as a shrimp trawler. Often a moment or two on the drag to have a puff or two.
Such reminiscences can go no further than this page. One thing I really do miss.

 

[Nice65]

I made one from cherry, not from a kit but from a chunk of cherry, an acrlyic rod and some delrin rod for the tenon. Drill press, dremel, hand tools.

Oh and swearing. Lots of swearing.

Turned out all right though eventually. It's a royal pain without a lathe.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/AOJMUlghZ5stxMAJ3

There was a lovely group buy and tutorial by pipemaker Chris Askwith on BB. He sent out a briar block and mouthpiece to everyone and there was a group build.

Your little nose burner is lovely. You’d like the Askwith pipes, look him up.

 

[glyn77]

There was a lovely group buy and tutorial by pipemaker Chris Askwith on BB. He sent out a briar block and mouthpiece to everyone and there was a group build.

Your little nose burner is lovely. You’d like the Askwith pipes, look him up.

Cheers man. Yea, Askwiths are lovely, but I'd better not buy any more for now, unless there's a bargain to be had

Mr. Magicfingers - watch out for pipe acquisition disorder. I bought a cob for a weekly puff whilst hiking. Then an ozark. Then a briar. Then I made one myself. Now have 4 and am constantly trawling ebay.

Had another bowl of the grousemoor today and, nah, can't get on with it. If anyone wants to trade I've got about 40g going spare.

 

[Nice65]

Cheers man. Yea, Askwiths are lovely, but I'd better not buy any more for now, unless there's a bargain to be had

Mr. Magicfingers - watch out for pipe acquisition disorder. I bought a cob for a weekly puff whilst hiking. Then an ozark. Then a briar. Then I made one myself. Now have 4 and am constantly trawling ebay.

Had another bowl of the grousemoor today and, nah, can't get on with it. If anyone wants to trade I've got about 40g going spare.

I reckon we need a tobacco sharing forum. And vape bits and bobs. I’ve got a draw full of things that I don’t use or smoke.

 

[Nice65]

Mr. Magicfingers - watch out for pipe acquisition disorder. I bought a cob for a weekly puff whilst hiking. Then an ozark. Then a briar. Then I made one myself. Now have 4 and am constantly trawling ebay.

Don’t start me on double edge shaving....

 

[mr_magicfingers]

I won't get started on the double edge shaving then, I have stuck with my Merkur HD. I did go through a phase of straight razor shaving and should dig those out of the drawer when there's more time to play with them. The Merkur is just that bit more convenient.

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll let you know what I end up getting.

 

[Nomad]

[necrobump]

I made this from a kit a few years ago, just after I started smoking a pipe...



The kits are a good way to get started because the drilling is all done for you - you basically just have to carve the outside and finish it. This was done freehand, mostly with a Dremel type tool and files after rough shaping with a junior hacksaw. I tried using a knife at first and immediately gave up - briar is incredibly hard.

A few months ago, I ordered some briar blocks and moulded unfinished stems, and made this...



The block and stem behind are the same as what I started with. The bowl was drilled using one of those woodworking spade bits with the pointy bits ground off, and the draught hole with a long 4mm drill bit. Most of it was done on a small metalworking lathe with a 4-jaw chuck (grips the block nicely), with some of the shaping done on an electric sander (cant turn the outside on the lathe when you get down to where the shank is). Mostly small files and sandpaper for the final shaping. The tenon was turned down in the lathe to get a good fit, and the shaping around the shank and stem was also done by turning to get the surfaces flush, with hand sanding to get the moulding flash off. Then all tidied up on a buffing wheel.

I think the staining was black leather dye (Fiebings oil based), then mostly sanded off (leaving dark flecks), followed by brown ink, and then a final going-over with carnauba wax on the buffer.

Both pipes smoke great - nice easy draw. If anything the big poker is probably too deep for me - I seem to have had my smoke and then find there's still 1/4 of the bowl left. It's also a bit narrow (18mm spade bit). For the next one, I'll try reshaping a wider spade bit (20 or 22mm) and go for a shallower bowl. I might get some shorter stems as well - these are a bit long and I can just get a pipe cleaner in as far as the bowl to clear moisture. Can always do a shorter shank until then, though.

If anyone's interested, both the kit and the blocks and stems came from Alexander Zavvos on eBay (Mr Zavvos is no longer with us, but it seems that his family are carrying on the business, based in Greece.) Prices were very good - less than a tenner for a block and stem (bought in fives).

 

[Sundowner]

Oh guys, what are you doing to me???? When I was young and good looking (ok, now I'm only good looking), I was the proud owner of a "Meerschaum" pipe which I loaded with cherry&bourbon loose baccy. And hell, I loved it. Reading this thread makes me wanting to go out and get one, alas, no loose tobacco to be had anywhere near me. Vaping only!!! Mods, Can you please delete this thread? These guys on here making me want to relax, enjoy and smoke again. Aaaaaaarrghh

 

[Nomad]

The large supermarkets usually have what are called OTC pipe tobaccos, which means 'over the counter' - ubiquitous standards like St Bruno and Clan. I quite like St Bruno Flake, but I tend to buy from the various online tobacconists, or from a proper baccy shop in Edinburgh.