Pipe smoking/making

[woodwalker1987]

Anyone smoke a pipe?

i am currently making a churchwarden style pipe, am using briar as the stem but was wondering what woods apart from wild cherry are ok to use as the bowl? can i use blackthorn as it is also a member of the prunus family i work with it alot and know it shares many properties such as its incredible hardness etc but just wondering if anyone has any experiences that may help?

ATB

Joe

 

[durulz]

I'm not a smoker myself, but I did try starting a pipe-smoking club at work. I thought one bowl of baccy a week wouldn't do any harm.
The idea was that every friday at 2pm we would meet on the bench outside the staff room and we would all enjoy a bowl of tobacco. We would take it in turns to supply the tobacco and everyone would smoke the same and we would comment on it and give our thoughts and reflections.
Sounded like fun to me.
Joyless sods didn't like the idea.
I also tried starting the idea that every Friday we would have formal afternoon tea, complete with bone china and silver three-tiered cake stand. I loved the idea.
But no one else did.

 

[Chris the Cat]

It has always been something I have fancied, dispite being a fitness instructor for the NHS!
Maybe a pipe a week!?
Good luck.
Chris.

 

[EdS]

I'm not a smoker myself, but I did try starting a pipe-smoking club at work. I thought one bowl of baccy a week wouldn't do any harm.
The idea was that every friday at 2pm we would meet on the bench outside the staff room and we would all enjoy a bowl of tobacco. We would take it in turns to supply the tobacco and everyone would smoke the same and we would comment on it and give our thoughts and reflections.
Sounded like fun to me.
Joyless sods didn't like the idea.
I also tried starting the idea that every Friday we would have formal afternoon tea, complete with bone china and silver three-tiered cake stand. I loved the idea.
But no one else did.

Bot hsopund good to me - only problem is we'd have to meet in Birmingham to split the distane

 

[andybysea]

Durulz like your idea's they sound very regal and slighty Victorian/empire days, but there again those days are full of nostalgia.Would be very good for company moral to my mind,well so long as the pipe smoking part was'nt complusory.I sometimes say to my misses when i get old and there's just you and me left in the house, im going to take up smoking a pipe(i dont smoke) her reply is either a scornful gaze, or a just you try it, comment.

 

[woodwalker1987]

everyone i have spoken to has always had a curiosity towards it!

i think LOTR helped with the wizards/hobbits/strider etc all smoking churchwarden pipes!

a bowl a week wouldnt hurt! i used to smoke rollies everyday (still not loads tho) and enjoyed it, however i now only smoke at the fire in the woods which i do sadly less and less frequently as work is building up, so i thought how to make this a little bit more special?! i will make my own smoking gear!

 

[rcastillo]

To the shagrin of my wife about 1 year ago I added pipe smoking to my arsenal of tobacco-enjoying activities! I partake of a pipe (mornings) or cigar (evenings) once or twice a week. I can't stand cigarettes and remain a snob ("fags are for addicts, cigars and pipes are for hobbyists" and all that!).

I wouldn't know where to begin to try and make a pipe, so good on ya for having a go. As for durulz social ideas, I think they're brilliant! Adding a fez to one or both, as compulsory attire, would round it off nicely!

Oh, and a tip. By far the most enjoyable pipe tobacco our there IMO is "Black Cherry B-23". There are other Black Cherry varieties, but only one B-23. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Richard

 

[calibanzwei]

Bit of a hijack here, but when on a sailing weekend at uni one of the instructors had cigars that had the taste/smell of dark chocolate - he said he had to get the leaves and make them himself..........does anyone know of this and can point me in the right direction?

 

[Chris the Cat]

everyone i have spoken to has always had a curiosity towards it!

i think LOTR helped with the wizards/hobbits/strider etc all smoking churchwarden pipes!

a bowl a week wouldnt hurt! i used to smoke rollies everyday (still not loads tho) and enjoyed it, however i now only smoke at the fire in the woods which i do sadly less and less frequently as work is building up, so i thought how to make this a little bit more special?! i will make my own smoking gear!

Let me know how it goes fella! Coz if I DO give it a go,a homemade pipe sounds the way for me!
My best.
Chris.

 

[woodwalker1987]

haha i knew you guys would like this thread!

yes either a fez and slippers or a wizard hat i think!

Richard thanks for the baccy reccomendation!

i will try and source some! i am all a mess with steam bending ideas for the stem and know i have cherry if i want to wait for it to season but i am going to use what i have ready and try it! once i make one good one i will stick up a tutorial or something!

 

[Chris the Cat]

Good work fella!!
C da C.

 

[malente]

I used to smoke pipe and loved it.

Make sure the wood is well seasoned. Well seasoned maple or plum should also be ok, but that better double check this advise (i.e. try out and let us know )

Looking forward to see some piccies

Clay pipes were the rage 300 years ago I think

Mike

 

[woodwalker1987]

hahaha yeah i think trial and error is in order, by seasoning do you mean building up a coating in the bowl? sorry but as the thread shows i am new to this!

 

[Melonfish]

tbh i've had a decent stem for my pipe for a while now, a nice long 10" peice of Elder (well dried) for the bowl though i had cut a section of Alder from the back.
i've since realised that is a very BAD idea. i'll be cutting some Poplar instead methinks
or at least something that'll take high temps, i'm having issues finding some poplar atm.

 

[Cap'n Badger]

I smokes a 'fireside' when I'm out an' about......have done fer years.....kinda goes well wi' the pirate garb when out on a show.
Good luck wi' makin' a bowl fella...I shall watch this thread wi' interest.

 

[woodwalker1987]

thanks for the interest chaps!

right i am going with the blackthorn for the bowl, treating the whole thing afterwards with some beeswax or somethin similar to stop/reduce cracking under heat etc then just go for it!

i will hopefully of made it and smoked it by this weekend! got friday off to get some jobs done so why not put the pipe at the top of the list? that way i can just use the rest of the day to practice my smoke rings?!

keep you posted with pics etc when i get there!

any advice ot tips in the mean time much appreciated!

 

[rcastillo]

Calibanzwei - dark chocolaty wrappers must be maduro leaves.

I've no idea where to buy leaves, but once you have then here's what to do with them: http://www.coffinails.com/cigars.html

 

[mattburgess]

You HAVE to upload a tutorial on this one!

I really loath smoking, as most evening in my childhood were spent in front of the TV with mum, dad, sister, brother and partners all puffing away. Urrggggh! Having said that I love the idea of making a pipe for the shear novelty, and unfashionableness, of it all. Durulz, love the idea of a pipe smoking club - tobaccotastic mate, not half!

Woodwalker1987 - please let us know how it progresses. I’d make one even though I don’t smoke…maybe pass on to someone who might benefit from it if it was up to the job.

 

[calibanzwei]

Calibanzwei - dark chocolaty wrappers must be maduro leaves.

I've no idea where to buy leaves, but once you have then here's what to do with them: http://www.coffinails.com/cigars.html

Spot on - cheers!

 

[hermitical]

the pipe smoking club is a brilliant idea!

In Barcelona there is an actual Pipe Smoker's Club in one of the squares...