Advice/Suggestions for Someone who wants to start Pipe Smoking

Love this forum, first of all. I made a similar thread about Scotch and got some great advice.

I remember smoking pipe tobacco many years ago and after seeing all the threads about it here was curious about what I should to if I wanted to try it again.

What do you recommend as far as buying a pipe, different types of tobacco, cleaning/caring for your pipe, etc...

Thanks.

Do a search in The Speakeasy and you will find some great info. Based on information gained from these guys I must say that when I started this hobby again my experience was MUCH better than previous.

Check out Tobacco Reviews and Pipes for a little bit of info when you get a chance.

I would say start off with a fairly inexpensive pipe like a peterson, Stanwell, Savinelli, or even a BC.

As far as baccy I would suggest a VA or an english. They might not smell as good as an aromatic(flavored) but will burn much cooler and give less tounge bite.

I would suggest picking up a book or going to pipes.org, knox gicar faq, and smokersforums.org.

When I used to smoke in the past; I tried different brands of pipes & the Kirsten pipe was the best one I ever used. You never had to worry about getting a bunch of gunk in your mouth & it burnt cool & stayed lit alot better than most pipes. You never had to use filters like a Grabow pipe. The whole pipe is interchangeable, & the base is aluminum. It sounds strange but it was my favorite. The wooden bowl screws on & are interchangeable, the mouthpiece is interchangeable & you can clean it with just a piece of a Kleenex & 1 pipe cleaner. Check them out. You might pay more, but the end result is alot better & cooling smoke without the gunky tar. You could smoke it & not need to let it rest like other brands.
I quit smoking but keep it as a keepsake. Scotty

My suggestion would be a rough finished pipe to start with, as they burn cooler. Also, I'd suggest one with a bent stem to keep the moisture that will build up from draining back into your mouth, as is possible with a straight stem. Finally, make sure that you can pass a pipe cleaner through it without having to take the pipe apart.

I prefer a light non-aromatic (like Astley's No. 109). Aromatics (the ones with the cool tastes and smells) will stain your teeth faster, leave a wicked aftertaste, and -- due to all the additives -- take much longer to build the cake necessary in the bowl of your pipe.

Things to Buy
Pipe (or multiples -- remember, your pipe takes on the "Flavor" of whatever has been smoked in it)
Lighter (a disposable Side Light is good) or matches
Pipe cleaners
Pipe Tool/Tamper (you'll have to tamp down the tobacco after the initial light, then relight)
Tobacco (you can get non-aromatics in tins, aromatics in the jars at your local tobacconist)

Enjoy!