The Pipe Gallery

[Jim]

Show us your briar collections.

[Jim]

Here's my modest collection-

[Vlad]

Let's lower the bar a bit.

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[SiBurning]

Missing a few, but...


I mostly roll my own cigarettes, and enjoy the same tobacco in a pipe, but do put regular pipe tobacco in them occasionally. Those small corn cob pipes let me grab a smoke break at work, or a cigarette size pipe. I've tried a lot of small pipes, including glass, metal, and clay ones, but they're just awful, even that wood one. I thought that the glass or metal might survive a day's worth of cigarette breaks without getting bitter, but they really ruin the smoke. That metal one was used once and I couldn't even finish it. It's like smoking dried out stale tobacco. The corn cobs are by far the best thing for a quick tobacco smoke break. They're cheap enough that you can toss them if you overwork them, but they also breathe so well that they can often recover from overuse. There's also a couple of cigarette holders that give a pipe-like lightness to a made cigarette.

[Argonaut]

Not all of them but here are some I'm fond of.

[TheShaun]

Missing a few, but...


I mostly roll my own cigarettes, and enjoy the same tobacco in a pipe, but do put regular pipe tobacco in them occasionally. Those small corn cob pipes let me grab a smoke break at work, or a cigarette size pipe. I've tried a lot of small pipes, including glass, metal, and clay ones, but they're just awful, even that wood one. I thought that the glass or metal might survive a day's worth of cigarette breaks without getting bitter, but they really ruin the smoke. That metal one was used once and I couldn't even finish it. It's like smoking dried out stale tobacco. The corn cobs are by far the best thing for a quick tobacco smoke break. They're cheap enough that you can toss them if you overwork them, but they also breathe so well that they can often recover from overuse. There's also a couple of cigarette holders that give a pipe-like lightness to a made cigarette.

Ummm, just so you know, that metal one is not for regular tobacco. Think "wacky tobacky". I had one very similar in high school.

[jwhite]

Ummm, just so you know, that metal one is not for regular tobacco. Think "wacky tobacky". I had one very similar in high school.

True but Steve tells us that he tried to use it for sampling tobacco, and I take him at his word. He also tells us that its pretty worthless, so lets not get too sidetracked.

[wolfmanxiii]

As funny as the whole metal bowl meant for smoking tobacco of the greener persuasion is....thank you Steve for unknowingly volunteering yourself to be a guinea pig. I've been seriously contemplating buying one of those for quick smoke breaks lately. Not having much time for a pipe and not wanting to smoke cigarettes anymore has made enjoying good tobacco difficult. What brand and model are those smaller cobs you have? I bought a tiny pipe made by MM one time, but I think it is made of wood of some sort and it is not a good smoker by any means.

[mretzloff]

Nice collections, gentlemen. I have always admired the looks of wooden and Meerschaum pipes.

[SiBurning]

Unknowingly? Hardly! I've purchased about a dozen little pipes from head shops specifically looking for something to replace a cigarette. The last time I smoked the other stuff, Ronald Reagan was president. For convenience at work, I've stayed away from anything large or that contains water. The only one I've found that's worth using are those Missouri Meerschaum Miniatures. They're available varnished or unvarnished. I haven't looked today, but from what I remember and can see, the varnished ones are baked, and the unvarnished ones are merely dried. They used to have a lot more information on the web site about the processes, and what I see there now is a big simplification. Overall, I've found the less finish, the better the pipe tastes, but the baked ones are harder which is good for some pipe tobaccos. Other unfinished pipes are Eaton and Missouri Pride. The big difference in the minis is that the unvarnished ones are thicker, so they have a smaller bowl, and they're softer and give off more corn flavor. Either way, you'll get a nice spicy flavor from the corn cob until they're a bit broken in. It doesn't take long, though. The pipes also vary a bit in draw, which is true of all the corn cobs. I've actually found the mini corn cob pipes more consistently useful than the larger pipes. I think it's because the stem has a flat end instead of a tapered/cut one.

Someone produced a real meerschaum clay pipe shaped somewhat like a coffin. I looked all over but never found a retailer for it. It was reviewed on RYO magazine, and is supposed to be a very good pipe. OTOH, I doubt it lets you oversmoke.

There's actually a better partial solution. A good cigarette holder concentrates the smoke and makes it feel cooler, and also moves the smoking end further away from the face further reducing irritation and heat. You can oversmoke it, but it doesn't sour as quickly as a pipe, probably because there's no steaming hot bowl. As with the small pipes, most of them are junk, and you have to try them to know. The best ones I've had are made from light, porous wood and are unfinished, but the bore is also important. Too many of them aren't even drilled the right size to hold a cigarette, nevermind getting the rest of the bore right. You basically want a hole for the cigarette, then a small hole the rest of the way through, not a large hollow all the way through. In other words, you want to draw the smoke through a thin hole for most of the distance. A long taper might also work, but I haven't seen that. Oddly, unless I'm mistaken, the compression inside the pipe actually heats the smoke, but it feels like it cools it. This is probably why you want it compressed as early as possible and then have a long thin hole--to give time & distance for the smoke to cool. Of course, you'll probably want to make your own cigarette with a good tobacco and a good machine for best results.

[RaisingTheBar]

Got my first pipe tonight...

tada! Had its first smoke tonight. Took a bit but Got it going steady.

[jwhite]

Excellent choice is that the 02 or 03? My first pipe was was the 314, its my avatar for those that don't know. I've got the Irish Whiskey XL03, love that shape -feels great in the hand.

[Vlad]

Got my first pipe tonight...

tada! Had its first smoke tonight. Took a bit but Got it going steady.

Nice!

[Blue_2]

Got my first pipe tonight...

Very nice, congrats!

[Jim]

Got my first pipe tonight...

tada! Had its first smoke tonight. Took a bit but Got it going steady.

Congratulations!

[RaisingTheBar]

Thanks guys. While Obv a first cheap pipe, figured I'd giver a go before really investing. I foresee another money sink heh. Not sure exactly what this pipe is but it has "medico esquire" on one side and made in italy on the other side.

[Commander Quan]

Medico was a very popular mass produced pipe from S.M. Frank and Co. They were known for using the Medico paper filters. That's a good pipe to start with, and expand from there.

[TenorClef]

Show us your briar collections.

Its not what i would call a substantial collection however i only smoke once or twice every couple of weeks. Top to Bottom-
McGahey Bull Dog, Askwith Billiard, Dr Plumb Straight Billiard and another Dr Plumb Saddle-stemmed Billiard.

[TenorClef]

and my current favourites-

[hrnfrg]

Here are mine along with my tobacco pouch.