mosin1932

That's excellent advice. I've found that practice is the key. It has taken me a year and a half to get where I can smoke while keeping...

Wise words. My personal starting advice is get a good but inexpensive factory pipe that speaks to you from a reputable company like...

Very wise words Bergy on all points(y) no.1 I remember many years ago reading or someone saying how you should pack a pipe in 3 pinches...

Words to smoke by. Well-said. I really should've followed #3 and #4 as I now have sixty unique blends in my cellar and a dozen pipes. :)...

Just thought I would share some things I am thinking, in the vein of what I would have liked to tell myself when I started: Don't pack...

I will have to try some of these methods myself, it will be interesting.

strip it like string cheese and stuff it with medium pressure, especially Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake. With the thicker flakes, I 90%...

For me, the most preferred flake shape is a Prince. Maybe even a Bing. I normally use a rough rub as opposed to really breaking it...

For non-aromatic VA flakes my preffered method is rubbed out and in a smaller sized, straight stemmed dublin.

I fold then roll and twist my Va flakes into a tall narrow bowl (but not so tight as to impede the draw and burn.) You could say my...

Appreciate the reply

I find narrow chambers do not work as well as wider bowls, e.g. authors, eggs, bulldogs, Rhodesians, pots, etc.

I really like Virgina flake best in a clay. It's also excellent in a simple cob. P.S.: Please note, I rub out the flakes, I do not...

The Pipe was likely to be made by Chacom since com is France and shape 291 is their Billard number. Marbury may have been a Tobacconist...

Thanks for checking on that Steve, Sutliff makes some really good blends for sure.