Just bought my starter package

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HoosierPuffer

HoosierPuffer

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So, I just bought my starter package.

Here's what I went with:

A.) I bought myself a Peterson Calabash Rustic Fishtail pipe.
B.) I bought my good buddy a Peterson Rock of Cashel pipe. We've determined to becoming puffing parterns.
C.) Czech 3 in 1 Pipe Tool
D.) Tobacco sampler including :
  • Captain Black
    Virginia Longcut
    English Luxury
    Optimum
    Perfection

So, for a little over one Benjamin Franklin I bought myself some quality time with a good buddy, some relaxation, and good times in general.

Priceless!
 
Nice starter kit, HP. My biggest advice is this - don't get frustrated if your first few pipe smoking experiences don't go the way you thought they would. I started smoking a pipe almost 14 years ago, and I still get a huge kick out of when I can smoke a pipe all the way through with just 1-2 relights and no problems. Keep reading, keep practicing, keep asking the experienced smokers (I still do), and take your time. It's a great pleasure and hobby. Who knows? You might smoke like a pro right off the bat!
 
I concur, just don't puff on it hard! If you follow that simple rule it'll be a great experience. Take your time and have a few laughs and a lot of matches. 8)
 
Attitude is everything and it sounds like you are headed in the right direction!
 
HoosierPuffer":3x9tbn9j said:
So, I just bought my starter package.

Here's what I went with:

A.) I bought myself a Peterson Calabash Rustic Fishtail pipe.
B.) I bought my good buddy a Peterson Rock of Cashel pipe. We've determined to becoming puffing parterns.
C.) Czech 3 in 1 Pipe Tool
D.) Tobacco sampler including :
  • Captain Black
    Virginia Longcut
    English Luxury
    Optimum
    Perfection

So, for a little over one Benjamin Franklin I bought myself some quality time with a good buddy, some relaxation, and good times in general.

Priceless!
Click to expand...
Sounds good to me. Not too different than when I started back in the 80s. I like Peterson pipes alot and still keep a few around.

Like everyone pointed out: slow and steady. When I started, VA used to burn me alot, so I avoided it; now I can't live without it. That's a pretty good start though. Keep us updated with the pipe smoking.
 
Question:

Which would you start with here?

Captain Black
Virginia Longcut
English Luxury
Optimum
Perfection

I'm thinking the Captain Black or English Luxury based on their descriptions.
 
You'll find that pipe-smoking isn't really expensive UNLESS you get PAD and/or TAD.

I was just as happy when I owned 7 (mainly Bjarnes Vikings and Petes) as I do now. Also, don't overlook the estate market; I've picked up some great deals this way.
 
HoosierPuffer":nmin9vhi said:
Question:

Which would you start with here?

Captain Black
Virginia Longcut
English Luxury
Optimum
Perfection

I'm thinking the Captain Black or English Luxury based on their descriptions.
Click to expand...
As a newbie, I didn't like latakia, but love it now. Captain Black if I'm remembering is cavendish based, so I will recommend it.

I started as a cavendish lover (still do, just have spread my wings). And if you don't like it, that's still a good thing. The best part of being a tobacco smoker to me is trying new blends/flavors and determining which I like or don't like (or like better).
 
Fine setup you got there!

If it were me, I'd go in this order as long as I had only one pipe, to minimize "overlapping" flavors.

VA Longcut (non-aro VA)
Optimum (burley & black cavendish)
Captain Black (black cavendish & vanilla)
Perfection (VA, turkish, latakia & vanilla)
English Luxury (burley, black cavendish, VA, latakia)

Or just use this as an excuse to buy more pipes.
 
I would suggest that when you pick a blend, smoke four or five bowls of it before you decide if you like it. It takes a while for your mouth to get used to smoking a pipe and then it usually takes a few bowls to really get a flavor down. You'll probably find that you salivate quite a bit at first but that goes away soon.
 
Yep, one pipe.

How do you minimize overlapping smokes? Cleaning thoroughly after every use?
 
Cleaning, incluing promptly emptying your bowl of dottle, helps a good deal, but there's always some carryover, especially from aromatics and latakia. It's not a huge crisis; you just have to remember that the first few bowls of a new blend will taste a little of the last bowl of your old blend.

(The affordable corncob pipe is your friend if you ever decide you need a second pipe on a budget.)
 
HoosierPuffer":5uljv6o0 said:
Yep, one pipe.

How do you minimize overlapping smokes? Cleaning thoroughly after every use?
Click to expand...
Most pipe smokers prefer to dedicate one pipe for each blend so that it holds the one flavor. Careful... You might end up with a whole bunch of pipes! :D
 
TallSmoke":qagu8dim said:
HoosierPuffer":qagu8dim said:
Yep, one pipe.

How do you minimize overlapping smokes? Cleaning thoroughly after every use?
Click to expand...
Most pipe smokers prefer to dedicate one pipe for each blend so that it holds the one flavor. Careful... You might end up with a whole bunch of pipes! :D
Click to expand...
:shock:

As I know myself too well - I'll be switching switching out tobaccos like a frat guy with girlfriends.
 
It is good to not mix tobaccos so you can really start to taste the differences in blends, but as a young smoker with only a few pipes, I honestly didn't worry about it.

I didn't know if I should say anything, but you got pipe cleaners right? Also, your pipe needs rest between smokes.

If you can, see if you can get some cobs for now, so you get a quick rotation. I smoked every day when I first started ( actually I still do ). Then it tapered down to a few times a week.

I like the suggestion of starting with the VA, except that I would hate for you to get a bad tongue bite like I did when I started. Remember to set your pipe down if you feel it getting to hot.
 
I agree on the Corn cobs. Get several so you can dedicate one to each baccy. Back when I just had a couple of pipes I would smoke everything in all of them, after a while I noticed I did'nt enjoy the experience anymore. It was only after dedicating a few pipes to differing tobaccos (English, Virginias, Aromatics) did I really start enjoying it again.
 
I used to smoke only Capt Black gold and its not a bad blend but pack it loose and let it dry a bit.
 
That's a pretty nice little starter. I started out with one pipe and an ounce of Black Cavendish and was happy as I could be. That soon changed as I started playing around on the internet and whatnot. I've only been smoking a pipe for two years I guess but through the generosity of fellow pipers and the graciousness of my long suffering wife I've acquired a nice little stash of pipes and a few tobaccos. Current financial situation at home has caused me to stop acquiring, for the time being that is. But yeah, I'm sure the PAD and TAD will attack, it gets us all sooner or later! Smoke on brother! :pipe:
 
How about grabbing a notebook and entering your impressions of each blend you smoke for future reference,,,makes interesting reading as your tastes change and keeps track of the keepers and passes,,,just a thought,,,
 
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