I really enjoy variety, sure when I find something I really like it goes into rotation, but I'm never satisfied with just two or three regulars. This seems to present a dilema. I found that I really can't judge a blend well until I've smoked a good 1/2+ oz of it through the pipe. Sometimes something that was just ok or even "not great" the first bowl ends up changing my mind by the time I finish the tin or 1-2 oz bulk. Other times it seems to taste great in only one of my pipes. Am I crazy? Any tips on ways to accelerate an accurate judgment? Sample with meerschaum? clay? What about after I've smoked that 1/2+ oz and decided I really don't like it and want to change that beloved pipe to a different blend? Is there some tried and true clean-out procedure or is this pipe maker myth and I shouldn't be so particular about changing what I'm smoking in a particular pipe?
Changing blends, sampling blends, need more pipes?
- Thread starter ProZachJ
- Start date
GreenDragon
Well-Known Member
This is a huge rabbit hole that you can fall into. Pipe forums rage endless discussions on these topics. There is a lot of both good information and mis-information out there to weed through. Here is what I have found works for me.
1) Pipe shape can have an effect on the flavor of a blend. Specifically the speed and temp that it burns. This is also affected by the cutting size of the blend and how you pack it. These work together to control how fast and hot a bowl of a particular blend will burn, and in turn, taste. Easiest thing is to smoke the same blend in a few different pipe shapes and see what works best. You may find that you prefer Virginias in a certain pipe and Burleys in another.
2) Most commercial blends have lots of additives, flavors, etc. Some are notorious for lingering in the pipe forever (ghosting) - looking at you English and Aromatics! Many forums are fanatical about never letting your pipe get wet. This makes it kinda hard to clean. To get out stubborn ghosting, I've found running hot water through the pipe, scrubing well with pipe cleaners, and then soaking the bowl and stem in vodka for 5 minutes works wonders to deodorize a pipe (don't get it on the outside of the pipe, just prop it up and fill the bowl). Also many of these issues go away when you start making your own blends with whole leaf tobacco without additives.
3) Clay pipes are fragile, burn hot, and are hot in your hand. Meerschaum are expensive and fragile. I recommend getting a bag of corn cob seconds. They are inexpensive and smoke well.
1) Pipe shape can have an effect on the flavor of a blend. Specifically the speed and temp that it burns. This is also affected by the cutting size of the blend and how you pack it. These work together to control how fast and hot a bowl of a particular blend will burn, and in turn, taste. Easiest thing is to smoke the same blend in a few different pipe shapes and see what works best. You may find that you prefer Virginias in a certain pipe and Burleys in another.
2) Most commercial blends have lots of additives, flavors, etc. Some are notorious for lingering in the pipe forever (ghosting) - looking at you English and Aromatics! Many forums are fanatical about never letting your pipe get wet. This makes it kinda hard to clean. To get out stubborn ghosting, I've found running hot water through the pipe, scrubing well with pipe cleaners, and then soaking the bowl and stem in vodka for 5 minutes works wonders to deodorize a pipe (don't get it on the outside of the pipe, just prop it up and fill the bowl). Also many of these issues go away when you start making your own blends with whole leaf tobacco without additives.
3) Clay pipes are fragile, burn hot, and are hot in your hand. Meerschaum are expensive and fragile. I recommend getting a bag of corn cob seconds. They are inexpensive and smoke well.
This sounds like great advice, thank you!
Alas! They no longer are sold by
Missouri Meerschaum Company - CornCobPipe.com
Smoking Pipes Gift Ideas Cob Wear Authentic & Original The Missouri Meerschaum Corn Cob Pipe A 150-year-old legend styled for today's pipe smoker! Whether you enjoy fishing, hunting, gaming, woodworking, car collecting, reading, boating, or card playing, there’s nothing quite like
corncobpipe.com
Just purchase several cheap cob pipes from them, or grow some large-cob field corn, and make your own.
Bob
I think I'm going to need to see a forum thread for this
my corn growing adventures so far have mostly been exercises in wasting a decent amount of time and money. Last year's 115+ degrees and no rain for 90+ days didn't help one bit. That milpa garden I posted was supposed to have corn but there were casualties...many, many casualties.Noted...excited to get into this.
Alpine
Moderator
I must (partially) disagree Bob, sorry. Missouri Meerschaum (alas!) no longer sells the “10 pipes grab bag of smokable seconds” like they did in years past but… they do sell the “7 days set of smokable seconds” (7 pipes instead of 10, and at an higher price, sigh) in VERY limited quantities and only a couple of times a year. I subscribed to their e-mail newsletter three or four years ago, and still get notifications (along with many others) when the “seconds” are available. Of course, it is far simpler to buy a couple or three Legends when you want them instead of waiting maybe months.Alas! They no longer are sold by
Missouri Meerschaum Company - CornCobPipe.com
Smoking Pipes Gift Ideas Cob Wear Authentic & Original The Missouri Meerschaum Corn Cob Pipe A 150-year-old legend styled for today's pipe smoker! Whether you enjoy fishing, hunting, gaming, woodworking, car collecting, reading, boating, or card playing, there’s nothing quite like
Just purchase several cheap cob pipes from them, or grow some large-cob field corn, and make your own.
Bob
pier
Show us your homemade pipes!
I'm curious to see other people's pipemaking experiments. SHow us your first pipe, failed attempts, interesting experiments, odd wood choices or stems. If you made a pipe or even part of a pipe, feel free to show us pictures here. I tend to like pipes (and cars and motorcycles) that are...
Bob
GreenDragon
Well-Known Member
Highly recommend the pipe tobacco sampler at WLT to get started making your own blends. The sampler plus some Latakia and Perique will let you make most any blend you want. There are a ton of recipes in the key forum threads.
Ordered the sampler and Latakia. I have no self control... ok maybe a little, I figured if I decide I need Perique I can DIY but so far have not tried any blends with it that I've loved.
Controlled Chaos
Well-Known Member
Don't count out clay pipes, the bowl heats up a bit so you have to hold it by the stem like a cigarette and can't hold it with your teeth but they smoke cool and dry and don't hold a ghost. Once they get dirty just put them in the grill or directly onto smoldering coals and leave them to cool and they're brand new again. Most of the bowls are only about the size of a thimble so they're perfect for short smokes or sampling something new, testing new blends, trying individual leaf types to get an idea for blending, blending in at a Renn Faire, all kinds of things
So you are saying I need more pipes?
Controlled Chaos
Well-Known Member
Just saying I'm definitely NOT telling you that you don't need more pipes
