Introduction:

Pipes:

By far, the largest single investment for most pipe smokers will be the pipes they own. Pipes are generally made from one of four materials, each with advantages of their own.

Corncob pipes are the least expensive, usually costing less than $10, but they provide a surprisingly good smoke for the money, and many experienced pipe smokers use them on a regular basis. The corn provides a very absorbent material, and a sweeter flavour to the smoke. These are great for beginners as they don't require much rest (see Care & Cleaning), and can be easily replaced if broken or smoked into a sour state.

Typical Corncob pipe

Clay pipes are probably the oldest style of pipe still in use today. They were the original way of smoking tobacco way back in the 1500's and still maintain popularity among many pipe connoisseurs. They can range in price and quality from fairly cheap (mine was less than $20) to relatively pricey (well over $100). They give a unique smoking experience quite different from briar. Clay pipes provide a very dry, earthy flavour to the smoke, and depending on the style purchased (long or short) can cool the smoke considerably. They are not very comfortable to hold in the teeth so are best suited to smoking while sitting in front of the fire in a comfortable chair. An added benefit of clay pipes is that they don't absorb the flavour of the tobaccos smoked in them and can be used to test new blends without fear of tainting a favorite briar.

Clay pipes

Meerschaum pipes are made of a light porous mineral mined in certain areas around Turkey. I have not personally owned a meerschaum pipe so I cannot give first hand knowledge about the smoking experience. From what I have read and heard, meerschaum smokes similar to clay, cool and dry, and requires little to no rest between smokes. One of the great advantages of meerschaum is the fact that makers can carve the soft mineral into various fantastic forms. Sultan heads, eagle claws and lattice covered bowls are just some of the more popular shapes carved from this milky-white mineral. The pipes themselves, when smoked for a long time, absorb the juices from the tobacco burned in them and begin to change colour, from white to honey brown to dark amber. They are fragile and will smash to pieces if dropped onto a hard surface so they are best reserved for using at home, while you are seated comfortably in a chair. The best ones are made from block meerschaum and can range in price from $50 to upwards of $300 depending on maker and complexity of the design.

Carved Block Meerschaum pipes

Briar pipes fall into two broad categories, hand made and machine made. The vast majority of pipes made and sold today are made of briar. This wood comes from the root burl of the white heath, an evergreen plant that grows in arid regions around the Mediterranean. It is a hard, dense wood that has been the primary source of tobacco pipes since its discovery in the mid 1800's. Entire books have been written about briar pipes and there are magazines devoted to stories about the numerous carvers who work with briar. The price of a briar pipe can vary from as little as $30 for a machine made pipe to well into the thousands of dollars. One pipe carved by a world renown pipe artisan was reportedly sold for $15,000 US. When it comes to buying a briar pipe, smoking quality is mainly dependent on the quality of wood used and the engineering of the pipe itself. The rest of the price is reflected in the artistry of the piece, reputation of the maker, and quality of the grain patterns created in the final product. For the new pipe smoker, it is recommended to buy the best factory pipe you can reasonably afford from a reputable maker. Names like Stanwell, Peterson and Brigham are generally recommended for first time buyers as the quality of the pipes is good, and the prices start at reasonable levels. Rough finished pipes are usually a better bargain (sandblasted or rusticated) as they are generally made with the same wood as smooth pipes, but had surface flaws that prevented them from being graded higher and consequently, more expensive. In all cases, the pipe should be inspected to meet a few basic requirements. It should have a well-finished mouthpiece, one that has a comfortable shape to hold in the teeth, and the bit (the part you hold in your mouth) should fit well to the shank of the pipe. The draft hole should be drilled in the bottom of the tobacco chamber, not part way up the side, and a pipe cleaner should be able to pass through from bit-to-bowl easily and without having to take the pipe apart. If the pipe has a smooth finish, it should have minimum surface flaws and fills. Smooth pipes under $100 will generally have some fills or flaws but the less the better. Some factory pipes will also have stain in the tobacco chamber of the pipe (Peterson is generally guilty of this) but it is a reflection of a product produced to a certain price point, not sloppy workmanship. The stain can be removed by gentle sanding or careful cleaning with a high proof alcohol (like vodka or Scotch) before the first pipeful of tobacco is burned in it.

Unlike pipes of other materials, a briar pipe usually requires a 'break in' period to smoke really well. Breaking in a pipe means smoking it to create a cake (carbon layer) in the tobacco chamber. I have had new pipes that smoked great from the very first bowl, and others that took ten to twenty pipefuls before they really started to come around. A new pipe may present some 'off' flavours, and after smoking for a time become very sweet and flavourful. This is 'breaking in'. The new pipe smoker may not even notice though (I never did at first) and only with experience would one be able to judge when a pipe is 'off'.

The hand made pipe has its advantages over the machine made in that the quality of the materials used is generally quite high, great care is taken to ensure engineering is as close to perfect as possible, and the designs are chosen to showcase the best grain patterns of the individual briar blocks. Here the price point is obviously higher but for many pipe smokers and collectors the extra cost to get something created by human hands is worth the price. The same workmanship applies here as it does for factory made pipes, though. Drillings should be inspected, and fit and finish of mouthpieces checked for quality but remember, perfection costs so expect to pay more for the best.

Briar pipes do require a rest between smokes (see Care & Cleaning) so a larger rotation is required depending on the amount of smoking one does each day.

A Stephen Downie Briar

Tom Eltang Sandblast - SmokersHaven.com

Tobaccos:

Pipe tobaccos can be broadly grouped into three categories: Englishes, Virginias, and Aromatics. Each grouping can be further broken down based on ingredients and how each gets processed. Some blends cross the boundaries of one or more categories and others are just so unique that they don't really fit in anywhere. Most new pipe smokers gravitate towards the aromatic blends because of the nice aroma they present in the pouch and during smoking. Generally, there is a progression for most pipers from aromatics to English, and often on to Virginias and Virginia Perique blends.

I will try to describe the different characteristics of the three categories of pipe tobacco. As already mentioned, aromatics usually have a very nice smell that wives and girlfriends seem to warm up to. They are created by adding flavourings and sauces to the tobacco leaf, usually with some sugars to sweeten the final product. Aromatic blends do smell nice, but often they are more for the audience than the participant. Meaning the smoker doesn't really get to 'taste' the flavours as much as others get to smell them.

Virginia tobaccos are a naturally high sugar leaf that is grown around the world now, not just in the state of Virginia. A Virginia mixture is sometimes created by blending a variety of Virginias together. Sometimes other leaf is added to create more depth and body, like Burley. A longtime favourite Virginia mixture is Virginia and Perique. True Perique is a unique tobacco that is produced only in St James Parish in Louisiana. It is made by fermenting the tobaccos in their own juices under high pressure. Over the course of 9 or 10 months, the tobacco is released, softened and repressurized until it achieves a fruity, pungent aroma and taste. When added to Virginia tobaccos, it creates a great blend that many long time pipe smokers find indispensable.

English blends are true blends. They usually consist of three main types of leaf in varying proportions: Virginias, Turkish or Orientals and Latakia. Some English blends will have other leaf added, but they are not a classic English. For the most part, English mixtures do not have any flavours added to them, and rely totally on the blending of the individual varieties of tobacco to create the final flavour. To most non-smokers, English blends stink. This is due to the inclusion of Latakia in the mixtures, a tobacco that is created in Cyprus and Syria by curing tobacco leaf over smoldering fires. These tobacco mixtures are created for the enjoyment of the smoker and have a wonderful deep flavour. Interestingly, it seems the worse the burning tobacco smells, the better it tastes to the smoker.

The most important thing about choosing a tobacco is to smoke what you like, and like what you smoke. Buy quality tobaccos to put in your pipe. Quality is not always reflected in high prices. A number of reputable tobacco blenders sell their tobaccos in bulk form (loose, not tinned), usually for a great price. Look for blends from companies such as McClelland, Samuel Gawith and Co, Stokkebye and others. Remember, a quality blend will smoke well and taste great even in average pipes. A poor quality tobacco is still rank, even in the most expensive briar.

Packing & Smoking:

Learning to pack your pipe properly and smoke slowly is probably the most difficult thing for a new pipe smoker to master. It is not something you can learn from a book or from someone else's experience. It is something that must be tried, practiced and perfected for each individual. I don't pack my pipe the same as Doug or Bas, and Steve doesn't pack his pipe as I do mine. But for each of us, our technique works. In general, most new smokers are advised to use the 'three layer' method to pack a pipe. To do this, dribble some tobacco into the bottom of the pipe until the bowl is full (first layer). Using your finger, press the tobacco lightly until the tobacco fills the pipe to the half-full point. Dribble more tobacco into the bowl until it is full again (second layer). Again, press the tobacco with your finger more firmly until the tobacco fills the pipe 3/4 of the way. Add more tobacco to top it off, and press quite firmly, careful not to compact the tobaccos lower down in the bowl (third layer). At this point, the packed pipe should be lightly packed at the bottom, getting gradually tighter towards the top. Now put the pipe in your mouth and puff the unlit pipe gently (this is testing the draw of the pipe). If it is like sucking a milkshake through a straw, the pipe is packed too tight. Dump the tobacco out onto a piece of paper and start again. If the draw is too light, add more tobacco and press down more firmly. The right draw should be like sucking a soda pop through a straw. As I said before, this takes practice and experimentation, as different tobacco blends and different cuts will pack differently and various moisture levels will require different levels of compaction as well. Even after ten years I still mess up a pack once in a while, and have to dump it and start again.

Another variation to the Three Layer packing method is the Frank method, developed by Herr Achim Frank. I will not describe the Frank method in this article, but will invite the reader to visit http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze43wza/franck.html to get the low-down.

To light your pipe, use the 'two light' method. The first light is a false or charring light. Strike your match or lighter and slowly pass the flame over the entire surface of the tobacco while gently but deeply drawing on the pipe, until the entire surface is charred black. Some of the tobacco will 'sprangle' out of the bowl as it catches fire and expands. Use your pipe tamper to gently press the tobacco back down, without compacting the load. Strike your second match and light again, passing the flame over the entire surface, drawing slowly and deeply the entire time. Your pipe should be lit at this point, or you may need to use another match to get it going well, depending on the moisture level of your tobacco.

Smoke slowly, savour the flavours, and watch the smoke curling up towards the ceiling or sky. Draw the smoke in slowly and avoid inhaling the smoke. Exhale slowly and explore the feel of the smoke in your mouth. Let some smoke slowly out through your nose and 'taste' the fullness of the tobacco. Notice how often I used the word slowly? That is the greatest word of advice I can give. Is your pipe getting hot? Slow down. Is the flavour kinda, eh? Slow down. Do you get tongue-bite, gurgle, moisture in the stem? Slow down. Pipe smoking is a vacation from the world, your job, and your worries. Don't rush through it.

If your pipe goes out, there are no fouls for re-lighting your pipe. In fact, if the pipe bowl has been getting hot, it would be a good time to let the pipe go out, let the bowl cool down, and re-light. As you smoke, use a pipe cleaner to absorb moisture buildup in the stem by inserting it into the bit and passing it through to the bowl without taking the pipe apart. Removing the stem from the pipe while smoking or while the pipe is hot can result in a cracked shank. It will also weaken the mortise and tenon joint between the stem and briar part of the bowl. Only remove the stem after a pipe has had a chance to cool fully. Tamp the ash down gently as the tobacco burns to keep the lit tobacco in contact with the unburned tobacco beneath it. But be careful not to compact the unburned tobaccos too much, you want to keep the draw consistent from the first light to the bottom of the bowl. Once all the tobacco is burned, or you have trouble lighting the last bits of tobacco at the bottom of the chamber, use your pipe tool to loosen up the ash and dottle (unburned bits of tobacco) and dump it out without banging the pipe on anything harder than the heel of your hand. Always hold onto the bowl of the pipe, not the stem, when knocking out the dottle to keep from breaking off the stem. Run a pipe cleaner through the empty pipe to remove any residual moisture, wipe the stem and bowl with a soft cloth, and place it in a rack to rest until the next time you need it.

Care & Cleaning:

I'm not really an expert in the field of cleaning pipes, but I do care for mine quite a bit, not as much as some in our club, but more than others. I routinely do a gentle cleaning after each smoke. As stated above for briar pipes, I wipe off the mouthpiece and bowl with a polishing cloth, run a pipe cleaner through the stem to absorb any extra moisture, and set it aside for its rest. Depending on the type of tobacco you choose to smoke, your smoking style (wet or dry) and the ambient humidity and temperature in your home, a briar pipe will need to rest anywhere from a couple days to a week. Your nose is the best determinant to tell if your pipe is ready to smoke again. If the bowl has a foul pungent smell it will need more rest. Once the bowl has a dry, tobacco like aroma to it, it should be ready to use again. Corncobs, clays and meerschaums can be smoked daily, often more than once a day without rest, with no ill effects.

The following cleaning instructions pertain to briar pipes only. Cobs, clays and meerschaum are treated differently and I have little first-hand knowledge about dealing with them. For further information, search for cleaning techniques on the ASP archives (http://www.aspipes.org/) and faq page (http://www.aspipes.org/faq/faq.html). Depending on the frequency of smoking a particular pipe gets, and your smoking style, the pipe will require a more thorough internal cleaning to remove the buildup of cake (deposits in the tobacco chamber) and tars deposited in the pipe shank and mouthpiece. This more invasive cleaning is performed normally once or twice a year; more often if you have a small rotation of pipes, less if you have a really large collection. The first step is to remove the stem from the pipe, clean out any accumulation in the space between the stem tenon and the base of the mortise in the shank of the pipe. Use a reamer to carefully scrape out the cake in the bowl, leaving a layer of cake about the thickness of a dime.

British Buttner Pipe Reamer

Dip a bristle pipe cleaner into 1/4 inch of pipe sweetner or a high proof alcohol (rum, vodka or Scotch, not rubbing alcohol) and run it through the shank of the pipe to the bowl to break up and remove the tar deposits there. Use as many pipe cleaners dipped in the cleaning fluid as it takes until the cleaner comes out of the shank nearly the same colour as it entered. Then, using a fluffy pipe cleaner, swab out the shank to dry any remaining alcohol. Use the same procedure on the stem. Set the pipe aside in the two pieces for a few hours or even a day before reassembling to ensure all the extra moisture has evaporated, or you may risk cracking the pipe shank when trying to reinsert the stem.

Conclusion:

Pipe smoking is a high effort hobby, with great rewards for the people who are diligent and work at getting things correct. It takes practice to pack a pipe properly, and not everyone can do it. It takes time to learn how to puff slowly and keep a pipe burning gently, and not everyone will have the patience to stick with it. But for those who do no other form of tobacco use can provide so much pleasure. A quick web search reveals hundreds of literary references to the joy of the pipe (a favourite of mine: http://www.knowledgerush.com/gutenberg/1/4/8/8/14887/14887-h/14887-h.htm). The Vancouver Pipe Club is populated with some very knowledgeable folks, (some reputed to have been born with a pipe in their mouths). Talk to others, learn from them and smoke slowly.

Briars a Fire,
The Secretary

References:

Pipes and Tobaccos Magazine (http://www.pt-magazine.com/) ASP news group (http://www.aspipes.org/) Briar Brethren and my own brain