WHen did you start smoking pipes and why?

[Nick]

WHen I was 17 I was walking through a store parking lot and smelled a fantastic smelling smoke. It was febuary and it was a cold and drizzly morning. I saw an old man sitting in a beat up toyota pickup enjoying a pipe. His face and truck showed signs of a hard fought life. I walked away thinking how comfortable and content he looked puffing away slowly on a piece of briar, I could tell his pipe or pipes were one of the prides of his life.

everyone close to me had smoked cigs my whole life (i tried them a couple times and cigars as well) but they never appealed to me. When I saw that man smoking his pipe on that cold and rainy day I knew that I had to give it a try. Bought my first pipe a couple months later when I turned 18 and never looked back.

[DMK]

With me it was my Grandpa that I first remember smoking pipe, and just about anything else that would burn.... cigars, cigs...
I always remember the smell and enjoyment it brings. I started a pipe when I use to drive long distances, it was easier then always lighting a cig ( I hadn't found cigars yet) I gave it up when I stopped the driving but have recently started to slow down and enjoy again.

[Emjaysmash]

started pipe smoking at 19, one year after taking up the hobby of cigars. Basically took it up for a change of pace.

[pektel]

I bought my first cob and a pouch of Carter Hall a week or 2 ago. I did it because I wanted to try something new, and it's a cheap initial investment to see if I like it. I need to try out a few different baccy's before I make up my mind. Just haven't had the time to research what to try next.

[Commander Quan]

I bought my first pipe shortly after I turned 18, it was a Grabow Savoy that I would light with a torch, and would smoke so hard I would swear that my tongue was a chard stump when I was done. The constant relighting and pain was not a pleasurable experience so I put the pipe away. Sometime later I received about 4 pounds of tobacco in the Altidas deal so I bought a Parker bulldog and decided I was going to give it another go this ended with approximately the same results. That pipe got put away as well. Fast forward to 2 years ago, I read something here that reminded me that I had these pipe stored away, and I should get them out. This time I was determined to figure it out more on a matter of principle than anything else, At this point I am only smoking a cigar a couple times a year but still maintain my cooler with cigars that are all aging quite nicely.

[Ranger_B]

The Proprietor of the B&M I frequent smokes a pipe instead of a cigar most of the time he s working because of the constant putting the cigar/pipe down to go help customers. He mentioned that as well as the price of tobacco and what not so I tried it. When I am working I have to sometimes walk away from a smoke sometimes and with a pipe it is sometimes better that relighting a cigar. For commutes I love the pipe. I started with a savinelli about 5 years ago. I truly like the art in creating pipes and the variety of tobacco out there.

Started back in college around 1975 and enjoyed it for a couple of years. Then for no apparent reason I just stopped. This past winter I ran across my old Kaywoodie and decided to rekindle (ha ha) the old past time. I'm glad I did. Back then it was all Capt Black & Borkum Riff. Now I have been sampling all kinds of great blends from my local B&Ms.

So many more to try. And I have picked up quite a few estate pipes to add to the collection.

[RevSmoke]

My uncle smoked a pipe, as did a neighbor, and I enjoyed the smell of it. When I got to college, I picked up a cob and tried it. I ended up at Iwan Ries downtown Chicago and bought a couple of their natural, unfinished pipes made by Savinelli. The rest is history. That was back in the fall of 1980.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[fatdog]

When I was 18 and a freshman in college I was in a production and my character had to fill, light, and smoke a pipe on stage. I had never smoked before so the director made the tech guy go out and get me a pipe, some wooden matches, and a pouch of Carter Hall. That was exactly 24 years ago and I am still going strong. I am better at it now. I did have the opportunity to thank the director several years later though. He thought it was a nasty habit.
Peace
Marc

[DaBear]

Originally Posted by Emjaysmash

started pipe smoking at 19, one year after taking up the hobby of cigars. Basically took it up for a change of pace.

Same here, just add a year.

[lbowles2]

As others have said I decided to get a pipe about a year ago to try for a change of pace. Also it was a little cheaper than buying cigars once you've made the initial investment of the pipe and lighter. My first go around didn't go well and I ended up selling the two pipes and everything to go with it thinking I wasn't going to try again.

Fast forward to about a month ago and here I am buying a new meerschaum pipe, corncob, lighter etc. My local B&M had a Fonseca tasting and I was chatting with the reps and we got to talking about pipes. I told them about my earlier experience and the fact that I just didn't really care for the taste of it. They had already talked to me about what I liked in cigars and suggested that I didn't try the right tobaccos. After talking about what I tried we found that they were all aromatics and on the light side so now I am trying fuller bodied tobaccos and really enjoying them. I am REALLY enjoying a flake tobacco my B&M carries called Bulls Eye... mmmm... tasty. Now I'm just working on figuring out the fine art of properly packing the bowl so I don't have to continually relight but that will come in time

[DTM]

Originally Posted by lbowles2

I am REALLY enjoying a flake tobacco my B&M carries called Bulls Eye... mmmm... tasty.

Hey Larry, thats Peter Stokkebye Luxury Bullseye Flake. I also picked some up on Saturday but have yet to try it. I am liking the Luxury Navy (or Twist not sure which, thought it was Twist but they wrote down Navy) Flake and something Jon recommended called After Hours.

Are you rubbing out the Bullseye or folding and stuffing? I tried the fold and stuff on the Navy Flake and it worked like a charm. Wasn't so sure on the round flake though.

I started Saturday. Been planning to try it for some time because my wife always reminisces about her grandpa smoking one and also due to the cost over cigars. Bought a MM Cob and a few samples and am really pleased with the results so far.