New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart

[RJrocker]

Originally Posted by CoffeeWaterBeer

It generally just means previously owned. "Used" doesn't sound as sophisticated

Thank you, Seth.

[Django]

Ok, here is a quick question:
What does "OTC" stand for (relating to pipe tobacco). I read the term in one of the older threads in the pipe discussion section.

[MarkinAZ]

Originally Posted by Django

Ok, here is a quick question:
What does "OTC" stand for (relating to pipe tobacco). I read the term in one of the older threads in the pipe discussion section.

OTC is Over The Counter as it relates to pipe tobacco products, and will be referring to brands such as Carter Hall, Captain Black, Half and Half, Granger, and so forth (brands that you find behind the counter at Walgreens, Rite Aid, the grocery store, etc)...

[mahtofire14]

I have decided that the majority of smoking I'm going to be doing will be shifting more towards pipe smoking. After ten years of mostly cigars my tastes have really started enjoying the subtle flavor a of pipe tobacco. I have a decent amount of pipe tobacco but it isn't all in sealed tins. Some are in ziploc baggies. Is there any way to save this or is it pretty much a lost cause now? And does flake last longer in unsatisfactory conditions than regular tobacco? Thanks for the help.

[WhiteMamba]

I put all my tobacco in mason jars. It works for me.

[mahtofire14]

Yes. My main question is will my tobacco that isn't in tins or jars be smokeable or is there a way to save it if it isn't.

[WhiteMamba]

Sorry I didn't understand your question at first. I have had success with small boveda packs and the little water pillow things.

[MarkinAZ]

Originally Posted by mahtofire14

I have decided that the majority of smoking I'm going to be doing will be shifting more towards pipe smoking. I have a decent amount of pipe tobacco but it isn't all in sealed tins. Some are in ziploc baggies. Is there any way to save this or is it pretty much a lost cause now? And does flake last longer in unsatisfactory conditions than regular tobacco? Thanks for the help.

Hey Pete, great to see you back on the forum, and congratulations on becoming a piper

I think over a period of time, after purchasing samplers online or the same from your local B&M, we end up with a few bags of loose tobacco or flakes. Zip lock baggies aren't the best for holding air out or humidity and temperature inside. So, eventually, the pipe tobacco will dry out on you. The same goes for tins. They don't have the best of seals (well, some are better than others, but may tend to dry out your tobacco over a period of time).

If you're thinking about hanging-on to some of your pipe tobacco from plastic bags or tins, you can always take that first step and hydrate your pipe tobacco. Its easy and simple. Take a small glass or Rubbermaid type bowl and place your pipe tobacco inside. Next, take a washcloth or similar type of cloth, hold it under some hot water until soaked, drain a little water from the cloth, open the cloth out fully, and place it flat over the bowl containing your pipe tobacco. If you're doing this during the weekend, you can check your pipe tobacco every 4 to 5 hours for moisture absorption. If you feel it could use a bit more moisture, mix the pipe tobacco gently and re-soak your cloth again, slightly drain once again, and fully open and place the cloth over the bowl for another 4 to 5 hours. Repeat until you're satisfied with the moisture level of your pipe tobacco. If you're performing this task during the work week, I just soak the cloth, place it over the bowl, and let it sit for 12 hours. I check it a few hours after I return home from work, and sometimes, we're good. Other times, I re-soak and let it ride another 12 hours. You just need to play around with this and dial it in for your own needs.

So, what to do now with your newly hydrated pipe tobacco. Like WhiteMamba, I use Kerr 1 pint wide-mouth jars for all of my bulk purchases and/or tin/plastic bag remainders. If your pipe tobacco has moisture, it will hold for quite some time in a Kerr or Mason type of jar. There are many pipers that use glass jars for long term storage of their pipe tobacco. You can slap a label on the jar with the name of the pipe tobacco and date, and pack it away, to be open at some future date in time aged. This is not to say though, that a Kerr or Mason jar "will not" leak. You just want to make sure you place the top on just right prior to screwing it down. To date, I've yet to have an air leak situation with these jars.

Finally, you don't have to use 1 pint jars exactly. I use these because they hold 4 oz of loose and flake tobacco nicely inside. There are larger glass jars that I'm sure will hold an easy 8oz (if you wanted to break-up that 1 pound of pipe tobacco you recently purchased), or you may want to go with a smaller wide mouth jar just to handle the amount usually found in a tin (which is generally 1.75 oz or 50 g).

And, does flake last longer in unfavorable conditions than regular tobacco (I would think this constitutes ribbon cut, rough cut, etc)??? Since flake is sliced from a tobacco blend that has been pressed together for a long period of time, I would say yes, due to its density from being pressed together. Regular tobacco is thin with many open spaces where air can easily get to all of the moisture and oils, and I would think, dry it out quicker than a blend of tobacco's that have been pressed. At least, this is my thought on the question.

Hope this helps you out a bit Pete

[mahtofire14]

Thanks guys. A lot of good info here. I've got an order coming in the next couple days and will start using jars with my new stuff and hopefully rehydrate the old. Got a nice sample pack from one of the guys on here a while back.

[AdamJoshua]

Hey guys, my name is Adam *waits for hi adam* and I will be getting my first pipe in just a couple days, I am actually pretty excited to delve into the world of pipes and puffing.

One thing I have been looking for is a pipe tobacco flavor wheel, does such a thing exist?

thanks,
newb

[mhailey]

Adam,

This link has good descriptions of the various tobaccos used in pipe blends as well as the various cuts of tobacco (flake, shag, plug, ...).

When you hear "English blend" it is not aromatic, and has latakia as a main "flavor" of the blend.

VaPer is a mixture of Virginias and Perique (I like these blends. peppery).

Aromatics can taste like anything (maple pancakes, rum, berries, ...).

OTC blends are great go-to blends for everyday smoking. (Prince Albert, Captain Black, Half and Half ...) They are typically Burley blends (which go great with a cup of coffee).

[CoffeeWaterBeer]

Not to my knowledge Adam. What many find helpful is tobaccoreviews.com. Granted you need to take the reviews with a grain of salt (this is the internet so that goes without saying). Sample as much as you can to roughly shape out what you like, then find reviewers that seem to have similar tastes so you have something you can at least rely on a bit. Another thing is to PM me your address and taste whatever shows up on your doorstep.

Edit: Good info from Matt. Keep in mind not all Englishes are full on campfire smoke bombs, there's a lot of play between different blends. Add to that the smoke qualities of a blend in pipes of different shapes/sizes. There's a lot of room to play around and hone in what works best for you.

[AdamJoshua]

Thanks Matt and Seth, I was looking at that site and I think just knowing the basics as you listed them is a great start, I've read so many threads here that I've already forgotten half of what I read.

Well with Steve's bomb I think I have about 30 different blends and tobaccos to try

[mahtofire14]

I've got my tobacco rehumidifying now thanks to your advice guys. Realized I had a lot more than I knew I had. I got 12 samples of various well known tobacco from a noob PIF pass I received a while back on here. Some real nice 5-6 oz samples. Got jars for those as well as pint jars for the couple other tins I have. Also have an order coming in Friday. Can't wait to start trying these again. The lakes are just about frozen over so I will be sampling these while out ice fishing. Thanks for the help getting me back on track guys!

[mahtofire14]

Originally Posted by mahtofire14

I've got my tobacco rehumidifying now thanks to your advice guys. Realized I had a lot more than I knew I had. I got 12 samples of various well known tobacco from a noob PIF pass I received a while back on here. Some real nice 5-6 oz samples. Got jars for those as well as pint jars for the couple other tins I have. Also have an order coming in Friday. Can't wait to start trying these again. The lakes are just about frozen over so I will be sampling these while out ice fishing. Thanks for the help getting me back on track guys!

My noobness shining through. I believe the sample I received are more like an A half oz or so. Still a nice start.

[AdamJoshua]

Well I should have watched the videos of loading the bowl, the false light, the tamp ... didn't though, first bowl was kind of a fail, I used some Entertainer ribbon cut that I got at the local shop, kept going out of course and did not take long to burn through it, seems I put about 1/3 of what I should have put and it wasn't loaded down enough. Now I know though

Ok question, I got some tobacco at the B & M and it's at a certain moisture level, some of the samples that Steve blasted me with are all over the moisture spectrum, do you smoke different mixes at different humidity levels or is it like cigars you find a level that works for you and you smoke all of your tobaccos at that same humidity level?

[mahtofire14]

Don't get discouraged. It will get better with practice. I have a lot of work to do on my loading skills as well. I have found many helpful videos online where a guy goes step by step loading the pipe and lighting it.

[AdamJoshua]

Yah Pete, that's what I've been watching and not discouraged at all, I kind of think the learning is all part of the fun.

[mahtofire14]

Originally Posted by AdamJoshua

Yah Pete, that's what I've been watching and not discouraged at all, I kind of think the learning is all part of the fun.

100% agree. Much like cutting and lighting a cigar for the first few times.

[CoffeeWaterBeer]

To answer your moisture question, you will acquire a feel for what's too wet/dry. Some blends are purposefully left drier (a few Pease blends come to mind) while others will need an hour or more sitting out to dry to an acceptable burn level ( certain flakes taking longer due to the density of the compressed leaf) . With cigars we have the luxury of finding our preferred Rh and getting beads that keep our sticks at that level. With pipe tobacco, unless you rotate a small digi hygrometer between your jarred blends, you will have to learn to eyeball what works. Once jarred though, you wont have to worry about "upkeep". I use half pint jars and never do they dry out if kept sealed.

I hope that answered your question, please let em know if I danced around it and missed what you're looking for.