Who among us are PIPE smokers?

[fireman1]

I used to smoke a pipe, but had to give it up due to recurrent pneumonia bouts (not from tobacco). Still, my favorite was a Peterson military mount Mark Twain replica. Preferred Plum Cake or Latakia Blend...had 7 other briars for trade offs.

What pray tell, is a military mount? Peterson military mount Mark Twain replica?

 

[Trigger]

Yes.

It's not a lot of fun at first but if you don't do it this way, you won't build up the carbon cake on the interior walls of the pipe that make it smoke cool with little or no bite. When you first start smoking the pipe fill it no more than 1/3 way fool (tamped down). Light it and smoke it until there is nothing left to re-light. Do that for at least a week presuming you smoke it each day. Then fill it about 2/3 of the way up for another week and smoke it until there is just ash in the bottom of the pipe. Finally, fill it up and smoke it all the way down for at least another week. This will give you the start of a carbon cake that covers all of the bowl and not just part of it. If you don't do this, when you get to the part without the carbon build-up on it, the pipe smoke will get very hot and "bitey" (is that a word?).

You may need to take these steps for two weeks at a time but if you do it, you will start to get a build up of carbon all the way down to the bottom of the bowl of your pipe. Do NOT ream out the pipe after smoking it. You can tap it out when done smoking it and even use your pipe cleaning tool to remove any remnants but do NOT scrape it or you will remove that carbon coating you are trying so hard to build-up. ***Warning*** when you tap a pipe to get any plug or remnants out of it, hold onto the back of the bowl. If you hold onto the stem and tap out your pipe a little too forcefully, you will break the stem - ask me how I know...

After you have built that carbon cake up, try to be sure you don't just smoke it half-way repeatedly or you will get a bump of carbon around the rim and not below it. 1-16th to 1/8th of an inch of carbon is OK around the inside of the bowl. 1/4" thick carbon cake is excessive and should be reamed back - careful you don't ream it all out. Meerschaum is about the only material that doesn't require a carbon build up to smoke well. The clay pipes we use at reenactments are a close second, but not durable. I have one pipe called "The Pipe" that came with a carbon insert built into the bowl of the pipe and I clean that one well whenever I use it because building a carbon cake up on it is just redundant and gives me less room for tobacco.

When I used to smoke a pipe a lot, I used that "The Pipe" because I didn't need to break it in. Now days, I'll smoke a clay pipe at a reenactment or my Calabash or Meerschaum pipe at home on the back porch while sipping an appropriate liquid, although that is a rare occasion.

Thanks..

it's not as bad as it was. When I first used it, it was bad. I'm going to try it out more.

I did break the stem on my Italian pipe doing that.. I was tapping it out on my truck tire and that was it.

I was just smoking the cigarette pipe tobacco all day. Threwthe pipe. it was easyer than tubing cigarette. I just keep filling it right up. Before I broke that pipe. Even at work for a smoke break id use the pipe lol. It was a tobacco pipe no says much even though I've never seen it I felt weird.

Right now the job I'm on is no smoken on the grounds anywhere. Oh man.. I sit in my truck. It's kinda the only safe zone.. we get two breaks so I been ok.. if I need it I sneak out and sit in the truck but I been ok.

 

[rusticbob]

Twisted knows his pipes!

 

[Bucolic Buffalo]

What pray tell, is a military mount? Peterson military mount Mark Twain replica?

The military mount is a reinforced band, often of silver, to keep the pipe from cracking or warping from the moisture. A short, tapered tenon which reduces grip so that the pipe can be easily disassembled for cleaning even while smoking. A standard mount by most makers puts the stem right into the wood tenon, or into a decorative banding. Tenons are usually longer and have been known to crack if care isn't used. Not something I have often seen.

The Mark Twain replica goes back to the late 1800's. A well smoked Peterson pipe was found in the Mark Twain museum along with a photo. It's a heavily bent pipe with a good sized bowl. It had been discontinued in the early 1900's and Peterson took photos and measured the pipe to bring it back decades later.

 

[Mad L]

I do love my clay pipes, had one hang from my teeth for so long I nawed the tip clean off.
I have clay pipes in an assorted sizes and one that was claimed to be an original 1800s found in a crate in a basement in Germany.

But at home my 'go to' is a fine Briar Pipe, I also have a couple cobs that are nice but nothing beats a Briar!
I have four favorites now, each has their own character and @Twisted_1in66 is 100% correct; break a fine pipe in right and she will treat you for years (and NEVER pull the stem for cleaning until the pipe has cooled!).

My 'go to' tobacco, actually the only I fill my pipes with is Montego Bay Rum tobacco, has a sweetish aroma that many non smokers seem to even enjoy.

When first breaking in a new Briar Pipe I treat the bowl with the finest rum there is, cane rum not molasses. I used to use SeaWynde but as it's no longer available I now use Smith & Cross.

Just got me a new pipe, I think once the sun goes down I may begin her adventure..
For fine hand made Briar pipes there are none better the MacQeen Pipes!

https://www.macqueenpipes.com/

 

[Whitworth]

I need some help guys, the stem is stuck in my Ben Wade How do I get it unstuck without breaking it? Thanks fellows.

 

[Bucolic Buffalo]

I need some help guys, the stem is stuck in my Ben Wade How do I get it unstuck without breaking it? Thanks fellows.

Try putting it in the freezer. Maybe an hour, or less. Carefully try it. Try a longer time if needed. Do not force it.

 

[Uncle Miltie]

I need some help guys, the stem is stuck in my Ben Wade How do I get it unstuck without breaking it? Thanks fellows.

Put the pipe in a plastic bag and leave it in the freezer overnight.
The stem should remove easily.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

I do love my clay pipes, had one hang from my teeth for so long I nawed the tip clean off.
I have clay pipes in an assorted sizes and one that was claimed to be an original 1800s found in a crate in a basement in Germany.

But at home my 'go to' is a fine Briar Pipe, I also have a couple cobs that are nice but nothing beats a Briar!
I have four favorites now, each has their own character and @Twisted_1in66 is 100% correct; break a fine pipe in right and she will treat you for years (and NEVER pull the stem for cleaning until the pipe has cooled!).

My 'go to' tobacco, actually the only I fill my pipes with is Montego Bay Rum tobacco, has a sweetish aroma that many non smokers seem to even enjoy.

When first breaking in a new Briar Pipe I treat the bowl with the finest rum there is, cane rum not molasses. I used to use SeaWynde but as it's no longer available I now use Smith & Cross.

Just got me a new pipe, I think once the sun goes down I may begin her adventure..
For fine hand made Briar pipes there are none better the MacQeen Pipes!

https://www.macqueenpipes.com/

The first pipe I ever bought was a long-stem clay pipe at Williamsburg, VA in 1964 when my Dad drove us from California to New York for the New York World's fair in 1964. We stopped at Williamsburg for 2-nights/1-day and stayed for 4-nights/3-days before continuing on up to New York City. I was 13 at the time (had my 14th Birthday in August while at the fair), and I kept that long-stemmed, clay pipe in its box until I turned 18. Then I bought some pipe tobacco and smoked it! So it was the first pipe I ever smoked.

 

[Whitworth]

Thanks Bucolic Buffalo and Uncle Miltie, I"ll give it a try.

 

[RedOneFive]

I have a few but I like my Petersen with a bowl of buttered rum.. Or a dark blend from deadwood tobacco Co..

 

[fireman1]

The military mount is a reinforced band, often of silver, to keep the pipe from cracking or warping from the moisture. A short, tapered tenon which reduces grip so that the pipe can be easily disassembled for cleaning even while smoking. A standard mount by most makers puts the stem right into the wood tenon, or into a decorative banding. Tenons are usually longer and have been known to crack if care isn't used. Not something I have often seen.

The Mark Twain replica goes back to the late 1800's. A well smoked Peterson pipe was found in the Mark Twain museum along with a photo. It's a heavily bent pipe with a good sized bowl. It had been discontinued in the early 1900's and Peterson took photos and measured the pipe to bring it back decades later.

Thanks for the info.....on the other hand NO THANKS!! I am now scouring the 'net for pictures of this and where to buy one!

Any pictures of yours?

 

[Harry Marinakis]

Only at primitive events.
Flue dried Virginia yellow leaf.

 

[Bucolic Buffalo]

They were Peterson's Pipe of the Year in 2022. But I wonder if they are out of production until demand requires they make them again. Still, Peterson offers so many models that there are several that all look like the Mark Twain's. They even sold a set with a poker and a bent.

 

[fireman1]

They were Peterson's Pipe of the Year in 2022. But I wonder if they are out of production until demand requires they make them again. Still, Peterson offers so many models that there are several that all look like the Mark Twain's. They even sold a set with a poker and a bent.

Googled it. Good looking pipe. I'm looking at a couple of their models.

 

[Uncle Miltie]

Googled it. Good looking pipe. I'm looking at a couple of their models.

There is a big pipe show in Columbus OH August 9th and 10th.
One of the best shows in the US.

 

[Tennessee]

I enjoy a nice cavendish tobacco in my hand made cherry pipe from time to time

 

[jefair1]

I'm not picky about the pipe - corn cob works well, but I can't pack much into the little bowl, and another couple I've picked up over the past few years work well, too. The tobacco tho - I'm stuck on the cherry blend the little pipe shop down on First St in St. Charles makes. It makes me remember my uncle, who smoked it all the time when I was a kid....

Get one like MacArthur used. It looked big enought to hold half a pound.

 

[James Kopp]

I get my pipes and tobacco from JM Boswell. He has a shop local to me. Both of my pipes are his creation and he does all his own tobacco blending

Boswell tobacco are great...You can also try some Country Squire from MS..They have a blend called Tombigbee that is magical....and i just recently found Milan tobacco in Roanoke VA that does some traditional Colonial blends, Ill post on those once I get them next week

 

[James Kopp]

Is that in Chambersburg, Pa?

Yes JM Boswell has two stores Chambersburg and Alexandria. Both are in PA