General

[DeTrevni]

Well, it seems my pipe is souring up again. Normally, I'd just soak a pipe cleaner in rubbing alcohol and run it through the stem and swab the bowl with it. And that seems to work, so I've never really bought any "pipe sweeteners" before. But I was just wondering, what do the pipe smokers here use to freshen up their pipes? Maybe y'all have some secrets or even store-bought solutions to share.

Not only that, but I'm running out of quality tobacky as well, so I'm up for suggestions!

Also, feel free to post your collections! I've only got two pipes right now: a cheap-o filtered pipe that I got at Walgreens to try pipe-smoking out (and really enjoyed it) a year or two back, and a nicer Italian pipe with a briar bowl and a "tigered" Lucite stem that I got at a nice tobacconist in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Sorry for the crappy webcam pic. It's all I can manage right now...



It's always interesting to hear tidbits from other pipe-smokers, as it really is more of an art, and definitely not an addiction! For anyone interested in pipe smoking, feel free to post here or PM me, and I'll help you as best as I can.

And please, let's keep the Mary Jane out of this thread.

[Brewtt]

I need to find some good cherry tobacco again.

[Robertsr]

Been working this meerschaum for about 3 years on and off. I smoke a custom blend of 8 parts vanilla toasted black cavendish to 1 part Virgina Burley. Took me the better part of the year to get the mix right after accidentally doing it in my pouch when I changed out some old tobacco.

I used to collect meershcaums like I do MicroMags now. At one time I had 8 or 10 of them.

Brewtt, if you're looking for a decent cherry mix and you don't have any good tobacconists handy, check out Middletons Cherry Blend (found at better grocery stores and druggists everywhere). It's not bad for a non-premium.

[A.C. Basbas]

Forget the rubbing alcohol and try lemon juice (use a real lemon, not a storebought juice). It'll clean it nicely and dries fast, without doing any damage. Plus, it's not as offensive.

[admeech29]

I just bought my first pipe today. A corn cob one. Trying it out for the first time tonight. Got a free ounce of Great Northern custom mix from the book store. I will let you know how it goes after I try it out. It smells great.

[Sir Brass]

I don't smoke a meerschaum (what kind of material IS it? most meerschaum pipes I've seen look like porcelin (sp?)), but a briar. I don't clean out the pipe. I'm still building up a decent cake in it.

I smoke a blend of 2 parts wilshire to 1 part chartwell (Tender Box tobbacanists varieties). Starts off real nicely at the top, and the chartwell does well for smoking as I get towards the bottom of the bowl (the wilshire is a longer cut). Though I'm still learning the art of packing the pipe just right, but I'm getting close to getting it just right.

[Schmitti]

SB... it's a mineral deposit... actually it's compressed shells of microscopic sea organisms... which is why it is porous and colors over time.

E

[Sir Brass]

Originally Posted by Schmitti

SB... it's a mineral deposit... actually it's compressed shells of microscopic sea organisms... which is why it is porous and colors over time.

E

How would you say it smokes compared to a briar pipe? Better? Or, is it just a matter of whatever you prefer to hold in your hand?

[mustangii]

I use everclear to clean my pipes, run a soaked cleaner thru the stem and then run dry ones through it till they come out clean. will post pictures later.
edm

[A.C. Basbas]

Originally Posted by Sir Brass

How would you say it smokes compared to a briar pipe? Better? Or, is it just a matter of whatever you prefer to hold in your hand?

It's more like using glass, to be honest. I inherited a plethora of mirschaum pipes from my father and grandfather, and I can only bring myself to actually use two of them (the rest are ancient and in pristine condition). I find myself cleaning them more often, but then again I don't smoke a pipe that often so it's not really a big deal.