Unusual Pipes: "Caged Pipe"

It's a pipe! It's a cage! It's a pipe in a cage! Amazing work on this interesting pipe that seems to be encased in a cage made of briar.

Check out that funky stemwork!

9/11

Seven years ago today I saw smoke in the sky but no planes. I saw tears of sorrow and joy. Cars sitting at a park-and-ride waiting for drivers that would never return to claim them. People speeding down the highway blind to everything around them from tears as they turned up the radio. Cell phones being smashed by those who could not get through to their missing loved ones. Men with shotguns standing on rooftops. Chaos. Death. Destruction. Confusion.

Seven years ago today I saw a flag raised amongst the smoking ruins and dead bodies. Groups of strangers singing hymns together. People of all colors and ages join together to help those in need. Rich, poor, young, old, male, female, black, white. What was meant to destroy a nation gave it new life.

For those lost souls of 9/11/01
For those of us who were there and survived. For everyone affected by that horrible day.

God bless America.

Unusual Pipes: "The Pig"

Talk about a "Pig in a Poke"! This is a "Pig in a Pipe"!

This is a pipe from Lorenz and I found it on a German pipe site. A fully functional briar pipe in the likeness of a pig that looks freakishly similar to my ex-wife!

Congratulations Sinan!

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate my friend Sinan Altinok on his wedding that takes place tomorrow. While I could not be there in person to wish them well, I proudly do so here. May you have a lifetime of good health, happiness and blessings.

Sinan is the owner of Altinok Pipes where one can get the finest meerschaum pipes and exotic rugs in the world.

New Acquisition for 08/22/08

I saw this little Stanwell Zebrano dublin pipe online and I kept going back to look at it for a week. I finally pulled the trigger and made the purchase. These pipes are lightweight and feature a nice shank band of Zebrawood. A very handsome pipe if I may say.

Making New Memories with Navy Flake

Several years ago I smoked Mac Baren's "Navy Flake". It's a moderately sweet blend of good Burley, VA and cavendish. I soon moved on to more stout blends and forgot about that wonderful flake. My memory of it grew dim with time and the flavors I once enjoyed were nearly forgotten.

A few days ago I was at the local JR Cigar store and saw a tin of this once-beloved flake sitting there on the shelf. I purchased the tin and was pleasantly surprised to see that Mac Baren now packages this blend in 100 gram tins as opposed to the previous 50 gram standards. I opened the tin, gently pulled away the thick gold embossed sheets of foil paper and took a nice whiff of the scent of the fresh flakes. I had forgotten just how good that sweet aroma could be.

The other day I took an oversized lovat and filled it with four flakes. The way I smoke flakes is that I put them together uniformly then bend them once lengthwise then once widthwise. The wad is pressed together at the bottom and worked gently into the pipe. A medium-sized pipe takes one flake perfectly so this huge pipe holding four was going to make for a good long smoke. I lit the pipe and that familiar flavor of honey, anise, chocolate and nut came back.

I smoked that pipe right after breakfast until it was time for me to pick my son up from school. On this particular day my wife was in Manhattan with our girls having a "girl's day out" so I took the opportunity to have a "guy's day" with my five-year old son Sky. I was still smoking the pipe while in the truck and Sky commented that my pipe smelled better than usual. Taking this as a compliment I continued smoking it on the way to the toy store. While we were there Sky saw a new bicycle that he suddenly could not live without. I had not planned on making such an elaborate purchase of a bike. I was thinking a new Transformers toy or something in the Spiderman line of child entertainment but alas, my son and that Huffy were instantly inseperable.

Twenty minutes and many more dollars later, Sky and I are driving home with a shiny new bicycle in the back of the truck and the Navy Flake pipe in my mouth. It was a fun ride home with Sky chattering non-stop (literally!) about his new acquisition and me enjoying the wonderfully consistant bowl of tobacco. Once we got home, the bike came out and soon Sky was tearing up the street with me following close behind on foot. I was still puffing away on the same bowl of Navy Flake while we were outside breaking in my son's very first bicycle. I'm sure that is a memory we will both have for the rest of our lives.

Now whenever I smoke Navy Flake it brings me back to that day I got my son his first bike. That bowlful lasted a total of six hours and seventeen minutes. While I many not have that many smokes for such a length of time again, there will definitely be many more bowls of Navy Flake. This blend is staying with me for life.

Playing with Packing

I've noticed recently that I have to draw more frequently when smoking certain blends. I have more relights and get less smoke per puff. After some experimentation with my packing method I have come to the conclusion that my pipes are being packed too loosely.

I had been using the "lightly sprinkle...barely tamp" version of the "Three Levels" method. It seems that when the tobacco was sprinkled very lightly and the tamping was also very light, the pipe would smoke too "loose" and was going out almost constantly, especially with English blends.

To correct this problem I started "feeding" the tobacco into the pipe while it was tilted sideways in one hand. This seemed to take the pressure off the airhole so the airflow was not obstructed yet there was less space between the tobacco strands. This manner of packing seemed to keep the strands more consistent for keeping lit on it's own better. I also pressed the levels down a bit harder but not "too" hard as to "mash" it down.

In the end, the pipe seemed to be borderline overpacked. The initial light was a bit tighter than I like but it was working well. After the first char then second light I took a pipe cleaner and gently went down the stem and gave the tobacco load a little push. This cleared the airway in the chamber and opened up the draw to a perfect tension. The result was a good long smoke with fewer relights, a better flavor and slower cadence.

This method is far from foolproof but so far it is working well. Give it a try and let us know how it works for you!

Why We Don't Inhale

A common question I am often asked, usually by a new pipe smoker or a non-smoker, is “Why don’t you inhale the smoke?” Unlike cigarette smokers, pipe and cigar smokers generally do not inhale their smoke. I have heard many explanations as to why this is, most of which have been incorrect. It seems that there are more inaccurate perceptions about the briar than there are anti-smokers.

The reasons behind not inhaling are rather philosophical in a sense. The concept of pipesmoking is to relax and enjoy the wonderful flavors that the tobacco provides. Inhaling the smoke gives you a much different flavor and experience than if you just puff and slowly blow it out of the mouth and nose. A good parable is that of someone who is a connoisseur of fine wines and someone who guzzles cheap beer to get drunk. A cigarette is simply a vessel for nicotine whereas a pipe or a fine cigar is to be savored slowly to promote a relaxed state and a celebration of the complex flavors that only they can provide. With a pipe you can sit back...relax...reflect and enjoy a blissful escape from the daily stresses of life.

With these thoughts in mind, fill up your favorite briar…strike a match and light up…enjoy.

New Acquisition: June 27, 2008

No sooner this gorgeous pipe was listed on smokingpipes.com I bought it! This is a large bent apple with the "lattice" design and some impressive silverwork. Delrin tenon makes stem removal easy and safe. These pipes smoke so well!

New Acquisition: June 25, 2008

I love this thick-walled apple from Altinok pipes. Nice and simple yet great beauty in it's simplicity.