What tobacco pipe should i buy

To develop the initial cake, you will use a gradual buildup process that is a little different than a regular smoking experience. Learning how to do this properly takes time and patience.

Follow these steps carefully for the best results:. Fill the bowl a quarter full with tobacco. We start with a partial bowl to give the carbon room to form evenly. This process ensures that every bit of the chamber will be exposed to charred tobacco. Light the partial bowl evenly. Take your first draw, then tamp with your tamper and do your second light.

Smoke the bowl slowly and completely. Take your time, even more so than usual, with this smoke. Draw slowly and methodically, which will help you form an even cake. Make sure to smoke the whole bowl, all the way to the heel, which is the bottom of the bowl.

Developing cake at the bottom of the bowl is the most difficult part of the process. Next, follow steps with a half-bowl, then three quarters.

By increasing the amount of tobacco in the bowl gradually, over time, you will build a more even cake, from bottom to top, inside the chamber. Most pipes need at least a dozen smokes to begin forming a nice cake. The last and possibly most crucial step in developing a pipe cake is to be careful when emptying your pipe. After a few minutes, gently dump the bowl, and if possible, tap the pipe on a cork knocker to dump out the rest. DO NOT scrape out the tobacco with a pipe tool.

This will reverse much of the caking process that took place during the last smoke. If you have to loosen the ash with a pipe tool, that is fine.

Just refrain from scraping the inner walls of the chamber. Now that all the jargon is out of the way, you can enjoy smoking your tobacco pipe time and time again. At this point, the mere act of smoking ends, and the fantastic hobby of pipe collecting and pipe smoking begins. Most new pipe smokers are looking for more than just a new way to smoke tobacco. Most people enter the community of pipe smoking because they feel it is a compelling lifestyle.

To get the most out of every pipe you own, taking preventative measures will keep them healthy, beautiful, and smoking great! We can do this with the proper pipe accessories and tools for consistent and needed maintenance. We just talked about building up the carbon, or cake, of your tobacco pipe.

But like everything, you can have too much of a good thing. Building up too much cake in your pipe is a bad thing. When cake heats, it expands. Once there is too much cake, it will expand a bit too much and could crack your pipes.

We believe the optimal cake thickness is 1. Once the cake exceeds 2mm, it is time to ream--remove some cake. Before we go into what types of pipe reamers you should consider, a word of warning: DO NOT use a knife. We know it is tempting. So tempting, in fact, that a few of us may have learned this lesson the hard way by ruining a perfectly good pipe. We know you probably have some sharp pocket knives lying around.

But we want you to say no! Using a knife will strip the carbon from your pipe rather than sand it off. Besides, you are likely to stab or scratch your briar bowl, which is bad news. Pipe Tool Attachment: Most smokers have an abundance of 3-in-1 style pipe tools nestled around their home, office, and car. These tools come with a tamper, pick, and a reamer.

While the scoop tool is called a reamer, its purpose is to loosen and shovel out the ash. The reamer attachment was not designed to scrape the carbon from the inside of the bowl.

Attempting to ream with this tool can result in taking out chunks and damaging the briar underneath the cake. Sandpaper: Some people love the direct, hands-on approach. They like to take a thin piece of sandpaper, apply it to a finger, and slowly sand down the cake. This tool can be precise, but only in the hands of experienced woodworkers and crafters who know how to properly sand.

Dremel Tool: Another tool favored by woodworkers is the Dremel tool method. A rock sander attached to the end of the tool can be a quick and easy method, but only in the right hands. This is a dangerous way to ream. It takes a steady hand and perfect attention to detail to do it correctly. We advise you not to try this method unless you are a very experienced restoration expert. British Buttner: The British Buttner is a classic tool and the most economical at that.

This reamer is spring-loaded, causing it to always fit snugly in the bowl. These are typically three-quarters of an inch thick, which fits most standard pipes.

This tool is perfect for pipes with a U-shaped chamber. What makes this tool so popular is its ability to reach the bottom of most chambers quite easily, a characteristic which most other tools have trouble with. Multi-Tool T-Reamer: A Multi-Tool reamer is the preferred tool of restoration artists and those who have multiple sized pipes to care for. The downside to this is the lack of adjustability.

If you happen not to have a reamer that fits your pipe, you are out of luck. With tapered sharpened edges, and a V-shaped bottom which obviously works well with V-shaped chambers , this reamer is perfect for most every pipe. This reamer is beloved because with a little torque, the diameter of the reamer changes. As you ream, you can slowly enlarge the reamer to match the cake, making it the safest reamer to use on your pipes.

Once you select your tool of choice, it is a bad idea to jump in and start reaming your favorite pipes right away. We suggest you go to eBay or a local antique market and buy a few beat-up estate pipes with loads of cake. Use these to practice. Please practice first. First and foremost, have a stable and secure workplace. You will want to have a steady hand when reaming. The couch, in your lap, car, or some other unstable place can keep your hand from being steady.

The key to reaming is gentle and consistent torque. When you insert your tool, you only want a small amount of friction between the cake and your tool. At this point, you will twist until the friction disappears. Dump the dust out, expand your reamer, and continue the process. You should be creating a fine dust of carbon. It is tempting to ream inconsistently around the bowl, such as pushing harder on the shank side of the pipe.

Avoid this—Ream equally all around the diameter of your bowl. Do not ream all the way to fresh wood! This is a mistake many, including us, have made. It is best to leave a light layer. When you make your way to the heel of the bowl, be careful! There is often only a little, if any, cake at the bottom of the bowl.

Once you have completed reaming, you will want to clean the pipe carefully. Dump the carbon dust out and begin running pipe cleaners through your pipe.

For those of you that use alcohol to clean your pipes, Everclear is a great place to start. If using alcohol is not your thing, then using a pipe cleaning solution will work well as an alternative. The first is a quick clean after each bowl, and the second is a more thorough method used periodically as maintenance, and the last a special treatment for severely dirty pipes.

You can, and many do, skip this step and have a perfectly fantastic smoking life. But if you follow this simple step, we believe that your next bowl in the same pipe will be significantly more flavorful than if you skip it. This method removes unnecessary sludge from the stem, shank, and heel of the pipe, which clears up the flavor of the tobacco the next time you smoke the pipe.

Note: It is a bad idea to remove the stem from the shank of the pipe right after smoking. If you plan on running a pipe cleaner through the two pieces separately, it is crucial that you let the pipe cool down completely before removing the stem.

Taking the two apart while the pipe is hot will cause the stem to expand and contract at a different rate, resulting in a loose joint. You should give each pipe you smoke regularly a good cleaning treatment every month in an ideal situation. The process we will outline below promotes the long-term health of each pipe and reduces small amounts of grime that build up in the nooks and crannies of a pipe. The first step is to prepare your set-up.

Lay down a rag or paper towel to work on. Then, disassemble your pipe. To clean your stem, dip the tip of a pipe cleaner into the alcohol.

Insert the cleaner into the bit of your stem, and push it through in one direction. Repeat the process until the cleaner is no longer attracting grime.

To clean the shank, take another pipe cleaner and dip it into the alcohol. Insert it into the mortise where the stem resides and rub back and forth, picking up as much grime as possible. This may require more than one pipe cleaner. Once you are satisfied with the amount of cleaning, it is time to move on to the chamber itself. It is at this point we prefer to switch to a paper towel. Ball up the paper towel so that it will fit in the chamber. Add a small amount of alcohol to the paper towel.

Insert the paper towel into the chamber and lightly twist. This will remove a large amount of dirt and ash. Repeat the process until you are satisfied. It is important to give the pipe time to dry out after cleaning. To be safe, we suggest waiting at least 12 hours until you smoke that pipe again. Sometimes a pipe can go sour from all the moisture of the tobacco.

This takes a while to happen, but it does occasionally occur. The solution to this problem is simpler than you might expect. All you need are a few inexpensive tools. Insert a pipe cleaner through the stem all the way to the chamber. Be sure the cleaner is not in the chamber, just in the bore protecting the shank.

Fill the pipe to the chamber rim with non-iodized salt. It is important to use non-iodized salt. Salt with iodine can damage your pipe. Once it is full, take drops of Everclear and drop them onto the top of the salt it is crucial to use Everclear in this situation, not other types of alcohol. The salt will instantly begin turning brown.

Now it is time to wait. It will take hours for all the alcohol to evaporate which is why it is important to use a high-proof liquid, like Everclear. Once you believe the liquid is gone, you can scrape out the musky salt. Warning: if you do not get every last grain of salt out, you will most likely get a piece of disgusting salt on your tongue, resulting in one of the worst tastes you could imagine.

You have all the tools you need to love and enjoy this hobby for the rest of your life. Pipe smoking is an art form that no one ever completely masters. There are so many facets to this lifestyle that make it unique. No two smokers have the same experience. The rest of the information in this guide is designed to help you make pipe smoking unique to you. From creating a tobacco cellar to pairing drinks with your favorite blend, these topics will help you customize your experience.

Your pipe kit should include all the essential things you need to enjoy a great smoke. A few of these are constants, and no one will have any fun without a favorite pipe tobacco and something to light it with.

Beyond the simple requirement of pipe tobacco and fire, there are a host of possibilities. We think that every basic pipe kit should include at least three things in addition to your favorite pipe: a lighter, a sturdy 3-in-1 tool, and a great pipe and tobacco pouch. If you are building a collection of pipes and spend a fair bit of time smoking them, we think the investment in a good-quality lighter is a sound one. A reliable lighter will run in the same price range as a mid-range pipe.

Just like your favorite pipes, the more artisan accents and stylish customization the lighter has, the higher the price will be. A perfect choice for lighters that are both beautiful and functional are Tsubota lighters. These lighters are made specifically for pipe smokers and will work even outside on a breezy day. A basic Czech tool will get you through, and the four dollar price point is hard to beat. We have these laying all over the office, and the car, and the house.

The downside is their durability. You will have to spend that four dollars more than once. Just like a lighter, a good-quality tool is a small investment that can substantially enhance your enjoyment.

Whatever type of pipe tool you choose, look for these signs of quality and durability:. Strong metal construction: Steel or other durable metals will last longer than aluminum or other cheaper materials.

Well-made joints: The most likely place for a 3-in-1 tool to break is at the joints. Look for smooth movement back-and-forth and sturdy construction here.

Simple construction: A few adornments might add enjoyment. Remember, a good tool is meant to be functional; if you want a fun additional element, spring for a handmade pipe tamper. Once you put your pipe kit together, you will need something to hold it all in.

Ideally, your kit will be convenient for travel, compact, and maybe even a bit stylish. At home, you may have a large pipe cabinet or a humble tackle box for storing your tools, pipes, and tobaccos. Pipe and tobacco pouches come in a plethora of colors, shapes, sizes, and designs. There are some leather tobacco pouches that do nothing other than hold tobacco for only a few dollars. Then, there are large multi-item bags that hold numerous pipes and everything in-between.

There are many benefits to aging and storing our tobacco. The main reason cellaring tobacco is a great idea is because tobacco--just like wine and wisdom--improves with age. When stored properly , the flavors and aroma of the blend mature and gain depth.

We are living in the golden age of tobacco blends. This is likely to be the cheapest pipe tobacco will ever be. With government regulations, inflation, and fewer farms, the price of tobacco is only going to go up. Cellaring tobacco is a clear and wise investment in the future of your favorite new hobby.

If you are a committed pipe smoker and plan to continue for years to come, it might not be a bad idea to stock up now. Think of it like a savings plan for your future happiness. Virginia Tobacco: The natural sugar content and unique chemical structure make Virginia ideal for aging.

No matter how long it is aged, its quality will only increase, at least in our lifetime. Orientals: After a few years in the cellar, Oriental tobaccos will move away from the intrinsic spice and begin picking up flavors of fruit. However, it is safe to say that the peak will be sometime around years in the cellar and will decrease in flavor after that. Burley Tobacco: Burley is almost always blended with Virginia tobacco, so the same rules of aging apply.

Some tobacco companies put a heavy coating on their Aromatic blends. This coating, if too heavy, will actually hurt the tobacco with age.

Latakia: Like Orientals, Latakia will mellow out after a few years. It will start to lose its punch. This could be a good or bad thing, depending on the blend. If you prefer a milder experience, aging will take the rough edges off. Cellaring tobacco is much easier than you may think.

By following these simple steps, you will be on your way to building up your own personalized pipe tobacco storehouse! Control The Temperature And Humidity: Controlling the temperature and humidity of your tobacco is the key to proper aging.

Too much heat will spoil the tobacco a lot like meat , while not enough will prevent the aging process from really beginning. Store your tobacco in a place that has the lowest amount of humidity possible.

Storing your tobacco in places of high humidity can threaten the seal of your tins, jars, or whatever you store with. If the metal corrodes and the seal is broken, your tobacco can no longer age properly. Closed cardboard boxes protect the tobacco from light exposure. They also work well because a closed cardboard box will absorb the humidity before it has time to corrode the metal in the jars and tins. However, if you are storing bulk tobacco or did not buy a spare tin, we suggest using canning jars, such as mason jars.

Canning jars easily create airtight seals, and they happen to look really good stuffed with tobacco! Not only will this be helpful, but it will enhance your experience. Have a set time when you will open your aged tobacco. A great place to start is to let tobacco age periods of six months, one year, two years, five years, and ten years.

This is where taste notes will be helpful. Not many people can clearly remember the nuances of a tobacco five years after they smoked it.

Storing them together in a humidor is not a good way to store your tobacco. The last thing you want is for your tobacco and cigars to start taking on the taste of each other as they age.

A humidor works for cigars because you need to keep your cigars at a balanced humidity. Too low will make your cigar dry out. A dry cigar loses its aroma and flavor. Too high, and your cigar will develop mold or rot. You will want to keep your tins in a low level of humidity. A humidor is meant to keep the humidity level balanced at a higher level than your pipe tobacco should be at. Do NOT store in plastic: One of the worst crimes a smoker can commit is to store their tobacco in plastic long term.

People believe it is acceptable to store tobacco in plastic, mostly because when they buy tobacco from their local tobacconist, they store the tobacco in a plastic bag.

The intent behind that bag is that you take it home and store it in a jar or that you smoke it relatively quickly. We are never given plastic bags to keep as storage containers. The chemicals in the tobacco will begin to erode part of the plastic. This is then absorbed into the tobacco not good.

On top of that, the plastic will itself absorb the tobacco. It will begin to ghost change colors. Just like how you store chili in a tub container, and after a few days, the container is no longer clear but brown, your tobacco will do the same. The truth is is these plastic bags have been chemically engineered to store tobacco for up to five years. So they are safe from the effect. Do NOT add moisture: If you add moisture to your tobacco, chances are you will find that your precious aged tobacco has molded.

The tobacco has been stored and sold with the moisture content at the level the blender would like it to be. There are many reasons why you should pair your tobacco and drinks together.

Tobacco and drinks work much the same way. Consider a parallel in the culinary world. Few things in this world are as delicate and expertly crafted as homemade Italian pasta served with a homemade marinara sauce. While this entree is delectable and as perfect as it can be by itself, it is still missing something: a drink.

What you need is a decadent red wine. Red wine will act as a magnifying glass, making it easier to detect some of the more subtle flavors in the dish. Without the right drink to match your food, you will forever lose some of the best flavors. In many ways, pipe tobacco works the same way. You may have a perfect tin of Virginia tobacco that has been aged for 30 years. You can crack it open, smoke it, and enjoy it for what it is. But unless you are enjoying it under the right conditions, you will miss something.

Another reason to pair these two is that it makes your smoking experience more personal. Before you enjoyed smoking your tobacco in your pipe, and it was wonderful. But now you can start adding another layer of flavor to your already delicious hobby. Now that you are motivated to begin refining your smoking experience, you have to figure out what goes well together. Many of the same principles for pairing tobacco and drinks are overarching principles in the larger world of pairing food and wine.

While the specifics may change, the basic principles of flavor pairings are similar. With this in mind, it is not as difficult as you may think to match your tobacco with a drink that enriches its flavor. This is the most important rule for pairing drinks with your tobacco. It is imperative -- if you want to have the best pairing possible -- that you pair a medium-bodied tobacco with a medium-bodied drink, full with full and mild with mild.

Likewise, do not have a strong drink with a mild-bodied tobacco. The whole purpose of smoking, and drinking too, is to taste as much as possible. You want to taste the subtle little notes that sometimes hide underneath more powerful flavors. If you do not balance the body of smoke and drink, then one will disappear, and the pursuit will become rather meaningless. Mild Bodied: Water, most tea, flavored waters, clear fruit juices, most lagers, pilsner beers, many dry white wines, light rums, gin, and vodka.

Medium Bodied: Enhanced teas, most other fruit juices, ambers, red beers, ales, heavier white wines and blushes, golden Rums, lighter Scotches and Whiskeys, lighter liqueurs and cordials, and most mixed drinks. Perhaps the most well known pairing of opposite flavors is sweet and salty. When you take a bite of salted caramel brittle and then eat a piece of kettle-corn, you understand how well salty and sweet flavors complement each other.

The same principle applies to pairing pipe tobacco and drinks. If you are smoking a very sweet aromatic blend, then a slightly salty drink would pair well. Other great flavor combinations are smoke and oak, acid with richness, sweet and spicy, and even sweet with other sweets.

For example, McClelland tobacco made near St. Louis, MO and a St. Louis crafted beer, like a Perennial Artisan Ale. They may not match together perfectly with flavor, but the theme and reasoning you put into the decision make it worthwhile. This may seem like common sense, but there is a right place and a right time to smoke and drink. For example, no matter what type of tobacco you smoke first thing in the morning, a good cup of coffee will always pair well. Conversely, when smoking late at night, a cup of caffeinated coffee may not be the best choice, even if the flavor is right.

On the other hand, a stiff scotch may not be the best choice to pair with your tobacco in the morning or at lunch but should instead be enjoyed in the afternoon and evening. It is also helpful to know where you are smoking. If you are traveling through Kentucky, it may be nice to smoke with bourbon.

If you are on the coast of North Carolina or in the mainland of California, a good wine may be a good choice. There has been a ton of information learned about smoking a tobacco pipe. This is a hobby filled with passionate people who eagerly enjoy it, and there are many ways to make it a hobby you love too. If you just want to collect smoking pipes, or if you want to appreciate the various flavors of different tobaccos from around the world, we hope this comprehensive explanation covered it all.

Stummel - The stummel refers to the total pipe minus the attached stem. This includes the shank, bowl, chamber, and other materials that make up the end of the pipe. These filters ensure a smooth and pleasant smoke. Some pipes come with a hybrid system, which allows you to savor your pipe using a metal filter or a 9 mm one. At La Pipe Rit, you'll find a large choice of pipe filters , with different diameters 3, 4, 6 or 9mm that will fit the shank's piercing.

These filters are available in different materials metal, activated charcoal, meerschaum, absorbing paper, balsa, clay How to choose the right filter for your pipe?

On our online store, for each pipe, we specify which filter can be used with it. To fully enjoy your tobacco, we recommend Vauen's 9mm activated charcoal filters. Now that you know everything, it is up to you! Feel free to play with our search engine below. You are also more than welcome to contact us , we will be glad to give you further assistance!

Find the pipe of your dream. Quick delivery. Customer service. Homepage How to select the right pipe? How to select the right pipe? Here are a few advices in order to help you find the pipe that suits you! Lenght, does is matter? Short Pipe. Medium Pipe. Long Pipe. Bent Pipe. Half-bent Pipe. Straight Pipe. Rubber or Vulcanite.

These pipes were restored and cleaned to help put together this content. A well-made pipe will feature perfectly aligned parts, which produce a smooth airway from the bowl to the bit. Similarly, the draught hole should appear near the middle of the bowl. Therefore, be sure to take a good look at the briar before you purchase it. Firstly, keep an eye out for large holes or pits in the pipe that have been filled in.

However, such defects are usually only found on cheap rejects. Secondly, be wary of heavy use of varnish as this can bubble over time. However, this is mainly a consideration for cheaper tobacco pipes as premium ones will unlikely suffer from this side-effect.

Furthermore, the weight and grain of the briar say a lot about its quality. Tighter and uniform grain is highly desirable. However, it has little effect on the smoking experience. That said, lighter tobacco pipes are said to provide better smoke as they contain less moisture and will feel more comfortable. Finally, try to avoid briar with knots as the presence of these will cause fluctuations in temperature.

Now that you have discovered the best tobacco pipes to buy online, take a look at our related guides:. This really made me pay attention. The writing skill alone kept my interest. Thank you for sharing! Why are all pipes assumed to be for men? I smoke cannabis for pain and all the pipes for cannabis look like toys. The best bet is to go to your local GOOD tobacco shop that focuses on cigars and pipes.

I have given females pipes before and I think the ones they like best are small Meerschaum pipes. Second, a Meerschaum is an eloquent looking pipe and is light weight. Wardens are cool, but you might feel more gender appropriate with something like a canadian.

Thanks for your input, Jason! Personally, I never really thought of smoking pipes as gendered items. I always presumed that they were pretty much unisex regardless of the style or material. I need to have one of my pipes repaired.

Do you have any recommendations for someone who can replace a loose fitting stem for me? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Read More. Savinelli Miele Honey Tobacco Pipe. Shop Now. Chacom Atlas Taupe Smoking Pipe. Overview Chacom smoking pipes are the result of a fusion of the Chapius and Comoy pipe-making families in Overview The Comoy family have been crafting French smoking pipes since , well before the benefits of briar were discovered.

Overview Since , Peterson have been crafting tobacco pipes in Ireland. Stanwell Army Mount Tobacco Pipe. Overview In , Stanwell was founded by Poul Nielsen to produce tobacco pipes for the Danish market. Overview The Falcon system is an unusual approach to pipe-smoking but has endured well over 70 years with a loyal following. Colonial Gouda Clay Tobacco Pipes. Overview As we detail in our dedicated guide, clay pipes have existed since the 17th Century.

Adrian July 25, at am - Reply. Charles-Philippe July 31, at am - Reply. I love pipes October 7, at pm - Reply. This is great!