Typical Pipe Smoking Attire :: General Pipe Smoking Discussion :: Pipe Smokers Forums of PipesMagazine com
Briar is a particularly well suited wood for pipe making for a number of reasons. The first and most important characteristic is its natural resistance Fashion tobacco pipe to fire. The burl absorbs water in nature to supply the tree in the dry times and likewise will absorb the moisture that is a byproduct of combustion.
Impossible to recreate for comparison or measurement any aspect of pipe smoking for objective observation. Tobacco blend, humidity, altitude, ambient temperature, pace of puffing, pipe shape, pipe materials and pipe condition are just a few factors that affect the smoker’s experience. The good news is that smoking your blend, in your pipe, your way, is truly a unique and sublime experience in today’s frequently rough, often uncivil and contentious society. It is a true luxury that thankfully is available to virtually any adult. Generally, pipes fall into two broad categories that are defined by the course of the smoke channel.
Along with very pleasant activities of commerce, one will find a great deal of socializing, catching up with old friends and people making new friends from all points of the compass. Most shows are annual affairs and the largest and perhaps oldest and best known is the Chicagoland Pipe and Tobacco Expo held each year in St. Charles, Il which is just outside of Chicago. Pipe aficionados from all over the world converge on the Pheasant Run Golf Resort and for three or four days the hotel is virtually taken over by the hundreds of happy attendees. I heard conversations in Japanese, French, Italian, Austrian, Danish, Spanish, Portuguese and English; all well fuelled by alcohol, and I could not detect one unpleasant exchange or untoward look.
Perhaps this is because of the required accoutrement of the pipe smoker. Having need of tobacco pouch, lighter or matches, pipe cleaners, extra pipes, ashtray and a tamper, the pipe smoker is better accommodated in comfortable seating with adequate table space for his requisites. The need for preparation of these items, as well as the attendant rituals of the pipe and a comfortable spot for smoking all tend to promote a relaxed and unhurried state of mind. Corn cob pipes are quite popular and have a long history in the U.S.
Hektor has many years of experience with pipes and smoke-related products and also manages the store “Havnens Vin- og Tobakshus” in Vejle, Denmark where he is the 2nd generation owner. This pipe has a matching tobacco box, to be attached onto the bowl, hanging on one of the sides of the water reservoir. The inside of the lid shows another signature in well engraved Chinese characters. Strange enough the decoration does not fully match the engravings on the pipe itself, but apparently this didn’t bother the Chinese clientele. Carved Turkish meerschaum products were traditionally made in manufacturing centers such as Vienna.
It quickly became prized as the perfect material for providing a cool, dry, flavorful smoke. Because of the porous nature of meerschaum, moisture and tobacco tar are drawn deep into the stone. Meerschaum became a premium substitute for the clay pipes of the day and remains prized to this day, although since the mid-1800s briar pipes have become the most common pipes for smoking.
A traditional way of packing the pipe is to fill the bowl and then pack gently to about 1⁄3 full, fill again and pack slightly more firmly to about 2⁄3 full, and then pack more firmly still to the top. The first thing that anyone has to decide when deciding to take up pipe smoking as a hobby is which material for a pipe they’d like to try. With so many different ones to choose from, it can be difficult to determine which one will give you the best experience.
The third acquisition is a less known kind of pipe since very few have survived, being made out of bamboo. One compartment of a thick bamboo rod forms the water container, closed by the two separation shields. The mountings are made of pakton, this time somewhat yellow, showing that also this pipe is a serial product. Although rare, also this water pipe is a serial product, according to literature made by the firm Chang-te-tai in Suchow. We date the pipe around 1900, but a few decades older is possible as well. The production of these objects was highly standardized and could continue unchanged for generations.
Quite unexpected the pipe is marked, three Chinese characters in a scare are printed into the wood, directly under the metal plate. The pipe is acquired in Hanoi, but this doesn´t mean that this is the place of origin. Asiatic objects can travel during a long time and over long distances before finding the destination of final sale for the best price. They are discovered because of the telltale discoloration of the pipe’s bowl.
An alternative packing technique called the Frank method involves lightly dropping tobacco in the pipe, after which a large plug is gingerly pushed into the bowl all at once. Grab your Longbottom Leaf and head out on the road tobacco pipe with your favorite Hobbits, Rangers, and Wizards. These fully functional wood pipes are a versatile addition for any Tolkien fan, equally in place at home on a display stand, or on an adventure, tucked into your robes.