Roll your own smokes?

[fatcity]

pipe tobacco doesn't have to be heavy

Squire,I did try the lighter stuff but it just didn't sit well. I believe it was a mental issue - I just didn't like the cut.

American Spirit ryo does a similar, thick cut tobacco, and it seemed a rather heavy smoke to me as well. It is probably just in my head, but like a shave, there is no reason to put up with something that doesn't tickle your fancy.


Kav, I enjoyed the Navy Cut Players as well. They used to be easy to find in cigar shops until about 4 or 5 years ago - just dried up. I switched to unfiltered luckies, but when those hit $50 a carton, I moved to ryo.

[L. Martino]

HH, pipe tobacco doesn't have to be heavy, it can in fact be very light and some companies use the same blend for pipe and RYO.

Hi Squire,

You are so right about pipe tobacco. Until recently, I had no idea of the range of products available to smoke. That includes the various exotic cuts as well as the amazing amount of blends to sample. Some are scented and some aren't. Some tobacco types are very mild and some will be just the opposite. And yes, some tobaccos can be used for both pipes and cigarettes.

I learned a lot more than I knew before about pipes and tobaccos when I joined this RYO forum. Heh, sort of a natural evolution maybe, but it's pretty interesting. Matter of fact, a while back I was thinking about maybe trying a pipe again. One friend of mine loves his and has mentioned me giving one a try again.

My only previous experience with a pipe was when I was a kid. I bought a very cheap pipe and some drugstore brands of tobacco. Things like Rum and Maple, Cookie Jar, and Cherry Blend were some I tried......all aromatics.

I'm sure I didn't break the pipe in right, and most probably smoked it too hot. Heh, there may have been better tobaccos to try as well. The results after a couple weeks was a case of a very burned tongue and a distaste for ever using a pipe again. Things might turn out a little different now if I tried one of those again........

Martin

[L. Martino]

...and those goofy black tobacco ones from France too.

Gauloise!

Thanks, them's the ones all right. Yep, I remember my dad would smoke those in the car sometimes, and the lovely aroma of stale old cigars would linger for days. Heh, I liked smoking em also...... those Go Oz were a nice change of pace back in the day.

Martin

[Squire]

When I was a kid a lot of men used the same tobacco in both pipe and rolled cigarettes.

[GA Russell]

I bought a very cheap pipe and some drugstore brands of tobacco.

Martin, that's like judging traditional wetshaving by using a clipped boar brush and $1.50 soap that you find at the drugstore!

I was surprised to learn recently that nowadays a decent pipe goes for at least $75. (Good tobacco, as you know from shopping with D&R, can be inexpensive.) So giving pipe smoking a fair try requires a bit of financial commitment on one's part.

[Squire]

Good pipes don't have to cost $75.00, click on iwanries.com or paylesspipes.com

[Squire]

HH, if the pipe tobacco is too chunky you can chop it up with a kitchen knife or toss it into one of those little blenders used to mince dried herbs.

[L. Martino]

Hiya,

At the risk of derailing this thread much farther(heh), I'd like to include a link I found to be an interesting and an easy(and fast) read about pipes and starting out using one. From what I can see, the initial expense isn't all that much, with a lot depending on what tobaccos you start with. I already have some matches, so there's a start.........

On another note, I'm hoping to get those two samples from the RYO forum member by the end of the week. These are two more dark fired tobaccos from a company called Gawith-Hoggarth, and are some I was gonna order a sample of anyway at some point. These sound especially wonderful, but who knows. The price is high on this stuff, but it gets very nice reviews. Should be pretty tasty(I hope).

If anyone uses this link, I might suggest the 'new to pipes people' going to the part titled "Pipe Smoking How To(Beginner)" and read what interest you. Who knows where you end up, but it's not a bad place to start.

Martin


www.pipedia.org

[L. Martino]

I bought a very cheap pipe and some drugstore brands of tobacco.

Martin, that's like judging traditional wetshaving by using a clipped boar brush and $1.50 soap that you find at the drugstore!

Hi there,

Oh yeah definitely it was a bad start from the get go. I musta figured there wouldn't be all that much difference between tobacco and pipes, and didn't care if there was. I think I was all of fifteen maybe.

Yep, put myself behind the 8 ball with little chance of success. I would definitely alter my previous technique and tools if I tried another pipe. Heh, the good news is I haven't smoked tobacco in a pipe ever since..............

Martin

[ichabod]

Anybody remember the scent of Three Castles or Old Holborn rolling tobaccos from England? Takes me back, it does.

Chris

Old Holborn, and there my mind goes right back to student days...ah the smell of it.

[drumana]

I roll my own cigarettes when I'm in the mood to smoke. Lately, I've been thinking of moving to a pipe instead. Most importantly, it seems more meditative, which is what I enjoy about smoking. An added bonus is that my fiancee will 'let' me smoke a pipe indoors (but not cigarettes). Given New England winters, this is very appealing to me.

[Squire]

I smoke a pipe Andrew and there are a wide range of pipe tobaccos that have a pleasing room note.

[L. Martino]

I roll my own cigarettes when I'm in the mood to smoke. Lately, I've been thinking of moving to a pipe instead. Most importantly, it seems more meditative, which is what I enjoy about smoking. An added bonus is that my fiancee will 'let' me smoke a pipe indoors (but not cigarettes). Given New England winters, this is very appealing to me. :D

Hi Andrew,

So you roll your own smokes eh? Heh, you little devil...being so quiet till now. Thanks for the insight..........heh.

I tried a tobacco pipe Friday for the first time in about 45 years, and you should definitely give it a shot. It IS a lot more Zen like experience than a RYO, and I'm surprised to find I do like smoking in a somehow more relaxed manner.

I was at an estate sale a few days ago, which was where my purchase(s) were made. Oh, I may have bought three pipes total, plus a holder and a few other little tools of the trade. Ended up with two unused pipes, and one that was almost new. Cough, I may have gone back Saturday and picked up a couple more, pipes, also in very good shape. Yeah, it turns out you need more than one pipe if you wanna smoke any considerable amount in one day. The little wooden darlings are delicate you know, and need to 'rest' a day or two between smokes. Sheeesh.

Stopped into a tobacco store Saturday and got some recommended by the owner house blend to start with, and it was a kick! I've switched off between a few different pipes with great success. The taste is nothing special, but I do love how this stuff smells(aromatic). Plus, I admit I enjoy drawing on the pipe and blowing excellent smoke rings..........

There, maybe this post will push you off the fence,

Martin

[fallingwickets]

Martin

what happened to the avatar??? LOL the new one is nice

clive

[Janus]

Yes, that fiddling with the pipes is the only thing I sometimes miss about smoking, but not enough to start again. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go and splash on some more Alt-Innsbruck AS, it has real tobacco, you know.

[L. Martino]

Martin

what happened to the avatar??? LOL the new one is nice

clive

Hi there Clive,

Well, I'm thinking this latest avatar may strike a chord with very few members, which is ok with me. Oh, I should mention that is NOT my arm in the pic. Yeah, I saw it years ago somewhere and it's come in handy sometimes.

Basically, it's a Charles Dickens reference to a character I sorta relate to in some way(card playing). This version in the picture is one showing Jack Wild (who recently passed away) as the character. It's one of my favorite Dodger pics.

Martin

[L. Martino]

Hiya,

Oh for gosh sakes, I now have some tobacco pipes.....six to be exact. Picked em up a couple days ago at an estate sale in a classy neighborhod. Two are unused and the others are in excellent shape with very little signs of ever being smoked. Talk about timing eh? It was only a week ago I started thinking seriously about trying a pipe, and then these things fall into my lap.

One reason I got a bunch is to rotate em properly. The unused ones I'm gonna leave in that condition for now, so I have some extras to screw around with. Pretty darn fun so far, using some tobacco from someone I know who sells pipe tobacco for a living. It's a very nice aromatic that smells quite wonderful when smoked. Plus, this pipe makes excellent smoke for smoke rings! Yeah, a real bonus.......heh.

Sheesh, I hope this pipe thing doesn't become a 'hobby'.......gulp.

Martin

[L. Martino]

Hiya,

Just to wind this up: After sampling various cigarette tobaccos, I ended up choosing the D&R 'Ryback' as my daily smoke. Nice clean taste and very fresh. The vendor I used is www.pipesandcigars.com

My most recent order was 70 ounces (five 14 ounce bags), which came to $106.00.....shipping included. That amount will last me six months.......seriously. Figure another $30-40 for papers and done deal.

It'll cost me less than a buck a day to smoke quality stuff. Just what I was hoping to find when I joined that forum.

Heh, the pipe thing never worked out, but I have plenty of other monkeys on my back as it is...........

Martin

[gsgo]

I was as occasional smoker back in my college days and enjoyed my RMO smokes with DRUM tobacco. Back in those days you could pretty much smoke all over campus.

Thank goodness it was only a college habit, haven't had so much as a puff for many years.

[fatcity]

Martin,

I am going to have to check out that Ryback. These Peter Stokkebye tins are trying to drain my wallet - running about 40 bucks for a 10.5 oz tin.

What kind of cut is the Ryback?

Edit - just answered my own question by visiting the site. Extra fine cut. I will have to give it a try. Thanks!