As the title states I took the plunge, I have a pipe and I smoked it!

It was great. The only tobacco on had (at the drug store) that looked interesting was Captain Black.

I don't know, I will try again, wasn't too impressed with the flavor.

On the recommendation of you all I bought a Missouri Meecham Corncob. For only $6 how long will this pipe last?

Okay, now how about some recommendations for tobacco blends?

Quotedddddmorgan - 9/9/2011  12:53 PM

As the title states I took the plunge, I have a pipe and I smoked it!

It was great. The only tobacco on had (at the drug store) that looked interesting was Captain Black.

I don't know, I will try again, wasn't too impressed with the flavor.

On the recommendation of you all I bought a Missouri Meecham Corncob. For only $6 how long will this pipe last?

Okay, now how about some recommendations for tobacco blends?

First off I'm now hearing "I have a pipe and I smoked it"  to the tune of Katy Perry's "I kissed a girl and I liked it".
Secondly, I have a Missouri Meerschaum that I was given second hand when I was in high school about 16 years ago.  I keep it in the glove box of my pick up as a back- up and still smoke it from time to time.  Works like a champ all these years later.  Take a little care of them, and I see no reason that they won't last a very long time.
As for tobacco blends, My recommendation is to experiment.  

If you like aromatics, or think you would, find a tobacconist that will mix you a concoction of black, honey and just a bit of cherry cavendish tobaccos.  That's what my Dad always used to smoke and it was pretty good.  Go back and look in the pipe threads and see if you can find the one about the Altadis give-away.  The Molto Dolce I got was pretty good.

The Captain Black in the white package is the best of the bunch, if I remember correctly.  I'd recommend you put a small slice of apple in any bag of dimestore tobacco you buy to help keep it from drying out and getting a cigarette texture to it.

If you are looking at ratings, check this out:

http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/

Great website to get an idea of tobacco, although it is definitely skewed towards non-aromatics (which I prefer).

Doesn't sound like to much of a plunge; $6 pipe and drug store tabacco.  
Sounds like someone experimenting without investing a bunch of money. There's nothing wrong with that. If you don't like the pipe or it's just not your style or you damage the pipe some how then you're not out to much money.

With my first and so far only pipe I bought a B&M basket pipe and some 1-Q tobacco and only invested about $35. I'm haven't smoked it to much so I'm still trying to get the hang of it. Maybe someday I'll invest in a good pipe. You gotta start somewhere though. Happy smoking.

If you really get into pipe smoking you will probably want to go to a B&M store and ask for some samples of their best selling mixtures, that will give you a chance to try different blends and you can work from there. Pipes are a whole different matter, the first thing you need to find is the type material that feels best between your teeth, like I hate hard plastic stems. Then the shape comes last, get a few different shapes off E-bay and use them for a while, long straight to full bent. The width of the mouth piece makes a difference also. after all this you'll be ready to drop some $ on a name brand pipe. Only took me 4 or 5 yrs to put it all together. Kind of like finding your favorite cigar.

My latest favorite is Sutliff Blend #5. Frog Morton Original Blend is pretty interesting also. These aren't drugstore blends.

Quoteljlemer - 9/13/2011  3:16 PM

My latest favorite is Sutliff Blend #5. Frog Morton Original Blend is pretty interesting also. These aren't drugstore blends.

I'm liking McClelland Bombay Extra and also Peter Stokkebye Luxury Flake lately...  Still I have plenty of things yet to try.

I had a pipe a while back, but put it away after a while, now i don't know where it is

Check this out for some free samples:

http://www.sterlingtobaccoco.com/index.html

Also here:  http://pipesandcigars.com/youreshretha.html

Interesting read with a free offer at the end

That's all I got...I am waiting for my samples from both!

You've got the corncob and that should hold you for a while.  Besides letting it rest between smokes, I wouldn't concern yourself about this one or other pipes, their shapes, how they feel between your teeth, how long your corncob will last -- none of that, Dan.

If you haven't already, read the links provided here  and sprinkled at other sites that beginners should read, which are really as much as any beginner needs to know.

The rest will come to you in your pipe smoking experiences over time based you your own preferences and dislikes.  You can read tobacco reviews on line, and/or ask tobacconists for suggestions, but what may sell well or get rave reviews might not be your cup of tea.

To thine own self be true.  Enjoy!

Quote87North - 9/18/2011  10:07 PM

Quoteljlemer - 9/13/2011  3:16 PM

My latest favorite is Sutliff Blend #5. Frog Morton Original Blend is pretty interesting also. These aren't drugstore blends.

I'm liking McClelland Bombay Extra and also Peter Stokkebye Luxury Flake lately...  Still I have plenty of things yet to try.

I love me some P.S. Flake!  The Navy and Bullseye are long time favorites of mine, and I've just recently gotten into the Twist flake as well.  Last time I bought pipe tobacco my B&M was temporarily out of the Navy Flake so I decided to try the Twist.  It's very nice, quite sweet.  It seems milder in terms of nicotine when compared to the Navy Flake, but it's a worthy alternative, definitely.

The corn cob should last a long time depending on how you look after it. I learnt the hard way off course by leaving one in my car in SoCal where in car temps get high and it started to crack. It still smoked well though.  

Enjoy the pipe.  They're good for when you don't have the time for a cigar.

D*** - now I got the hankering to get a pipe.......

Congratulations on taking the plunge!! The dimestore tobaccos are typically not the best in the world ... kind of like the cigars you find there.

I just picked up a few of the 1.5 oz tobacco samplers from Fincks.  The box just arrived today, so I haven't had a chance to try any yet, but the smells in the bags have me excited.  I also picked up a Missouri Meerschaum cob from them.
http://www.finckcigarcompany.com/products/category/pipe_tobacco/

Another good site is Smoking Pipes. You can get any of their bulk pipe tobacco in amounts as small as 1 oz.
http://www.smokingpipes.com/tobacco/bulk/

With either retailer, the small lots are inexpensive way to try a lot of different tobaccos without breaking the bank.  I personally enjoy the aromatic blends (black cavendish blends in particular), but I am trying out some of the non-aromatics now too.  Everyone has their own tastes, so the only way to find what you like is to try a bunch.

What I really wish is that we had a Pipe Geeks Tobacco Review section, just like the cigars. I would love to have a little more detail on the experiences of other pipe smokers out there. The tobaccoreviews site is okay, but frankly I like Paul's Geek format a lot better (having a forum makes a huge difference, and the search capabilities here are much better).

Quotekola - 9/19/2011  5:57 PM

What I really wish is that we had a Pipe Geeks Tobacco Review section, just like the cigars. I would love to have a little more detail on the experiences of other pipe smokers out there. The tobaccoreviews site is okay, but frankly I like Paul's Geek format a lot better (having a forum makes a huge difference, and the search capabilities here are much better).

I've kind of had the same thought myself...  

Pipe smoking to me has come in sort of a forced decision. I love cigars, I truly do but I'm not allowed to smoke them in the house. (Well I am but it's not welcomed so to be respectful I don't.) However pipes are welcomed and in fact encouraged (even the non-aromatic blends) because it doesn't have that strong lingering cigar smell that the other house mates don't like. So I have purchased 2 - 3 pipes. One for aromatics and one for stronger tobacco (like latakia blends), the last for back-up/show (carved with an eagle, couldn't resist it).

I'm still having some difficulty with getting the hang of it, but some wisdom I can share is when a pipe goes out, unlike a cigar it isn't flawed and you haven't failed at it. Don't try and puff rapidly to prevent it from going out. Relighting a pipe is almost necessary, so relight and persevere.

This is also a funny guide on how to smoke a pipe that has aided me in my endeavor.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/35993092/Bret-s-Pipe-Book

Quoteljlemer - 9/13/2011  3:16 PM

My latest favorite is Sutliff Blend #5. Frog Morton Original Blend is pretty interesting also. These aren't drugstore blends.

I had a free sample of the Blend #5 hit my mailbox yesterday.  I'll be curious to see how it is.