I snagged a fiver of La Aroma de Cuba Immensas on the Jam this morning and since CI now offers pipes I ordered one of the MM Washington corn cob models. I've been meaning to do that for some time but finally gave in to the impulse. I've got a free sample of pipe tobacco from a deal on here over a year ago so I'll give it a shot. It's some kind of English blend. Guess I better get myself over to Schwab's and talk to the expert and try something from his collection of big glass jars.

Like I REALLY need an excuse to go to Schwab's!!!!  

Nice. I have a Missouri Meerschaum General and it's a great smoking pipe. Enjoy!

i left a few hints with the kids about a corncob style peterson for father's day. 

Great choice, Ken.  I think the unvarnished Washington is the WTG.

Hey Ken, good luck with the pipes, I used to smoke a pipe back in the 60's and 70's, then nothing for some time and now into cigars mostly.  Anyways, I noticed your new avatar with your posts (I think it's new).  Back in the 60's there was a poster with that photo on it, used to read .... "You can sleep tonight, your Polish airforce is alert" .... I always thought it was pretty funny and I think I still have a copy here somewhere (I'm afraid to start looking in my filing cabinets).  Where did you come across it?

I've been gathering a couple ounces of his different blends on the counter there, Ken. I keep going back to the Black and Blue. Paul's Special is good too. A local told me to mix the Black and Blue with his Dark Rum...half and half...and I believe that was the best yet for me. But knowing your tastes, you'll probably turn your nose up @ the aromatic stuff and choose to crumble up some LFD Quadruple Ligero stick and burn it.

Quotemike46 - 5/26/2012  8:53 PM

Hey Ken, good luck with the pipes, I used to smoke a pipe back in the 60's and 70's, then nothing for some time and now into cigars mostly.  Anyways, I noticed your new avatar with your posts (I think it's new).  Back in the 60's there was a poster with that photo on it, used to read .... "You can sleep tonight, your Polish airforce is alert" .... I always thought it was pretty funny and I think I still have a copy here somewhere (I'm afraid to start looking in my filing cabinets).  Where did you come across it?

The model for that shot was a janitor at an Air Base and I can't remember where. One of the pilots dressed him up in a flight suit and stuck a helmet on him and took some shots. The rest is history. Those posters have been around since Wilbur and Orville I reckon. I remember them from my early days in the USAF and that was...umm...quite a while back. I found this shot searching through some Bing images.

QuoteGarCar - 5/27/2012  12:41 AM

I've been gathering a couple ounces of his different blends on the counter there, Ken. I keep going back to the Black and Blue. Paul's Special is good too. A local told me to mix the Black and Blue with his Dark Rum...half and half...and I believe that was the best yet for me. But knowing your tastes, you'll probably turn your nose up @ the aromatic stuff and choose to crumble up some LFD Quadruple Ligero stick and burn it.

I'm going to throw myself on his better judgment when I visit. He pretty much knows my cigar tastes so I'm sure he can recommend something that will fit. I'm an absolute pipe noob so I will need some training.

QuoteAlphairon - 5/27/2012  6:19 AM

I'm going to throw myself on his better judgment when I visit. He pretty much knows my cigar tastes so I'm sure he can recommend something that will fit. I'm an absolute pipe noob so I will need some training.

Your experience with cigars will serve you well.

A problem I've seen most often with pipe n00bs (especially cigarette smokers and those who recently quit cigarettes) is that they suck too much (LOL) -- I mean they puff too hard and too often, which causes what is often mistakenly referred to as "bite" from the tobacco, but is actually steam from the overly-hot tobacco actually burning the inside of the mouth and upper throat.

A pipe, like a cigar (but even more important with a pipe), is best enjoyed when puffed slowly.

QuoteROTHNH - 5/27/2012  11:16 AM

QuoteAlphairon - 5/27/2012  6:19 AM

I'm going to throw myself on his better judgment when I visit. He pretty much knows my cigar tastes so I'm sure he can recommend something that will fit. I'm an absolute pipe noob so I will need some training.

Your experience with cigars will serve you well.

A problem I've seen most often with pipe n00bs (especially cigarette smokers and those who recently quit cigarettes) is that they suck too much (LOL) -- I mean they puff too hard and too often, which causes what is often mistakenly referred to as "bite" from the tobacco, but is actually steam from the overly-hot tobacco actually burning the inside of the mouth and upper throat.

A pipe, like a cigar (but even more important with a pipe), is best enjoyed when puffed slowly.

Seems to me too, that the quality of the pipe tobacco makes a big difference in your experience when starting out.  It wasn't until I got into some good quality stuff that I really began to appreciate a pipe.  

Quote87North - 5/29/2012  4:10 PM

QuoteROTHNH - 5/27/2012  11:16 AM

QuoteAlphairon - 5/27/2012  6:19 AM

I'm going to throw myself on his better judgment when I visit. He pretty much knows my cigar tastes so I'm sure he can recommend something that will fit. I'm an absolute pipe noob so I will need some training.

Your experience with cigars will serve you well.

A problem I've seen most often with pipe n00bs (especially cigarette smokers and those who recently quit cigarettes) is that they suck too much (LOL) -- I mean they puff too hard and too often, which causes what is often mistakenly referred to as "bite" from the tobacco, but is actually steam from the overly-hot tobacco actually burning the inside of the mouth and upper throat.

A pipe, like a cigar (but even more important with a pipe), is best enjoyed when puffed slowly.

Seems to me too, that the quality of the pipe tobacco makes a big difference in your experience when starting out.  It wasn't until I got into some good quality stuff that I really began to appreciate a pipe.  

And that's why I will visit the pipe guru over at Schwab's in the next few days. He'll steer me to what I need. I've got to go over there anyway to buy a new microphone system for the church house so I may as well stop in for a visit. Like I need a REASON to go to a cigar store!  

Congrats on taking the plunge, Ken. Hopefully you will find it enjoyable. After a couple times I am sure you will have it all figured out.

The package from CI arrived at the PO today but I haven't had time to pick it up yet. Had to go over to Lexington and just got home a bit ago. After I took care of the bidness I had to take care of I dropped by Schwab's and bubba recommended I try the Black & Blue so I got a little bit of that. Smells pretty good. I guess I will stuff some in the pipe, fire it up, and give it a try. I got this strange hunch I have a learning curve staring me in the face. Should be a lot of fun trying to tame a pipe.

QuoteAlphairon - 5/31/2012  2:25 PM

The package from CI arrived at the PO today but I haven't had time to pick it up yet. Had to go over to Lexington and just got home a bit ago. After I took care of the bidness I had to take care of I dropped by Schwab's and bubba recommended I try the Black & Blue so I got a little bit of that. Smells pretty good. I guess I will stuff some in the pipe, fire it up, and give it a try. I got this strange hunch I have a learning curve staring me in the face. Should be a lot of fun trying to tame a pipe.

Any man with enough patience and self control to manage fine cabinet work, should be exacting enough to handle pipe smoking with a little practice and experimentation.