Here's an example of pipe tobacco prices up here in Canada.  I haven't really smoked a pipe very much for years and years, preferring cigars which I pick up on-line from the US retailers and get them shipped to myself or friends when travelling south of the border.

Anyways, yesterday I dropped into a new cigar shop not too far away, just thought I'd kick a few tires and reinforce the fact that I save a ton of money buying cigars where most of you guys live.  Walking by the pipe tobacco section, I saw a 50g pouch (that's about 2 ounces so a regular pouch) of Captain Black Royal (blue pouch) that I used to smoke years back so I figured why not pick one up, might be a nice change occasionally and my old pipes are still here at home.  Walk up to the counter and the guy tallies it up for me now get ready for this ..... are you ready?  Came to $37.50 .....  that's right, no typo error, thirty-seven dollars and fifty cents.  Too late to walk out so I bit the bullet, rather embarassing when I break the news to momma when I got home (not that she'd make any kind of a big deal about it).  So I go onto the JR website and I could buy six of those pouches for $29.50 (a bit of a special in the current catalogue I think but close to their regular price probably).  Man, shook me right up for sure.  Meanwhile, I saw a Cohiba Behike 54 (I think that was the number) for $73.00 per stick so nothing smokeable is cheap north of the border.

I feel for you!.

That pretty much puts to rest any idea about maybe investing in a cigar when we visit Banff National Park this summer!  

wow!

Again wow!

Good God. Drugs would be cheaper.

QuoteconditionZero - 1/17/2014  6:09 AM

Good God. Drugs would be cheaper.

Being a budget smoker, I cut some of the CB with some Velvet that a friend had given me a while back (still fresh) and I mixed it 1:1 and it's pretty good.  The CB is stronger and more flavourful and the mixture is decent since the Velvet is milder (and MUCH cheaper).  Will probably mix the rest of the pricey stuff down the road a bit.

I don't know Mike...seems to fit right in with the $32 Hemingway Short Stories. I feel for you, BUT....I hope you learned that it is NEVER too late to back out of a purchase in a retail store. One must uphold the sense of frugality to the max, NO SHAME!!    

Quotejunglepete - 1/17/2014  7:00 AM

I don't know Mike...seems to fit right in with the $32 Hemingway Short Stories. I feel for you, BUT....I hope you learned that it is NEVER too late to back out of a purchase in a retail store. One must uphold the sense of frugality to the max, NO SHAME!!    

Yeah, you're right Pete, the guy was such a nice fellow and so polite and courteous I figured what the heck, I'll go with it this time.  If I go in there again, I'll stick to browsing.  Do you buy much stuff locally down east?  Probably never I'm guessing.

Quotemike46 - 1/17/2014  11:25 AM

Quotejunglepete - 1/17/2014  7:00 AM

I don't know Mike...seems to fit right in with the $32 Hemingway Short Stories. I feel for you, BUT....I hope you learned that it is NEVER too late to back out of a purchase in a retail store. One must uphold the sense of frugality to the max, NO SHAME!!    

Yeah, you're right Pete, the guy was such a nice fellow and so polite and courteous I figured what the heck, I'll go with it this time.  If I go in there again, I'll stick to browsing.  Do you buy much stuff locally down east?  Probably never I'm guessing.

You're absolutely right...Never anymore.  

QuoteconditionZero - 1/17/2014  10:09 AM  Good God. Drugs would be cheaper.

 

They are   

Yikes!! Sounds familiar Mike... My fiance just paid $81 for a Cohiba Piramides Extra for me to sample! Ridiculous!!

Ouch. Can you say "Oh Canada!"

Mike, simply purchase your tobacco from Rich at 4 Noggins.

Rich has a well deserved reputation for exceptional service, and he is well known for expertise in international shipping.

http://www.4noggins.com/

Good luck and please let us know how you make out.

Ouch and wow

QuoteROTHNH - 1/17/2014  8:34 AM

Mike, simply purchase your tobacco from Rich at 4 Noggins.

Rich has a well deserved reputation for exceptional service, and he is well known for expertise in international shipping.

http://www.4noggins.com/

Good luck and please let us know how you make out.

Well, the amount of pipe smoking I do (even less than very seldom) wouldn't amount to a hill of beans compared to anyone really serious about it, but I appreciate the tip.  Visited the website, tobacco prices are great and the pipe inventory is unreal, never saw so many different brands and styles in one place.  My dad had a Petersen pipe, never knew where it went to but I remember that strange end on the stem, facing upwards for the opening right?

Quotemike46 - 1/18/2014  1:35 PM

Well, the amount of pipe smoking I do (even less than very seldom) wouldn't amount to a hill of beans compared to anyone really serious about it, but I appreciate the tip.  Visited the website, tobacco prices are great and the pipe inventory is unreal, never saw so many different brands and styles in one place.  My dad had a Petersen pipe, never knew where it went to but I remember that strange end on the stem, facing upwards for the opening right?

Yep, that Peterson stem button is called a "P-Lip."  BTW, Peterson also offers a standard "fishtail" stem button on a variety of their pipes as well.  

Some love the Peterson P-Lip, some hate it.  If in doubt, and you're purchasing a Peterson, I recommend the fishtail.

Also, SmokingPipes.com (SPC) offers a wide variety of restored (pre-smoked) estate pipes -- if one stays away from estate pipes with issues other than "minor rim darkening," it's a great way to purchase and great pipe and save 30%-50% off of brand-new.  SPC also ships to Canada:

 http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/estate/

I've done repeat business with both vendors and recommend them.

Wowsers, that's expensive! Looks like those of us South of the border will be expecting similar prices what with Obummercare and fascist political hacks running the goobermint.

Quotejunglepete - 1/17/2014  10:00 AM

I don't know Mike...seems to fit right in with the $32 Hemingway Short Stories. I feel for you, BUT....I hope you learned that it is NEVER too late to back out of a purchase in a retail store. One must uphold the sense of frugality to the max, NO SHAME!!    

My thoughts also
I would have told them no thanks and left it in the counter