A New Old Hobby

After a hiatus of around thirty years, well, maybe twenty-five, I've decided to take up smoking a pipe again. I decided I missed playing with all the accoutrements of pipe smoking, and the smell of the different tobaccos (and, man, are there a lot of high quality tobaccos on the market now).

Three of My New Tobaccos

The Other Three New Tobaccos

It's very hard to say just which is my favorite now. I'm leaning toward Bengal Slices, but then Three Nuns Green, or maybe Smooth Sailing. And, there's so many more on the market to choose from.

What is really cool, is so many of them are available in classic tins, which I just love. Although, I'm passing my tins to Dianna for her craft needs right now. I only have so many trinkets to store in tins.

As soon as I open a tobacco tin (they come vacuum sealed), and break the vacuum, to prevent the tobacco from drying out or molding, I transfer the tobacco to a Ball Mason canning jar for airtight, long-term storage

And, then you get into the pipes. Lordy, lordy, there is a whole universe of pipes out there. Everything from a Missouri Meerschaum corn cob pipe for $3.00 USD, to an artisan crafted briar pipe being sold new for well over $1,000.00 USD. Don't look for one of those in my collection. Sure, I'd love to have one, but that much money for a... Pipe? You gotta be shittin' me.

I know I showed you and talked about the tobaccos and pipes previously (https://www.winjama.net/2018/09/something-about-well-packed-bowl.html), but that was before I had actually received my shipment of tobaccos, and hadn't been able to try out these wonderful pipes.

Butz-Choquin Dauphine Rhodesian

This pipe, the Butz-Choquin Dauphine Rhodesian, like all of these four pipes, came to me through Ebay. It's a gorgeous briar. Similar model Butz-Choquin pipes sell new for around $80.00USD. I won the auction for around $24.00. A little cleaning, polishing and such to rehab it, and it's once again, a delightful, cool smoking pipe. A bit heavy to leave unsupported in your mouth, but sitting on the pool deck, puffing away with a bowl full of Bengal Slices, wow! Very relaxing and satisfying.

Bruce Peters Bent Billiard

Bruce Peters pipes, are examples of 1950's smoking elegance. This model, sold when new for around $60.00USD. But back in the 50's, that was some real money. I paid $15.00 for it. It smokes, nice, but does require care to not draw too much and overheat the bowl.

Wally Frank Red Root Oom Paul

Wally Frank, Ltd. was one of America's oldest and most respected names in pipes and tobaccos in the early 1930’s. It's hard to say when this pipe was produced. It could have been a selection of Wally Frank's Pipe of the Month Club. Who knows? It's got a nice, deep bowl, and is very cool to smoke. Not bad for a $12.00USD bargain on Ebay.

Bando Full Bent Apple Briar

Bando, is, I think, a Danish pipe maker. This briar sells for around $30.00USD when new. I scored on Ebay for $10.00. Haven't smoked it yet. I have to go to the Post Office on Monday to pick it up. It was on the slow boat from New Jersey or somewhere.

Oom Paul Freehand Briar
By Nowakowski, Poland

Stanislaw Nowakowski is a Polish Pipe maker. In fact, when I won the auction for this pipe for $18.00USD, the pipe was shipped by mail from Poland, but not from him. I haven't smoked this one yet. It's an intimidating looking pipe with a wide bowl, that looks heavy, but is surprisingly light and very comfortable feeling in the hand. I might give it a try sometime today.

Here's some new pipes I've purchased, but not yet gotten my grubby little mits on them. the first is actually seven corncob pipes from Missouri Meerschaum Co. It's a pack of seven factory seconds. They might have blemishes in the finish, etc., but each is smokeable and in serviceable condition. For a little more than $26.00US, I get seven new pipes - for about $3.70 each, such a deal.

Missouri Meerschaum Seconds Sampler

The last one is a Falcon Pipes two-part pipe. The stem is metal with an acrylic bit, and the bowl simply screws onto the stem. There are several different shaped bowls available, so it can become more than one pipe. I'm curious to see how well it works in practice.

Falcon Pipes Two-Parter