Now that you have slept on your desire to smoke a pipe, weighed the risks and consequences against the benefits and the urge, and decided to go ahead, it is time to pick the right pipe for you. This is the most important decision for a fledgling pipe-smoker, as picking a good pipe will help prepare you for the rest of your smoking life, while picking a bad one might scare you off for good. It is also a highly personal choice, as each pipe means different things to different people, and they are all unique. I cannot say what will be the best pipe for you, but I can show you the basic considerations, and help guide you on your way.
When buying that first pipe, or really any pipe, you first need to consider if you want to buy a new one or an estate one. New pipes are, obviously, brand new pipes that haven't been used before. You will get something that only you have owned, and you don't have to deal with initial cleaning, sanitation, or even the tint of previous tobacco. That said, they are harder to break in, and you can easily burn through one by improper smoking.
Estate pipes, on the other hand, are used pipes, either bought at an auction or purchased refurbished from a store. These pipes have their advantages and their disadvantages. For starters, you get a pipe that is broken in and ready to use. You can also get one that is far nicer, for the price, than a new one would be. On the other hand, when you get a pipe that has been used before you need to clean, ream, and sanitize it. It also might have tints of the old smoke, and even have some aesthetic issues from the previous owners.
The next decision you need to make is what material to choose. Bone, antler, amber, rock, apples, and practically everything else known to man has been used to make pipes in the past. However, most commonly, pipes are made using briar (a root), clay, corncob, or meerschaum (a volcanic rock).
Article comments
1 - Kevin Godbee
That's a very helpful post on choosing your first pipe. It is a great point that you should get a half way decent pipe when you start. A bad pipe will give you a bad experience and you may never know the real enjoyment of a pipe.
2 - Robert M. Barga
Thank you Kevin, that means a lot coming from another pipe writer
please come back and check my other articles as they are publuished, or subscribe to the series' RSS feed
3 - Jamie
While corncob pipes might be cheaper, they are not good for starters. They burn too quickly and new users will not adapt to new pipes
4 - Robert M. Barga
That depends, is the intent to learn how to smoke all pipes or to get started and learn to love pipe smoke?
5 - Cindy
ughhhh...disgusting! I hate to be rude, (Not really, sometimes I love to be rude, especially when I was so good and ignored your first article.) but what kind of person spends his time encouraging non-smokers to smoke?
Don't you have something like TV or the sports channel or anything else to occupy yourself with?
You don't have to answer this post. It's just a statement of scorn. It needs no response.
6 - Robert M. Barga
Cindy,
I strive to help people who want to smoke smoke, and give them the best experience they can have. I have already given them the info about harm so they already know that. If they still want to smoke, why shouldn't I help them out?
7 - Cindy
Bob,
/my rudeness
Nicotine is one of the most highly addictive drugs there is. People, once addicted, will sometimes keep smoking even though they are dying from it. I know people dying from it. Unless you are a hermit, I'm sure you know or know of people dying from it.
It's more addictive and far more deadly than heroine.
Does your mother know this is what you choose to do with your time? Justify encouraging people to choose death? If that isn't enough to say to you, I am at a loss.
8 - Robert M. Barga
Quick question, why does everybody assume that Bob is the proper way to shorten Robert? Random people call me that instead of Robert and I have never understood it.
/minirant
I disagree with the more addictive than heroin part. My mother is perfectly content with what I do in my free time. Furthermore, as an adult, she has absolutely no control over me.
Cindy, I am not telling them what to do, I am merely saying that if you wish to smoke, here is what you should know. It is like reviewing brandies, if you wish to drink, these are the best.
As a parting shot, Salt is more addictive than smoking AND kills more
9 - Robert M. Barga
As I have the oddest feeling that you know either myself or my mother, I decided to ask her what she thought:
"Tell her that 'you are an adult and it is legal', but I reserve the right to lecture you at any point".
10 - Cindy
Sorry Robert. I have no idea whatsoever why anyone would call a Robert, 'Bob' for short. I thought I invented that.
Your mom sounds very cool. I like her already. You, however, I am sending back to analogy school!
11 - Robert M. Barga
Your position is clear, if it can kill, then we must stop people from using it. Aside from the clear deviation from your libertarian position, this is illogical when you consider that anything can kill
that said, I never understood why people automatically assume that a short name is better
12 - Cindy
Robert?
One: There is no analogy between a nutrient, which one's body requires for survival, and tobacco.
Two: My position is obviously not very clear if that is what you think it is.
Three: Who said people call you Bob because they think it's 'better'?
Final analysis: You make an awful lot of presumptions and odd analogies that don't work very well, but seem to serve you as rationalizations.
13 - Cindy
Prediction: You would do well as a car salesperson.
14 - Robert M. Barga
have a great day cindy
15 - Cindy
Thanks, I just might, the sun is out for a moment.
16 - Jamie
Even if the attempt is to learn just how to love a pipe, the fact that corncob doesn't burn through as easily, and can be kept lit and doesn't require a cake, will mean that they learn bad practices.
All starting smokers should use briar
17 - Robert M. Barga
I strongly disagree. In fact, I believe that CC is better to start with as it gets the person the full flavor right away, and thus allows them to start expierencing it with little drawbacks