Guide to Pipe Smoking
I encourage you to take the time to read through the Not-So Boring Guide to Pipe Smoking which is written especially for pipe smoking beginners. The guide is 6 pages and will help you choose your first pipe as well as choosing your first pipe tobacco. We’ll also cover which accessories are a must have and which are just nice to have down the road. Once you’ve got all your pipe smoking gear well discuss how to pack your pipe the right way. Once it’s packed it time to light it up and puff away. All the information you need to get started in this totally relaxing hobby is just a click away.
Introduction to Pipe Smoking for Beginners
Pipe smoking is really all about relaxation. Since tobacco was discovered its been a favorite pastime of men and now some women find themselves smoking a pipe. There are really only 3 ways to smoke tobacco: cigarettes, cigars, and the pipe. The tobacco pipe is the only option which gives the smoker a lasting sense of pleasure and a total state of relaxation.
A pipe is similar to a fountain pen or a fine time piece. It truly is a thing of beauty. Some even call a well-crafted pipe a work of art. It’s a pleasure to hold, inspect, perhaps tell a story about, and demands a certain amount of respect.
What you’ll find over time is that smoking a pipe is actually an art and a science. The first task to learn is packing your pipe. Once it is packed with your tobacco of choice, lighting it evenly is the next challenge. Learning to actually smoke your pipe will also take some time. Don’t be afraid though, learning these skills is not a painstakingly long process nor are they hard to learn. It just takes some understanding and patience. The rewards of properly smoking your tobacco pipe is a wonderful aroma and great taste, not to mention a relaxed state of mind.
very good article, even for the experimented smokers, like me. i left the cigarettes and come back to pipe, my first love. you present a well structurated encyclopedia for pipe smokers with many things to learn of! thank you for your effort, i am pleasant surprised.
I have become addicted to water pipes (or “hookas”) - I love to great flavor blends that people come up with!!
Me and my wife went to Egypt a few years ago we blasted our way through quite a few hookas…. they were pretty cool, we bought one back with us along with some stuff to smoke, but never used it.
My younger brother bought one back from Turkey when he was around 14, he did use it, for around a year…. to smoke cannabis. My dad eventually found it in a cupboard with hundreds of cigarette filters (he broke up cigarettes to mix with it).
There are a few bars that have hookas now, though smoking is being banned in all public places (in the UK) in a few weeks, I assume that applies to hookas also…. shame really….
I cant believe your promoting smoking!!
Im trying to give up cigarettes at the moment, its really hard… I have to say I am sad to be giving up in a way, I will really miss it, but its not something I would recommend…. I know pipes probably are not as addictive, but still a bad plan….
If you’re trying to quit smoking…then stay out of smoking websites!
Just dumped the cig’s with no problem and the first thing I noticed was what a relaxing thing a nice bowl is with a great aromatic blend it really relaxes you. Cigarettes never gave me that satisfaction
I love the aroma of pipe smoke! Wouldn’t want to try smoking it myself though… it’s quite a hit isn’t it? I wonder if you can buy “aroma of pipe smoke” incense at all?!?
Pipe smoking is a delicous habit i left for cigars years ago…i am going to give it a second run…this time i’ll use good tobacco and pipe, as opposed the pharmacy quality stuff I used to play with.. If the pleasure police come after me, they’ll have to pry my wood pipe from my cold dead fingers.
I smoke the nargile sometimes. It’s awesome outdoors on a summer evening…or at the beach. Sometimes the authorities come to investigate thinking there might be something illegal going on. Never had any real problem though. There are lots of great flavors now. My favorite is double apple, but I like rose too, and mint and bubble gum and tutti frutti. I got many different flavors when I was in Lebanon and I keep them in our humidor which my husband hates. He says their cloying aromas compromise his Cohibas. I think we need a second humidor.
I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life, but I’ve recently begun smoking a pipe for about an hour each morning. I have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder, and that hour of smoking a pipe is far more relaxing than any medication I’ve ever encountered. I am very saddened by the decline in pipe smoking, and I hope that it will experience a resurgence when the current mood of global prohibition subsides.
Yes indeed! The cigarette crowd has really ruined one of the most enjoyable plants on earth for most people. Pipe away! You’ll never regret it. And you’ll live 12% longer, according to the Surgeon General’s 1964 report. (Of course, nobody really knows for sure, statistics lie.)
I have smoked a pipe once and it not only tasted good but it was amazing in all respects. i found this article to be very informative and i will definitely use some of the tips givin as i am a beginner at pipes.
Hookahs on the other hand i know very well. I love how it tastes and smokes and it is amazing as well. I wish it wasnt so hard to set up and clean though. Oh well. Good things are never completely free
how about doing an article on all the different types of pipe tobacco. what’s the best time and place for each type and so on. I used to smoke this one brand that had a picture of a toad on the container…boy was that stuff good. good luck with the site.
Great article. I love the smell of pipe smoke!
Is there any “natural” tobacco that does not have any added chemicals?
Yes, all of Milan Tobacconists’ house blends. http://www.milantobacco.com is their site. They are practically in my backyard, and their stuff is excellent, and best of all, totally natural.
uhh cancer?? hello you nim rods. ok what have we learned here? to smoke. thats gr8. i think ill start now. not!
Dude, you are the nimrod. Why, because you try to help us “nimrods”.
Understand something here please! Everyone does thing that they enjoy. And, these things may not be conducive to superb health (like people who eat bad foods and too much of them for instance!). But, the fact of the matter is just that; it is something done to enable one to enjoy their life, enjoy their time, enjoy something for what it is. If pipe smokers get cancer, so be it. But honestly, you do not hear about that much. SO MIND YOU OWN FRIGGIN BUSINESS BUSYBODY!
Only a fool will waste his time trying to change people around him that do not care about what it is that the person has to say.
This is a very good primer on tobacco pipe smoking.
Actually, I think that pipe smoking may have a bit of a resurgence soon as cigarette smokers and even snuff tobacco users start looking for other “outlets” that may (or may not) be less addictive. The interesting thing is that because of the variety of tobacco available and the amount of “labor” involved in tobacco pipes, it has less addictive properties as an activity as opposed to just throwing a cig in your mouth and flicking a lighter.
hi i just say this thing and am doing a paper on glass pipe arrtwork, and how the artwork represents bringing back the original ritual/ elegancy of smoking a pipe. I was wondering if anyone could tell me where to find books about the history of pipe smoking, or pipe smoking in the middle east, that would be awesome
You guys are crazy to think that pipe smoking is not as addictive or harmful compared to cigarettes, etc. Although, it does smell pretty darn good when I walk by it, and it sure does look cool. But those are dumb reasons to ever smoke! Anyway, I could care less if people want to try and commit suicide the slow way, except for when it comes to my pregnant self and my infant being around random smokers who want to stand in doorways and obvious walkways and then blow smoke in our faces. How inconsiderate! I’m just saying that you should educate yourselves just a BIT before you decide what’s more or less healthy for your bodies. That is all. Go in peace. :OP
really good article. If somebody wants to knoe more, you need to visit this site: water-bongs-glass-pipes.com
Most premium pipe tobacco is all natural. The drug store variety and the flavored kinds have added chemicals. I have a feeling that these chemicals that are a added to cigarettes are whats really causing the harm/addiciton.
When i smoked ciggs i couldnt go without one for too long. Now with my pipe i go for days without any problems what so ever. Cigg tobacco is SO unnatural. Calling cigarettes tobacco is like calling a Mcdonalds hamburger patty a “steak”.
While we are on the subject. For all of you who whine and cry about pipes being bad for your health. Do you eat meat? Do you drive a car? Do you drink? You realise those things are very bad for your health, are known to cause cancer, destroy the environment, blah, blah.
Thank you for your concern, but how about you mind your own beezwax. Last time i checked this is america, we can make our own decisions thank you very much. I dont need any extra taxes or laws against tobacco to help me decide. Infact, studies on pipe smoking have shown that pipe smokers acutally live LONGER than non-pipe smokers. The added benifit of ENJOYING youself, and RELAXING actually extends your life.
Too bad the busy-bodys wont enjoy that benifit, they are too busy making sure everyone else is just like them to sit down and relax.
maybe cigarette smokers wouldnt be regualted to smoking in doorways if there were proper indoor facilities. until that happens, just hold your breath and deal with it. You seriously think taking one breath of cigarette smoke while passing by will do anything to your health? Do you live in a bubble or something? The water you drink, the food you eat, the air you breath.. all contaminated… Ha, i bet you use a cell phone too.. awesome..
Pipe smoking is NOT as harmful, and NOT as addictive as cigarette smoking. Its a fact. Ive actually gone out read articles and educated MYSELF thank you, unlike you who just assumes all tobaccos are created equal. Have you actually done any reading on the subject? Do you even know how long people have been smoking tobacco without any problems? i didnt think so…
-Owned
TOUCHE’ Pipe Smoker!
btw, started doin’ it after my father, 1961
These articles inspired me to buy a pipe, which I now have, so thanks!
Does anyone know any good websites to buy pipe tobacco from in the UK? If anyone has any recommendations then it would be much appreciated.
So many people have negative things to say about it, of course it’s obvious they’ve never enjoyed a pipe before. Unless your smoking like twenty bowls a day which literally means your sitting in actual smoketime for like 20 hours, there is no way pipes are worse than cigarettes, point two you don’t inhale, my lungs feel great after a pipe not all congested like a night out drinking where one could kill ten or more cigs easily. I recently stopped smoking cigs and though I have smoked pipes for many years now I still see myself as a beginner. You know the champion pipe smoker in the world is a dutch lady who can keep that thing going without relighting for over two and a half hours! Thats like watching an entire movie with the thing, if I can smoke it for over half an hour without lighting it again I consider that a succesful bowl. But hell I’m still a beginner so I shall surpass her one day.
i like to stuff my big pipe with weed every day and smoke the whole thing.
especially in the morning, it helps with my anxiety, back pain, headaches, nasea, foot pain, stretching my muscles, nerves, tired eyes, and diet cokes.
I just started smoking a pipe, well trying. Is it supposed to last 5-10 minutes only?
dima–Your’s probably just when out, which is normal. You will need it to relight a few times, especially if you are a beginner. When you are more experienced, you can make it last for a good 40 minutes or until the tobacco has reached the bottom of the bowl.
I am only 16 years and i know everybody will start screaming here that i am a juvenile but i still love the aroma of good pipe tobacco and its nice flavour and also the relaxation and know you all say that its is very odd a juvenile smoking pipe well for me its more than smoke its the way of life and the best way to relax.
P.S.- i am from lithuania
Thats nice to hear and I am only 18 and I would like to start to. I tries cigerettes and went so green i couldn’t even stand up. I tried a pipe and it was actually enjoyable, I mean i actually liked the experience
I’m only 18 and I smoke both a pipe and cigars. Life doesn’t last forever, so I might as well enjoy it while I can.
I smoke a pipe about once a week and was just wondering how bad the effects are of this. I rarely do it more than that and wanted to know if anyone could help me out.
Hi All!
I cannot believe that the art of pipe smoking has been so degressed in the last half century! I am a biochemist, so as to the health concerns - well, the fact that one doesn’t inhale is quite beneficial! I am actually a cigar afficionado; however, with the price of quality cigars these days, the obvious alternative when I decided to quit smoking cigarettes was a pipe. I, as most, have always had those wonderful memories of walking into a room where a family member or neigher was enjoying a pipe and enjoying it with them - not wanting that wonderful aroma to end! The whole pipe thing is very new to me (although I’m now 40 years old); I just bought my first pipe a couple of weeks ago (a real cheap plastic thing that is wet and ugly); today, I bought a VERY fine Italian made pipe that cost me nearly a hundred bucks! Why would I do this? Like I said, I have enjoyed cigars most of my life, and I would pay a good $30 for a really decent cigar (although my neighbour works for the Canadian Embassy in Cuba and brings me back more Cohibas than any American buisnessman could dream of!); I love the class of an elegant pipe; I love the smell of pipe tobacco smoke drifting around a room; I love the feel of a pipe! I am so enjoying this experience as a beginer pipe smoker. I know now, I can quit smoking cigarettes (cause they’re gross compared to a pipe); I will still lite up a beautiful Cohibas - but who wouldn’t! As for all the health risks of smoking a pipe - well, it’s a whole lot better than smoking cigarettes; as both cigars and pipes, one doesn’t inhale - and one usually smokes a great deal less (which is why the big tobacco coorporations do not promote pipe smoking!
ENJOY!!!
Mystic Mouse
Great site. I’m going to link you from mine. I just got started on my pipe site - so don’t expect too much yet. Come visit!
I’ve been a pipe smoker for years and I don’t intend giving it up.
Thanks for this.
What a smashing article!
What with the smoking bans coming into force through most of the ‘western world’, snuff is really taking off again. Ever thought of doing one for snuff?
Cheers once again for a great article.
Great site,
It’s nice to know other people out there still enjoy the finer things in life!
In these “Reader posts” I see a lot of Nay sayers, preaching about how Awful smoking is, and I cannot help but laugh. Honestly, who goes out of their way, just to badmouth something somebody enjoys? My guess is, they’re rather unhappy, stressful people - perhaps they just need a good pipe break
After ten years of smoking cigarettes and non-smoking career of four, i discovered pipe smoking. Awesome! Exotic and relaxing is all i can say about it(with some tongue-bite though-i’m new in this). I now own two estate briar pipes(got a great deal
), each smoking in it’s own special way. I started with Mac Baren’s Mixture Modern, aromatic, and light tobacco an i’m very satisfied with it.This website offers much needed info for us pipe newbies. Thank you and keep up the good work.
I smoke a pipe and I can pick it up and put it down anytime I want. currently I am not smoking but will pick it up again when I feel like it. When I smoke I usualy go through three or four pipes a day. When I want to take a break I just stop smoking for a while. I don’t see how pipes are addictive. When I go to the docktor He says my lungs sound clear, and my blood pressure is better than when I’m not smoking my pipe! So all of you who don’t smoke a pipe don’t be critical because you don’t know what your talking about and your just spouting anti-smoking retoric and knee jerk propaganda.