Kilts & Pipe Smoking

[GlassMan]

I noticed in the thread on the Grand Opening of Rocky's new storefront for USAK, that two members who went had to extinquish their tobacco pipes at the bar later that night.

That started me thinking, I wonder how many other people on this board also enjoy a good tobacco pipe every know and then? Personally I love my pipes both as collectibles and as sources of physical enjoyment.

If you are into pipes, what types do you have and what is your favorite type of blend?

Personally I have an affection for Italian pipes so my collection includes Castello, La N'Atra, Viprati, & Ser Jacopo. From England I have Dunhill & Ferndown. I've also got some Peterson's, a few Meerschaums, and an assortment of other makers from the US & Europe. As for tobacco, I'm partial to English & Scottish blends, although every now and again I smoke a Balkan.

[Graham]

I noticed in the thread on the Grand Opening of Rocky's new storefront for USAK, that two members who went had to extinquish their tobacco pipes at the bar later that night.

Not quite on topic, sorry, but the big news here is that a lot more people will be leaving their tobacco habits at the door of the pubs here downunder.
From Jan 1 all pubs and clubs will be smoke free.

Naturally, the pubs are complaining that revenue will be lost, I believe more people if anything, especially families will return to the pubs.

Time will tell.

Sorry, I know nothing about those kind of pipes, but the Highland pipes..I know a lot about them :mrgreen:

[macwilkin]

I have a Peterson Briar pipe that I smoke on very selected occasions (stag Burns Suppers, etc.) There is a Norwegian tobacco I love called "Highland Whisky"! ;)

Cheers,

Todd

[MACKAY]

I don't personally smoke a pipe, but do enjoy the smell of a burning pipe a heck of a lot more than a cigar or a cigarette.

Brian Mackay

[Jerry]

I don't know much about pipes, but my grandfather from Northern Ireland used to be a pipe smoker. I have a few of his old pipes including one or two which I am sure he brought over when the family immigrated to the USA in the late 1920s.

[James]

Keep up the good work-there are too many inhibitions these days: there is room for all, without this or that group infringing upon the activities of others.

Too the smell of smoke is much pleasanter that the stench of non-smoking bars, public transport and the like.

Of course the big joke is when the medical profession will once again decide that smoking is good for people.

James

[JayFilomena]

That started me thinking, I wonder how many other people on this board also enjoy a good tobacco pipe every know and then? Personally I love my pipes both as collectibles and as sources of physical enjoyment.

I have been enjoying a pipe for about 10 years, but honestly, I only smoke it about once a month. Since I am not a frequent smoker, I just grab a little Capt Black. For a special treat or event, I may purchase something special from a local tobacco shop. I have a churchwarden that is a somewhat replica from a Lord of the Rings, and looks rather...gentlemanly (?) when I smoke it while wearing my kilt.

[GlassMan]

I love my churchwarden.

Also, I'm a sucker for intriguing deviations from traditional shapes. Not all-out freehands, but just an interesting take on a traditional shape. I'll have to take some pics to show what I mean.

[Nick]

Here's the churchwarden I've been wanting for months now, but every time it comes up on eBay, I end up losing.



I like it mainly because it resembles the pipes in the Lord of the Rings movies. If I had the money (a recurrent theme) there are a couple makers who make excellent, and functional, reproductions of the movie pipes, and I'd love one of those, too. As it is, I'm thinking I'll make my own.

[GlassMan]

I've seen several of the reproduction pipes. But remember that the only authorized repros are by Vauen of Germany and they are also the only ones who have substituted a briar bowl for the ash bowl used in the movies.

There was interesting article about the actual pipes used in the movie in Pipes & Tobacco magazine. Apparently the prop people had no knowledge about pipes whatsoever and they just carved things that looked nice out of the wood on hand. So they made the pipes out of ash and used standard stains.

Apparently the actual movie pipes smoked hot as a nuclear reactor and smelled to high heaven as the stains were heated by the bowls. Plus, they had to make tons of each pipe because they kept burning out.

I've known one person to buy an unauthorized repro that was made out of ash and he says it looks great on the mantle piece but it is absolutely unsmokeable.

Let's be honest, no wood on earth can handle the heat of a smoking pipe like good quality briar can.