"Laying pipe"

     First let me apologize for the hiatus, as its been about 6 months since my last blog.  New responsibilities at work have kept me away, but now things are slowing down I can get back to my passion.  Over the last few years as the economy makes a comeback, I've noticed a lot of my cigar guys have jumped into the wonderful world of pipes.  Other than the actual pipe itself, pipe smoking is a bit more affordable for some than cigars.  With all of the different varieties of pipe tobacco, you can also still get that cigar taste, and not go broke in the process.  With that being said, I've been listening to a few of those cigars guys talk about their new found love, the smoking pipe. 

     As for me, I started smoking pipes in 1977 at the ripe old age of 17.  Back then smoking wasn't as taboo as it is now and the laws were a bit different regarding purchasing tobacco.  Most of my friends were smoking cigarettes and I have never liked them, so I didn't get into that habit.  My grandfather, was a cigar and pipe guy and I was always intrigued by his pipe smoking habits.  Typically he smoked cigars during the day or when he was working around the house, or if he was entertaining at the bar he added on to the rear of his home (yes a full service bar room, taps and all).  Now if he was just relaxing watching television while sitting in his "easy" chair, that's when he would reach over to the coffee table next to the chair and grab one of his many pipes, fill the bowl and puff away.  Although I never asked him, I surmised he was emulating the men on television of the 50's, 60's and 70's who all enjoyed pipes.  You know the father on My Three Sons, The Lawrence Welk show, Laugh In etc. (those where the shows he watched religiously) and all had men who were smoking pipes on them.  Even down to the smoking jackets and libations.  He would shower, grab his favorite slippers and smoking jacket and retire to the chair.  So when I decided I wanted to be "grown" at 17, I purchased a pipe and a pouch of Half and Half" tobacco.  I had no earthly idea what I was doing, but mimicked what I saw my grandfather do.  Slam my pipe in the pouch, smash the tobacco in it and fire it up.  Initially, it was okay, and I just didn't understand the whole smoking thing, but during one of my visits to the cigar store with my grandfather I heard some guys talking about their pipes and quickly learned the right way to enjoy a pipe.  Subsequently today, I'm hearing some of the same conversations about pipes today.

     I can remember the pipe guys, mocking the cigar guys, calling them big spenders because cigars, even back then cost considerably more than pipe tobacco, hell probably more than pipes.  Those were the days when grocery stores, department stores and tobacco stores had counter displays with pipes on them.  But the pipe guys would talk about how they could by a tin of Sir Walter Raleigh or the likes, and smoke it all week and the cigar guys would have to buy a box or two to get the same pleasure.  Also, it just appeared that the pipe guys where a little more suave and refined.  The cigar guys just seemed tough and big spender "ish".  None the less, that conversation is happening today.  As that old proverb states "desperate times, call or desperate measures", so with a tough economy, and fewer dollars to spend on pleasure, the smoking pipe seems to be making a huge return.  The difference I see today is that the pipe smoker is more educated in their choices of pipes, whether its briar or one of the many fruit woods out there and the blends of tobacco seems infinite.  And as I mentioned earlier, a lot more tobacco blends are more along the lines of cigars, many with actual cigar leaf blended in.  One gentleman in particular I know, had literally stopped smoking cigars, because his budget wouldn't allow it.  Now he's almost a pipe guy exclusively.  He recently remarked "I don't know why I hadn't smoked a pipe before, I could have saved a million dollars with all the cigars I've bought over the years."  There are even guys who said under no circumstances would they smoke a pipe, who are now firing up a briar bowl filled with a cigar blended pipe tobacco.

     I like the idea that I can enjoy either, or and they both suit my taste and budget.  So tell me, what's your thoughts on the pipe "phenomenon".  Do you enjoy pipes as well as cigars? Or do you prefer to just stick to one of them.  As mentioned in the first paragraph, I'm back and we'll visit the pipe thing a bit more on future blogs, blends of tobacco, pipes and styles, how much you spend on each etc.  So let me hear it, "what 'cha smoking"?  Long ashes and deep bowls!

Greg

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