Pipe Smoking Tobacco

Good airflow is the secret to a great smoking pipe! Too many times I have seen some beautiful pipes (artistically beautiful), and discovered that I could not get hardly any airflow through it--to smoke the pipe. Rather than toss away a potentially great pipe--that someone took some time and trouble to make--I learned some things: namely, following some great advice given by a man by the name of Mr. Rick Newcombe, in his book "IN SEARCH OF PIPE DREAMS".
Here's how to do it:
First, examine your pipe to make sure it is clean on the inside. This is the most common problem of reduced airflow--a dirty pipe. Take the necessary step to clean it.
Next, determine if there are any obstructions in the airway from bowl to the lip of the bit. If you have a filter--throw that away. If the pipe still draws hard (and it shouldn't) determine if the problem is with the mouthpiece or the shank of the pipe. Most likely it is both.
Now for the fun part!
Obtain some wood drill bits (size 11/64",3/16",9/64",1/8",5/64") and a Variable speed 3/8 drive electric drill.
Begin by slowly redrilling the shank of the pipe until the bit just enters the bottom of the inside of the bowl. Stop. Don't do anything else to the wooden shank of the pipe. Now--for the mouthpiece. Take a sharp pocketknife, and chamfer the hole on the inside of the tenon peg. Remember--always drill slowly--and pull out waste material often, when drilling hard rubber, vulcanite or lucite plastic. Go slow--because the plastic will melt of you have too much friction. Picture in your mind the length of the mouthpiece, and use the 9/64" bit one third of the length, then the 1/8" bit another third and lastly the 5/64" through the lip. Run a fluffy pipe cleaner through the whole pipe to make sure all the trimmings are gone. Now smoke your pipe and enjoy how easy it is to puff. Caution: because the pipe now is way easier to draw--don't smoke to fast, because you don't have to smoke fast anymore--the pipe will stay lit, longer. It worked for me!
Best Wishes and happy smoking! Eric Whitaker

McClelland #2020 Matured Cake

How Does one find his or her favorite tobacco? We are talking about one of the ultimate goals of enjoyment in pipesmoking--simply because there is in fact, so many choices of tobaccos--and way too many confusing issues related to your quest for the perfect smoke. I have discovered that throughout my 32 years of experience in the trade--(I'm still discovering and learning and studying new things about pipe tobaccos and the people who enjoy them), we have to sit down and think objectively and honestly about what's available, agreeable, affordable and accurate, within the world of pipe tobaccos.
1.) Available--If I like it, can I get a steady supply, easily?
2.) Agreeable--I know what I like, can I find it, duplicate it, or modify an existing blend or mixture to GET what I like. Or, as a lot of pipesmokers have done, I'm not too sure WHAT I like, I'll try different ones until I find something I like.
3.) Affordable--Can I really afford what I like, or to look for what I like?
4.) Accurate--Consistency in the tobacco that you enjoy, is the most important quality you can enjoy. If the tobacco is not consistent in quality, taste, proportions of various leaf, and how it's made--you won't be smoking the same tobacco today, as you enjoyed yesterday.

How do you know the tobacco you enjoy the most, is really the right blend or mixture in your choices of tobacco? Fact--most people enjoy several different blends or mixtures--instead of just one. People's taste change with their body chemistry, also. Variety is also a factor.
One of the biggest problems is the root of confusion of pipe tobaccos caused by the marketing departments of the pipe tobacco companies themselves--the marketing departments don't know anything about what goes into the blends--and some marketing "genius" (who is not a pipesmoker, ignorant of the various tobaccos used, and the basic characteristics of the different types of tobaccos)tries to convey to the smoker "A mild blend that smokes great..." or some other non-decript drivel or babble--to maximize sales of the tobacco, at the trouble, expense and confusion of the consumer of the tobacco. This false advertising infuriates me--because I have taken the time, the training, and obtained the experience, to help educate pipe smoking friends and customers to understand the world's best tobaccos and how best to enjoy them--if asked to do so. The are so many people these days, involved in the sales of retail products--and sadly, they don't know very much about what they try to sell.
Following, are a few items that will help you on your discoveries and enjoyment, in finding your own conclusions on your quest for your favorite pipe tobacco(s).
1.) Learn the differences of individual types of tobaccos, by smoking
samples of unblended or un-mixed tobacco. We refer to them as component tobaccos.
2.) Decide which ones appeal to you, by taste.
3.) Learn what affects different components have on a mixture or a blend.
4.) Learn what kind of blend or mixture you are trying to achieve, using a backgound knowledge of classic blends or mixtures-and their basic proportions.
This might be an overwhelming proposition to you--the best way is to use your own sense of taste--and find a tobacconist who is willing to work with you--because the knowledgeable tobacconist has the training, experience and resources to accomodate your individual taste and desire. Or, you can read up on the subject, and get a head start. I highly recommend a book authored by Mr. Carl Ehwa, THE PIPE, which covers quite a few aspects of pipe tobacco, pipes, and enjoying them, including historical information and excellent photographs. Mr. Ehwa has left us with his excellent legacies of information, and the McClelland Tobacco company, of Kansas City, Missouri, and their excellent products. The book is out of print, but copies can still by found. I had to have mine re-bound by a nice librarian, as I referenced it so much!
Overall, you know if you have found your favorite tobacco if you enjoy it so much, that you have tested it by the 4 "A's" noted above, and you think the tobacco is worth "cellaring" in quantity, to age and mellow, to ensure a ready supply, to guard your supply against government interference and rising taxes. Yes--there are people out there that just want to say--NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY MORE FUN! I believe otherwise.
--You CAN have FUN on your quest--and always remember--no matter what
the anti-tobacco people say, The fact is, tobacco helped make the United States of America an independent country from the tyranny of oppression. America produces and enjoys the best tobaccos in the world.
The favorite tobacco you are looking for may well simply be made in the good old U.S.A.! I enjoy McClelland's #2020 Matured Cake the most.
The 4 "A's" are there, and it combines the great Virginia tobaccos grown in the USA with some refreshing Xanthi and spicy Latakia from the East.
I tried many others, but I always go back to the 2020.

-Best Wishes, and smoke the best that you can find! -Eric
A full selection of McClelland tobaccos is at
www.OutWesttobacco.com

www.Pipeshowonline.com may be helpful in locating a pipe event that could help you to further your enjoyment of pipes. I found it to be a very good resource. --Best Wishes, -Eric

When Selecting a meerschaum pipe, I try to follow a few criteria, to make the process easier. Selecting a meerschaum pipe can be overwhelming, because there are many choices of meerschaum pipes available.
To start with I divide the pipes into catagories:
1.) Utilitarian everyday smoking pipes.
2.) Pipes that are true works of art.
3.) Special pipes that are best smoked in leisure, that are finely detailed.
Upon a choice of catagory, I consider the quality of pipe versus the price. This is the part that requires a basic knowledge (which ANYONE can apply to their choices). Some 60 different qualities of meerschaum exist within the industry. The ones I mainly consider are:
1.) Purity of color.
2.) Weight
3.) Porosity
4.) Finish
5.) Detail of carving
6.) Reputation of the Artist who made the pipe, and the individual or company who imported the pipe.
7.) Where the meerschaum was mined from the Earth.
From my experience, I have found the best meerschaum comes from near Eskisehir, Turkey, where most of the talented carvers live. The location is actually a few miles from Eskisehir, where near the town of "Whitegold". There are so many meerschaum mine shafts dug into the Earth, there, they can be seen from satellite spacecraft cameras.
When you see a meerschaum pipe that is high in quality, you will naturally know the quality, as you examine it closely. Lower quality pipes look hastily crafted, have evident flaws, are a bit heavy and roughly finished. Lower quality pipes may be made from the compressed dust or shavings from real BLOCK meerschaum. Real block meerschaums smoke, color, feel differently, than inferior compressed meerschaum. It is not real block meerschaum unless it is stated as such, and you know the reputation of the person you are buying from. Also, before purchasing, consider a very close inpection of the pipe, to examine it for hairline cracks or fissures. Examine also, the connector for the shank and stem. Do not select a meerschaum that has been precolored with a darker beeswax or an artificial dye, because these finishes can conceal flaws, that can not be hidden by the bleached white beeswax.
Every quality meerschaum should have a custom fitted leather and wood case, lined with a soft material--this is why you can still find antique pipes that are in great condition--they are protected over the years in those cases. I have found that smoking meerschaum pipes is indeed a true luxury, and set your leisure time aside to smoke one, everyday! Here are some links to help you on your quest for a quality meerschaum, made by hand, unique in all the world and truly for your pleasure:
www.meerschaum.com
www.altinaypipe.com
http://altinokpipe.com
www.danishpipemakers.com
www.aznavur.com
www.koncakmeerschaum.com
www.ermecpipo.com
www.smokingpipes.com
http://bestmeerschaums.homestead.com

www.imppipes.com
www.paylesspipes.com
www.pipesandcigars.com

www.smspipes.com
www.meerschaumstore.com
www.paktaspipe.com
www.fumeursdepipe.net/pipiersBbargiel.htm
www.smokershaven.com
www.whitepipe.com
www.AAAmeerschaum.com
http://www.smoke.co.uk/

www.brairpatch.com
www.OutWesttobacco.com

Some notable meerschaum pipe carving artists and importers are:

Mr. Samil Sermet of smspipes
Mr. Ahmet Buyak Copur
Mr. Sinan Altinok
Mr. Arne Urup
Mr. Burhan Yucel
Mr. Medat Kara
Mr. Imdat Kara
Mr. Erdogan Ege
Mr. Salim Sener
Mr. Eyup Sabri
Mr. Fikri Baki
Mr. Mesut Gezer
Mr. Sevket Gezer
Mr. Sadik Yanik
Mr. Yunus Ege
Mr. Ismail Baglan
Mr. Ismail Ozel
Mr. Ismat Bekler
Mr. Cano Ozgener
Mr. Kadir Baysal
Mr. M.Bassal
Mr. Salim Sener
Mr. Munir Andogu
Mr. Nick Merdenyan
Mr. Nurhan Cevahir
Mr. O.Sabri
Mr. Hasan Aydogu
Mr. Philippe Bargiel
Mr. Ramazan Karaca
Mr. Saban Onalici

--Happy Meerschaum Pipe Hunting, and don't forget to attend the Chicago Pipe Show the first week of May 2008 (Mr. Samil Sermet of SMSpipes will be there with many meerscuam treasures!) --Eric

Topkapi calabash

Meerschaum Carver

On Wednesday evening, 27 February, My Friend, Bjarne Nielsen, died of a heart attack. I last enjoyed a visit from him on November 2, 2007 at my nephew's tobacco shop, in Santa Maria, California. I remember he was always energetic, very kind and intelligent--and I always learned things from just talking with him. Everytime he visited us out here--it was just like Christmas morning when you get to open presents with the whole family! There was always a little twinkle and laughter in his eye, when he smiled at you! I bought a few pipes from him--for my nephew's store, I always insist on the selection of freehand pipes personally, and Bjarne's pipes always met my criteria and standards of quality and creativity and price. Bjarne was always very patient and polite during all business transactions. He trusted people with their word and a handshake. He was a tobacconist and pipemaker from "Old World School" of tobacconists, as I am myself. Bjarne will always be remembered as an Ambassador To The Entire World of Pipesmokers. I am happy to have called him my friend--and I'm happy to have given him my first freehand pipe I carved myself--when I placed it in his hands and told him that it was his--you should of seen him smile! After all--he told me in so many words--"Any pipe he makes--the reason is to make somebody happy". I think that is why we were blessed with Bjarne Nielsen. I will always remember him and all his kind deeds. We will never forget Bjarne!
--Eric Whitaker

Celebrate smoking your pipe with fellow pipesmokers around the world, on February 20th, designated INTERNATIONAL PIPE SMOKING DAY. I firmly believe that if we all smoked our pipes more regularly--the World we live in would be a much better place for everybody--because there would be a lot more happiness and contentment!
It doesn't matter what pipe you smoke, but I'm sure each pipe smoker has a favorite! The same goes for tobaccos--although I have more than one favorite, several serve my pleasure well.
Best Wishes, Eric

If you like high grade pipes, some of the rare ones can be now found at the www.Outwesttobacco.com website, under the title of "Classic" pipes.
There you will see some magnificent pieces of artistry in Briar, like a rare Ashton Magnum Oldchurch, an Ashton ELX Oldchurch Canadian, a 1993 group 5 size Dunhill Shell Taper bit Apple with a solid gold special band RTDA commemorative (unsmoked!), as well as a GIANT Castello. The Ashton Magnum looks like it will hold enough tobacco to smoke for a whole week! Have fun looking, and look in the future for more additions up for grabs at www.OutwestTobacco.com
-Happy Holidays and Happy Pipesmoking!

The Holiday Season is just right around the corner. People are always in a great hurry this time of year, with the activities associated with and for the celebrations. A lot of people just get so stressed out. After all, they are just trying to have a good time with their families and to enjoy how they percieve the Holidays to the maximum extent possible. You can see this in traffic and stores. People just go crazy!
As a pipesmoker, you can slow the clock down, relax more, enjoy more--just by smoking your pipe! It has been proven in my experience that people around pipe smokers tend to relax more, also. Why get stressed out when you already have the tools at hand (your pipe) to relax with? Above all, smoke and enjoy your pipe often. You will gain an overall better view of things and people in general, you will have more time to think about the things in your life that are important, and enjoy the precious time off from work, and enjoy the Holidays more than those that are in so much of a hurry, that they miss the whole concept.
Remember, slow down, smoke your pipe, smile and treat your fellow persons around you as best as you can. Your rewards will be a better Holiday Season! Happy Holidays and Happy PipeSmoking! -Eric

There is a tobacco company in Germany, that has picked up the original recipes for the Charles Rattray's famous pipe tobacco blends, and has done an excellent job producing them, so that we pipesmokers can enjoy them today. Of course, there's a word to describe them "Ausgesiechnet", which simply means "Excellent" in the German language. I once had the pleasure of sampling some Rattray's pipe tobacco, when I was 18 years old working in a tobacconist's shop, a partial can of "Red Rapparee", which I remember was my first introduction to some absolutely exquisite Oriental tobaccos. What a treat! Up until then, I had only learned about fragrant, aromatic cased tobaccos. The good folks in Perth, Scotland, used to press, stove and blend their tobaccos, for many years. Now DTM (CAO/DAN) tobacco company is doing the same thing, the same way, with vintage English made tobacco presses--in a small town called Lauenberg, next to the river Elba, about 50 klicks from Hamburg, Germany. Their tobaccos continue the quality of the oringinal Rattray's blends, mixtures and flake tobaccos. Read the reviews, try some yourself, see what you like! Recently, our friends at www.OutWestTobacco.com have added those wonderful tobaccos to their inventory. I really enjoy the matured Virginia blends (Old Gowrie, Marlin Flake) and the grand old Oriental mixture Red Rapparee)....Hmmm--I'm going to have to call Gene again and get my order placed before I go on vacation! Gene's number at www.OutWestTobacco.com is 866-285-6046
Fruelich Pheifferauchen (Happy Pipesmoking),
Yours Truly, Eric Whitaker

A vast,DELICIOUS and large selection of Coffees from the far corners of the world are NOW OFFERED AND AVAILABLE through www.OutwestTobacco.com Especially selected for your enjoyment! From Ethiopia to Indonesia --if it's Gourmet coffee that you like--or simply a daily coffee you "survive on"--THEY have it!! Your choice of pre-ground or Whole bean is also offered. Discover the merits and rewards of a superior smoke with a great cup of Java! The coffee also makes a great gift to your wife, when you visit www.OutwestTobacco.com for your special tobacco. Hmmm, I think I'll give the Ethiopian a go.....The selections are wonderful, and let you try something exotic, or try something suited to your liking. There are also flavored coffees that delight the senses. There are even variety packs with sample size bags to help you with your discoveries. Have fun and enjoy.. -Eric