I've tried to sort through some of the sticky links to decide what route I should take, but will defer to vast knowledge base here.

If you had to start over, which style/brand pipe would be your first purchase?

Likewise, which tobaccos and blends would your start off with?

What tools are needed to maintain and smoke your pipe?

Can pipe tobacco and cigars live in the same coolidor/humidor without adversely effecting each other's flavors?

Lastly, which websites provide a general pipe tobacco information, for beginners through mature users, and general industry news/trends?

Thanks for the help folks.
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I've tried to sort through some of the sticky links to decide what route I should take, but will defer to vast knowledge base here.

If you had to start over, which style/brand pipe would be your first purchase?


CORN COB. A few of them.


Likewise, which tobaccos and blends would your start off with?


Go to your local B&M and get an ounce each of some of the bulk blends and see what you like. You might like aeros or English or Virginias or VaPers. Try them out.


What tools are needed to maintain and smoke your pipe?


To begin with. A lighter, a tamper of some sort [empty 223 shell works], pipe cleaners.


Can pipe tobacco and cigars live in the same coolidor/humidor without adversely effecting each other's flavors?


I don't recommend it. Put your pipe tobacco in mason jars.


Lastly, which websites provide a general pipe tobacco information, for beginners through mature users, and general industry news/trends?


Cigar asylum. Retailers: 4noggins, pipesandcigars, cupojoes. Lots of good YouTube videos.
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I'm fairly new to pipes too, but I would recommend that you buy the prettiest pipe/pipes you can afford. If you don't like the pipe, you'll not smoke it as much. As for what you'll need: a pipe tool and some pipe cleaners, perhaps a cork knocker. If there's one piece of advice that's helped me immeasurably, it is to dry out your tobacco before you smoke it; it's the moisture in the tobacco that causes tongue bite. Dry it so that when squeezed between your thumb and forefinger, it doesn't stick together and don't pack it tightly; many tobaccos will expand in the bowl and will cause the draw to get tight. Also, try to pace your draws with your natural breathing rhythm. I also try to keep the coal small-ish and almost on the verge of going out. Don't sweat re-lights; just do it and don't worry. Personally, I use paper matches because they produce a small flame and it's easier to prevent scorching the rims of my pipes. It seems to me that pipe tobacco needs more humidity than cigars in storage, so I would recommend the old stand-by: Mason jars. They're airtight and thus won't usually need humidification, unless your tobacco gets too dry. As for what type of blends, that's completely subjective and you'll have to experiment. What do you like in cigars? On second thought, try an English blend or a crossover like GLP Barbary Coast; it's pretty user friendly. Welcome aboard! :-)
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Matt and Darren both have great advice here.

If I may expand on the first part. Go with a couple Missouri Meerschaum Corn Cobs as well as a Briar that catches your eye. Don't feel like you have to drop over $100 on one, I have a great basket pipe I purchased for $30 or so 10 years ago that ranks among my favorites. If you're going to be tasting several blends, you will want to rotate through your pipes to allow them to dry between smokes.

The Mason jars are great for long term storage. You may find something you don't enjoy now, may be wonderful a year from now as your tastes change and evolve.


Pace your smoke, take your time
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Welcome neighbour ! I suggest you cross the line to buy your tobacco - it's 4x the price up here in MB. Good advice above. I suggest buying a spread of 2oz tins of decent tobacco. Spread across aromatics, traditional Balkans and Vapers.

For me the fun is trying different pipes with different tobaccos. It's really not that expensive if you don't smoke excessively ( which will kill you anyway). Personally I would buy a sandblast as my first brier - you won't notice the scorched rim as badly as a highly polished smooth brier. In the beginning you will scorch the rim!

If you get your mail on the Canadian side I can guide you to an online retailer who is extremely helpful in curtailing your costs. Pembina parcel service also helps, but you will have to declare the stuff when you cross.

This website is a great resource for advice. Good people hang out here.

Enjoy!

Neil
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Thanks for the replies fellas, it's narrows the search somewhat. My lovely spouse tolerates the cigar stink, but she really enjoyed her grandpa's pipe, which is another excuse to give pipes a try.
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A number of good responses here.

Buying a pipe: Cobs are cheap and smoke cool. Pull off the stem and throw away the filter inside, all it does is gunk up - and once something has been smoked through it, it will forever flavor anything else. Also, if you do not like smoking a pipe, you have not invested much. Finally, get a number of them for the different "genres" (my own term) of tobacco; English, Virginia, Virginia w/Perique, Burley, Orientals, Aromatic (anything with flavoring added).

If you'd like to get a pipe other than a cob, then the other advice works well, get one that looks nice to you, or, if you can hold it in your hand before purchasing, one that looks nice and feels good in your hand. If you don't like it, you won't smoke it.

Not also that not everything that smells wonderful in the room while smoked, tastes as good. In fact, often times the aromatics with flavors added smell great to others, but do nasty things to the smokers tongue and often tasty like camel dung.

Tobaccos: Some good advice there. Another might be to offer up a trade on here - cigars for a tobacco sampler. That way you will get a few different things to try and all you are out is a few cigars. I'd offer, but the only thing I really have to smoke is Virginias and VaPers - usually not the type of things for beginning pipesters to smoke, especially cigars smokers. Why? Cigar smokers are used to big flavors and lots of smoke. Virginias have subtle flavors which are best tasted when "sipped," that is, when the amount of smoke produced is not copious. Puffing these to get lots of smoke and/or flavor can ruin a person's tongue because a person is puffing hard as they try producing more smoke.

Tools: You will need something to produce a flame, either matches or lighter. If you have a local tobacconist, get a pipe nail (flat on one end, what looks like almost like a spoon on the other end. And finally, pipe cleaners - if you hear a gurgle, insert a pipe cleaner (do not take the stem out of the pipe to do so).

Finally, know this, not everybody like smoking a pipe! It may or may not be for you.
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Thanks Rev, I've narrowed the search, it'll have to wait until the next paycheck, doesn't mean I can't window shop between now and then.:-)
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its a bad idea to store your pipe tobacco with your cigars. I've safely kept PT in sample baggies while smoking it up, so it isn't always necessary to transfer bagged or tinned contents to mason jars if you are smoking frequently enough. If you are done sampling and want to move on, stick the remainder in a mason jar.

Here is some other good advice:
Pack less tobacco in your pipe. You don't need to stuff it full. You should experience a little resistance as you draw, but it shouldn't feel like a thick homemade milkshake.
Puff slowly and take time between puffs.
Don't fear relights. You don't need to worry about the pipe going out.
Tamp lightly. Sometimes a light tamp and steady puff will forestall a relight.

Enjoy the learning curve and ritual!
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More great advice.
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I thought that was Latakia, not aromatics. :-)
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Latakia is cured by hanging over smoking camel dung. :-)
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UPDATE:

My lovely wife simply couldn't wait. We were going to the liquor store for some bourbon, my brother's getting married next week and I wasn't going empty handed with the Ole Man in attendance. I found the Bulleit (the Ole Man's favorite), on sale for $19 when she wandered over to the humidor and pipe section of the shop. SHE starts digging through the three small baskets of pipes.

I kindly pointed out that she could find some pipes online that were less expensive and we were trying to be sensible with the budget. So we left, did some more shopping for the road trip, when she says let's go back to Happy Harry's. OK babe, twist my arm some more.

She picked out the pipe, $40 because she liked the figure in the wood, Italy is stamped on the bottom of the pipe, that's all I know about the pipe. I don't usually impulse buy without some product research, sometimes though it's just better to go with the flow and not worry about the spec sheet, and she was driven to find me something. Along with the pipe I picked out from a very limited selection Lane Limited LQ1 and BCA.

After finishing our shopping I set some LQ1 out on a paper plate for about 45 minutes and gave the pipe it's first helping. It was a completing enjoyable experience, more importantly my lovely enjoyed the aroma out on the deck. Very mild and completely different experience from cigars, still working out the technique which with practice should improve.

She tolerates the cigars but says I look good with a pipe. Did I find the right woman? I'll let you guys decide.
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I'd say she's a keeper fer shure.
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if your gal is pipe & tobacco friendly I recommend you buy her some jewelry asap and tell her why! She is worth more than gold!
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Believe me, she gets spoiled, I bought her Eagles tickets when they come to Grand Forks. I bought two in case she wanted to take someone of her choosing, she's taking my son. I don't mind the band, just not a concert goin type of guy.
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