So far I like it. Used the 3 step load process and (excuse the cigar think) the draw felt a little/lot too open. I went ahead and lighted it, but I have tamped it down twice with my finger and it's much better. I have never been very good at describing flavors, but it's very mild with a slight cherry taste. I guess I should have more pressure when I loaded it and do you pretty much have to relight it after tamping it down?
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Loose is good. I usually, when needed, use the lighter then apply light pressure with the tamp to push the burning tobacco into contact with the tobacco below. If it is going out after you tamp you might be tamping to heavy.
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+1. Very easy to tamp and compress if needed; pretty much a waste of time trying to smoke a plugged up pipe.
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Take a cob. Break a cob. Replace a cob. Store it in a worn out sock.
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I would say the biggest thing that new pipers worry about which they shouldnt is relights. Who cares if you have to relight ten times to smoke to the bottom of the bowl. Its just part of pipe smoking. Chill
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Kudos to Mister Moo as always! Thanks to this thread I re-examined the three step - child/woman/man - loading technique as per Mr. Moo in the Old Farts thread and found that I really had not been loading my pipes with enough tobacco. I was too concerned with getting plugged up and as a consequence, smoke was always thin (not full) and air was too free through the pipe.

I feel that by getting back to basics - Carter Hall and a cob - and re-examining technique, pipe smoking is even more of a pleasure. I'm definitely looking forward to practicing until it becomes perfection (for me)!

Thanks again, Moo!
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Would you recommend the filtered or unfiltered pipes? I have smoked a briar some but never a cob so I didn't know what the difference would be.
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Cochella? Bonnaroo?
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Unfiltered. I feel the draw is impeded too much. Doesn't feel right, to me.

If you get a cob, you can always take out the paper filter if you want. Try it with or without and see which you like better.

:-)
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Zackly. Anyone who enjoys a pipe discovers proper filling, even lighting and effortless production of opaque clouds of rich smoke by SIPPING is the essence of easy smoking. It also reveals the most flavor from the tobacco. Like a well-oiled golf swing or the consistent clank of a horseshoe ringer, it isn't the easiest or most natural thing to accomplish in, say, the first three tries.

Carter Hall (and Prince Albert and Sir Walter Raleigh) tobacco endears itself to long time pipers and encourages new-to-pipe smokers. Besides the charming nutty taste and loved-by-all-downwind-aroma it has to be the easiest tobacco there is to fill and light evenly, the, most important, "sip" without overheating. After you get a handle on that, it's all gravy.

(WTF? Anyone who wants to smoke a pipe can get what they want and have at it. Me? I was a genius. I started out with these great smelling, super-moist Escudo coin-thingies in a BIG briar pipe. If I had stuffed 20 pipes with a pound of cheese I couldn't have plugged them up worse than I did with Escudo in a giant horn - too many variables for an idiot like me.

It would be cool to start right up with a $2000 Preben Holm goll-danged work of art perfect pipe and smoke the piss out of it and gnaw up the stem and char the rim and, maybe, burn a hole through the side of it. And then pitch the sonnofabich and start again. I wish I had that Emjaysmash kind of money. So why not one of those shiney sweet looking basket pipes or dragon-claw-demon-eye meerschaums for $30? Please.. the range of weird tastes, lacquered interiors, whistle-sounds, bad draws, gurgles and mis-drill issues create too many hassles to predict. Nossir. The cob is THEE low risk, low-variable entry that happens to match perfectly with OTC burley for a cool, dry easy smoke.

If you don't want to discuss cobs and OTC burley for rookies you have come to the wrong place. Now git. :-) )
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I like smaller fests. I'm going to Bella Music Fest in southern MN. I have been to Rothbury Festival, 10,000 Lakes Festival, but haven't made it to Bonnaroo yet.
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Cobs draw a bit too easily for me without a filter. You can cut a paper filter in thirds and this restricts the draw and catches little bits of tobacco. Or, cheaper yet, cut pipe cleaners into 3/4" lengths, fold into a "V" (with some "spring" to it so it stays in place) and stick it into the tenon. This provides some restriction, collects some moisture and tars and catches little bits of tobacco.

WyoBob
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:-) :-)

Emjaysmash wishes he had that kind of money too!! LOL
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Great thread! So I bought 2x Cob pipes from my local shop, and got some "Sir Walter Raleigh", "Captain Black", and "Half and Half", all in the pouch. I watched a bunch of videos on packing and I try to use the "Child, Woman, Man" thing but I'm definitely doing something wrong.

I only get a good cloud of smoke if I am relighting (As in I have the flame over the bowl and I'm inhaling). After that I get about 3 puffs of smoke which get less and less dense and the pipe goes out. if I don't puff every 10 seconds or so I don't get anything and the pipe goes out in literally seconds. I've had the exact same problems with all 3 types. The Captain Black especially. Refilling a bowl right now, gonna try this again, maybe a little tighter.
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dont get down on yourself, i've been smoking a pipe since 06 and i still **** it up from time to time
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I got it worked out, had to find some articles on exactly how a pipe worked and what not to do etc. Turns out I was smoking too fast and hard making condensation build up, which would account for the nasty juice stuff I got a mouthful of fairly often.
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oooo, love the avatar! Can you provide some links for the particular articles you consulted or threads you read?

Thanks!
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Just stepped out on the slippery slope - picked up two MM Country Gentelmen, one bent and one straight. A bag each of Prince Albert and carter hall, pipe cleaners and a tool.

Figure I'm stuck up here in the high mountain desert of Washington state for three more weeks, might as well give it a try
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Enjoy Chappy...:-)
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All right - I'm Hooked!!!

Got to say this quietly, I think I may like this better than my cigars :-)

Got my two MM's. I prefer the straight on these. I think if the bowl was turned also then the bent stem might fit me better. But I think I can just get another straight stem from MM

Now to start looking for a nice pipe :-)
I did post in the B/S/T that I was willing to trade some really good cigars (FFOX...) for one
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