Have to agree with Lo'Gosh on Pipes and Cigars, at least as far as tobaccos are concerned. I've never bought a pipe online, because I have the good fortune to have a really nice local shop close to me, The Briary. I like to hold a pipe, examine how well the draft hole is drilled, check wall thickness, and look for any obvious flaws, like a shank to stem mis alignment, etc. You can ascertain easily how well the draft hole is drilled, but flaws in the briar aren't always easy to spot. A small putty fill isn't a big deal, and won't affect how a pipe smokes. Most likely any you got online would be okay. The Briary also does a fairly brisk online business, especially with higher end pipes. I have known the proprietor for many years, and if you ever have a problem he will make it right. I'm sure Pipesand Cigars would also. http://www.thebriary.com http://www.pipesandcigars.com
You can sometimes get some nice deals on estate pipes. I only have one purchased from The Briary. The owner personally cleans them up and sanitizes them. Mine is a unique Lorenzo. Probably wasn't more than a $100 pipe to begin with, but I picked it up for $50.
Here's my Lorenzo estate pipe. With the tall bowl and way it flares out at the top makes it fit perfectly in your hand.
My pipe of the early evening, a Stefano Santambrogio, with Sam Gawith FVF. I set this flake out early in the evening yesterday, and it was dry enough finally. But even though it had sufficiently dried, due to the thickness of the FVF flakes it was difficult to rub out. I finally succeeded in sort of rubbing it out, and it is burning pretty well. I think I agree with Chris's comment some time back that SG FVF flakes, while good, are just too much trouble. Doubt I get any more. The pipe is pictured with my Zippo lighter, and a Xikar butane lighter. I had some trouble adjusting the flame in this Xikar, it could have been used as a flame thrower by the military it was shooting out so far. Finally got it adjusted, but then there was just enough breeze it would blow out and I had to pull out the Zippo.
Thanks, unfortunately I don't have a good local shop close. There's a couple of cigar places and head shops, but no place that specializes in briar pipes. Pipes and cigars seems to be closely affiliated with Cigars international. Their website ordering is remarkably similar.
Earlier this afternoon POTD, Sam Gawith Chocolate Flake in a Neerup pipe. Think I'm going to leave the leather pipe stand as is, and not try to wet and re-mold it. This Neerup has a larger bowl, and it fits nicely into the stand as is. It's been a while since I've had SG Chocolate Flake. The preparation is almost as bad for SG CF as it is for FVF. CF is certainly wet, but seemed to dry a little easier than FVF. It is as thick, and that poses a bit of a problem rubbing out. What happens is you wind up breaking it up between your hands. You have to be careful with how much you cut off a flake, because the rubbed out/broken up pieces will fill a bowl quickly. CF is hard to light initially, just as FVF, but once lit, it burned pretty well. This is a good tobacco, better than FVF. The cocoa flavor is subtle, and you will be hard pressed to detect the latakia. I think it's kind of like a symphony, you may not be able to pick out an individual piece, but if it were missing it would be noticeable. Prep is a pain, but it is a quality tobacco if you can put up with the prep.
Here's a pic I grabbed off of the Dr. Grabow website. I have never before seen a Dr. Grabow pipe like this (as it's from their site, I assume they're the manufacturer); and they don't show them in current production from what I can see. Anyone maybe have any information on this Dr. Grabow in particular?
I don't have any information on that pipe, but if it is a Dr. Grabow, it is the nicest one I believe I've seen. I would guess this one is not filtered, if it is a Grabow.
That I do. Or at least half bent. Not sure why, but staring at the pipe bowl when I clench a pipe drives me nuts, lol.
That's one of the problems I had with the 1792 Flake. It would more crumble as opposed to rub out. I couldn't get it to stay lit at all though. Maybe tomorrow I'll have another try at it though.
@BamaT LA Red is more or less Anniversary Kake cut another way, or it tastes similar, as all good VaPer does. I like the plum/raisin spice of the perique in LA Red. Edit: it changed halfway through and became more full bodied than Kake. Kake has less perique.
Here's a pic of the Customer Appreciation sampler that arrived today, as well as a list of the goods. I'll have up pics of the extra goodies soon. CONTENTS: -1 Julius Max Evocatus 3 Pipe Tote (with tobacco pouch and room for extras) -1 Jetline Pipe lighter/tool combo with Leather belt holster -1 100 count Stanwell cleaners -1 9mm half bent Briar pipe with 6mm/filterless adapter -1 Tin of Hearth and Home Marquees Series: Viprati -1 Tin of Spectre cigar leaf pipe tobacco -1 Tin of Hearth and Home Old Companion -1 Tin of Sutliff Private Stock: Old San Fransisco -1 Tin of Mac Baren HH Latakia Flake Needless to say, I'm well and pleased with this package and the extra goodies only made it WAYYYYYYY better! Any questions about any of the items, just let me know. I'll do my best to answer. =) P.S.- Also got my tin of Comoys Cask#1 and Orlik Golden Sliced. Just wish they'd make 3.5 ounce squared tins of the Orlik. It smells great!
