These small, ancient, and revered objects, thus employed, have fostered great friendships, delighted the senses and soothed souls for millennia. Currently, and much to my delight, pipe smoking is enjoying a resurgence of popularity. Mission Pipe Shop carries a plentiful selection of the standard brands of popular priced pipes as well as one of the very finest selections of rare handmade masterpieces to be found . You will always find a friendly, understanding and patient staff that is always eager to discuss pipe smoking and the singular world of pipes. A tipped cigar made with hand-crafted pipe tobacco that delivers a hands-down unique smoking experience.
Pipe shops, online retailers, artisan web sites, Ebay, pipe shows, antique stores, estate sales and flea markets all offer the opportunity to purchase a fine pipe. The history of the tobacco pipe is long and quite fascinating and could fill many volumes. As it is the purpose of this piece to cover many and several aspects of pipes and pipe smoking, a limited and general look at that history seems the practical course here. Dublins can range from straight to 3/4 bent, and just about any color or finish is more than fitting for this timeless pipe.
While the material and types of pipes have changed over the centuries, the basic idea has stayed the same. A bowl with a hole is connected to a long hollow handle with an opening at the opposite end. The smoker inhales the smoke through the opening into their mouth. These pipes can be spotted by their medium-length straight stems with a broad end near the bowl. For those of us at Mission Pipe Shop, pipe smoking is more than a passing interest-it is a source of great joy.
Eventually, special pipes called calumets, or the “peace pipe,” were used to signify peace between two tribes. The pipe then traveled through Europe, where Greeks, Romans, Celts, and Nordic tribes were used to smoke herbs and plants like linden and hashish, found in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, suggested smoking to heal female sicknesses. But, if you are just stepping into the hobby, you can look for a cheap yet good pipe, like a regular corn cub or wood pipe, which can be priced around $10-45. Armed with an arsenal of knowledge and good humor, our staff is what makes your trip to Mission Pipe Shop a pleasurable experience.
A pipe cleaner can be used to dry out the bowl and, wetted with alcohol, the inner channel. The bowl of the pipe can also become uncomfortably hot, depending on the material and the rate of smoking. For this Filling cut tobacco reason, clay pipes in particular are often held by the stem. Meerschaum pipes are held in a square of chamois leather, with gloves, or else by the stem in order to prevent uneven coloring of the material.
It is also well to keep in mind that while artisans are indeed in business, they are not factories or mass suppliers of goods. Stocks of pipes are not kept on hand and commissioned work takes time to produce. The themes of patience and perseverance arise in this aspect of the hobby as well as in the honing of one’s smoking technique. Direct interaction with artisan pipe makers can be extremely satisfying and has often led to many lasting friendships. I have a collector – now friend – that told me he only buys pipes from makers he knows and likes.
Both have interesting grain patterns that can be brought out further with sandblasting. Unlike briar, most fruitwoods, bog oak and strawberry wood will not accept color stain well, nor do they achieve that beautiful patina of a well smoked briar. Pipes and thoughtful contemplation have been good companions to each other, and Man, for many centuries. I love pipes and pipe smoking and find little to rival the sublime experience of sitting, smoking and thinking. Indeed, some of my fondest memories are of sitting at a sidewalk cafe, smoking a good blend and being “present” to experience life unfolding all around me. I have done this on four continents and never tire of it, nor will I ever lose my enthusiasm for time spent with a clan of pipe smokers, invariably engaged in a fine conversation.