Home
Quoted on his site (http://pulverspriorbriar.com/index.html) on 16 August 2019, I thought this might be of interest:
"The lost art of pipe smoking has slowly but
surely been climbing back into vogue. For many,
smokers and nonsmokers alike, the sweet
aroma of burning pipe tobacco takes them back
to fond memories of their childhood, playing on
the floor while their grandfather puffs away in
his rocking chair. For others, the sweet smell
reminds them of Sherlock Holmes, Gandalf the
Grey, or other literary heroes. Some people see
anyone under the age of eighty with a briar pipe
clenched between their teeth and assume it’s
another hipster who calls himself a mixologist
and insists music can’t be appreciated unless
it’s on vinyl. Regardless of how many
Portlandians reach for the pipe as a fashion
accessory, pipe smoking will likely stand the
test of time, outlasting cigarettes and cementing
its place at your local tobacconist between the
Camachos and Cohibas.
Pipe smoking may be experiencing a
resurgence, but it is the oldest method of
smoking tobacco. First enjoyed by Native
Americans in the sixteenth century, tobacco
pipes remained the most widespread way to
enjoy the vice until cigarettes were popularized
by British soldiers during the Crimean war. Even
after cigarettes became fashionable in Europe, it
was not until after World War I that the world
seemed to trade their pipes in for machine rolled
cigarettes.
Tobacco has been a staple crop of the Americas
since before Europeans colonized the
continents. As soon as quality American leaves
began to be shipped across the Atlantic,
tobacco has been as cherished by the soldier as
dry gunpowder. Tobacco contains Nicotine: a
stimulant. It is no secret to anyone who has
stood a post or sat in a fighting hole to
appreciate why soldiers crave stimulants.
Almost immediately, the pipe became a loyal
companion to the world’s combatants. Whether
standing in the trenches or on the deck of a
man-of-war, tobacco pipes were a staple of
military service. As seen in Peter Jackson’s
2018 masterpiece They Shall Not Grow Old, the
troops of World War I were rarely without a pipe
in their mouth. The World War II flicks of the
1940s and 50s emphasize the popularity of
Lucky Strikes and other rationed cigarettes, but
a brief dive into wartime photographs reveal the
pipe never left. Tobacco pipes remained popular
throughout Korea and Vietnam as well. It is
much easier to store loose tobacco and a pipe
than a soft-pack filled with paper cigarettes in
the austere conditions of battlefields. The
newest generation of warfighters have shown
an ever-increasing interest in the world of pipe
smoking.
Pipes, like cigars, can seem both enticing and
intimidating. No one is sure where to begin, and
no one wants to look like a fool when they walk
into the local cigar shop without a clue of what
to ask for. And like cigars, the only way to learn
is to jump in headfirst. There is an
overwhelming variety of pipe tobaccos out
there, ranging from a few dollars for a bag to a
over one hundred dollars for a small tin− don’t
let the snobs fool you, all pipe tobacco is worth
smoking but not all of it is worth buying. Begin
by sampling a few cheaper blends. Decide if you
prefer English blends (no added flavoring and
typically containing oriental tobaccos) or
Aromatics (lightly flavored), from there the
world is your oyster. As far as pipes go, the
price variation is even more severe. I always tell
people to pick up a Missouri Meerschaum Corn
Cob (under $20) because they’re cheap, smoke
great, and Popeye smoked one. If you have
something against corn then pick up an estate
pipe that you like the look of, but don’t spend
more than $100. Be patient learning how to
smoke your pipe. It will take a few tries before
you can smoke it smoothly without re-lights.
Enjoy the process.
Pipe smoking is far more calming than any other
form of tobacco use. Despite being a stimulant,
the slow nature of pipe smoking forces your
mind to slow down. It has always been the
working man’s means to meditation. The
process of packing, lighting, and smoking a
deep bowl of burley is a sure way to ease your
mind and let you contemplate the things you
hadn’t even been aware were plaguing you. Pipe
smoking is the philosopher’s hobby and the
warrior’s way to introspection. Worried pipe
smoking is too pretentious a hobby? I’ll leave
you with this−
Upon his retirement, Chesty Puller exclaimed all
he would need for the remainder of his life was
his wife’s cooking and a daily tin of pipe
tobacco."
Indeed.
"The lost art of pipe smoking has slowly but
surely been climbing back into vogue. For many,
smokers and nonsmokers alike, the sweet
aroma of burning pipe tobacco takes them back
to fond memories of their childhood, playing on
the floor while their grandfather puffs away in
his rocking chair. For others, the sweet smell
reminds them of Sherlock Holmes, Gandalf the
Grey, or other literary heroes. Some people see
anyone under the age of eighty with a briar pipe
clenched between their teeth and assume it’s
another hipster who calls himself a mixologist
and insists music can’t be appreciated unless
it’s on vinyl. Regardless of how many
Portlandians reach for the pipe as a fashion
accessory, pipe smoking will likely stand the
test of time, outlasting cigarettes and cementing
its place at your local tobacconist between the
Camachos and Cohibas.
Pipe smoking may be experiencing a
resurgence, but it is the oldest method of
smoking tobacco. First enjoyed by Native
Americans in the sixteenth century, tobacco
pipes remained the most widespread way to
enjoy the vice until cigarettes were popularized
by British soldiers during the Crimean war. Even
after cigarettes became fashionable in Europe, it
was not until after World War I that the world
seemed to trade their pipes in for machine rolled
cigarettes.
Tobacco has been a staple crop of the Americas
since before Europeans colonized the
continents. As soon as quality American leaves
began to be shipped across the Atlantic,
tobacco has been as cherished by the soldier as
dry gunpowder. Tobacco contains Nicotine: a
stimulant. It is no secret to anyone who has
stood a post or sat in a fighting hole to
appreciate why soldiers crave stimulants.
Almost immediately, the pipe became a loyal
companion to the world’s combatants. Whether
standing in the trenches or on the deck of a
man-of-war, tobacco pipes were a staple of
military service. As seen in Peter Jackson’s
2018 masterpiece They Shall Not Grow Old, the
troops of World War I were rarely without a pipe
in their mouth. The World War II flicks of the
1940s and 50s emphasize the popularity of
Lucky Strikes and other rationed cigarettes, but
a brief dive into wartime photographs reveal the
pipe never left. Tobacco pipes remained popular
throughout Korea and Vietnam as well. It is
much easier to store loose tobacco and a pipe
than a soft-pack filled with paper cigarettes in
the austere conditions of battlefields. The
newest generation of warfighters have shown
an ever-increasing interest in the world of pipe
smoking.
Pipes, like cigars, can seem both enticing and
intimidating. No one is sure where to begin, and
no one wants to look like a fool when they walk
into the local cigar shop without a clue of what
to ask for. And like cigars, the only way to learn
is to jump in headfirst. There is an
overwhelming variety of pipe tobaccos out
there, ranging from a few dollars for a bag to a
over one hundred dollars for a small tin− don’t
let the snobs fool you, all pipe tobacco is worth
smoking but not all of it is worth buying. Begin
by sampling a few cheaper blends. Decide if you
prefer English blends (no added flavoring and
typically containing oriental tobaccos) or
Aromatics (lightly flavored), from there the
world is your oyster. As far as pipes go, the
price variation is even more severe. I always tell
people to pick up a Missouri Meerschaum Corn
Cob (under $20) because they’re cheap, smoke
great, and Popeye smoked one. If you have
something against corn then pick up an estate
pipe that you like the look of, but don’t spend
more than $100. Be patient learning how to
smoke your pipe. It will take a few tries before
you can smoke it smoothly without re-lights.
Enjoy the process.
Pipe smoking is far more calming than any other
form of tobacco use. Despite being a stimulant,
the slow nature of pipe smoking forces your
mind to slow down. It has always been the
working man’s means to meditation. The
process of packing, lighting, and smoking a
deep bowl of burley is a sure way to ease your
mind and let you contemplate the things you
hadn’t even been aware were plaguing you. Pipe
smoking is the philosopher’s hobby and the
warrior’s way to introspection. Worried pipe
smoking is too pretentious a hobby? I’ll leave
you with this−
Upon his retirement, Chesty Puller exclaimed all
he would need for the remainder of his life was
his wife’s cooking and a daily tin of pipe
tobacco."
Indeed.
