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I make and restore pipes full time. Hoard tobacco and pipes like they’re gold. :)
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Tampers & Tools - Neerup Tamper - Bamboo with Pick Brown
Very Cool Tamper / Tool
I’ve been searching for a new tamper. I’ve got a ton but wanted something to leave outside and I don’t need a Swiss army tool. Just a tamper and a scraper for the dottle after. It’s a bit beefier than I expected but I don’t mind. It’s easy to find on the table and looks good. The brown wood or whatever is smooth and glossy and looks nice. Here’s what I really like: I can’t stand tools that require 20 turns to unscrew a pick. This one uses a cork liner for pressure and it’s just a push/pull for getting it the scraper. That is what I like most along with the overall look. Only thing I wish more tampers would have is a slightly concave tamper foot. 8-Deco does that well on their bamboo taper but it’s a bit flimsy for attachment. I’m going beyond the review. Anyway, for the price it ain’t bad.

Tampers & Tools - 8deco Tamper - Bamboo
My favorite go-to tamper for the house.
For pocket or travel, definitely not but for home, I love these. I keep 1 in each patio table and they handle the weather just great. The pointy end is a great scraper for Dottle and wipes off easy enough. The foot is one of the best out there with a slightly concave shape allowing to get at the edges of the bow easily to make a nice cone. It also has holes which is supposed to prevent putting out the ember. I’ve even saved the feet and put into a custom tamper with one. For the price, it’s worth trying and handle falls just fine.

Tobacco Jars - PocketJar Smokingpipes.com Red
One of the best options when out of the house & my trick..
I love these. I’ve spent a lot of time trying and thinking up various small containers as I’m not usually a fan of old school pouches. I have 5 of these now I think. With their metal lids, they’re also magnetic. I keep 1 or 3 under my patio table where it’s out of the sun and not seen. I can easily refill a pipe without going back inside. It’s a brilliant idea thanks to 3-D printing.

Solani - Aged Burley Flake - 656 50g
I don’t love Burely but I smoke this one!
I’m not into automatic though a light topping on an English sometimes. I haven’t fallen in love with most burley forward blends I’ve tried no matter what I do, but Solani ABF is just great. It works. Def. Tasting the chocolate but it’s like salt for food; it enhances the burley itself. Worth trying even if burley isn’t your thing!

Reiner - Blend No. 71 100g
A good blend when you want something different, but not too different.
The can is built like a paint can and probably the best can I’ve seen where you could probably store the tobacco in after opening like a jar, not that I’d risk it but man it’s a great little extra. Open it up and it’s 3 feet of wide flake with honey an fruit aromas. The burley stands forward but goes well with the Virginia. When I’m a bit burned out on Va or VaPers but don’t like chocolate Burleys… this is a good one to try when it’s available.

Capstan - Flake Blue 1.75oz
When I want a true, clean Virginia blend, this is a go-to.
I immediately think of light, crisp, hay, grass, fruit & easy to smoke, always tastes great. It’s one that rarely disappoints.

A&C Petersen - Escudo Navy Deluxe 50g
It is a must try for all pipe smokers.
I can’t say much more than so many others have. It’s simply one of the best blends made. It’s a quintessential VaPer. If you try it and don’t like it, put it away and give it another go in a year. It only gets better. No harshness, it’s full of flavor and coins are just so nice to pack. - P

Cornell & Diehl - Firebird Flake 2oz
Not bad, not great.Easy, smooth but sooo mild.
I missed the first release which rarely happens. I have been into Virginia blends with some fire cured but not an heavy hitting one like ODF which I love but on occasion. This made me want to try it. I’ve had just one bowl but here’s what I pulled from it given the short sampling time. Flake is moist and like the cut length. It’s easy to fold and stuff or rip in half for stacking or rub out. It’s a good length. Smoked it moist out of the can. Someone called this ‘Very Strong’ and I have no clue what they could be smoking to think this is a strong blend. Maybe they’re referring to nicotine which I rarely feel. First is the fire cured and it’s forward most but not anything like ODF etc. I definitely tasted the Orientals next which surprised me. It’s more than a condiment and forward but adds to it and good. Virginias give off hay and grassy notes but not much dark fruit. It has no harshness or pepper. Certainly no Perique in it. Its pro is also its flaw depending on what you want. It’s mild and gets more mild so easy all day smoker but find myself wanting a bit more body to it. It may be too mild for a great blend. Aging could be an issue making it even more-so, I’d def smoke it within a few years or so. There’s zero bite to this and smokes cool and pretty dry so far too. But.. as the bowl went on, it got more boring and more like many of C & D blends.. I wish I’d not bought 5 tins. Newbies may enjoy it and those that really like super mellow blends. Hope this helps. I’m not a reviewer with poetic leanings and super specific adjectives. lol. It was an easier blend to pick apart. H.U. offers similar but far better flavors . - Pete

HU - Louisiana Broken 100g
An excellent all day smoke. Another win from HU
Since H.U. Got released in the states, it’s been a large portion of what I’ve been smoking this year. Louisiana is among my favorites and I’ve already been through a few tins. Considering they’re all 3.5oz cans, the pricing is very good too. When it’s in stock, it is worth trying if you like Virginias, Vapers… they’re a bit like Rattray’s where they play with a few ingredients in different amounts but all are good. Bolder than Janneman and more mellow than Director’s Cut.

Tampers & Tools - Bruno Nuttens Tamper - Curly White Teak with Nickel
A Beautiful Tamper! Very Light Too! Not Too Large.
I do this full time and I’ve become a Nuttens fan having many of his pipes and this is the first tamper. The grain on mine is gorgeous and the tamper is a great size. These get too large and heavy sometimes but you wouldn’t notice this one in your pocket. It has Bruno’s BN logo on the tamper foot. This curely white Teak is a great choice in my opinion. - Peter, Radiant Pipes

Esoterica - And So To Bed 2oz
A unique flavor profile with no similar blends and very good.
I have been lucky enough to get a lot of Esoterica. And So To Bed is one of my favorites. I’ll admire the brand is way over hyped but it does make some great blends. This one is a medium English blend, some say it along with Pembroke use Margate as the base blend but I’ve heard yes and no to that. Anyway, the ale topping is unlike anything I’ve tried and I’ve have tried hundreds of blends easily. Some love it and some think it is so-so but it’s worth trying if you get a chance. I like to have a bowl every once in a while and it’s great when you want something totally different.

Cult - Blood Red Moon 50g
One of the best Cherry based blends ever.
While I haven’t been an aromatic smoker for some time, I stocked up a lot of this stuff and I’ve sent gifts to many people. The response is always great. It’s certainly one of the best if not the best cherry tobacco out there. Def some chocolate too but not the star of the show. If you’re an aromatic smoker, don’t hesitate.

HU - Khoisaan 100g
Another excellent H.U. Blend!
English blends aren’t my go-to. I’m more a Virginia guy and like variety. I do like English blends, but more like once a day or so, not my first bowl. Until this Khoissan. It’s a wonderful blend. Super smooth and no rough edges or powerhouse flavors that overtake everything else. So far, all H.U. blends are worth trying. I’m loving it. Also, these are 3.5oz tins so cost per ounce is lower than many other brands but quality is still high. - Pete

HU - Dark Moor 100g
A must try blend from the H.U. Brand. A daily smoke now for me!
I’ve bought 5 different blends now from the H.U. Lineup since being made available in the US. I won’t get into all details, but this is such a great blend. It doesn’t sit in any one flavor profile making it a great smoke for something slightly different. Lots of dark, mature notes, slightly sweet but no toppings and none needed. If you like Va and VaPers, Director’s Cut and Edward G are also a must try! - Pete

Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - B. J. Long Pipe Cleaners - Churchwarden (32 pack)
Great to use in a floss motion for normal stem lengths.
As title says, if you’ve got a really dirty stem, dip in a bit of alcohol and do a flossing motion and it’ll clean up much faster than a standard length cleaner. Especially the bristle version which seems to be sold out too often. They are great for Churchwardens of course though I’d love them to be just a couple inches longer. Not too wide and will fit into narrow draft holes of vintage pipes as well.

Cornell & Diehl - Sunday Picnic 2oz
A great somewhat hidden gem.
I was rally surprised with this blend. I bought it looking for a Va with a hint of Ori/Turk or similar. It was an immediate win for me. Age of course improves it quite a bit. The broken flake is light in color and an easy smoke you could come back to repeatedly.

Cornell & Diehl - Haunted Bookshop Cake 2oz
A Must Try for all Pipe Smokers
This blend grew on me the more I smoked it. It took a couple years but it’s become a daily smoke for me now and my favorite burley blend along with Solani ABF. I really prefer the cake as it holds moisture better and loose tends to be dry sometimes. This slows the burn down a bit imo and I’m certainly sold on it. I can’t wait for an 8oz can or larger now.

McConnell - Scottish Cake 50g
A must try. A unique blend.
I’ve bought hundreds of different blends and yet never had McConnell’s brand for some reason. I have been into Scottish blends lately but they’re generally an English base. This one had great reviews and I love Virginias, lately with some orientals as well. I finally grabbed a tin and I already have added 4 more to my cart for the next round of spending money secretly. I won’t bother going into flavors etc as there’s plenty out there. I’m not disappointed at all and this to me, seems that it would age very well too. That said, it’s great right out of the tin. This one dated about 1 year.

Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Dark Flake Unscented
A must have if you like Dark Flake
Wow this is just an amazing flake. It only gets better with age and price isn’t bad. Buy enough for enjoying out of the box and pack some away to let it age. Consistently tasty without being too much of any one component and among my top 3 from G & H label.

Cornell & Diehl - Sunday Picnic 2oz
A hidden gem to many!
Wow what a wonderful surprise. I just love this blend. After getting a single tin, I finished it quickly and got 2 more 8oz cans. It’s a beautiful flake with a great all around flavor and can be an all day smoke for sure. A must try for Va lovers.

Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - B. J. Long Pipe Cleaners - Bristle Coil 52'
Great when you need an odd length. Good quality. Expensive per foot though.
These would be all stars if not for the cost. They don’t even have to cut them yet it’s far more costly per foot than churchwarden cleaners. Why is that?? Otherwise I’d get these a lot more. I wish the churchwarden cleaners were 14” or so. A bit extra really helps and that’s when these come in handy. It’s worth it to have one coil around. I’d rather have a bunch more but so pricey compared to cut cleaners. Why? Anyway, they’re good!

Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - B. J. Long Pipe Cleaners - Churchwarden (32 pack)
Great for even regular stems too!
Soemtimes you get those stems that just won’t get clean. I do a flossing back and forth action and it gets standard dirty stems clean fast. I do wish they were more like 14” long for Churchwardens. The coil of cleaner works for that but it’s incredibly expensive per foot if you do the math.

Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - Neerup Cleaning Brush - Shank (5 Pack)
Great to have! Speeds up the cleaning process when cleaners just don’t seem to do it.
Dip in a bit of alcohol and after using some cleaners a few times, go for it. These helps get the voids the cleaners don’t touch and speeds the process up a bit. The price is good compared to everywhere I’ve searched too.

Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - Falcon Pipe Cleaners - Regular (50 Pack)
Best thin cleaners out there! Excellent for small drill vintage pipes too.
Dill aren’t as thin and twice the cost. These are pretty stiff and do the job. I work with old pipes a lot where the stem hole is very thin and these are often the best choice. I always keep a few bags around. If it’s really gunked up, dip in a cleaner and let it sit in there for a bit then go at it. These are a must for me along with tapered bristle, 12” cleaners and Blitz are nice to have too.

Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - B. J. Long Pipe Cleaners - Bristle Tapered (80 pack)
A Must-Have. Multiple Use
I spend more time cleaning pipes than 99.9% of people out there doing it for a living. For the love of it really. Part of it is restoring. The taper allows to fit into small stems and the thick end fits shanks nicely. Fold in half and dip in a bit of cleaner and it really clears out funk deep in there. I use these more than anything else and go through a few hundred a month. Get some 12” cleaners to for a flossing like motion for fast cleaning dirty stems.

Cornell & Diehl - Folklore 16oz
Loving it more and more. Fills a missing spot for me.
When I first got this, the aromatic smell on the package seemed strong and I was worried. I opened it and it mellowed a lot. Moisture is perfect. Smokes super cool and doesn’t quite fall under any one genre which is great when you want something different. This has turned into a 2 x a day smoke for me and I’ve bought 2 more lbs or it. Ive never bought this much of one thing in a short time but it’s just so easy to smoke and balanced nicely.

Germain's - B.K. Flake 50g
Great smoke. A few rough edges but so tasty!
Bought this one blind and I’m usually a straight Virginia or VaPer smoker with a bit of this and that on occasion. I’ve found packing this a bit tighter than normal improves burn time and over smoke. I won’t attempt to detail all the flavors. It’s a medium/full bodied tasty smoke. Def taste the Virginia and the Kentucky isn’t overpowering. Much less than say, ODF of course. I wish I had more than 2 tins.

Rattray's - Brown Clunee 50g
Never Dissappoints - Mild, Flavorful, Great Flake, Dependable
I prefer flake and ready rubbed to most other types and Brown Clunee is very easy to pack. Overall, a solid brown or dark flake is my favorite tobacco type. I smoke everything except full aromatics. I love Brown Clunée. It’s something you can smoke any time or the day or night and it will smoke great and taste great. Packs well, moisture is great out of the tin. I’ll leave the elaborate flavor experiences for others but it’s a “can’t lose to have” tobacco in my book. Same with Old Gowrie, Hal O’ the Wynd and Marlin Flake. Old Gowrie was the first I ever bought a pound of. I’d happily get a lb of each of those.

Cornell & Diehl - Haunted Bookshop Cake 2oz
An improvement over bulk.
I’ve liked Haunted Bookshop. To me, it’s what I think of when it comes to burley. It can be a bit harsh if smoked too fast but that can be said for most. My issue until now was that it was always dry. It came that way over many orders. The cake holds moisture better, keeps it packed a bit tighter and the overall smoking is much better. I’ll be buying more of this for sure. $11 isn’t too costly either.

Cornell & Diehl - Palmetto Balkan 8oz
Love it! Reminds me of the older stuff
I hadn’t finished my first large bowl all the way through before I bought another 8oz tin. Leave it at that….

Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - Pipemaster Clean and Cure 2oz
I just can’t see why
I have no idea why anyone would use this green staining stuff over just a bit of rum or any other alcohol. It’s sat in my cabinet a while now and I think I’ll dump or give away.

Drucquer & Sons - Blairgowrie 200g
A very happy surprise.
I went in on this one blind and the more I smoked it, the more I liked it until it became my go to English. Time to buy a few this next order.

Tampers & Tools - Low Country Reamer
Love it. I use it all the time now.
I have a lot of different reamers and knives. The multi piece reamer with a T handle and this one handles just about every bowl out there. Tempted to get two just in case. Lol.

Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - Falcon Pipe Cleaners - Regular (50 Pack)
A Must Have for vintage pipes
I have and sell a lot of vintage pipes and often the draft hole was drilled smaller then. These make life a lot easier on me. Wish they were a bit more price competitive with others though. Still, glad I found em.

Balkan Sasieni - Balkan Sasieni 50g
One of the best Balkans under the radar
It’s as good as so many others out there. Yet so many haven’t tried it. I smoke it right next to Squadron Leader, Sobranie, My Mix 965 etc. worth a try for sure.

Lighters - Kiribi Pipe Lighter - Kabuto Short Black Nickel
Awesome Lighter. Want another.
I actually didn’t warm up to it for 6 months or so. It was too heavy to carry as I like to so still use a Bic out and about but this one has stayed outside for months with no wear noticeable. It lights beautifully and love the fin to flip it open. No more burnt thumbs. Can’t go wrong with one. It took a while to decide between this and an IM Corona. Very happy with this.

Peterson - Early Morning Pipe 50g
What a great Balkan blend. A must have in your cellar.
I picked some of these up when I first started smoking pipes. I’ve got 15 open jars of Balkan blends and Latakia forward English. This along with MyMixture965, Balkan Sobranie, Margate, Squadron Leader...it stands up to all of them. Best of all, I waited about 6-8 months and revisited it. It was twice as good it seemed. This time I am buying a lot. Some for now, many to age.

Samuel Gawith - Cabbie's Mixture 50g
It’s not St. James. It’s different. I love it. A daily smoker when I have it.
I am about to put a review on the YTPC. I don’t like to be verbose in my descriptors. It’s got heavy dark fruit, that hay or grassiness and citrus even. The typical components of a VaPer. It has a very light floral note and something that sets it apart from other VaPers. Even 45 minutes into it, I still notice the flavor. It never diminishes. One or two relights in an hour. The only downside is obtaining it. Def. a must try!

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Robinson Crusoe and Pipes
  • ► Thank you for the article. I’m a direct descendant of Daniel DeFoe and haven’t considered the book and pipes together as I’ve not read it in years. I’ll need to go back again. - Peter