Recent Articles | Smokingpipes Daily Reader

A Closer Look At Aromatic Pipe Tobacco

August 7, 2020 by Chuck Stanion

36 Comments

Until recently, I had little interest in aromatic tobaccos. I considered aromatics to be a category of tobacco best left to newcomers, remembering how I had insisted on smoking them exclusively when I first started pipe smoking. I had wanted the most impressive-smelling tobacco possible and had terrible experiences with aromatics in those days. ... Read More

All Pipes Considered: Jeff Gracik and Ping Zhan

August 6, 2020 by Shane Ireland

On this special episode of All Pipes Considered, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jeff Gracik of J. Alan Pipes and Ping Zhan to discuss the two carvers' latest collaboration sets. Four years in the making, these amazing sets represent not only the artisans' influences and signature style, but their longstanding friendship ... Read More

The Air Pocket Packing Method

August 5, 2020 by Jeffery Sitts

16 Comments

Packing a bowl is not only a necessary part of pipe smoking; it affords us the opportunity to experiment with alternative methods based on our pipe's dimensions, the style or cut of blend we plan on enjoying, and the environment in which we will be smoking the mixture. ... Read More

Pipe Smoking Desktop Backgrounds: August 2020

July 30, 2020 by Andrew Wike

It's time for another round of beautiful pipe smoking desktop backgrounds! As in previous months, we've compiled some of our favorite shots and artwork to share with you. Below you'll find seven unique images, split between desktop and mobile orientations and available for download in two high-resolution ... Read More

Mystery Tobacco Review: July 2020

July 29, 2020 by Andrew Wike

3 Comments

Welcome back to another episode of the Mystery Tobacco Review, the friendly game of "Guess Who" that leaves even our most experienced pipe smokers questioning their skills (and life choices). This month, we decided to shake things up and have our Cigar Specialist Tim Vanderpool select one pipe tobacco for us to blind review. ... Read More

Tom Crean: Heroic Explorer And Pipe Smoker

July 24, 2020 by Jeffery Sitts

17 Comments

Tom Crean was an Irish sailor and a member of three major expeditions to Antarctica during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. He was also a passionate pipe smoker and was rarely seen without a pipe hanging from his mouth while traversing through dangerous conditions and unknown territory. ... Read More

Smoke Rings University: Cigar Humidification

July 23, 2020 by Shane Ireland

2 Comments

Welcome back to another episode of Smoke Rings University. Throughout my career, I've often been asked, "How do I keep my cigars from drying out?" Well, today, we'll be discussing exactly that: the various methods and equipment designed to keep your cigars stored at the proper humidity levels and temperatures. ... Read More

A Quick Look at Pipe Finishes

July 22, 2020 by Truett Smith

10 Comments

A pipe's finish, while not directly related to its function as a smoking instrument, plays a major role in a pipe's aesthetic appeal. It's one of the most obvious visual aspects of a pipe, and the finish is also one of the main features with which a smoker interacts, second only, perhaps, to the lip button. ... Read More

BriarWorks: The Handcrafted Factory Pipe

July 17, 2020 by Chuck Stanion

16 Comments

BriarWorks is a company dedicated to producing very high-quality pipes at affordable prices. Those are not easily combined elements, and it took enormous effort and expertise to achieve that goal. It was an idea that had been evolving for years in the mind of Todd Johnson, a world-class pipe maker who is accustomed to making ideas reality. ... Read More

Mystery Cigar Review: July 2020

July 16, 2020 by Shane Ireland