Tips

The Why and How of Estate Pipe Purchases

March 22, 2025 by Chuck Stanion

30 Comments

When I first learned about estate pipes, back when I didn't know a Billiard from a bathysphere, I was horrified. Used pipes? Pipes that had spent years in the mouths of who knows who smoking who knows what while fraternizing with who knows who from who knows where? Why would these pipes have any value? Sanitizing a used pipe, I deduced, must require an hour in boiling water. ... Read More

A Pipe-Smoker's Guide to Everyday Carry (EDC)

March 21, 2025 by Truett Smith

6 Comments

Today we're going to be talking about pipe smoking EDC, or everyday carry. EDC is a theme across numerous industries, but it's especially applicable to pipe smoking for those of us who like to smoke a pipe every day; We need a setup that allows us to do that as easily as possible. These are my essential tips ... Read More

Words Every Pipe Smoker Should Know: Pipe Terms

March 13, 2025 by Kayla Ivan

13 Comments

If you're new to pipe smoking, you've probably already noticed we have some pretty unique jargon. When we write our pipe descriptions, blog posts, and newsletters, we try to describe the pipes as accurately as possible; often that means using a specific set of terms recognized by the pipe community to mean very ... Read More

How to Care for Vulcanite Stems

March 7, 2025 by Rose Kiser

53 Comments

Pipes are deceptively simple. They're blocks of wood, for the most part, carved into a bowl with a stem. That's the simplest description of a pipe, it may even be the description you used when you started smoking. But as we begin to learn about the technical parts ... Read More

The Secrets to a Non-Offensive Smoking Room

August 29, 2024 by Chuck Stanion

9 Comments

Because pipe and cigar smoking are accompanied by aromas that are underappreciated by the uninitiated and uncivilized, some of us restrict our smoking to the outdoors. The outdoors is great, but it isn't perfect. We sometimes deal with blizzards, floods, hurricanes, lightning, mosquitos, bears, pterodactyls — I had a friend named Levi Jenkins who stepped outside for a pipe one night and never returned. His wife swears ... Read More

How to Start Your Own Pipe Club

August 22, 2024 by Rose Kiser

4 Comments

While pipe smoking can often be a solitary hobby, there's just something about sharing a passion for pipes and tobaccos with friends and peers. What if there's no pipe club in your area? Well, why not start your own? Follow these easy steps and you'll be hosting your own meetings in no time. ... Read More

Travel Destination Tips For Cigar Smokers

August 8, 2024 by Kayla Ivan

1 Comment

The backdrop might not seem like the most crucial element when enjoying a favorite cigar. However, cigar smoking can be a transcendent experience connecting you to the moment, elevating your senses to create lasting memories around your favorite company (which could very well be your own). As summer sizzles ... Read More

Packing For Summer Pipe Travel

July 10, 2024 by Truett Smith

1 Comment

Today, we're going to be talking about packing for summer travel as a pipe smoker. Packing as a pipe smoker can be tricky, especially if you have a collection and a cellar like mine from which you aren't sure what to bring. Maybe you don't even have what you need to bring. Let's discuss some general tips and advice on ... Read More

How to Ream a Pipe

May 10, 2024 by Chuck Stanion

27 Comments

Remember when we used to carry coins? They're quaint artifacts now, convenient for stabilizing table legs, but they used to be practical for things like parking meters and purchases. Now everything costs more than coins can cover, parking meters require credit cards, and debit cards are the preferred exchange ... Read More

Lighters Need Cleaning Too

April 18, 2024 by Chuck Stanion

20 Comments

I've managed to destroy a number of items by running them through the laundry in various pockets I've neglected to empty: valuable checks, essential phone numbers, flash drives, and a chocolate chip cookie I left in a shirt pocket, a cookie whose flavor was detrimentally mutated by the soap cycle. I still miss that cookie. ... Read More