Any pipe smokers?

C

cortopar

Joined
Jun 12, 2006
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176
I'm a little slow, so others have probably already been doing this for decades. But... I just recently discovered that the spey blade on my stockman does a fabulous job as a pipe reamer. I've never been a fan of all the gadgets, and have usually resorted to a dowel or fingertip wrapped in sandpaper.

Last night I was cleaning up a Larsen billiard and had just used the clip blade to fish a couple specks of dottle from the bottom of the bowl when it struck me that the lack of a sharp point and the generous belly on my spey would be perfect for reaming. And, it is!

I know most have already given up on the "experiment," but as an aside, I'm on to six months now with just my Case amber bone stockman with damascus blades. First time since I was a kid that I only carried one knife for this long.
 
If I have the time I smoke my corncob pipe, though I usually smoke cigarettes. I've been using the spey blade as a reamer as long as I have the pipe.

And by the way, I tip my hat to you for sticking with ONE knife for so long. :thumbup:

Peter
 
usually smoke camels but when i get a chance to relax its with my nording and some devils holiday or dark star, forces me to slow down a bit smoking cigarettes is kind of a nervous habit. Although ive had some perique that made me and my pipe nervous:eek:
i have a cheap pipe tool and i use to use a cheap lil kissing crane toothpick as a tamper, gave it to my son couple months ago!
cheers
ivan
 
I'm a long term pipe smoker, and in the past Ihave used the spey blade of a stockman to reshape or reduce the cake in the bowl. But I found it to be a bit too easy to mess up the cake if you're not very very carefull. Also with a knife blade, its hard to get the cake trimed even all around the bowl. If you get the cake too uneven, the heat will stress the brier unevenly, and could lead to a cracked bowl.

I guess if I was stuck out in the boonies I'd use my knife, but at home I have a tool for the job. It takes a long time to build up the perfect cake, but you can destroy it in seconds being heavy handed with a knife blade.
 
Hey there cortopar,

Good useful information on this thread. I've got several pipes(my favorite being a hand made whitetail stag) I smoke now and again and the spey blade is my only tool which I use for this purpose. A real good friend of mine showed me this way back when, in the mid 1980's in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina while I was building custom log cabins for the rich folk.. Been using the same old Case XX Stockman spey blade ever since for that chore.. Also, every so often I'll use the punch blade from the same knife to wollow out the edge of the bowl and to clear the occasional obstruction at the edge of the stem.:thumbup: Yup, Its a good knife.:)

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Best,
Anthony
 
A number of years ago I smoked a pipe for about 3 years. At the time I was carrying a Buck 303 stockman pretty much all the time. Never used it on the pipe. I carried a little pipe tool. So if you are slow, you are still faster than me.
 
Anthony, I cant stop admiring this beautiful knife of yours.
Thanks for showing her again. :thumbup:

Peter
 
Less than a half hour ago, I mentioned to my wife that I missed my pipes. I was a very infrequent smoker, but I had to give it up and sell off my collection when we got married. (I was on her insurance, and they required a danged tobacco affidavit :grumpy:)

I occassionally used the pen blade on my SAK as a reamer, but usually used the tool. BTW- I only collected and smoked smooth-finish, straight, canadian shank billiards. A couple of them were Larsens, too. :thumbup:
 
jackknife said:
... I have used the spey blade of a stockman to reshape or reduce the cake in the bowl. But I found it to be a bit too easy to mess up the cake if you're not very very carefull. Also with a knife blade, its hard to get the cake trimed even all around the bowl. If you get the cake too uneven, the heat will stress the brier unevenly, and could lead to a cracked bowl.
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:yawn: Yeesh. Pipes just seem like too darn much work. THAT is why when I do smoke, it's a cigar for me. I do have a cigar cutter or two laying around, but find that a small blade that's very sharp works very well.
 
mnblade said:
:yawn: Yeesh. Pipes just seem like too darn much work. THAT is why when I do smoke, it's a cigar for me. I do have a cigar cutter or two laying around, but find that a small blade that's very sharp works very well.
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When smoking my corncob, I dont have to worry about a cake. :thumbup:
And they are about 5 bucks, so if I loose one - what the heck just buy a new one.

Peter
 
Ah, yes, nothing like the aroma of Uhle's #300 Blend, which I discovered in college way back in the '60's, if I recall... (the 60's being somewhat blurry :D). I also keep a supply of excellent cigars from Costa Rica on hand for those special occasions. The spey blade makes an excellent reamer.
 
mnblade said:
:yawn: Yeesh. Pipes just seem like too darn much work. THAT is why when I do smoke, it's a cigar for me. I do have a cigar cutter or two laying around, but find that a small blade that's very sharp works very well.
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Don't think of it as work, but more like a labor of love. Like taking care of an old carbon steel slippy with bone handles. You keep it clean, wipe down the blade once a day, rub a little mineral or lemon oil on the bone once in a while. Strop it often so you sharpen less. A little oil on the pivot now and then. And carefull with the patina, it protects the blade.

Same thing with a pipe, a little care and you get back a lifetime of pleasure and good taste. :D
 
mnblade said:
:yawn: Yeesh. Pipes just seem like too darn much work. THAT is why when I do smoke, it's a cigar for me. I do have a cigar cutter or two laying around, but find that a small blade that's very sharp works very well.
Click to expand...

They're not really. A LOT of pipe smokers in the past would smoke a cheap pipe or two for a few years and toss them. With minimal maintenance, you can expand that life to decades or centuries.

Run a pipe cleaner through after you're done, or every couple smokes. Once a year or so trim the cake (carbon build-up) - takes 10 minutes with a reamer or sandpaper. Every couple years do a "deep cleaning" with some alcohol-soaked pipe cleaners to eliminate any tar buildup.

That's pretty much it. If you want it nice and shiny, hit it with a waxed cloth and buff once/year, or most pipe shops will do it free or nearly so.

Back on the knife topic, there are some neat Sheffield "pipe knife" patterns with a tamper at one end and a round point knife and pick at the other.

I've though of having a nicer custom made. Maybe a doctor's pattern.

Like this:

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Right now, I'm sitting on my back patio, surfing the Internet via wifi, listening to Cream on my laptop, enjoying some Knob Creek Bourbon, and smoking some black cavendish in a clay Colonial-style pipe I got from Track of the Wolf.

Life is good. :)
 
Dave_Markowitz said:
Right now, I'm sitting on my back patio, surfing the Internet via wifi, listening to Cream on my laptop, enjoying some Knob Creek Bourbon, and smoking some black cavendish in a clay Colonial-style pipe I got from Track of the Wolf.

Life is good. :)
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Dude, I'm on my way! :D
 
I've never smoked cigarettes, but I love pipes and habanos. In fact, I'm working with a custom maker to get a nice pipe tool/smokers knife made. I haven't had much like looking for good pictures of vintage examples, maybe you gents can help. :)
 
Here's my favorite knife for pruning down cake, it's an old boy's knife marked Eagle Knife Co., Pat. Pend., Made In USA. It's got a folded sheet metal handle, hidden spring, about 5-1/2" long. The blade is just the right width for getting into a bowl.


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That thing below is my homemade pipe tool. The metal is a flattened 16 penny nail used for a digger-outter, epoxied into a chicken bone for a tamp. Someday that will show up on the "bay" as a Civil War relic :D I have another in my truck that is just a flattened 16p nail, using the metal head for a tamp. Not as glorious as the chicken bone.

My favorite everyday go-to pipe is a corncob...when I burn them out, I just call up Missouri Meerschaum and order a few more:

http://www.corncobpipe.com/

I also have a couple briars that belonged to my father, and a high-end church warden. Twenty years ago I got completely disgusted with my smoking habit and I threw my substantial collection of briars into the fire. (yes, I am a troubled child :D ) Since then, I've grown up and learned to accept my addictions and demons.

My favorite tobaccos are the basics, Prince Albert, Half and Half, Carter Hall...with some Latakia mixed in, when I feel like finding it. Beats the hell out of cigarettes.
 
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Franciscomv said:
I've never smoked cigarettes, but I love pipes and habanos. In fact, I'm working with a custom maker to get a nice pipe tool/smokers knife made. I haven't had much like looking for good pictures of vintage examples, maybe you gents can help. :)
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Nice one Coldwood! I like that one alot.

Smiling-Knife has a wonderful vintage Sheffield 19th c example in MOP as I recall. Perhaps he will do us the honor of showing it to us here?!
 
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