- Joined
- Feb 20, 2005
- Location
- South of the North 40
I have smoked a pipe for as long as I can remember; most likely since I was about ten years of age. Until the Legion I smoked cheap disposable clay pipes until France when I ended up with my first briar pipe. In north Africa I experienced my first meerschaum and when passing through Turkey on the way to the Crimea I purchased a simple meerschaum pipe. Of them all I enjoyed the meerschaum most but it was the most expensive and most difficult to procure.
In the Crimea I lost a friend who willed me his Swiss briar. It is precious to me and I still use it. It smokes well even now though it has began to smoke a little too hot and I may well need to retire it. There are many pipe fitters in this part of the country as well as quality mass produced pipes sold in hardware and apothecary shops.
Quality tobacco is plentiful now that the war has ended. I believe the finest comes from the south. North Carolina tobacco in particular is quite fine. But local Minnesota and Iowa tobacco is quite acceptable. During the war we traded coffee and newspapers for twists of tobacco. It was almost always good tobacco. I would typically smoke two to three bowls a day. I knew others who never took their pipe from their mouth.
In the south tobacco was everywhere and everyone used it on daily basis. Women smoked their fine porcelain pipes that would break in a strong breeze. If they did not smoke a pipe they often chewed tobacco instead which is a heartily unpleasant sight. The well off tend to favor cigars, but they are too expensive for my taste. Some Texans would roll cigarillos but I firmly believe that a rather effete practice, though I would never say that out loud. Since the war the use of the cigarillo has spread to the point where few would call it an effete practice. I personally believe it to be a passing craze that will not take hold.
Many of the same tools for working wood are used by a skilled pipefitter to create a pipe. The fanciest and most ornate incorporate tin, porcelain and even silver to embellish their product. I have perhaps twenty clay penny pipes scattered throughout my tavern on the tables and bar and most people bring in their own tobacco though I always have some behind the bar for sale to those in need.
I find it interesting how people personalize their tobacco. Some add a bit of vanilla, sage or a drop of brandy to flavor their smoke. I am not above adding a drop of good cognac to my tobacco tin. It takes very little to add to the flavor though I admit I prefer to drink it than to smoke it.
Just give me my pipe and a sifter of fine Cognac or Scotch and life is bearable at even the worst times.
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