There are many ways to prepare flake style pipe tobacco (pressed and sliced) for smoking ... here are a few. First you'll need a good flake pipe. A good flake pipe has a narrow, deep bowl. Preferably 5/8" - 3/4" diameter x 1"+ deep. The most basis way prepare the slices is to put them in the palm of one hand and cover with the palm of your other hand and rub your hands together until the flakes break apart. This is called "rubbing out". Generally, the more you rub out a flake the more mellow it will be and less you rub out the flake the more intense the flavors will be.

This is the whole flake method. First note in which direction the "grain" of the tobacco is going in the flake. Cut a piece or pieces of flake *against* (at 90 degrees) the grain and equal to the depth of your flake pipe. Take the entire flake of tobacco and roll it up into a fairly tight tube or roll. If done correctly the ends you have cut will be the *long* ends of the tube. The diameter of the roll of flake tobacco should be slightly less the diameter of the tobacco chamber of the pipe you will be smoking. If not, roll another piece of flake over the first. Place the roll into your pipe and press it down with a tamper with just enough force to flatten the top. Light as you normally would and enjoy!

This is the "sandwich" method. Prepare the flakes in the same manner as you learned in the whole flake method except this time take two different types of flake and roll them together. The possibilities are endless. Try a Virginia flake and an English flake or a Virginia with an aromatic flake. You might want to tone down a strong flake that is overwhelming on it's own with a milder flake. Have Fun!

We receive many questions via email every day. One subject that usually has the most questions is "aging pipe tobacco". Aging pipe tobacco is a huge topic and could easily become the subject matter for a years worth of newsletters so we decided to compile the top 5 questions found in our Inbox.

There are as many reasons to age pipe tobacco as there are questions concerning how to. Here are just a few ....

• Simply put, well aged and properly stored pipe tobacco will be the finest you will ever smoke.
• We have all experienced the demise of one or more our favorite blends. Aging provides a hedge.
• You will save a lot of money by buying now at current prices. The price of pipe tobacco is constantly rising due to manufacturing costs, the cost of raw tobacco and production increases and new taxes. Buy now and save later.
• New laws are aimed at limiting and completely doing away with online tobacco sales that we now enjoy. Buying online is so threatened that if the current crop of laws pass we will no longer be able to make online purchases of tobacco with the next 12 - 24 months.

This is Part IV in a IV part series. If you haven't already please read Part I, Part II & III. Once your cake has built up to a point where it is thicker than a US nickel it is time to start reaming. Reaming is the process by which cake is cut down to the proper size. There are a few different tools that can be used. They can be seen here and we'll discuss them in a moment. For routine reaming you only need to cut the cake back to about the thickness of a US dime. Under normal circumstances you never want to cut the entire cake and expose the briar pipe walls. If you do remove the entire cake you will have to go through the process of breaking in the pipe all over again. There are times when you might want to remove the entire cake such as when you'd want to remove the cake because it is holding the flavors of a tobacco you no longer favor or you want to refurbish an estate pipe that you have just added to your collection. Always ream your pipe when it is at room temperature. When making the first pass with your chosen reamer adjust it so it barely touches the cake. This will round the cake to a uniform shape. Next continue to adjust the reamer to bite a little more. Each pass of the reamer should be very light taking only a little cake each time until the proper thick has been achieved. Never turn the reamer back and forth in the bowl. This can cause the cake to fracture. Turn in one direction only. Reaming is a bit of a messy process so it would be a good idea to ream over a garbage pail. The flat style reamers, such as the Brebbia model we stock, are inexpensive and do a great job of keeping cake in check in between more thorough reamings. They also are small enough to be carried in a pipe pouch. For more accurate reaming and thicker, harder cake a heavier duty reamer such as the Senior reamer is needed. This reamer makes short work of the most stubborn cake. It can be precisely adjusted and has the added benefit of a built in shank reaming tool for complete maintenance. You need to use care with the Senior reamer because it is capable of cutting cake very fast. You might be tempted to cut the cake in one pass, which this tool is totally capable of, but resist the temptation and cut the cake in several shallower passes ... your cake will thank you.

We hope you've enjoyed and learned from this four part series. We'll be during similar multi part maintenance lesson over the next few months. If you have a suggestion on a series you'd like to see feel free to email. Happy smoking, Team VegasSmokes

2. Isn't smoking a pipe that someone else smoked unsanitary?

There has been much written on the subject of long term pipe tobacco storage but not much on short term so I though I'd take the time to address the subject. For the purposes of this discussion I'll be considering the storage of 4 ounces or less. In the past it was vogue to place apple slices, orange peels and other similar items in a pouch for the purposes of keep tobacco fresh ... this is not a good idea. The fruits will start to break down with heat and light and spoil your tobacco. You'll be smoking and handling all forms of bacteria and fungus, some visible and some not. An unpleasant thought at the least. Pouch humidifiers work so much better if kept clean. Distilled water works best and will lengthen the disk's life. How about the ziploc lock bags that we sometimes receive our pipe tobacco in? They are fine for a few days if kept sealed and out of direct light. If you live in a dry climate a pouch humidifier with be just what the doctor ordered ... so to speak. Leather and vinyl pipe tobacco pouches work much better as well as being more dignified. Make sure the one you select has a supple rubber or latex liner. The cheapy kind usually has a plastic liner that will eventually crack and split. In general roll up or snap type pouches work better than the zipper variety. The zippers on those let air pass and get just plain foul after a while. Keeping your tobacco in your pocket is OK for the very short term. Remember this .... when the temperature of tobacco rises so done the humidity. When the temperature falls so does the humidity. Yes, I can give you the scientific explaination but I'll save you the boredom for the sake of brevity. That being said, assuming your tobacco was at perfect humidity when you set out in the morning, it will become to too damp when left in your pocket or anywhere else above "room temp" for any length of time and will lead to a hot, wet smoke. All is not lost ... either lay out a bowl's worth of tobacco prior to smoking if convenient or simply pack the bowl about 10 - 15 minutes before your smoke break. Now what if your tobacco got cold and is now a bit on the dry side (again a hot smoke)? Almost a no brainer ... warm it up in your hand or pocket. Happy and cool smoking, VegasSmokes

• Keeps the tobacco from burning too fast or too hot.
• Keeps the tobacco burning evenly.
• Helps promote a healthy cake inside the bowl.
• Promotes a smoldering effect that enhances the subtle tobacco flavors.
• Helps disperse your flame for even relights.
• Many other good things. (Had to add that just in case I forgot anything)

So when do you dump?

• When the ash gets so dense from tamping that it smothers the burning tobacco.
• When you are having problems keeping the pipe lit ... assuming it is properly packed.
• When it has become so thick or dense that you can no longer relight.

When you do have to dump, only dump about half of the ash then lightly tamp the ash back down and relight. Please be safe when dumping ash. Almost certainly a few hot tobacco embers will leave with the ash that could burn your favorite smoking jacket ... or worse.

Back to Index

Your pipe cleaner that is. One year ago someone emailed and asked whether or not it was a good idea to leave a pipe cleaner in the stem when you're through smoking. I answered according to what I had been taught ... NO. I've always listened to the pros and cons on the subject and formulated my own conclusion. After thinking about I came a the conclusion that I shouldn't be jumping to that conclusion. I decided to perform a somewhat controlled test. Here is how I did it.

• Two identical, new Savinelli Model 114 pipes were used. Both cross grained.
• Each was smoked three times a week for 1 year (3/03)
• Each rested 2 days between smoking.
• Each was cleaned with 4 pipe cleaners after smoking was complete.
• Each was thoroughly cleaned every 4 weeks.
• The same tobacco, Five Star Deluxe, was smoked exclusively.
• One was left to rest with a pipe cleaner in the stem and shank and one was not.
• Standard size and fluff pipe cleaners were used.

Here are my observations at the conclusion of the test. The pipe in which the cleaner was left in will be referred to as Pipe A. Pipe B is the pipe without.

• The shank of Pipe A is slightly darker than Pipe B leaving a slightly two toned appearance.
• Pipe A developed a slight gap between the shank and stem.
• Pipe A's shank expanded slightly larger than the stem.
• Pipe A had more pipe cleaner residue (stray fuzz) in it when thoroughly cleaned.
• Pipe B took longer to break in. I'm not sure if that had anything to do with the test.
• Pipe A took a few more cleaners for the once a month cleaning.
• After 1 year Pipe A is a little more ... well for lack of a better term, stinky.

So there you have it. Pipe B, without the cleaner, faired better than Pipe A with. I am only going to guess why but I suspect that the pipe cleaner left in does more to keep the moisture trapped than it does to wick it out. Happy Smoking.

I've heard many times in the past that sandblasted pipes smoke cooler than smooth pipes due to the greater surface area. After many years of taking this to be a somewhat statement I decided to put it to the test. Here's how I set up the test.

• Two identical, new Savinelli Model 316 pipes (one rustic/sandblast and one smooth matte) were used.
• Each was smoked ten times over a ten day period for the purpose of breaking them in.
• Gawith & Hoggarth Balkan Blend was used exclusively for break in and testing.
• Each was filled and packed to the top with an equal portion of tobacco for the test.
• Each was placed in a plastic folding pipe stand.
• Each was not moved from the pipe stand or touched during the test.
• Each was lit with 3 matches.
• Each received 1 full draw on the pipe every 30 seconds.
• Each was tamped every 10 draws.
• Test was conducted 10 minutes into the bowl.
• Bowl temperature was taken using a fine point metal probes attached to digital thermometers (identical models) that were placed on the right side of the bowl at the midway point and held tight to the bowl with the help of the plastic pipe stand.
• At 30 minutes both pipes were allowed to go out.

Here are my observations during the test.

• The rustic pipe was actually hotter during the first 10 minutes prior to "official testing".
• At the 10 minute point the rustic was 6 degrees hotter the the smooth.
• At 15 minutes the rustic was 4 degrees cooler.
• At 20 minutes the rustic was 2.5 degrees cooler.
• At 25 minutes the rustic was 3.5 degrees cooler.
• At 30 minutes the rustic was 4 degrees cooler.
• At 35 minutes (after the pipes went out) the rustic was 18 degrees cooler.

So there you have it. The rustic pipe did indeed smoke cooler but I'd have to say that the few degrees during the first 30 minutes hardly constitutes a "cooler smoking pipe". I could not tell the difference. What I did notice was how fast the rustic pipe cooled down after the tobacco went out as compared to the smooth. Hmmmmmm. Happy Smoking.

When describing the act of "blending pipe tobacco" I'd have to break up the process into two categories, Hybrid and Raw Component blends. Hybrid blends are those that are composed of mixtures or flakes of existing tobaccos. For example ....4 parts Dunhill 965 and 1 part Esoterica Pembroke. Raw component blends are those composed of raw ingredients. For example ... 3 parts Red Virginia, 2 Parts Stoved Virginia and 1 part Turkish. You'll notice how I used the term *parts*. Parts are the easiest units of measure when you are first starting out. A part could be anything from an ounce to the contents of a measuring device of your choice. In the beginning please start by using small parts such as 1/2oz or tablespoons. The reason it is best to start small is because not all of the concoctions you'll come up with will be worthy of a second bowl. You want to enjoy and experiment without exposing to much of you favorite tobacco to your whims.

Being that we will be starting from a basic standpoint we'll first cover hybrid style blends. These are the easiest to successfully mix and there is a good chance that most of you already have some tobaccos around to start with. Here are some basic guidelines for hybrid blends to get you started.

• Record everything you do in a notebook for further reference.
• Record what you liked or didn't like about your creation. This will help tremedously when it comes to fine tuning.
• Record how it smoked. Did it constantly go out? Did it burn cleanly?
• Always smoke 2 or 3 bowls of your blends. The first or two bowl will most likely taste of the last tobacco that was smoked in that pipe.
• Smoke in a clay pipe for a purer tasting smoke. Briar can sometimes influence taste.
• Blend from one manufacturer's line. McClelland with McLelland, Gawith & Hoggarth with Gawith & Hoggarth ETC. You'll find that one tobacco from a specific manufacturer will readily blend with another.
• Blend like tobaccos. Flakes blend well with other flakes and mixtures with mixtures.
• Use less of a strong tobacco. Stonger tobaccos such as English and Balkan styles easily dominate ligher tobaccos. 1 part to 4 - 6 parts is a good starting point.
• Don't be afraid to mix a Virginia or English style with an aromatic tobacco for a change of pace.
• Most blends that you'll come up with will taste better if allowed to "marry" first before smoking. Simply seal the mix in a plastic bag with all the air squeezed out for a day or so ... or at least until your curiousity gets the better or you.

I hope you're now inspired to come up with you own private micro blend. Maybe even a blend worth of sharing ... the pipe smoking community will be richer for your efforts. Stay tuned for Part II. Happy Blending!

In Part I we discussed general rules of blending and some hybrid blending basics. In Part II we'll discuss Raw Component blends. Raw component blends are those composed of raw ingredients. For example ... 3 parts Red Virginia, 2 Parts Stoved Virginia and 1 part Turkish. These types of blends are more difficult to blend. With Hybrid blends you are expounding on existing blends and reaping the rewards of someone else's work. With raw component blends the work rests squarely on your shoulders. You'll need a clear direction and a healthy dose of imagination. The first thing to do is decide what type of blend you'd like to make. Next find a tobacco that you'd like to approximate or improve upon and smoke a few bowls of it. Write down what you like about it and see if you can discribe all the various flavors that the tobacco has that you enjoyed ... and those you didn't. If you don't take the time to do this you'll have a very "hit or miss" go at blending. Also look at the tobacco and see if you can indentify the components. You're not trying to reverse engineer the tobacco but simply getting a feel for it. Note the types of cuts that are used. Are they ribbon? cube? rough cut? Here are some basic guidelines that will help you get started.

• 10% is a good starting point when using latakia. At about 40% the latakia will dominate all but the most robust Virginia tobaccos.
• 5% is a good starting point when using perique. At about 15 - 20% the perique will dominate all but the most robust Virginia tobaccos.
• Virginias are an excellent base tobacco and mix fine amongst themselves.
• As a rule of thumb you'll find that the lighter the color of a Virginia tobacco the tangier the taste. Darker VA's tend to be richer and more pronouced. You'll also find them to be strong with more of a kick both in flavor and nicotine.
• Stoved Virginias add a mellowness to a blend as well as a mild raisin type flavor. They also slow down the rate at which the blend will burn. This is an important consideration. Don't over do it. Too much and you'll end up with a bland blend.
• Unflavored cavendish tobacco adds a certain smoothness and fullness as well as a smokiness ... both in terms of flavor and actual smoke.
• Turkish type condiment tobaccos tend to add a background hint of sweetness. They also add a lot of balance to a blend. Note that they will cause a blend to burn at a faster rate.
• Burley tobacco can also be a fine base for a blend. Note that burley tobaccos tend to be a bit on the strong side. They also tend to bite if too much is used. Rough cut burley burns quick. Cubed burley burns slowly. Burley also burns cleanly ... another important consideration.
• All components should be of the same moisture content. If not the drier tobaccos will leach the moisture and flavors out of the moister tobaccos. If some cases this will cause the blend to be very mono flavored.
• Allow all blends to marry for a day or two (longer if you have the patience)
• Record all that you do so you can fine tune.
• Smoke some of each variety of raw tobacco to get a sense of it's flavor and burning characteristics so you know what it's bringing to the table.

In Part II we'll be covering various tobacco processing and blending techniques. Stay tuned and Happy Blending!

Now that you're becoming more familiar with the basic comcepts of tobacco blending it's time to turn our attention to tobacco processing proceedures. The basic categories of processing fall into the following classifications; mixing, cutting and pressing.

Mixing your new blends is a fairly straight forward process. We use two methods depending on the size of the batch. For smaller batches of 1 - 3 pounds we used a large stainless steel mixing bowl. They can be found at most restaurant supply houses. They're easy to clean with a little vodka and have the perfect shape for hand mixing. For larger batches simply dump the tobaccos into a large plastic garbage bag a give a good, hearty shake.

Cutting and prepping tobacco is ocassionally necessary. If you're mixing a flake style tobacco into your blend you'll want to "rub" it out first so it mixes well with the other tobaccos. If you don't, the blend won't have the consistency you'll desire. Simply take a handful of the flakes and rub them in the palms of your hands until they are fairly well broken up. There will be times you'll want to finely cut certain tobaccos. In some blends using tobaccos like perique and latakia you'll find that finely cutting them will enhance the blend. This is especially useful if you want these tobaccos to blend into the background rather than be pronouce. For this we like to use a small coffee mill. They can be found in most department stores. We bought ours at Bed Bath & Beyond ... $20 and it's lasted for years. Remember to clean it, after it's unplugged of course, with vodka to keep the blades and bowl clean. Don't overdo the cutting. If you grind the tobaccos to finely they will settle to the bottom.

Pressing your blend is a great way to marry and refine the flavors of the tobaccos and give the mix a head start in the aging process. We have a custom hydraulic press for our needs but you need not get that complicated for small batches. There are several ways you can press. You can use a Food Saver type vacuum sealer. They do a great job of compressing the tobacco. If you take a small flat piece of wood and press the bag down while the air is being drawn out you'll be amazed at the press you'll achieve. Let sit for at least a week ... longer if you can bear the wait. Another simple method is to forcefully hand press the tobacco into a wide mouth mason type canning jar and seal it. If you really want to pack it in take a large dowl or piece of closet pole and smash it down real good. Careful not to break the jar. Keep the jar out of sunlight while you wait for the magic to happen.

In Part IV we'll be covering casing, flavoring and infusioning. Stay tuned and Happy Blending!

In this final part in this four part series we'll be discussing casing, flavoring and infusing your tobacco blends. Why would you want to do any of the aforementioned proceedures? Simple ... added and different flavors.

Casing is the process by which tobacco is top coated with a flavoring. This process is commonly associated with aromatic tobaccos. Such flavors range from the most subtle vanillas to apples and strong spices. Not all casings need be sweet and gooey. Here are a few guidelines:

• Use your stainless steel mixing bowl and clean it with vodka when finished.
• Use a little flavoring at a time. Allow time for the casing to adhere rather than run the risk of over moistening your blend.
• Use a spray bottle for even coverage.
• Don't use any flavoring that is perishible.
• Case small amounts of tobacco first before committing.
• Always allow at least a day or so before smoking.
• Try the following; wine, cognac, beer, honey, liquers, extracts, etc. Let your imagination run wild.

Flavoring or "spicing" your tobacco is very simple. We mostly use powdery type flavoring agents. They include the following: nasal snuff, various spices, cocoa powder, dried and powdered condiment tobaccos such as perique and latakia, dehydrated and powdered fruits and more. Again, use your imagination. Please, nothing you wouldn't want in your lungs in the first place. A little goes a long way. Simply spinkle and mix so the flavoring adheres to the tobacco.

Infusing tobacco provides the richest and longest lasting flavors. The process is easy to do. First place your tobacco in your mixing bowl and weight it on your scale. Note the weight. For an example let say 16 ounces (1 lb.). Now set the tobacco aside or let it sit on the scale while it dries out. Exposed to air all tobacco will lose moisture. Do not try to accelerate the process with heat or sunlight as that will only damage the tobacco. Once the tobacco has dried to the proper weight it's time to infuse. There is no set weight I can prescribe. You'll have to experiment but as a rule of thumb 1 - 3 ounces. Spray your flavoring on the dried tobacco until it reaches it's original weight. If you let the tobacco dry by 2 ounces then you will be using 2 ounces of flavoring. You are reintroducing the moisture that was lost but this time it is flavored and will infuse the tobacco. Lightly spray the flavor a little at a time and very lightly toss. You don't want to apply any pressure or roughness to the mixing process due to the dryness of the tobacco. Once the tobacco is back up to it's original weight and well mixed let it sit for about an hour and add more flavor if there is any further evaporation. Let set a spell before smoking. You can use any of the above mentioned flavors to infuse. My personal favorite is port wine.

I hope you've enjoyed and learned from this Four Part Tobacco Blending Primer. If you come up with a keeper don't forget to share it with others. Happy Blending!

This is a question that is presented to us on a regular basis. The answer has to be based on several variables such as the following;

1. How often do you smoke?
2. What type of tobacco do you smoke?
3. Does your smoking style lend itself more towards ending up with a somewhat dry or wet pipe?
4. Do you smoke the same tobacco all day?

As a general rule you should allow at least 1 to 2 hours for your pipe to rest after you finish smoking. This allows enough time for your pipe to properly cool down and dry out ... for the most part. The type of tobacco you smoke plays a role too. Aromatic tobacco burns slightly wetter and tends to cause a pipe to retain moisture longer. Virginias tend to burn cleaner and drier and sometimes the pipe can be put back in action in as little as 30 - 45 minutes. If you are accustomed to smoking your pipe enough to conflict with these suggested times then you should be using 2 or more pipes in your daily rotation. If you are a "wet" smoker or have a few cherished pipes that happen to smoke a tad on the wet side than you should also be using 2 or more pipes in your daily rotation. As discussed in a previous newsletter, it is best to dedicate a pipe for each type of tobacco that you smoke. So, if you smoke more than one type of tobacco during the course of the day than you'll need to add more pipes into your daily rotation. Each pipe in your rotation should have the minimum of 2 days off after being used for the day and cleaned every 5 - 10 bowls depending on the tobacco smoked and your smoking habits.

Hmmmm ... So let's do the math ... well let's not and say we did and sum up with the following general rules of thumb; If you smoke on a daily basis and have a good pipe cleaning and care schedule established the bare minimum amount of pipes in your rotation should be no less than 3. 7 would be the ideal minimum and would ensure well rested, fresh pipes and spread out your time spent cleaning. What's right for you? Simply take these suggested minimum rotations and factor in the four questions above. Me? I'm a minimum 21 kinda guy. I smoke 3 types of tobacco each day and keep my pipes dedicated within reason. Aromatic in the morn, VA mid day and a smooth English blends in the evenings. I also like to let my pipes rest for a week and set aside one night a week for cleaning. Yup, 21 for me but I always find an excuse for more ;). Happy Smoking!

These days it seems that all tobacco use is so heavily frowned upon by "society". Is it possible that pipe smoking is actually on the rise? The answer is yes.Industry studies support this. There are several reasons for this.

• The 90s saw a huge cigar boom. Many of those that learned to enjoy cigars are now turning to pipes. Spurned by the over pricing and poor quality brought on by the boom and the intangability of the actual cigars themselves, folks have discovered a wonderful alternative in pipes.
• With the right tobacco, pipe smoke envokes the fondest memories in most people ... even those opposed to smoking. How many times have you heard how your pipe smoke reminded someone of Grandpa?
• Pipe smoking is economical. Even if you smoking the finest tobacco money can buy, a bowlful cost pennys.
• Smoking a pipe causes one to relax and reflect.
• There are currently thousands of tobaccos to choose from.
• The abilility to blend ones own pipe tobacco.
• The selection of pipes available today is mind boggling. Whether you're a collector of a specific year, shape or brand or simply looking for the most bang for your buck ... you're in luck. The possiblities are now endless.
• Even as brick and mortar pipe shops close routinely, the internet has been an excellent resource for pipe smokers world wide.
• Cigarette smokers are crossing over to our healthier form of tobacco consumption.
• Fellowship. For the most part pipe smokers are good, decent and kind people. Pipe smokers tend to develop healthy, long term bonds with one another. You can never have enough friends!

Now before we drop our guard and start feeling too warm and fuzzy there is a couple of things to think about. One major concern to pipe smokers world wide are all the proposed bans on the shipment of pipe tobacco. This would put a huge damper on those who order online. Read more HERE. Also, the recent rash of laws banning smoking in public and private places throughout the country should be a concern to us all. So what can we do? Simple. Get involved, vote, stay informed, support your local pipe shops and for pete's sake ... proudly smoke your pipe in public as much as possible. Happy Smoking!

We've all had it happen ... reach for that tobacco you've been craving and it's dry as a bone. Who came up with that expression anyway? First we'll cover what Not to do.

DON'T

• Do not use apple slices or other fruit. You'll run the risk of mold and gumming up your bowl.
• Do not leave it in the bath while you shower. Although this does work your tobacco will pick up the perfumes of bath soaps and shampoo.
• Do not use tap water.

DO

• Be gentle with the dry tobacco or you'll end up with a pile of dust even if you rehydrate correctly.
• Mix 1 teaspoon of white vinegar in 1 quart of water. Distilled water is best.
• Spread out the dry tobacco in a flat glass or stainless steel bowl or tray.
• Lightly spray the tobacco with the prepared water. Start with very little.
• Cover the tobacco with a lid or plastic wrap so the water adsorbs rather than evaporates. Repeat if necessary
• Once back to the correct moisture level allow the tobacco to sit for a day before smoking.

If done correctly and patiently your tobacco with be almost as good as new. Happy Smoking!

Do certain pipe tobaccos lend themselves to different seasons or times of the year? I think so. Now that the cooler weather has finally arrived I find myself smoking more blends with latakia such as English or Balkan style blends. For me, these blends seem some what richer and more complex especially when smoked outside in the cool air of autumn. I can taste flavors that are almost undetectable while smoking during the warmer months. The smoke is heavier and less wispy in the thin air and lingers longer. That rich, thick smoke brings about a certain feeling of satisfaction and has a calming effect. Perfect for watching the leaves change colors and seeing mother nature and father time work their collective wonders. The warm pipe bowl is a comfort in my hand and gives me a sense of well being knowing that all is right in the world in that small place and time.

During the Holidays I find myself guided towards tasty aromatic blends. They remind me of the past, my Grandfather, traditions and the sweet peacefulness that comes during these special times of the year. They also help our friends and loved ones remember us just as we remember the enticing tobacco smells of those that came before us. There is simply nothing quite like the cozy feeling of a room filled with wonderful pipe smoke, a home cooked feast and those we care about .....

In a previous article we covered short term storage. In this article we'll discuss longer term storage. You might ask "Why store tobacco for the long term?" The answers are as varied as the tobaccos themselves but include the following ...

• Most pipe tobaccos improve with proper aging.
• The cost of tobacco will continue to rise. Buy now and save ... I admit, that sounded rather late night infommercial didn't it. ;].
• On a yearly basis wonderful tobacco blend are disappearing. Cost of production, lack of demand, companies bought and sold and lack of proper leaf have all been blamed but the result is the same ... your favorite tobacco might be discountinued without notice.

Here are a few simple ideas for your long term storage needs:

• Store out of direct and indirect light.
• Store in a cool place such as a basement or cellar. Do not allow to freeze. If you do not have a basement store your tobacco on or close to the floor. It's generally the coolest place in your house or apt.
• Label all tobacco with date and tobacco name. Keep info in a book for reference.
• Buy one to smoke and one to store.
• Bulk tobacco can be vacuum sealed with a foodsaver type sealer. Some say that vacuuming removes too much air which slows the aging process. Actually a household model does not have the capacity to remove all the air. However we do recommend pressing the manual seal button before the vacuum is 100% complete. Also note that the household grade bags will transfer air over time. Commercial grade vacuum bags can be found at most professional packaging supply houses. These bags are much thick and better but still will transfer air in time. We have noted shelf life of 2 - 3 years. To extend that time store vacuum sealed bags in another sealed container such as a cooler. We vacuum and store in a walk in humidor and have tobaccos well over 15 years old.
• Bulk tobacco can also be stored in mason jars. As an added bonus you can press the tobacco quite nicely into the jar and enhance the aging process ... just don't over do it. The foodsaver type sealers have an attachment that seals mason jars. You can also seal the jars by dropping them quickly in hot water until you see the lid turn concave.
• Tinned tobacco can be stored in the packaging in which they were purchased if you follow a few precautions. Avoid stacking tins in very damp areas ... they will corrode in time. Don't stack the tins on bare concrete ... can also be damp and much colder than the surrounding air. Place the tins on wood shelves if possible. Better yet, instead of tossing those old kitchen cabinets mount a few in your "tobacco cellar" for storage.
• Open tins or tins in very damp areas can be stored in large iglo type coolers providing they seal well of course. You could also vacuum seal them.

Follow these simple steps and you'll have an ever improving stash of fine tobacco for years to come. Happy Smoking!

In Part I of What is a Balanced Pipe? we discussed the physical aspects of balance. In Part II we'll discuss more of the aesthetic aspects. The most obvious kind of aesthetic balance is the grain of the pipe. As a general rule of thumb grain should flow with or accentuate the shape of the bowl. Straight grain should be just that ... straight around the circumference of the entire bowl. The straight grain should end in bird'seye or rough burl on the bowl rim and bird'seye that is well centered on the bowl heel. Flame grain flows across a pipe bowl at +/- 45 degrees and should end in centered bird'seye or rough burl on the front and back of the bowl. Cross grain should be more or less horizontal on opposing sides of the bowl. It should be even and equally proportioned in relation to the opposing side. Between the cross grain should be equally well centered bird'seye grain. The bowl rim, if trimmed flat, should exhibit straight grain running in the same direction as the cross grain. The same basic generalities also apply to a bowl that has been sand blasted. To help you visualize these grain patterns and how they should be balanced please click the links below ....

• Straight Grain 1
• Straight Grain 2
• Straight Grain 3
• Flame Grain 1
• Flame Grain 2
• Cross Grain 1
• Cross Grain 2
• Sand Blast Flame Grain/Ring Grain 1
• Sand Blast Flame Grain/Ring Grain 2

As you can see the pipe maker combined the shape with the grain and/or vise versa in every example. It takes great skill to achieve such results but when that perfect combination comes to fruition it's a wonder to behold.

There are also many intangible qualities that can be defined as balance. It a long established fact that there exists a Golden Rule of proportion. Builders, architects, painters, sculpters and other artisans have used this rule for centuries. Pipe carvers do as well. In it's highest level the application of the rule is done without conscience thought. It is felt in the hands and seen in the eyes. This aspect of pipe balance can also be very subjective. The way a pipe flows, ubruptly ends, tapers and turns call out to our subconscieous creative minds. Sometimes a pipe can appear to one person as art in it's highest form and to another a hunk of wood. Pipe carvers who have achieved the highest level of balance in their craft, in my opinion, appeal to the broadest number pipe enthuseists ... regardless of budget :). Here are some pipes that have called to me other the years. Happy Smoking!

• Awesome
• Amazing
• Stunning
• Spectacular
• Breathtaking

If you've bought more than a few pipes in your pipe smoking life then you've probably seen a mis-drilled pipe bowl. The most common type of mis-drilling is where the airway into the bottom of the bowl is higher than the actual bowl bottom. Sometimes this is slight and sometimes severe. Typically this can been seen on less expensive pipes of all makes. The problem with this is that it usually leads to a wet smoking pipe that gurgles and rarely burn the tobacco all the way to the bottom. Fortunately there is an fast and easy way to fix this problem and best of all it cost nothing but time. Here is the fix:

First take some cool, completely burned pipe ash and with the back end of a spoon crush the ash to a fine powder. Next take about a 1/2 teaspoon of honey and begin to mix in the powdered pipe ash until the mix has a slightly grainy texture. Now take a pipe cleaner and insert it into the bowl's airway until it barely peeks into the bowl. This will keep the mix from blocking the airway. Put the pipe in a stable pipe stand and begin to drizzle the ash mix into the bowl bottom. Be very careful not to get any of the mix on the pipe itself. Start slowing with just a little bit. Allow the mix to settle and level out. Should more be needed add it sparingly a little at time until the mixture becomes flush with the bottom of the airway hole. Set the pipe aside for a day or two to allow the mix to harden. Finally load the pipe halfway and smoke the bowl all the way to the bottom. Tamp while smoking but do not dump the pipe ash when you are finished. Allow the ash and bowl to cool before removing the ash. This and the next few bowls will cure and harden the ash mix. You'll then have a bowl that will smoke dry as it should. Happy Smoking!

This is a question that appears in our Inbox very frequently. Unfortunately there isn't one easy answer. Below is a brief list of the Pros and Cons of both so the individual reader can decide what is best for them. For the record ... please don't use a torch type butane lighter.

We receive many emails asking what is the best solvent to use for cleaning a pipe. The word best is very subjective but I'll answer the question here to the best of my ability. Once you've smoked your pipe more than 5 times it is generally time to run pipe cleaners through the stem and shank with some type of solvent. This will keep the pipe fresh and prevent the briar from absorbing the foul tasting and smelling moisture that is generated by smoking. There are a few properties that a good cleaning solvent should have. It should have the ability to break down tobacco tar and resins, have the ability to sterilize, be fast drying, high in alcohol content, non toxic, impart minimal taste and be gentle on the briar, stem material and pipe finish. That's a tall order but not impossible. Here are the common solvents we hear folks using with a bit of commentary to help you make up your mind as to which is right for you.

• Rubbing Alcohol - cleans very well and has excellent sterilization properties. Can over dry the briar which could in extreme case crack the shank.
• Consumable Spirits - Wine is out. Vodka is an excellent choice in the 90+ proof, non flavored variety. Dark spirits such as whiskey and scotch work well but tend to leave a distinct flavor behind. If you happen to like the taste that might be a plus.
• Water - Doesn't break down pipe gunk all that well and will swell the briar.
• Thinners and such - Under no circumstances should you use paint thinner, naptha, zippo lighter fluid or any such toxic liquids to clean your pipe.
• Commercially Prepared Solvents - such as the one found on this page are formulated to have the properties listed above. Some are better than others. The one we sell is the best I've used. The downside? ... costs more per ounce than 100 proof vodka which works almost as well.

One last thing ... be very careful with any of the solvents listed above. Some are flammable and all can strip the finish from your pipe if you are not careful. Happy Smoking!

One of my favorite times of the year to smoke my pipe is the winter season. The cool, crisp air brings out favors in tobacco that we never experience during the warmer months of the year. The warmest of the bowl in my hand also warms my heart. A recent winter smoking experience also prompted me to write a few precautionary word about smoking pipes outdoors in the cold weather. Cold air and hot pipes do not mix!

• Whilest walking my dog and enjoying a pipe I tapped out my ashes on palm of my hand (yes I knew better but I was absorbed in the moment). What happened next? You guessed it ... I was packing my pipe up and shipping to our pipe repair person for a new stem. The tenon snapped with less pressure than it would take to snap a toothpick.
• Briar pipes also have the tendency to seperate from their stems in cold weather. This is especially true for military style bit that a push fit in place. There is nothing worse than chasing your pipe bowl as it bounces it's way along the pavement.
• Blustery winter winds can cause a pipe bowl to burn out. Be careful when lighting and smoking. Wind rushing across your bowl will act like a bellows and super heat the tobacco inside causing burnouts.

Follow these simple winter precautions and you'll enjoy mishap free winter smoking. Happy Smoking, VegasSmokes.com

Finally, spring is in the air. It's this time of year when a lot of my focus is directed outdoor. My property and house needs much attention, the cars could use a thorough detailing, the grill is looking a little shabby and what's that green stuff in the pool? Gotta work on that to-do list first then I can turn my attention to real outdoor activities such as BBQs with friends and family, fishing and the occasional round of golf when the web site chores are done. One thing comes to my mind when thinking about all the exciting and not so exciting things that I'll start doing this weekend ... my venerable yard pipes and getting to smoke all the tobacco I desire (even the "stinky stuff" as my family calls it) without concern for who might be offended. With the enjoyment of a wonderful holiday season with many guests and winter temperatures confining my smoking to indoors, I found myself smoking mostly blends that others found to be pleasant and acceptable. Don't get me wrong, I loved smoking those tasty aromatic blends that harken back to Grampa but it's now time to hit my taste buds with something with a bit of punch. A rich, deep, dark English blend with lots and lots of Latakia is on the menu this weekend and there will be no one, not even a spring squirrel, to complain or pass a disapproving glance. Might even mix in some ground up cigar leaf just for good measure. I mentioned yard pipes. What are yard pipes you might ask. My yard pipes are generally lower grade pipes such as Savinelli budget pipes or Brindisi in price range and style. Some are higher end pipes that have seen a few better days. All of my yard pipes have 3 things in common. First, they all are very comfortable with a lot of bent pipes that hang in my mouth well. Being that I need both hands to do my chores, they must be very comfortable to clench with minimal effort. I fit many of them with rubber soft bits that slide over the stem end. These are great additions for a no hands yard pipe. Second, they are all some of the best smoking pipes I have. That may sound strange based on the fact that I have many high grade pipes in my collection but it's true. My yard pipes smoke great. They have too. While doing my chores that last thing I want to be doing is messing with a pipe that won't stay lit. If the pipe won't stay lit and needs more attention than the task at hand it's not a yard pipe. The last common thread amongst my yard pipes is the fact that they are mostly thick walled with big bowls and durable stems. These characteristics lend themselves well to a yard pipe. The big bowl mean I can puff away for an hour or so without having to reload. The thick walls, stem and tenon are great for absorbing the inevitable bounce off the driveway. Once I tried putting a tiny eye screw into a yard pipe with a string through it which hung around my neck. All I got for my effort was a few really bad blisters on my chest. Ouch!

Happy Spring Smoking, VegasSmokes.com

I'm rather used to smoking in the extreme summer heat but it seems we're in the midst of a country wide heat wave so I thought I'd take a little time this month to offer some tips that might help you get more enjoyment from your pipes as the mercury rises.

• The first thing that comes to mind is tobacco choice. Try to smoke tobaccos that you know from experience to burn a bit on the dry side. This is especially important if it is humid as well as hot.

• Burning pipe tobacco creates steam. This is one of the reasons why wet tobacco tends to "bite". Wet tobacco also has less flavor as the steam masks the tastes while cooking your taste buds. Excessive seasonal humidity adds to this problem. What I do to help matters is pre dry a day or twos worth of tobacco overnight in the driest part of my house. I'm not talking crispy dry but dry enough to where the tobacco burns correctly on a hot humid dry. A little trial and error will be necessary but you will be rewarded for your effort.

• As for choice of pipes … there is really no right or wrong. There are two schools of thought. Some think that smoking a thinner wall pipe helps to dissipate heat better. Others think a thicker wall pipe is better because the last thing you want on a blistering day is to be holding a red-hot pipe. You'll just have to try each and report back. Myself? I'm in the latter camp.

• Lastly, take a look at THIS previous article. You'll discover how to take advantage of the blazing heat to rapid age and improve just about any tobacco. Lemons to lemonade.

Happy Summer Smoking, VegasSmokes.com

As we get older there comes a time when some of us "seasoned" pipe smokers should start to think about the future of our wonderful past time. Some of us have enjoyed the fine art of pipe smoking for many moons now and maybe it's time to give something back to ensure that the rich history of pipe smoking and collecting is carried on to future generations. This will be our legacy. Passing on our past time has never been more difficult. Our children and grand children are being taught that smoking is evil, demonizing all smokers in the process, our smoking liberties are under constant attack and those we think they know better than we do as individuals seems at times to have the upper hand. And then there are the taxes geared towards not only separating us from our money but also from the joys of pipe smoking.

Here are a few ways we can make a difference:

Many of us, including myself, had early examples. We were lucky enough to have pipe smokers in our families. We watched as our elders enjoyed their pipes, filling the air with smells and memories that to this day "take us back". My grandfather didn't get ties for Christmas, he got a pipe. I recall when I got to the age where he would ask me to bring him a pipe ... to be able to handle his pipes was like a right of passage. He never encouraged me to smoke at such a young age but he did teach me how to handle things with respect, how to respect my elders while in the process of coming of age, about tradition and the importance of family and the times spent together. Most of these things were taught with the smell of Half & Half in the air. This is his legacy. This will be mine as well. For those us who were exposed to the same experiences growing up ... we should count ourselves lucky. Many of today's youth will never have such memories and examples. It's up to us to past these things on. I'm not suggesting that we sit our youth down and lecture them while blowing smoke in their faces. No. We should give them an example for them to aspire to and if the the gentlemanly (or womanly) art of relaxing with a pipe happens to be part of the example then we have fostered a time honored tradition.

Many of you recall, as young men, how difficult it was to make the transition from smoking your pipes in private to smoking them in public was. We exposed ourselves to uncomfortability, stares and maybe even ridicule. I know of many mature pipe smokers that still do not venture out in public with a pipe. Most of us overcame the awkwardness of being a young man with a pipe and some have not. Seems each generation is more concerned with "cool" than the generation before. Therefore, let's abandon some of our stodgy ways and bring a little "cool" back to pipe smoking. As an exercise in personal growth and in the interest of preserving our past time I vow to be seen in public with a pipe as much as possible ... won't you join me. Let's not be arrogant about it in a "I'm smoking my pipe so tough beans on you" kind of way. I'm talking about showing the world that pipe smoking is inherently sophisticated and civilized ... and cool. Might also be a good idea to leave the heavy and pungent blends at home when you're out strutting your stuff.

Young people who take up pipe smoking are the life blood of our hobby. If not for new people taking up the pipe the art of pipe smoking would simply fade away taking with it the great carvers, pipe shops and haunts we take for granted. Introducing interested people to pipe smoking is a great way to keep the hobby alive while forging new friendships and rediscovering our own passions. Joining pipe clubs and helping others while hanging around the pipe shop are great ways to breathe new life into our hobby. Taking a new pipe smoker under wing is very rewarding and will help insure that the pleasure of the pipe will be around for generations to come.

Happy smoking, VegasSmokes.com

We receive well over 100 emails each day. Most are junk but some are quite relevant. In this newsletter issue we've decided that answer a few publicly because we thought that many people could benefit from the replies. Here goes;

Q: I'm a relatively new pipe smoker. .... how much should I spend on a pipe? Rich S.

A: There are several factors to consider when purchasing a pipe as a new smoker. The first, and probably the most obvious, is a function of your individual financial situation. $100 for some is a lot of money and for others not. Secondly, what brought you to pipe smoking? Cigars? Quitting cigarettes? Curiosity? What I'm getting at is ... might this be a fad or is it something you are willing to put the time into? Lastly, do you plan on smoking mainly outdoors or in the comfort of any easy chair? Based on your thoughts about what I've posed to you, here are our recommendations;
Buy the most pipe you can afford at this time. Whatever you do, do not buy a cheap drug store type pipe. They simply do not smoke very well and will give you a bad first impression of pipe smoking in general. The smoking quality of pipes does increase as the cost of the pipe increases until you get to the $100 - $150 range. After that you start to pay for the aesthetic qualities of the pipe. There are some great smoking $40 pipes on our web site such as the Savinelli Budget Pipes and the Brindisi line. A step up from there would be the main line Savinelli, Brebbia and Stanwell. When selecting a pipe I believe pride of ownership plays a role as well. Also remember to leave a little room in your budget for a decent tamper and tobacco pouch. These two items will greatly enhance your smoking pleasure. As to why I asked where you'll be smoking your pipe for the most part ... the answer is simple. If you plan on doing a lot of smoking outdoors, while working in the yard and such, you might what to consider a rusticated pipe. The wear and tear of being outdoors will be far less noticeable on a pipe with a rough finish. Rusticated pipes generally cost less than smooth pipes. If you'll be smoking mostly indoors treat yourself to a smooth, polished pipe with as nice a grain pattern as you can find in your price range. As you sit and enjoy your pipe indoors you'll find that your senses will come alive. Smell, taste and touch all play a role. With a handsome pipe even sight becomes a pleasure. All the best, VegasSmokes

Q: I'm interested in buying my first pipe. Should I get a bent style pipe or straight? Malcom T.

A: Pipes are like shoes in many respects. What is attractive and comfortable to one person might be all wrong for another. From a technical stand point, here are a few considerations. Straight pipes tend to burn a little more evenly, cleanly and perhaps even a little cooler. The trade off is that holding it firmly in your teeth requires much more effort than a bent pipe due to basic leverage. If you tire of holding it in your teeth you'll need a free hand to hold it. Also, those of us who, over the course of time, have traded in our natural teeth for the man made kind might not have an easy time with larger straight pipes. I find straight pipes with saddle stems to be the most comfortable ... but that's me. Bent pipes are much easier to hold in your mouth and do not exert nearly as much leverage as a straight pipe. They also allow the smoker to catch an occasional whiff of their own tobacco directly from the bowl. Most people find them much easier to light and keep lit because you can see more of what your doing. The downside? When holding a bent pipe in your mouth over an extended period of time saliva tends to run down the stem causing moisture in the bowl which leads to a hot, gurgling pipe. Some less expensive bent pipes will not pass a pipe cleaner through without taking the stem off. That's OK when the bowl is cool but a major no-no when the bowl is hot. All the best, VegasSmokes

Q: I'd like to purchase a pipe as a gift for my husband. I see straight ones and ones with a bend. Which do most people prefer? Janet M.

A: My first recommendation is to sneak a peek at your husband's existing pipes and see what shape most are. As far as which shape is the most popular, we sell about 3 - 4 bent pipes for every one straight for the past 10 years. You really can't go wrong with either ... as gifts for men go, pipes are so much better than ties. :) I gift certificate might not be a bad idea either. All the best, VegasSmokes

We at VegasSmokes.com would like to wish all of our friends and customers a wonderful Thanksgiving. I wise man once said "Living life without thankfulness is like trying to water your lawn while standing on the hose". What great food for thought.

To all the men and women who are serving in the military who won't be fortunate enough to be with their family ... Our thoughts and prayers go out to you and Thank you. Happy Smoking, VegasSmokes

The topic of this newsletter is stems. Sounds simple enough but pipe smokers sometimes tend to take them for granted. We focus on our briar and tend to think of our stems as strictly the "business" end of our beautiful briars. While there is truth to that, stems provide different functionality and can also be things of beauty in their own right. This article is not intended to cover the subject of stems in detail. A book could be written on the subject; this is a primer and food for thought.

Stems come in many forms, shapes and materials. The varieties found on inexpensive pipes are generally molded from lower grade plastics. The burrs and molding seams are simply buffed to produce a smooth finish. This stem type is the least durable and attractive but is adequate for their intended purpose.

The next production method is turned and fraise duplicated models. These stems can be either one-offs done by small carvers, mass produced in a factory setting and everything in between. Some large pipe producers do this in house while others purchase stems from outside venders and concentrate on briar and fitting. This level of stem production can be of a very high quality given the technology used in modern facilities. Most stems of this grade would fall into the average to above average quality. The most common materials used for this method are vulcanite and Lucite. Vulcanite is a softer, more forgiving material. It can be buffed to an high luster, turned into a myriad of shapes including some of the more delicate styles and provides a very comfortable smoking experience. The downside the fact that vulcanite will discolor and scale with time, use and sun exposure. The discoloration and scaling can be cleaned but it does require skill and time. Lucite can be crafted into many shapes, is very long lasting, can be had in a huge assortment of colors and color combinations and requires almost none of the maintenance associated with vulcanite but they are hard.

The last production method is the one-off hand carved. This method is used on many high grade pipes by many high end pipe carvers. The pipe carver will put just as much artistic flare and expertise into a stem as they do a briar bowl. These stems can be a feast for the eyes, gentle on the mouth and add to the finish product rather than being just a utilitarian part of a pipe. The hand carved or "cut" stem is made from a blank of high grade material such as ebonite. Ebonite has all the positive properties of vulcanite with the durability of Lucite. It polishes to an extremely deep lustre and holds it's finish with minimal care for quite some time. It is also quite expensive as stem material goes. The blank can be turned on a lathe to produce the intial shape and diameter but is mostly shaped using hand tools such as files, rasps and sandpaper.

No matter what kind of stems you have or tend to be drawn to, with a little care and elbow grease they will serve you well for years to come. Happy Smoking VegasSmokes

Pipe tobacco differs from other tobacco products when it comes to moisture content. For cigars, the perfect moisture content is approximately 70 - 73 RH (relative humidity) @ 72°. This is generally too damp for pipe tobacco. While I'm on the subject let me address the matter of storing pipe tobacco in your cigar humidor. Simply put, it's a very bad idea. Besides the fact that a cigar humidor is too damp, pipe tobacco will impart a taste to the cigars they are stored with and vise versa. Also, if the pipe tobacco is placed against the humidor's cedar lining it will badly stain it. Pipe tobacco is best kept between 45 and 60 RH. I know this seems like a large range but it does cover the vast types of pipe tobacco. Different styles of pipe tobacco require different RH. Here is a rule of thumb to finding the right RH for each tobacco type you smoke.

• Tobacco that is too moist will be hard to light, burn wet (which will cause your pipe to gurgle), lack flavor and it will burn very hot due to the excess moisture being converted to steam.
• Tobacco that is too dry will burn fast, hot and have a straw-like quality to the taste.

So here is the assignment: Experiment will each type of tobacco that you smoke. First, smoke it in the same condition as you bought it. (Don't assume that because the tobacco shipped with a certain moisture content that is the correct content.) Note how it smoked. Work your way down in dryness and continue to note how the tobacco smokes. Once you have determined the best moisture content for each of your tobaccos try to replicate the RH in your temporary and long term storage. If all this sounds like a lot of work, you're right, it is but you will be rewarded with a much better smoking experience. Remember, there are no hard and fast rules. What might be perfect for me might be too dry for you. Two last thoughts on the subject:

1. Temperature effects RH. As temperature rising so does RH. As temperature lowers so does RH.
2. Some manufacturers use things like propylene glycol (mostly found in aromatics but can be found elsewhere) and pectin to regulate RH and enhance shelf life. These tobaccos tend to be more difficult to control the RH. Personally, I try to avoid them anyway.

Thanksgiving is often overlooked as it seems, at times, simply a jumping off point for Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanza (forgive me if I left someone's holiday of choice from this short list :) ). In my mind Thanksgiving is one of most, if not the most, personal holiday.

When I was a boy Thanksgiving consisted of the entire, and I mean entire, family gathering at my grandparents house. I recall a never ending flow of food, some of which wasn't exactly suited for a child's pallet. Come on, how many youngsters really appreciate antipasti. I remember laughing, hugging, kissing, the kitchen looking like a beehive of Italian women, football, passionate "debates" and of course Grandpa smoking Half & Half in his pipe. There was one part of Thanksgiving I did not look forward to at all. Just as dinner was about to be served, he'd take his usual place at the head of the table, stand and have each person under his roof tell everyone what they were thankful for. I'd be at one of the many kiddie tables sweating my turn. As I got older I even started rehearsing days in advance only to forget what I was going to say. This forced payment for a nice turkey dinner that Grandpa extracted from his guests seemed to last forever. What a drag. I recall people crying, laughing and even arguing as family members and friends got things off their chests. Being so young I did not understand the power of the therapy Grandpa was providing. One year, as I got older and and closer to the grown up table, it was my turn to stand (yes he made everyone stand) and he asked me what I was thankful for. I just said the first thing that came to my mind ... I said "You". He looked at me and I looked at him and we both welled up with tears. It was at that moment that he knew that I knew what he was up to all those years.

Grandpa is gone and I have a my own tribe over which I preside from the head of the table. I keep the tradition alive. Maybe someday I'll hear that same simple word ... "You".

At this moment, looking back over the close of VegasSmokes 9th successful year, if you were to ask me what I was thankful for the answer would be very simple ... each and every one of ... "You".

Happy Thanksgiving, VegasSmokes.com

Smoking a pipe in the cold weather brings with it a few problems that we don't have to think about in warmer weather. Here are some ideas to keep your winter smoking pleasant a problem free.

• Be extra careful with your stems when smoking outdoors. Stem material can become very brittle from the cold and break easily. Do not separate the stem from it's bowl until the pipe is back indoor and acclimated to the warmer temperature. Try not to clench the stem too hard either. Pressure that would be normal in moderate temperatures can crack a cold stem.

• The fit between the stem and bowl will fluctuate when it is exposed to constant and rapid changes of temperature. The tenon may also loosen. Don't buff or try to correct the problem right away. Stop using the pipe and store it indoors for a few days to see if the situation will correct itself.

• Cold air changes the flavor of tobacco and can effect the way we smoke. Cool smoke has more flavor but cold smoke tends to lack flavor making us want to puff harder. This causes tongue bite and bowl overheating. An inexpensive windcap can solve this problem.

• Winter wind can also be a pipe smoker's enemy. Besides the flying ash, wind causes a variety of problems. Pipes are harder to light so we end up burning the rims of our bowls. Try lighting while sheltered or use your coat as a wind break. Also try to use a lighter with a directional flame. I wet the bowl rim with a little saliva prior to lighting. Sounds a bit nasty but it does work. Wind whipping across the bowl top can also cause the pipe to burn it's sidewalls. You'll never notice until it's too late because you can't feel the excess heat. Again, a simple windcap can solve this problem.

• Find a pipe or two that fairs well in cold weather. Outdoor smoking in cold temperatures is not the time to be smoking your rare Dunhill. It's the time for a solid, rugged pipe with thick walls and a durable stem. These types of pipes are available and, as a plus, tend to be the least expensive.

So you see, with a little common sense and wisdom, not even Jack Frost himself can keep us from enjoying our pipes outdoors on a cold winter's day.

Happy Winter Smoking, VegasSmokes.com

We've all heard it and we've all had it, but what is it and what can be done about it? Pipe gurgle is caused when moisture gathers in the bottom of our bowl and bubbles about when we draw on our pipe. The moisture comes from three sources. The first is from tobacco that has a moisture content that is too high. When the moisture content of tobacco is too high it converts to steam and then the steam converts to liquid which sits in the bottom of the bowl. We've written quite a few articles about achieving the correct moisture content - please follow the link above. The second cause is saliva that finds it's way down the stem from our mouths. This can be corrected by changing our smoking habits to includes things such as not talking with our pipes in our mouths and placing our tongues over the tips of our pipes when not drawing. The third cause is the change of airflow when smoke leave the bowl and enters the stem. If the airway in the shank is significantly larger than the airway in the stem any steam in the smoke will condense and form moisture which will gather in the bowl. This can be addressed by enlarging and funneling the stem airway. This is a simple but delicate process that might be better off left to a professional.

The fixes for pipe gurgle other than those stated above - (proper moisture content, change of smoking habits and refining the airway) - are as follows:

When the pipe begins to gurgle slowly blow into the stem. Do this until the gurgle is reduced. Doing so forces the moisture towards the burning embers which will help to evaporate it. Blow, blow, blow, draw - blow, blow, blow, draw. Simple but effective.

You can also do the obvious, insert a pipe cleaner down the stem to absorb the moisture. Do not separate the stem to do this. Doing so might crack the tenon of a hot pipe. Start at the mouthpiece and work it further until it's in the bowl. This might not happen on the first time and might require a little twisting and fiddling at the transition from the tenon to the shank but in most pipes it will pass completely with little effort.

This is part 1 of a multi part series on how and why to start a pipe club. This newletter will deal with "Why start a pipe club?". There are many reasons to start a pipe club. Some are obvious and some might not be. Lets take a further look:

As time marches on we seem to spend more of our lives in front of our computers. The line between work and leasure has been blurring for years. The internet has given us many freedoms and benefits but is also causing great isolation. Our daily interaction with others is growing less as time passes. The extreme of this can be seen in the lack of social skills displayed by some as well as the choice by many to live behind a self invented online alter ego. I believe that we as human have a inate desire for social interaction which at times we can starve causing lack of stimulation and personal growth.

We as pipe smokers have always been in the minority. I also know that many of us can be closet pipe smokers at time. We prefer the solitude of our smoking rituals rather than the glares we might perceive when we are enjoying our pipes in public. This is especially true of younger and new pipe smokers. This is a shame because a lot of what we perceive as perhaps unapproving glances is really curiousity and intregue. In actuality many people want to compliment us or tell us of some memory that we brought back. Sure there are some horse's asses out there but they don't deserve a second thought anyway. The truth is that a pipe with tend to make us the center of attention in public. Some of us may be comfortable with that and other not so much.

Enter the pipe club. Imagine what it would be like to get together with a group of others who enjoy pipes. Being surrounded by the thing we enjoy. Being in the "in crowd", the cool kids or simply blending in. Sharing a commonality and bond with other that transends the everyday BS of politics, economics and a host of other devisive destractions. Sounds good right.

Pipe clubs are a great excuse to get out of the house or from behind our computers and interact. There is much to be learned at a pipe club meeting. The latest blend or carver, lighting technique. Beyond that, pipe smokers tend to be thinkers that are well versed is many subjects and other hobbies. A pipe club can go beyond the pipe itself and become a think tank, sounding board, support group and just a place for having fun and relaxing in a non-judgemental environment. While I'm at it I might as well mention that pipe clubs are a great way to not only meet people but an excellent oppotunity to network. Who would you rather do business with or have paint your house, a fellow pipe smoker or a stranger?

Here's another reason or perhaps excuse to start a pipe club that you might not have thought of - perks. Thats right, perks. What are the perks of a pipe club? Well, lets break it down. If an active pipe club had say 10 or more members there are many things available.

• Venders might be willing to send free samples.
• Online pipe vendors (like VegasSmokes) as well as brick and mortar pipe shop might be willing to extend discounts
• Establishments that permit pipe smoking might be willing to extend discounts and provide space and/or services for meetings providing the members spend money there.
• Pipe club outings could be discounted. A golf course might give a very good discount for 8 tee times vs. two. Using your imagination ;).

Hopefully I've given you some food for thought and maybe some inspiration to start a pipe club. In the next newsletter we'll cover more of the "nuts and bolts" aspects of starting a pipe club. Happy Smoking!

In Part One we discussed the "whys" of starting a pipe club. I'm sure by now you've thought of even more. In Part Two we'll get into some of the "hows". So, first things first -

Club Name - Naming the club when there are only a couple or even one founding members might seem a little premature but it will set the tempo of things to come and give the new pipe club some instant credibility. Pick a good name a stick with it. Think long term.

Members - It's rather difficult to have a pipe club without a membership. Less than 5 people isn't really a club but more of a get together so you're shooting for 5+. That said, all it takes is 1 or 2 committed pipe smokers to get the club off the ground. Where do you find members? Basically, where ever you can. Start with those you know already have an interest in the pipe then branch out. Visit local smoke shops and talk to the owner/manager. They might let you leave a flyer and maybe even host the club - but we'll get into that later. You could even place a small ad in a free local paper or on a free local website announcing the formation of the club. Don't forget your internet pals. Even if your intent is to run a local club you'd still want to make "membership" available to those not living in your area. It's a great way to increase your numbers and keep in touch with like-minded folks that share the passion for the pipe. You could plan away trips and they could visit you as well. Lastly, should you see someone smoking a pipe, introduce yourself and invite them. You'd be surprised how often the invite will be well received. Having some cheap business cards printed is a good idea.

Location - Now that you have a few members you'll have to start thinking about a location to meet. That location could be as simple as a members basement or shed to start with. Frankly, most folks like to get out of the house. Places to consider are:

• Local Smoke Shops - Don't forget to ask for club discounts based on the amount to people that attend/membership
• Local Bars or Restaurants that allow smoking - Don't forget to ask for club discounts based on the amount to people that attend/membership. Many places will extend specials for you while you're there.
• VFW, KofC,Elks, Golf Clubs etc. - These types of places are familiar with the club environment and what you're trying to accomplish. They might be very supportive.

Just remember, your members are guests and must respect and support the establishment. Don't overstay or wear out your welcome and you'll be welcomed back.

Leadership - Yes, someone has to be in charge. A good club will require direction and organization to be viable. Don't get hung up on titles but do appoint (possibly via vote) those who have a passion for the club. Those in a leadership position should not be ego driven and should delegate duties across the entire membership. Doing so will knit the club tighter. What "duties" you might ask. Well, unless you're plan is to just sit around and smoke your pipes which, trust me, will wear very thin in a short amount of time, you'll need duties such as the following ...

Events - To have a successful club you'll want to have an itinerary of events. Without events the club with become a bore and the membership will evaporate. Events will bind. Even the act of planning events will bind members together. The events don't have to be swashbuckling adventures (although having one once a year is a blast). Events can be as simple as a golf outing, having a vendor do a demo show for the club, monthly tobacco tastings, picnics, fishing trips, etc. You get the picture. Bigger events could be running and organizing your own yearly pipe show (think Chicago Pipe Show), trips to pipe factories and tobacco farms, charitable events such as Habitat for Humanity (great way to get positive press for pipe smokers) just to name a few. Find out what members want and try to get it done. In order to run events someone is going to have to take charge and the membership will have to participate.

Web site - Eventually you'll want a website. They are a great place to keep in touch with members, host your calendar of events and promote your club. Site hosting plans for a basic site are very affordable these days. There are many free utilities, some provided by the hosting companies themselves, for designing your site.

Monetary Concerns - I've never been a big fan of paying dues for a pipe club membership and in these economic times folks might be a little strapped. However, a small annual fee to cover things like web site hosting, business cards, cake and coffee and such is generally not too much to ask. If you decide against a annual membership just don't have one or two members footing the bill for the rest - that will breed contempt - eventually. Keep a record of all club funds and how they are spent. Make that record freely available to all.

Organization - It would be a good idea to start most meetings/get togethers discussing club matters such as upcoming events, fund raising and the like. Don't be afraid to put things to a vote.

Have Fun!! - Don't forget the NUMBER ONE reason for your club - to have fun and fellowship with like-minded pipe smokers. It's very easy to get caught up or tied down in the politics of any club. Try not to take things so serious that dissension ever becomes an issue. If a matter of any consequence does arise handle it with class, an open mind and hopefully a bowl of your favorite blends.

Hopefully I've provided a good outline for starting an exiting and successful pipe club. If there are any other questions or issues feel free to contact us. Good luck with your new pipe club and as always ... Happy Smoking!

Only 2 weeks until Father's Day!

Ever take the time to ponder Father's Day? There has to be more to it than ugly ties and not having to do the lawn that Sunday. Well turns out there is. Father's Day, which is now 100 years old, differs from Mother's Day. Historically Mother's Day is meant to specifically honor one's own mother, not the concept of motherhood. On the other hand Father's Day is/was meant to honor fatherhood in general as well as our forefathers and ancestors. This differential explains the contrast in the way the two holidays are celebrated. On Mother's Day we lavish gifts, meals and relaxation upon our wives and mothers. In most cases this is not so on Father's Day. Hopefully dads and granddads get to relax, smoke a new pipe (hint, hint :) ) and enjoy a good meal and maybe watch the US Open. Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying dads are getting a raw deal - my point is, according to my research, Father's Day aligns itself more with Memorial and Veteran's Day. It's supposed to be a sort of intro/retrospective day. We give thought and honor to our fathers, grandfathers, forefathers, ancestors and fatherhood in general. So if perchance you receive another ugly tie, smile, graciously give thanks and lift a bowl in honor of Fatherhood in the spirit in which it was intended.

Happy Smoking, VegasSmokes

It's well over 100 degrees (f) at the moment and my tobacco tastes like crap and my tongue is cooked!. OK, that's a hellofa way to start off this months newsletter but it's true. So what the problem? My tobacco is good and my pipe is broken in and clean. With all the advise I've given over the years I definitely shot myself in the foot and broke a few of my own cardinal rules. First off, I'm smoking a very short shanked pipe. A tadpole shape with very thick walls to be exact. That pipe served me well while I was indoors but outside in 100+, not so good. In the summer while outdoors the best shape is one with a longer shank and thinner walls. Longer shanks and thinner bowl walls allow for better cooling - not a tremendous amount but it is noticable especially in extreme heat and humidity. Secondly, my tobacco wasn't exactly "summer ready". Admittedly, I was anxious to smoke the ancient Solani I dug up from the tobacco cellar. There was nothing wrong with the tobacco but I should have let it dry out a bit before smoking outdoors. Not a lot but just enough to drop the moisture content a bit. Solani has a fair bit of latakia as well. Latakia tends to taste a bit "off" when smoked outdoors in hot weather. Strike three I supposed. Talk about not practicing what I preach. Geez. I guess the moral of this little story/rant is that when during the enjoyment of a pipe you encounter something that's not quite right it's best to go back to basics no matter how experienced a pipe smoker you are. Enjoy the summer!!

Happy Smoking, VegasSmokes

It's almost time to pack away our winter clothes and our winter pipe and tobacco. If you're like me you have blends that just seem that much better when smoked during the colder months. Deep, dark blends that linger longer in the thin winter air, holiday blends that bring cheer and heavier blends with thicker cuts that hold up well to harsh outdoor smoking. These same tobacco tend to be too much in the warmer months or might lose some of their subtleties in warmer, more humid air. You might, like me, have pipes that are suiter for the colder months as well. Mine tend to be larger, thick walled rugged pipes. Many are also sandblasted or rusticated for a firmer grip with cold hands. These same pipes might again be "too much" for the warmer months. I don't have the big pockets to carry a larger pipe. A smaller pipe also feels and looks a bit most appropriate. Here is a collection of articles we've written over the years on the subject of spring pipes and winter pipe and tobacco storage.

Enjoy, VegasSmokes.com

Even the finest pipes with the mostly expertly applied finish will eventually dull - thats a sad fact. There are many factors that lead to the dulling. The first of course is the oils from our skin which break down the finish on our bowls. The other common causes are heat from smoking, tanic acid and tar from our tobacco, sunlight, improper storage and many more. All is not lost however. There are many steaps we can take to keep our pipe bowls shiny for years to come. First you should know how most pipes are finished. Quality pipes are finished with layers of carnauba wax which are buffing into the grain of the briar. Carnauba is a very hard, durable and protective wax. One of the great traits of carnauba wax is the fact that as long as some remains on your bowl it can be revived. Being the hard wax that it is a little heat is required to bring back it's shine. Keep word = a little. A great habit to get into is when you finish smoking your pipe, while it is still warm, wipe down the bowl with a square of cloth from an old but clean cotton tee shirt. The cotton tee material is thin enough to transfer your body heat (in conjuction with the already warm bowl) to the wax an reactivate it. This also serves to clean the pipe. Don't hold the pipe by the stem when you do this or you might run the risk of snapping it. If you want to "warm buff" your shine on a pipe that you have not smoked I found a great way to do that. Stick that same cotton tee shirt in the dryer for a minutes. While the cloth is warming up commandeer a hair dryer. Set it to low and warm the bowl without the stem from 12" - 24" away. Now buff the warm pipe with the warm cloth for a beautiful "warm buff" shine that will last. WARNING - warm not hot. Hot will ruin your finish. Every so often it is also a good idea to use an impregnated cloth such as the Stanwell or Dunhill Polishing Clothes. They do work very well for reguvinating a shines and they last for quite so time so they offer great value. If you do your end of smoke wipe downs, warm buffing and polishing cloth reguvinations your bowls will keep thier shine for a very long time. Unfortunately and eventually the carnauba wax will wear down to the point where there simply isn't any left on the bowls sans what is in the pores of the woods. Now it's time to either bring/send your pipe to a professional with a buffing wheel and carnauba to reapply. Your pipe will be as shiny as new. You could also build a buffing wheel and do it yourself - but I'll keep you in suspense until the next newletter :)

Happy Smoking, VegasSmokes

Being in Vegas, staff here are not strangers to smoking in the summer heat. In fact our "summer" lasts for the better part of the year so we've become rather adept at making the most of it. Instead of a few instructional paragraphs I decided to go about things a little differently this month. I polled staff and Vegas customers and the following is a compilations of the hot weather pipe smoking tips everyone came up with. Some are wise and others humorous.

Happy Smoking, VegasSmokes

• If you are going to spend a lot of time smoking outdoors be careful about burning your shirts. Take it from someone who has pinholes down the front of his new $60 World Cup soccer shirt.
• Let your tobacco dry out a little before smoking. Drier tobacco burns a little better and slightly cooler in the heat.
• Smoke more virginia type blends and less english
• Don't smoke your pipe around the pool. Chlorine flavored tobacco, yuck.
• Summer is a great time to visit local pipe shops that allow smoking and have air conditioning.
• Keep the stinky stuff outside - "a loving wife"
• Don't leave your pipes in the sun. The sun will quickly oxidize your stems and soften the wax finish. It will also loosen the fitting between the shank and stem
• Don't leave your pipes in a hot car - unless you want to see your bent stems turn straight right before your eyes.
• Leave your tinned tobacco in your hot car for some instant aging. Let it cool before smoking.
• Pack your bowls only 3/4 full if it's very humid. It'll be a drier smoke.
• If you have a local establishment that allows indoor smoking try setting up a weekly meeting with fellow pipe smokers. They might welcome the steady business during their slow periods and you'll have a gathering place to beat the heat.
• If you can't find a place where pipe smoking is permitted and you have fellow pipe smokers willing, rotate your own pipe gathering at your homes. Cool friends, cool pipes and cold brews sure make for a great summer.
• If you don't have pipe smoking friends take this summer to go get you some.
• Go check out some sunrises and sunset with pipe in hand, you'll live longer.

It's been a while since we've done a top five questions list. Top five question lists are compiled from the non order related questions most frequently asked of us via email. We receive in the neighborhood of 1500 - 2000 emails per months, some for order related questions and some not. Some interesting and some not so much. When we see the same question many times we take note and about once a year or so compile them for the newsletter. The first 2 questions were not much of a surprise and I believe they are a product of the current economy and perhaps the fact that some of our older brothers of briar have gone to the great pipe shop in the sky. Here goes this year's top five.

Q: How much are my pipes worth?

A: Depends. Just because a pipe is old it doesn't mean it is valuable. It comes down to pedigree and desirability - an old or used pipe needs both.

Q: Do you buy pipes?

A: Depends. Vegassmokes has a long standing history of purchasing and selling "estate" pipes. We purchase for resale purposes only based on whether we feel there is demand for the pipe or pipes. We ask for images and a list and if we feel we can resell the pipes arrangements are made to get them to us. There are 2 types of transactions. Outright purchase and consignment. Outright purchase is the fastest way to receive payment. Consignment nets slightly more money and consignees can have final input on the sale price (which is both a pro and con) but have to wait for an actual sale to take place to get paid. The amounts we pay are based on the type of pipe and ultimately how much we can sell it for. Upon receipt of a used pipe we have it thoroughly cleaned, sanitized and polished. It is then photographed and loaded on to our web site. These things cost time and money and are factored into the prices we pay. We also need to make a modest profit in the process to keep our lights on. In certain cases we accept pipes as trade-ins towards items on our site so don't forget to ask about that option.

Q: I'm new to pipe smoking. What is a good pipe to start with?

A: We get asked this all the time. Based on many years of experience we can say that a straight pipe or one with a slight bend are the easiest to learn the art of pipe smoking. These pipes are the most forgiving in terms of the issues a new smoker encounters such as wet smoking, too dry or wet tobacco, over puffing and incorrect packing. You need not spend a lot of money on your first or second pipe. There are great pipes in the Savinelli Budget Series, Monticello, Brindisi and on our Clearance page.

Q: What is the difference between a $50 pipe and a $250 pipe? Does one smoke that much better than the other?

A: This is another question we get asked a lot. There are many differences that exceed the constraints of this Q & A (we will be doing a full article shortly) but we'll cover some generalities here. To address the first part of the question; most of the differences between a $50 and a $250 pipe are aesthetic. The $250 pipe, or shall we say the "more expense" pipe, will, for the part have better grain in a visual sense, longer aged briar, and higher quality stem materials. The more expensive pipe will also have more hands-on craftsmanship. More expensive pipes will generally hold their value better if kept in good condition - depending on the manufacturer or carver of course. There are also some intangibles such as style, pride of ownership, commemorative issues and others. As far as smoking the differences are not as clear. I have $50 smokers that smoke as well as some of my much more expensive handmades but then again I do have some handmades that are absolutely sublime smokers. To a certain degree the expression "You get what you pay for" holds true for pipes but not nearly to the degree that you find in say electronics. If you have the money or are going to be gifted a higher end pipe then by all means do - it's not just a pipe it'll be a companion through thick and thin for many years to come. If you're on a budget or looking for a less expensive pipe for casual use there are many good smoking choices at VegasSmokes.com.

Q: What is the best tobacco to start out with?

A: That's a really tough one but has come up a lot lately - especially from folks switching from cigarettes to the pipe. There are 3 main classes of pipe tobacco - Aromatic, Virginias and English. These 3 classes have many subcategories. The are literally 10s of 1000s of blends excluding custom hand mixed blends. That's the good news!! There is something for everybody and if not blend it yourself!! How great is that. I guess I should state a few guidelines:

If you've been smoking cigarettes you might like Virginia based tobaccos.

If you like big, bold flavors and smells you might like English style tobacco.

If you like some sweetness and a pleasant room aroma Aromatics are the way to go.

Try to avoid drugstore brand tobacco - you know the ones I'm referring to. They have the same shelf life as twinkies and taste about the same when smoked.

If you are lucky enough to have a pipe shop or tobacco store with some beautiful glass jars of tobacco openly displayed you've hit the jackpot. Ask the shop keep if he allows sampling and if the answer is yes great. Just don't be a pig about it. Take some pinches, smoke, get to know the folks but above all support them by spending a couple bucks even if the prices are a bit more than online.

Happy Smoking, VegasSmokes

As Thanksgiving approaches I finally sat down the other night to prepare my Thanksgiving diner speech (a tradition that I took over from my grandfather - also a pipe smoker). As i made my list / outline of what I wanted to express to my family and friends something dawned on me. I believe that by nature pipe smokers tend to be very thankful people in general. I base this conclusion on all the small things that were on my list. I think pipe smokers have a deeper appreciation of the simpler and perhaps more important things in life. Is it because we as a whole slow down when we smoke our pipes giving us a chance reflect? Are we more thoughtful? Do we tend to derive more from the simple pleasures of life because pipe smoking has tend us to appreciate things such as fine grain and the delicate nuances of pipe tobacco? Does the ritual of pipe smoking make us more in tune with tradition and traditional values? Is it the patience we've learned from pipe smoking? Maybe it is all of the above. My grandfather used to say "Life without thankfulness is like trying to water your lawn while standing on the garden hose". In this gimme gimme, technology driven and computer assisted world in which we live those words ring even truer today for me than ever before. The world could learn a lot from us I suppose. Therefore lets resolve ourselves to teach by example and maybe as those around us step off their garden hoses they too can also find a deeper appreciation for the simpler and more important things in life as we, the Brothers and Sisters of the Briar, already have.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, VegasSmokes

One of my favorite every day pipes started to develop a deep toothmark from constant wear in my mouth. Its not a high end pipe, just a really good smoker so I wanted to do something about it. I could send it to our pipe repair guy for a new stem but that could take at least a week or two so I decided to try something my grandfather used to do back in the day - filling it. I'm only suggesting this fix for you folks with pipes teethmarks that are beyond buffing out (many can be buffed out before they get too deep) and on pipes that you'd consider replacing the stems on anyway. Here's what it did:

First remove the stem and clean the toothmark out very well. Get some Krazy Glue and a toothpick. Prop the stem up so the toothmark is totally level. Put a tiny dab of glue on the toothpick and lightly touch it to the toothmark allowing the glue to fill it. It's better to under fill than over fill it. Allow the glue to dry - this should take anywhere from 1 to several hours. Make sure its completely solid by lightly testing it with a fingernail. You'll notice the glue might shrink back. If the fill is not level you can always do it again. If you want to make it almost unnoticeable you can take some 1200 grit sandpaper and lightly rub the fill then buff.

Experiment on an old beater pipe if you can to gain confidence with the procedure. Once you master it you'll be able to save many pipe stems from an early grave.