Time for pipes!

Now that I have a 'bad-ass' camera, I think it's time to take some nice pics of my tobacco pipes! Since 2005 I enjoy smoking my pipe. It started as a joke; I saw a couple of pipes laying in a store and joked about me walking through the streets with one of those things in my mouth (imagine me walking with one hand on my back and the other one holding the pipe, doing some old-man-walk). A few months later, after I've walked-by that store a couple of times, I've decided to enter and just buy it. And so I did. Of course I've only started to do some research AFTER I've bought my smoking device...

My first pipe wasn't a great one. I've bought it in Brasil and right now it's broken. I won't even post a photo of it... My first tobacco was Captain Black, Cherry flavor, also not of great quality.

Now let's go to the real work! My first pipe:

Poul Stanwell - Collection 925 - 15, Sandblast

A Poul Stanwell - Collection 925 - 15, sandblast. And I have to be honest, it's not my most expensive pipe, but it's surely one of my favorites! Maybe it's even my #1. When I can't decide which pipe to bring, I always pick this one. It's familiar, smokes great and is robust. It's the sandblast version, so when I hold it, I feel a nice grip. I also have the feeling that it's less sensitive for small scratches.

Peterson System 307

A Peterson System 307, my second pipe. I've bought this pipe in 2006 at the local tobacco store, right before it closed its doors forever. 8 times they were robbed by armed dick-heads, so they've decided to retire a bit earlier than planned. I've bought the pipe with some discount (because of the closure), but of course I would be happier if the store was still there!

About the pipe... It has a large bowl! The first few years I would smoke anything in it. I didn't really dedicated a pipe for one special tobacco, so this big guy would cost me almost 2 hours to smoke! Now I only smoke Semois in it, a very dry and fast burning tobacco from Belgium. Now it only takes me 1 hour to smoke this pipe and to be honest, for a strong taste like this, that's more than enough!

Peterson System 303

A Peterson System 303, the pipe that I've bought in 2009 for my own birthday. A nice smoker that looks a lot like her older sister, the 307, but is a lot smaller. This is actually a very small pipe that's just perfect for smoking Latakia. Of course I've used it for any type of tobacco in the first few years, but hey, everybody needs to learn!

Peterson Rock of Cashel (model number unknown)

I've bought this one in Dublin at the Peterson store end 2009. When I've bought it, I was totally crazy about it. Then I suddenly didn't like it anymore and took it out of my collection for almost a year. I've thought about giving this pipe away, but then suddenly I started to like it again. Weird... It's back in the collection, only I still have to start smoking it again. If you would like to see some photos of the Peterson of Dublin store, search the blog for Dublin and you'll find some short stories about my travel.

The next 3 pipes were a gift from a friend of mine on the Dutch Pipe Smokers Forum (Pijprokersforum.nl). I've received a package at the end of 2010, if I remember well. There were about 5 pipes, but I've given 2 of them away. Not that I didn't like them, but because I already had something like that. Then I rather make someone else happy with it.

Here are the ones that I've kept and that will never leave my collection!

Mastro de Paja

 I just love this pipe! It's very pretty. Just look at the grain! Because of the narrow chamber, I prefer to smoke flake in it. It burns well and... Ah! It's a great pipe.

Winsløw

 Also a very good smoker. What I like about Winsløw pipes is that their smoke channels are always very well balanced. They're also a little bit wider than other pipes, what makes them a bit more comfortable to me.

Winsløw

 Another Winsløw. I'm not sure yet of what I'll smoke in it. I've tried Latakia and Flake. They both taste great in this pipe... Life's hard!

Falcon (straight stem) with a rusticated Apple bowl and a Hunter Dover bowl.

 I'm really surprised about this one! I've always thought about Falcon's as the most ugliest pipes around, but then some people on Pijprokersforum.nl convinced me that they're very handy and easy to clean. And that you only have to screw another bowl on it to smoke it again within 10 minutes! Then I slowly started to get more and more interested and right now I even think they're beautiful! I'm still planning to buy myself another stem (bent) and some more bowls. Talking about bowls; the Apple I use for Latakia and the Dover for any other tobacco (but no flake).

Parker

 A very light and elegant Parker that I use to smoke Latakia. The chamber is not to high and almost as wide. Perfect for Latakia. What can I say about this one? I've bought it for a very low price on Pijprokersforum.nl.

Old River

 This was a gift from my sister. She has bought it on her vacation in Austria. It's roughly rusticated as you can see and it's very short. This asks for a slow burning tobacco. I use it for Latakia, but I really need to smoke slowly, otherwise I'll burn my tongue with this one!

Vauen - Gandalf

Gandalf's pipe! Well... Now it's mine! A very nice pipe, made by Vauen. I don't smoke it too often and that's weird, because it smokes great! I'll work on it.

Turkish Meerschaum

 A Turkish Meerschaum. This was a gift from 2 of my best friends from Brazil. I'm totally crazy about this one and I don't even touch it with my bare hands, because that might cause fat-spots on it. During the first year you have to take some extra care for this, otherwise you'll be stick with those spots forever. Later on I'll be able to touch it during the smoke. I would like to thank them again! Amazing gift, guys!


And of course there is a cactus on this blog!

Maihueniopsis darwinii

This Maihueniopsis darwinii is actually growing on my balcony! This cutting was a gift from someone of the Cactiguide.com forum. The guy that has sent it to me is also from the Netherlands and he grows this species in his garden. They can even survive our sucky winters! I've kept it inside up till 2 weeks ago without any growth. Now it's outside for 2 weeks and look what's on top of it! Yeah... It's doing well. Let's just check out if it'll survive our 'brutal' winter!

Hmmm... No photo of Wonnie. Shall I take one? Okay! 

Wonnebald

Always when I or my wife is behind the computer, he has to lay between the keyboard and the monitor. He's just always around! He's almost 6 months old now and I really don't want the vet to take his balls... I really don't! I hope he won't piss around in the house and won't hump things. Hmfff.... We'll see what the future brings! I'll keep you up to date about his balls, okay? Deal!

See ya later!