Well, it appears that those Jeantet pipes are Thompson pipes....I suppose that answers my question. I guess I'll stick to a low end Peterson as a first briar.

I smoke a pipe befor going o bed on a cold night and find it keeps your chest warm and comfortable. I also smoke my pipe when Iv run out of cigars, when Im reading and when Im with friends who dont like the cigars smell.

Guinness me

I love that name BBB!

B.A.S.E #0000 <(o)>
C.L.A.S.P. #0000
P.F.M.

thanks

Guinness me

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Originally posted by rembonjaski:
I've been smoking a Meerschaum for about 4 years and really enjoy it. Unfortunately, I misplaced my pipe in a recent move and haven't had a chance to smoke it in a while. I'd like to start again now that cooler temperatures are now approaching (I say cooler because Southern California never gets cold) and figure now would be a good time to add a briar pipe (at least until I can find my Meerschuam). Anyone have any opinions on Jeantet pipes. They are cheap and look nice, so I thought I'd start there.

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Jeantets are garbage. They are in the Thompson's catalog all of the time. If you look at them closely you will see they have a plastic or lacquer finish on them. Quality briar pipes will be finished only in Caranuba wax to allow the richness of the grain show through. Some pipes are sandblasted or texture finished to hide flaws, but if you look at Jeantets they are actually covered in a smooth marbelized or whatever color plastic coating.

Buy a corncob until you can find your other pipes or buy a better briar. I recommend Bjarne's,Brebbia's for less expensive pipes around $50-60 and my next pipe will probably be a Poule Winslow. I'm partial to Danish styles, especially freehands.

I found that after replying to this I smoke my pipe as much as my cigars now so thanks for the insperation guys.

Yes, I am partial to a pipe every now and then - I usually smoke a flavoured one (Coffee Caramel) which is the total opposite of my cigar smoking preferences!

Current tobacco rotation:

Ashton Old Dog
McClelland British Woods
Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader
Dan Tobacco/CAO London Blend

All English style, all black leathery and earthy with varying levels of Latakia...

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Originally posted by BinDerSmokDat:
[.....Quality briar pipes will be finished only in Caranuba wax to allow the richness of the grain show through. Some pipes are sandblasted or texture finished to hide flaws....

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The carnuba is to give the briar a shine while allowing the the wood to breath. Cheaper pipes do have coatings on them to give shine and durability and that's why they smoke like crap.
A sandblast or rusticated pipe has that finish beacause as the pipe is being carved a pit is found in the brair. (These pits are cause by a piece of sand being trapped in the briar as it is forming.)Sandblasting allows the pipe to be finished without having an ucly flaw. Cheaper pipes will use putty to fill in the pit and this one more reason to buy a good piece of briar.

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Originally posted by BinDerSmokDat:
Jeantets are garbage...If you look at them closely you will see they have a plastic or lacquer finish on them. Quality briar pipes will be finished only in Caranuba wax to allow the richness of the grain show through. Some pipes are sandblasted or texture finished to hide flaws, but if you look at Jeantets they are actually covered in a smooth marbelized or whatever color plastic coating.

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Of course caranuba wax is used to get a nice finish WHILE letting the pipe breathe. My main point was to be leery of any pipe that is covered in a plastic/marbelized finish. Quality pipes are finish with wax only, unless they are chip carved or blasted to hide minor flaws.

A shop near me has this hideous turqoise and blue pipe that is similar to a Jeantet. It's got the same finish as some Jeantets I've seen. If you look at it closely you can see the dots that make up the image...

So the chill has set in here in the North East and I am not smoking my pipe much. I think it is partly because I have been active more, so a cigar is easier to enjoy than a pipe. My fav pipe is a bit on the heavy side, so clamping it in my jaw gets old quick and if I set it down, I forget about it.

When the weather gets a little worse, I'll be smoking it more. Nothing like being snowed in with a pipe, a tin of good tobacco and a box of wooden matches. Speaking of which, since I prefer a torch for my cigars, I use all of the freebie wooden matches I get for my pipe smoking!

Ok guys, who has been smoking their pipe lately?

I smoke pipes as well. I have a Meerschaum and three briars. They are a good diversion from cigars. I think cigars are far more complex than pipes. Pipe tobbaco while enjoyable on the whole, can be one-dimentional.

I beg to differ Verno, good pipe tobacco, (read "unflavored") is much more complex than cigars. A pipe blend frequently contains a 4-5 nation blend of tobaccos from around the world, including Turkey, Greece, Virginia, Loisiana, Dominican Republic, etc. A cigar usually blends no more than 3 country's tobaccos.

Due to the fact that pipe tobacco is not hindered by any structural requirements (Ie. it doesn't have to hold a shape, be formed into a cigar, etc.) it can be processed in ways that cigar tobacco can't, further releasing and introducing flavors not available to cigar tobacco.

Pipe tobacco is caked, cased, steamed, pressed, flaked, chipped, etc. and usually treated to much greater extremes in moisture, heat and pressure which make for a wide range of flavors.

Many cigar smokers tell me they smoke English tobacco to get the rich leather and smokey flavors that cigars lack. That is one of the reasons I smoke English blends in my pipe.

Cigars are still my favorite and afford me much enjoyment, but a pipe will always surprise me with its complexity and depth of flavor.

I'm smoking my old Coventry tonight with a bowful of Ashton Old Dog. A decent English blend, best when surfing or watching TV. Seems to stay lit best of all the English I like.

Never even tried a pipe. Didn't like Swisher Sweets and White Owls because of the plastic thing on the end -- used to break it off and smoke them without it. Seemed to me that a pipe stem would be the same.

Saul,

Get yourself a corncob pipe, a few pipe cleaners, a sample of tobacco and some wooden matches. Total investment $10. Try a few bowfuls and see how you like it.

Keep in mind though it takes a little more practice to learn than cigars. You need to pack the bowl, manage to keep it lit, learn to smoke without getting "tongue bite" etc.

I have found that a pipe is tolerated better in public than a cigar and pipe tobacco gives you the flavors that are missing from cigar tobacco. I prefer the English blends as they are smokey, leathery and fuller bodied, though they can be hard to keep lit for a beginner.

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Originally posted by BinDerSmokDat:
Saul,

Get yourself a corncob pipe, a few pipe cleaners, a sample of tobacco and some wooden matches. Total investment $10. Try a few bowfuls and see how you like it.

Keep in mind though it takes a little more practice to learn than cigars. You need to pack the bowl, manage to keep it lit, learn to smoke without getting "tongue bite" etc.

I have found that a pipe is tolerated better in public than a cigar and pipe tobacco gives you the flavors that are missing from cigar tobacco. I prefer the English blends as they are smokey, leathery and fuller bodied, though they can be hard to keep lit for a beginner.

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Thanks, Binder, I'll add it to my to-do list.

I been smoking pipes for about a year, i don't know alot about it at all, but i hope to learn, so if i could be given a C.L.A.S.P number i would appreicate to join ya'll

Woody