Your First Pipe?

My first was a Dr. Grabow, a straight billiard of some sort. Didn't know anything about pipesmoking, so it was an epic fail. Threw it out my car window in frustration. My second pipe came along a few weeks later. Went to the local Tinder Box and got an Irish Seconds pipe, tobacco, tamper, cleaners and some instruction. That went much better. Still have the pipe, hardly ever smoke it, though.

My first was from Amazon. It sucked but it kicked things off. I've only smoked it 2 or 3 times. My first REAL pipe is a Grabow Freehand that I bought at the local tobacco shop. I still smoke it and I love the thing.

I'll post pics when I dig the Amazon pipe out of my boxes of misfit toys.

Sadly I no longer have my first, or my second that was to replace the first. I bought a cheap drugstore pipe in the 90s, (93 or so), I think I got it at Walgreens but I could be wrong; paid around $20 for it. My friend, a pipe smoker himself was showing me how to clean it and it broke. He was being quite rough and said as much as he cursed for breaking it.

He took me to a pipe shop in Lancaster Mall, (Salem Oregon) They are AVVA now but were T. Whittaker Tobaccos then. He told me to pick, Stupid me didn't look at prices but found a Savinellie I liked and said this one. It was an 80+ dollar pipe. hen I found out the price I said no but he bought it anyhow. Fast forward to 2013 and I'm in Mesa AZ, have no interest in pipes having quit long ago, and a friend wanted to borrow it so I said sure. He put roll-your-own cigarette tobacco in it, which I assumed ruined it, and just gave it to him.

Then in 2018, I picked up the pipe again, that is another story but that 3rd pipe was also a gift that I still have and still smoke.

Well if we're going THAT route... a 12 oz soda can

Kaywoodie fine line, bought in Gedunk by Naval Nurse for me, smoked it in janitors closet at night

Here they are. The Grabow has been clenched enough that the tooth grooves fall right into place Ive also worn a good bit of the finish off of it.

My first pipe is long gone and I don’t even remember what happened to it. It was a Dr. Grabow folding vest pocket pipe that I bought at a local party store. Not a good choice for a first pipe. I think it was ‘82 or ‘83. I do remember “Working for the Weekend” by Loverboy was playing almost constantly on the radio that day.

If anybody needs it..... 😜

I bought my first pipe at a Tinder Box store in the Gwinnett Place Mall sometime in the early 90's. A no name pipe stamped Israel (most likely made by the Shalom Pipe Company). Picked up a few ounces of a house aromatic. I smoked it off and on for a few years, then stopped. It wasn't until I discovered English blends that I started smoking pipes again. Still smoke it occasionally.

My first pipe was a basket pipe for £12. I must hoke it out and take a photo of it for this thread. I took a dremel to it at one point to fancy it up a little as it was a poor smoker.

Captain spice might have had old spice as a topping!

The story of my first three tobacco pipes:

My first pipe was bought in 1983 or 1984 while I was in college.  It was the token tobacco pipe in the head shop counter at Campus Corners, a party shop across the street from campus.  In hindsight, it is obviously an unbranded Dr. Grabow Omega with a p-lip. The only stamp is "Imported Briar".  I still have it in a box but it is almost burnt out in a couple of spots and is no longer smoke.  I smoked everything in college. So, a pipe was nothing special to me.

My second pipe was bought in May 1987 while we were honeymooning on Mackinac Island.  In a little boutique on the back street, I saw a pipe and a bag of tobacco.  As I recall, it was the only pipe in the shop. 🤷‍♂️  It was a boutique and not a tobacco shop.  When I saw the pipe, the thought occurred to me that I was now a married man and getting started in my career as an engineer. So, maybe I should smoke a pipe more to look more mature. 🤪  I still have that pipe in a box.  I no longer smoke it because the bit feels really soft when I clench it.

The bag of tobacco that was with that second pipe is what really started me down the path of being a pipe collector.  The tobacco bag's label said it was from some place called Malaga Briar Pipe Co. on 11 Mile Rd. in Royal Oak, MI (a Detroit suburb).  We had to pass within a half mile of there when we drove from where we were then living in Lansing to see my in laws in Sterling Heights (another Detroit suburb).  My third pipe was a Malaga bent Acorn with some decorative spot carving. I still have that pipe, but rarely reach for it.  I really need to count how many Malaga pipes I have now; at least 75.  It’s the world's largest Malaga pipe collection.

Addendum: I realized that I never said what the second pipe was.  It was a Jobey partially rusticated straight Bulldog.

I bought my first pipe at my buddies cigar shop and lounge. He didn't have a lot of pipes but he had a nice Savinelli Linea Pui 5 Apple with a silver band.

It was a solid group 5 and smoked every thing just great. Cool and dry and a comfortable weight. Here is a pic as I still own it.