Find a good tobacconist in your area.
Your local tobacconist can teach you a lot of wisdom and you will meet a lot of other people who share your same interests hanging around his shop. Feel free to ask him advice on tobaccos, equipment or techniques. He also needs your support. These are tough times for the tobacco industry and its always uplifting to meet new people with a passion for pipes.
Take care of your pipe
The guys over at Pipedia have put together a great guide on proper pipe care and maintenance. Check them out for a very detailed guide. I would like to highlight a couple things to remember on your first smoke to prevent your from nearly ruining your pipe. With my first pipe I was too lazy to read a maintenance guide and nearly ruined it.
- Lick your thumb and wet the rim of your pipe when you are lighting. This prevents you from burning it and messing up the finish.
- Do not fill your tobacco to the top of the bowl to avoid burning the rim. Pack your tobacco to be slightly lower than flush with your bowl.
- Do not tap the bowl of your pipe against your hand to empty the ashes while the pipe is still warm. Use the spoon part of your tamper to scrape out the ashes. This prevents cracking the pipe.
Learn how to pack and light your pipe
Don't get discouraged if your light goes out frequently. I have seen people give up because of this. It takes a little bit of time, but you can learn to smoke a pipe in one good light (after two short preliminary lights). If you persevere, you will be greatly rewarded.
Packing
The three layer method (the baby, mommy, daddy method) - I recommend using the three layer method for packing a pipe. You'll want to take a big pinch of tobacco and and stuff it down into the bowl gently like a baby would. With your second pinch, you want to pack it in the bowl with a medium strength like a mommy would. With the last pinch you want to pack it into the bowl firmly like a daddy would. It's cheesy but the analogies helped me develop my technique. After the bowl is packed, take a puff and draw some air through the stem. When you suck the air through, it should feel about like sucking water through a straw.
Lighting
The three light method - You want to do your first light as you draw some air. Light all of the surface tobacco as you draw and then let the fire go completely out. The top layer should be burnt and crispy. Gently tamp the tobacco evenly. Now light a second time in the same manner. Once you let the fire go out again, the top layer of tobacco should be completely gray ash. Tamp the ash evenly once more. Now you should have an even white layer of ash at the top of your bowl. Now you are ready for the third and hopefully final light. Enjoy.
Using these two methods should help you get a good handle on packing a bowl that requires only one good light. It won't be perfect at first, but keep trying. Eventually you will develop your own technique and will no longer be using a "method," but will be going by your gut.
Find a complimentary drink
There are many different beverages that enhance the experience of smoking a pipe. My first tobacco went well with black tea. Every time I smoked, I brought a glass of black tea with me. Certain beers also go well with certain tobaccos. Port wine has a wonderful smoky taste and is very enjoyable. The ultimate beverage, though, is Scotch. Every man should experience the pleasure of Scotch and tobacco.
Take time from your busy day. Contemplate what is good and true.
To me, this is what pipe smoking is all about. If you are interested in picking up this hobby, then I hope I can convince you that there is more to it than the relaxation from the nicotine. Use the ritual of pipe smoking as a time to contemplate the good things in your life. Sit outside and enjoy creation. Listen to the birds and watch the squirrels. Write a haiku. Tobacco is a good gift from God and is meant to be enjoyed...so enjoy it.
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