After reading the pipe threads on here and especially Roberts restoration thread I decided to add pipe smoking to my other vice of smoking cigars.  I figure they both have their place.  At Roberts suggestion I bought a Peterson estate pipe from smoking pipes in SC.  It was in the mail box today along with a tin of Mac Baren Scottish mix and a sampler of pipe tobacco from John Dengler tobbaco.  Haven't lit it up yet, but this pipe looks very well taken care of and really no work is needed other than I'll rinse it out with alcohol...... does scotch count?

Here it is:  

That's a Bent Apple.  Been smokin' one (of many) since '86.  Had to give up cigars when my job called for me to be in groups of many folk.

Beautiful pipe!  Be sure and give us a review on each of the tobaccos as you try them.

I like it !
Get busy smoking that thang

That’s the type/ shape of pipe I would like to get started on. (Same bug crawled up my behind)

How did you decide on tobacco?

RobertL made a recommendation of getting some tobacco from JohnDengler tobacco in MO.  https://www.johndenglertobacconist.com/  When I called it was suggested to me to try a sampler pack.  four 1oz samples of different blends.  I got that and then bought the Mac Baren Scottish mix after doing some reading on a couple of pipe forums and looking at tobacco reviews (kinda like looking a cigar reviews).  I have no clue really, as there seem to be a gazillion different blends to choose from.  Hope I hit a jackpot as far as my tastes without having to try a tremendous amount of different ones.

If you are a cigar smoker don't go into it thinking cigar, the blends are entirely different based on what I've been reading.  I'm about to go smoke my first bowl in the new pipe.

Not a cigar smoker but enjoy one here and there. I thought I would like a certain kind of cigar but turns out I like something completely different. (Thought I would like sweeter/ lighter notes but I guess my favs are darker stronger ones)

I am mainly looking at a pipe to enjoy on my way home from work and here and there. So something for a 1/2 hr 1-7 days a week.

I ran into the same issue with cigars, there are just too many to try. I haven’t hated many of them but only one made me come back for more so far. Not a cheap habit though. Hopefully after pipe(s) purchased, this one gets a bit cheaper.

Eta: whats the deal with filtered pipes on smokingpipes? Is it something that doesn’t matter or do you kind of need to use a filter with filtered pipes?

As far as a filter on a pipe, I have no clue....  Hopefully one of the more experienced folks will chime in.  I'm like you as far as cigars go.  I'm not too big one the milder/sweeter ones.  Lately I've become more and more partial to cubans.  Just something about them that scratches that itch that non-cubans don't.  I'm afraid that with pipe smoking I'm going to have to retrain my palate to the difference in taste and strength.

Some people like filters and some don’t. If you buy a filtered pipe and don’t want a filter you can usually smoke them without.  Some people feel the draw is to open without a filter and you can buy little tubes that replace the filter and make the draw more normal.

Shying away from cubans until I can be mostly sure I am not getting ripped off. (Many threads on here about cubans that always seem to be fake)

What I think drives me to pipes is that it isn’t something that’ll take an hour plus to devote time to (smoking).

Fill it, hit it a few times, on to something else until you feel like it again. Maybe a bowl or half at the end of a long weekend.
Seems more adapted to odd weather or schedules.

Can you add a filter to a non filter pipe? (Filter must be different diameter than stem bore I’d guess?)
What are your thoughts on bent vs. straight pipe for beginners?

Short of re-boring it, there wouldn’t be any way to add a filter to a non-filter pipe.

Bent and straight are strictly a personal preference. I smoke both but I have far more bents. I like they way they hang and I feel like they keep the bowl out of my eyes.