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No
59 - February
27, 2003 .Reckless cleaning can. cause burn out. In a previous article I raised the subject of possible bowl damage caused by careless lighting and handling of a pipe over a period of years. Careless lighting, especially with a Turbo type lighter can cause damage, but far more damage can be done to the inside of the bowl by reckless cleaning out after each smoke - and the effects are felt far sooner. The old maxim
"the cleaner and drier your pipe - the better it will smoke"
really is true, but care must be exercised in cleaning. 1. Using
the pipe cleaner: The wire in the middle of a pipe cleaner is
hard and strong. If you are too enthusiastic when you clean out
the shank with the pipe cleaner, you could drill a hole in the
bowl. Be aware, especially with bent pipes, and don't dig and
twist the pipe cleaner too hard into the base of the bowl. If you haven't got a good pipe tool yet, look at our next feature. From March 6 to March 19 we offer the Rodgers all Stainless Steel Pipe Knife at less 25%. This could add years to the life of your pipe - or Rands to the resale value. Talking of which - do you have any pipes in good condition that you no longer smoke? We may be able to buy them from you - see Refurbished Pipes. Colin
Wesley You can read previous articles from "Across the Counter" in The Library. ................................................................................. ................................................................ .... |
No
60 - March
13, 2003 Despite Mr Manuel's. remark that he had left Mr Mboweni's cigars alone this year, the duty has gone up 39% to over R1000 per kilo!. The main
cigar importers have indicated that this increase will raise the
price of cigars by an average of 15% to 25%. Because the duty
is purely on weight, the increase affects the lower priced cigars
by a greater percentage. Some new prices are effective immediately
and others will be introduced through April and May. We have re-arranged
our cigar page "Inside the Humidor"
to make it more helpful. There is the full list of brands (click
on "Brand"), but in choosing which cigar to buy, the
decisions to make are also about: Size/shape (Smoking Time); Flavour
(and how much of it); Price; Strength.
When you are assessing your selection you might like to consider why you have a preference for a certain brand. A (subjective) favourite brand of ours is Bolivar - with whom we once spent a memorable holiday way back in the 1970's.
This assortment
will also give you an opportunity to experience the theory of
size and shape - the Royal Corona is the shortest cigar but has
the greatest weight of tobacco, and should last the longest. Colin
Wesley You can read previous articles from "Across the Counter" in The Library. ................................................................................. ................................................................ .... |
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No
61 - March
27, 2003
To
insulate the inside of the bowl, and prevent it from burning,
it is necessary to allow a layer of carbon to build up. This will
automatically happen - read "The
New Pipe" - but you must be careful with the cleaning
out of the bowl each time after smoking it.
The British Buttner
- perfect for lightweight reaming. Push the reamer down into the
bowl and rotate in either direction. It adjusts itself so that
the blades are parallel by the time it has reached the bottom
of the bowl. The T-shaped Savinelli
Reamer - you can adjust it to ream a wide range of bowl sizes.
Remove the screw, adjust the blades to the desired width (there
is even a mm measure) and replace the screw. It is held firm by
little grooves on the cross bar. To trim the carbon, rotate the
reamer in a clockwise direction. The Senior Reamer
- makes decarbonising your pipe easy and precise. The unique expanding
action exerts no pressure on the bowl, yet it is tough enough
for really heavy duty cleaning. The shank cleaner fits most pipes.
This is the most efficient reamer we have yet found. Finally - reaming is most successful if done reasonably regularly and if you allow a bit of time. Don't overexert yourself - allow the tool to do the work. It is a job that is well suited to being done while listening to some good music or radio, or casually watching TV - NOT the Cup Final. Not
everybody can afford a Rolls, but next week we'll offer you the
opportunity Colin
Wesley You can read previous
articles from "Across the Counter" in The
Library. |
No
62 - April
10, 2003 South Africa has justly. been identified as a "hot". tourist country, and now .there is recognition that we have areas of sophistication. Eight years
ago, Habanos S.A., the exclusive exporters of Cuban cigars in
Havana, established the Habano Man Award to recognize those individuals
who have made outstanding contributions to the cigar industry.
Each year, the award is presented at a glittering gala dinner
that crowns a week-long cigar festival. The award is made in four
categories: Manufacturing, Retail sales, Business and Communications. One of the
lesser known brands that Theo particularly enjoys is Saint Luis
Rey. In his "Complete Pocket Guide
to Cigars, 4th Edition" he describes the brand as "Difficult
to find, but worth looking for". In recognition of Theo's award, we offer next week a 3-pack of Saint Luis Rey cigars (Churchill, Corona Extra and Robusto) for only R240.00 - amazing value (current price R444.00). Theo, we salute you! Colin
Wesley Note: Sadly, Theo passed away late 2004, but his book is still an invaluable guide to the cigars available up to that date, and a source of help and information to both new and experienced cigar smokers. THEO RUDMAN'S
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