Definitely. But if you want to inhale (the temptation is very strong, and I shall confine my suggestions to this scenario, since it reflects my own experience,) get a very small pipe. The Elizabethan clay I posted a link to is very good, but you have to clean them in a fire - pipe cleaners are too fat for these in particular, and generally unsatisfactory for clay pipes because of their porosity (the tar soaks in, and is then released again when the pipe heats up the next time you smoke it.) But, having been fired in a kiln, they're massively heat-resistant, so you can stick them in the coals (or on a barbecue,) and burn the tar out of them. If we had a real fire in the house, I'd have stuck with them, because I do prefer a clay, but they're a PITA to clean over a gas ring on the cooker several times a week!
2. Is there any advice anyone would care to offer someone new to pipe smoking: choice of pipe(s), type of tobacco, methods, tips & tricks, etc? Bear in mind your audience is someone who has no experience with pipes, pipe tobacco, or any aspect of using them, knows nothing of the subject, and would rather not make a large investment while he is not certain if he will take to it, or to what extent he might find it satisfying.
I found the
mini corncobs suited me best - you need to burn a new one in for awhile before it's comfortable to inhale - jamming a bit of matchstick in the mouthpiece to choke it helps a lot. Once the bowl is evenly blackened, you no longer get the harsh taste of burnt cob. If you're not planning to inhale, this may not be so necessary.
The stems are too narrow for pipe cleaners, so you'll need to twist up bits of tissue paper to clean out the mouthpiece regularly, but they're easy to keep clean, and generally last 2-3 months of heavy smoking before the bowls start to split. And then it's time for a new one (you could rotate them, and they'd probably last longer, but they're cheaper than atomizers, so what the hell
)
3. How do you think the long range total cost compares to other choices?
Pipe tobacco is slightly cheaper than RYO tobacco over here, so it depends how much you want to spend on pipes and gadgets. Start collecting fine, carved meerschaums, and you can easily spend hundreds of dollars at a time
Stick to cheap cobs & clays, and it will be noticeably cheaper than cigarettes.
4. I gather from the above that a pipe involves some degree of complexity in use and perhaps a considerable amount of preparation time. Does this tend to make it difficult to use very often outside of home?
Not really - make sure you always have a
pipe knife and reliable lighter with you, and you don't even have to worry about flat batteries or dying atomizers. Pipes require more maintenance and fiddling with than prerolled cigarettes, but rather less than vaping 'on the go'.
If you prefer a "flake" tobacco, you might want to keep a quantity of it already rubbed, so you're not having to try to rub it while walking in the rain, or with an armful of shopping etc.
How much of a routine you want to get into with cleaning is up to you. I tended to give mine a stem clean every day or so, and scraped down the carbon in the bowl a couple of times a week. The pipe will let you know if you're not cleaning it often enough by dribbling rancid juice in your mouth
