Tounge Bite

[Patrick_Green]

Hello everyone,

I am new to pipe smoking, and am currently working on avoiding tounge bite... I make sure to let my tobacco dry before smoking, and attempt to keep moisture out of the pipe.

I also have been experimenting with packing methods to avoid my packing being too tight. I like the three stage method best so far. (Pack some, push it like you're shaking a childs hand, pack some more push like your shaking a womans hand, and pack yet again with with the strength of shaking a gentlemans hand.)

Despite all this I still get mild tounge bite, though it is getting better. Any advice you have would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Pat

 

[trubka2]

The main trick is to slow down, pause between puffs, and draw very lightly on the pipe. Keep experimenting with packing and drying and be patient, and you'll get it down eventually. What are you smoking?

 

[Chasing Embers]

push it like you're shaking a childs hand, pack some more push like your shaking a womans hand, and pack yet again with with the strength of shaking a gentlemans hand.

Get a good image of how to do that.........now forget it. Fill the bowl until just slightly below the rim if the pipe until the entire pack is firm, but a little springy. Imagine pressing your finger against an uncooked steak or a stale sponge cake. Next issue would be lighting. Don't try to start an inferno, just make sure the full surface of the tobacco is lit without trying to draw the flame to the bottom of the bowl. When drawing, focus more on creating enough of a vacuum with your mouth to coax the smoke out versus forcibly drawing it out. Another issue may be your tobacco. If you're starting out with flavored blends, you're going to get a raw tongue and no flavor until you have packing, lighting, and smoking cadence down.

 

[mikethompson]

One thing I didn't read about until after I started was drinking something with your pipe was well, like cold water or iced tea. That helps your tongue as well.

 

[Chasing Embers]

drinking something with your pipe was well, like cold water or iced tea.

Allowing a bit of air into your mouth as you draw helps too. Biotene should be on hand if burning does start

 

[Dusk]

I found that although heat is under control, I was still getting tongue bite with certain blends. Apparently, aromatics can produce more alkaline smoke which may cause chemical burns due to differences in pH within your mouth. However, every smoker is different so this may not be limited to aromatics only.

Filters can help neutralize the smoke and reduce moisture. Balsa wood is more for the latter but activated charcoal is effective in altering the chemistry. However, not all stems are fitted for filters so in those cases, filter media used in the bottom of the bowl can help. These are typically some variation of akadama, meerschaum chips or even aquarium charcoal.

If I smoke without filters, drinking coffee or tea will help prevent chemical tongue bite as they are slightly acidic and will help neutralize pH. If you clench, try moving the pipe around to different areas so the smoke doesn't always hit the same spot.

Biotene should be on hand if burning does start

+1 for this. Biotene is great to speed up healing :puf:

 

[docrameous]

@Patrick_Green - which tobacco are you smoking? As a new smoker, if I had it to do over again, I would avoid aromatics. Prince Albert and Carter Hall just made life a bit easier to manage tongue bite and then as time went on I went back to some aromatics.

 

[alexander87]

Get a good image of how to do that.........now forget it. Fill the bowl until just slightly below the rim if the pipe until the entire pack is firm, but a little springy. Imagine pressing your finger against an uncooked steak or a stale sponge cake.

So are you saying just gravity fill and give one gentle push?

 

[aro222]

The best advice that anyone can give you would be to just slow down. Packing technique helps but ultimately it’s up to how hard and fast you hammer that pipe. Different tobaccos will burn hotter than others, but I’ve found that even the coolest burning stuff will bite if you are smoking like a freight train. Keep it light and very slow and enjoy the leaf and the aromas will begin to pop and change as you get down the bowl. And don’t worry about re-lights it’s very normal at the beginning. Don’t over think it just relax and enjoy the pipe. That’s what it’s all about.

 

[trouttimes]

I believe it was Cosmic that once said you are looking for wisps of smoke not clouds. You can't smoke too slow. It's hard but it will come in time.

 

[Patrick_Green]

The main trick is to slow down, pause between puffs, and draw very lightly on the pipe. Keep experimenting with packing and drying and be patient, and you'll get it down eventually. What are you smoking?

Im currently smoking an english blend, and a more aromatic "Butter Rum" blend. Both are from my local tobbacoist, and not any specific brand. Im afraid I dont know enough to be more specific.

 

[Patrick_Green]

I have a few more questions but dont want to clutter up the forum, so Ill put them here.

Is it okay to inhale? I dont do this every draw, but Ive been enjoying an inhale here and there. I fear it may be detramental to my health, but I do need a good nicotine fix.

Secondly, as I shop for tobaccos I notice only certain tins say "Warning this product contains nicotine..." and other tins don't. Are there pipe tobacco blends that don't contain nicotine? Why do only some blends have the warning?

 

[dquisenberry]

Tongue bite can be (many time is) cause by a chemical reaction as much as heat from smoke.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Dear Mr Patric Green,been doing this road before, it all will come with time, try to remember dry yer tobacco and pack on the lighter hand, even today I get some leathery tongue at times,and in mostly cases, I'd assume it is due to tobacco being too moist, lousy packing and wrong cadence, If you are lookin'for a quick nic fix and tobacco which doesn't bite, then I'd suggest taking a look see at some of G&Hoggarth blends since they well known for them cool burning characters yet having some punch in them, and finally, it may be useful to get some Biotene mouthwashes from your local pharmacy,(Drugstore U.S)just in case,,

 

[brian64]

I struggled with some tongue bite issues for a while until I figured out it wasn't necessary to draw in through my mouth, except a little when lighting up.

If the tobacco is dry enough it will stay lit while just breathing through your nose...and creates enough of a draw into the mouth without irritation.

 

[anotherbob]

I have a few more questions but dont want to clutter up the forum, so Ill put them here.

Is it okay to inhale? I dont do this every draw, but Ive been enjoying an inhale here and there. I fear it may be detramental to my health, but I do need a good nicotine fix.

Secondly, as I shop for tobaccos I notice only certain tins say "Warning this product contains nicotine..." and other tins don't. Are there pipe tobacco blends that don't contain nicotine? Why do only some blends have the warning?

all tobacco has nicotine. And the nicotine warning are just from a list no particular reason for which one it has. So that's just random like it is with cigarettes. Inhaling isn't good for your lungs. They're your lungs you abuse them as much as you want though you are not getting more nicotine by inhaling you're just getting it circulating into your blood stream faster. Part of the magic of pipe smoking is the slower absorption of nicotine it creates a more contemplative and calmer nicotine buzz.
And please ask questions helping newbies is all some of the members have in their lives (that's a lie we all have rich and interesting lives), seriously answering stupid newbie questions is awesome and fun. Seriously one of the major reasons to be on a forum.
To the original point. Just slow down. Nothing wrong with letting a pipe sit and cool down. It's o.k. to relight a bowl as many times as you need to. And get some wooden matches or a pipe lighter. Getting a zippo with a pipe insert was what changed me from a weekend piper to a daily one. Seriously when I use a bic lighter tongue bite is something I have to watch out for, with matches or a proper pipe lighter it only happens when I get really distracted. Drink water while smoking it really helps too. And like every other thing that takes some skill practice is the best remedy. In a few months you'll wonder how you could have ever struggled with not charring the inside of your mouth.

 

[mso489]

For whatever reason, I seemed to overcome tongue bite and gum burn, etc., when I dropped all aromatics for a while and smoked only non-aromatics. This surprised me, since I was also getting into full-strength non-aromatics. So I was smoking this stronger tobacco and getting no bite. Maybe partly because of no flavoring and also because I was being more respectful of the tobacco. It seemed really odd at the time. Now I have less or no problem with either non- or aromatic. Kind of a learning curve for me.

 

[Dusk]

I have a few more questions but dont want to clutter up the forum, so Ill put them here.

Is it okay to inhale? I dont do this every draw, but Ive been enjoying an inhale here and there. I fear it may be detramental to my health, but I do need a good nicotine fix.

Secondly, as I shop for tobaccos I notice only certain tins say "Warning this product contains nicotine..." and other tins don't. Are there pipe tobacco blends that don't contain nicotine? Why do only some blends have the warning?

If you're converting from cigs, I would suggest only inhaling with milder blends otherwise, try to avoid it altogether. Learn how to retrohale which will not pass smoke through your lungs... but if you must, a French inhale will get more flavor. The catch is that blends with higher nic can be very difficult to even inhale.

All tobacco naturally has nicotine. Depending on the laws in your area, not all tins will display those warnings and graphic images.

 

[wordheavy]

Wow, I learned so much from reading this thread. Thank you to the OP and all the responders.

 

[trubka2]

Is it okay to inhale? I dont do this every draw, but Ive been enjoying an inhale here and there. I fear it may be detramental to my health, but I do need a good nicotine fix

Sure. None of it is good for you, but what the hell, right? You get the nic without inhaling, but it takes longer. When I was switching to pipes from cigs, I got a good tip: Inhaling a couple puffs at the beginning of a bowl helps the nic-addicted to calm down, which helps you slow down your cadence so you can enjoy the flavors in the rest of the bowl without burning your tongue. Worked for me, but YMMV. I don't inhale much anymore unless I'm really stressed and/or need some nic, stat.

I'd second the folks who advise staying away from the heavier, no-name aromatics. Blends that worked wonders for me when I was starting out: Cornell & Diehl Haunted Bookshop, Pegasus, and Old Joe Krantz. These are sometimes a little too young when purchased in bulk (i.e. they might need to hang out in jars for a few weeks), so go for the tins if you're in a hurry. All of them smoke best in a $7 corncob pipe from Missouri Meerschaum IMHO. Gawith and Hoggarth shags also helped me get over the hump. Those can be tough to find, but just PM me if you need a source.