Uneven burn of the tobacco

[pipestud]

Back in 1996, Michael Butera wrote an article in P&T Magazine that changed my life. He said that he used a one speed food processor to chop up his tobacco to promote not only a more even and easy packing job, but also to thoroughly mix up the various components in blends. It takes a few tries to get the leaf chopped up just right, but man, does it ever make for easier packing, lighting, keeping lit and yes, even enhances the overall flavor presentation. I got a Black & Decker one speed food processor back in 1996 and still use it today.
Don't make the mistake I did at first though. After reading the article I grabbed my wife's 12 speed juicer and zapped a heavy Latakia blend for a few seconds too many. It came out looking like puree. And to make matters worse, I didn't clean out the juicer very well, I guess, because the next morning my wife was pretty dadgum upset when she drank some orange juice with Latakia shards in it.

 

[okiescout]

Thanks for the correction, Aldecaker. Memory-old man-bad news :lol:
"I do light the entire surface on the initial light. I want a layer of ash over the top. Then I relight, moving the flame in a small circle. I get the best control from a wooden match. Tamping should be done lightly. It's not done to compress the tobacco, just to slightly compress and even out the ash."
That is how I start the smoke also, Brush. I agree, a long match lets me cover the whole bole and does not harm the bole either.
" Maybe you could try to stir the ash in the middle after a while; tap is out; gently scrape some tobacco from the side (the wall of the valley) into the center, and gently relight."
Sjfine, that is what works best for me at the 1/2 way or 3/4 point in the bole where it generally goes out if things have gone well.
When I stir the ash I try and only touch the ash with the pick, then just sort of toss it out of the pipe. It is just dust with no bits in it.
These seems to work best for me.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ha ha, Pipestud, there is a surgeon that hangs with us sometimes at the Briary that swears by grinding everything. I have tried it on a few blends, but I have found one blend that benefits from it the most, and now I have a coffee grinder dedicated to just Dark Star. Works great. Now, when I find that I want to smoke Dark Star out and about from the grinder, I just hold the flakes and look at it like a chimpanzee trying to figure out a Rubix Vube.

 

[hextor]

I get uneven burn but I twist the tamp or I tamp real lightly while puffing and it gets even as I am smoking through the tobacco

 

[cosmicfolklore]

What kind of tamper are you guys using that could have any twisting affect on the burning tobacco? My slick tamps just glide around on the ash covered cherry. Twisting it would do nothing to the tobacco in my case. Do you guys have some sort of rake/tamper combo or something?

 

[chuckp]

What a good article that was mentioned above. Since reading it I have been using matches to light my tobacco and what a difference I am experiencing. After never having smoked anything prior to picking up a pipe, I seemed to be hyper aware of a lingering cigarette-ish odor on me and in the room sometime after smoking....I had been lighting with a Bic lighter.
What I have noticed is that with the matches, these offensive cigarette-ish odors are practically non-existent in the room and on my hands and beard sometime after smoking. I can only surmise that with the matches I am not super-heating the tobacco with the initial light and any subsequent re-lights. I am also getting better more uniform lighting and burning of that "combustion" zone, "cherry", or whatever one wants to call it.
Very glad I saw this article.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Any type of lighter or match or wick can work perfectly. Trick is to have the tip of the flame the right distance from the tobacco, and that varies a lot depending on the temp of the flame.

 

[chuckp]

[/quote]Any type of lighter or match or wick can work perfectly. Trick is to have the tip of the flame the right distance from the tobacco, and that varies a lot depending on the temp of the flame.

I'm sure I'll have to learn that trick for when outside but I'm really liking the matches right now.

 

[cigrmaster]

When I smoke the cherry burns down the middle and then I have un burned tobacco on the sides. When my pipe goes out I gently get the grey ash out of the middle and then scrape the sides and then tamp and light. I normally have to dump ash twice a bowl.