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Anybody Here Having/Had a Hard Time With Forgetting How To Smoke Right?

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captainsousie

captainsousie

Lifer
Aug 1, 2012
4,602
5,159
I must say I'm getting a little frustrated. I was doing well, I was getting good smokes fairly consistently but over the last month I've just been having the same trouble I had as a beginner. I've been back into smoking for about 7-8 months and I was starting to get the basics down and now I just can't seem to do anything right. I'm smoking too fast, it's getting to hot, I'm losing the flavor and it's starting to go back to mouth burn. A bowl will start perfectly but about halfway through, I forget everything I know and start puffing like mad and relighting every 5 minutes. It's getting bloody frustrating and it's not really enjoyable when it happens. I went from 1 bowl out of every 6 or so being OK to bad but now only 1 of every 3 is good.
Being a musician, I know it's just like a practice plateau but it doesn't make it any more enjoyable. In a month or so, I'll be back to doing more things right but for now it seems like smoking my pipe is getting less and less the relaxing ritual and more the frustration at the end of my day.
Anybody else have that problem? Any suggestions for getting past it? I've thought about taking some time off like a week or two and then start from scratch but I'm just not sure.
Thanks for reading.

 
tbradsim1

tbradsim1

Lifer
Jan 14, 2012
9,102
11,062
Southwest Louisiana
Capt I think you are over thinking it , don"t want to step on your toes so I"ll use myself as an example , I have a small room , nice room that I smoke in, I put a TV in it a couple weeks ago and I find looking at FOX, which is my news of choice that it must upset me and my smokes are not as good, so I turned it off, much better, then I make myself think of nothing else but the enjoyment of the pipe, no thinking about Truck needs new tires, payment on wife's heart surgery , get my drift, that is your time, I give of myself to others a lot as probably you do, Zone yourself out, be like the Hippies in my day and try to be Mellow,I generally don"t talk this much but I hear you, Take some time for yourself. OK, your friend. The old cajun

 
backyardbriar

backyardbriar

Lurker
Apr 26, 2012
31
0
Consider your variables:

  • Different Pipe[/*]
  • Different Tobacco[/*]
  • Weather/Humidity[/*]

All of these can make a difference.

Make sure you give your pipe at least a days rest between smokes to avoid your problems.

The density of the packed tobacco will change based on the type of tobacco and cut and how you tend to smoke (pull harder or lighter).

I also change my packing based on the weather. If it is a humid day (hot or cold) I pack lighter so that less moisture is trapped and can get out and then puff lighter. But choosing the right size bowl with a well developed cake can also be a solution to this.

Keep it up and I'm sure you will get the hang of it! Just avoid tongue bite by not puffing too hard and packing moderately. When you feel tongue bite, just stop, wait, and continue later. Pipe smoking is a hobby you enjoy not suffer through.

 
trailspike48

trailspike48

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 15, 2013
767
2
I'm fairly new and I'm just passing on advice I received in this forum. I learned if I tap out the ash, the pipe stays lit longer and easier with few relights. Also I tend to sip slowly and take note of the pipe so I don't smoke hot.

 
P

piperl12

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 7, 2012
970
4
Everything everyone else is saying is true, don't overthink and find a time and a place you can lay back close your eyes and get lost in the moment. Your pipe will be done and you will be happy and you will realize your pipe was the best you can remember in a long time. I chased the allusive best smoke for a long time until I just realized the harder I tried the worse the smoke. Good Luck! You'll get their just don't overthink. Oh and a little music and a beverage helps you enjoy the moment.

 
numbersix

numbersix

Lifer
Jul 27, 2012
5,449
53
Well, I am going to go out on a limb and say that I don't think you're over-thinking it, but possibly the opposite.
I experienced the same thing, felt like I was going backwards - and at least in my case, the problem was that I put too little thought into the process. I just stuffed my pipe and puffed - oftentimes too quickly because I didn't have enough time to smoke a proper bowl.
Smoke time needs to be a time to unwind, so give yourself plenty of time to smoke a bowl. If you don't have a lot of time, do like rothnh suggested and just smoke a small bowl. For me, a part of it was rushing and the other part was due to not paying attention to the details, especially filling the bowl and puffing lightly.

 
brdavidson

brdavidson

Lifer
Dec 30, 2012
2,017
5
I'm having the same problems right now, I'm trying to fit in a smoke in the 20 minutes of free time I get in the evening between running around for the kids and caring for my wife. 2 days ago I sat on the porch, and just slowed right down and had a great smoke, took 2 hours to finish due to interruptions but it was great. Yesterday same thing, not so great but still enjoyable. I think I really need to refine my packing because I can't keep a bowl going without numerous relights (10-12 often), so that's what I'll think closely about over the next couple of weeks.

 
rmbittner

rmbittner

Lifer
Dec 12, 2012
2,759
1,995
captainsousie:
I sympathize with your situation, but I do think you're worrying about this way too much. (I think that's an unfortunate consequence of sites like this; they have a tendency to get us focusing on minutia that would never occur to us if we were just hanging out with friends in person.)
I can honestly say that, in 33 years of pipe smoking, I've never encountered a situation like it. So I'm ill-equipped to give advice. But since you don't mention what tobacco you're smoking, I'm going to suggest starting there: Change things up. Try at least three bowlfuls of a couple of blends that are markedly different from what you're smoking now. You also don't say how many different pipes you're having problems with. Are you giving them a proper rest period after a day of smoking?
Wish I could be of more help.
Bob

 
zdwebb12

zdwebb12

Might Stick Around
Jan 25, 2013
60
0
My problem was I started out packing my bowls way to lightly to avoid packing to tightly. Packing too lightly can lead to a hot smoke and many relights. Remember to check the pressure by pulling air through as you are packing it. Good luck friend.

 
captainsousie

captainsousie

Lifer
Aug 1, 2012
4,602
5,159
Thanks for the responses. A lot to think about there. :worship:
I've tried to comprehend what you mean by over-thinking because I am usually watching a favorite show or reading a good book while smoking and don't even notice the pipe until the trouble starts. That's where I think you're right six, I'm just not paying enough attention to the basics at the right time. After things start going wrong it's easier to understand what you might mean, heck yeah I'm thinking way too much about how to fix it.
After thinking about it today, I think you are all a little bit right. I start out without thought. Packing is becoming automatic so I pack and go, maybe not taking enough time to slow down and make sure I'm actually doing it right. It's about halfway through the bowl (around the 30-40 min mark) that the problems start and then my worry kicks in instead of just going with it or putting it down and coming back later. A smaller pipe would be a good place to start and work back up from there.
Bradley, right now what you said also makes a lot of sense. I have had a lot of little stuff going on so that could be getting in the way just trying to sort out the day. I've had some of my best smokes going outside and just enjoying the night so I might try bundling up and enjoying the view and my pipe.
I'll try going back to the basics and slow down everything. Not worry, just slow down and pay attention to the basics. Worst case, it's just a practice plateau like I get in playing music.
I hope I got what you were laying down, if not, I'm sure it'll get through my thick skull eventually. :) :puffpipe:

 
captainsousie

captainsousie

Lifer
Aug 1, 2012
4,602
5,159
Just laid out my first (chronologically) favorite tobacco with my best broken-in small pipe and we'll see where that takes us.

 
captainsousie

captainsousie

Lifer
Aug 1, 2012
4,602
5,159
Much better smoke. Still had some bitterness at the end but that's not something I'm going to worry about. When it didn't taste great anymore, I quit and walked away. Lesson learned so far (yeah right), slow down, focus on the pipe and cut out the extra crap.

 
numbersix

numbersix

Lifer
Jul 27, 2012
5,449
53
Still had some bitterness at the end but that's not something I'm going to worry about.
Click to expand...
Not sure, but this could be due to your pipe not being rested enough. I know most say 24 hrs for each bowl, but I prefer even more time to let it fully dry.

 
cigrmaster

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
I believe that until pipe smoking becomes second nature then you do have to pay attention to the details. Drying the tobacco properly..check. Loading the pipe properly and testing the draw before you light up..check. A good charring light and a light tamp..check. The full light making sure you have a nice cherry..check. Slowly sip the pipe, tamp when needed, dump your ash before relighting, a good relight with a good cherry, repeat as needed..check. It sounded like you were taking short cuts and not paying attention to all the details, taking your pipe and tobacco for granted. Until it is second nature I would be careful about outside influences like Bradley said. Focus grasshopper and the world will be your oyster. :puffpipe:
edit: Also make sure you are packing your pipe tight enough. You want some decent resistance when you check the draw, nothing worse than a bowl packed too loose in my book.

 
captainsousie

captainsousie

Lifer
Aug 1, 2012
4,602
5,159
It sounded like you were taking short cuts and not paying attention to all the details, taking your pipe and tobacco for granted.
Click to expand...
I would agree with that. Focused more on the pipe/tobacco and yesterday had 2 more good smokes and actually enjoyed the Erinmore flake rather than trying not to burn my mouth. Guess I needed the reminder to learn how to walk before I even think about running. I know what to do to get a nice smoke and am pretty good at it but it's not automatic like I thought.
Thanks for the reply and remarkably accurate assessment.
Edit: Forgot to say thanks. My manners must be slipping.

 
captainsousie

captainsousie

Lifer
Aug 1, 2012
4,602
5,159
Not sure, but this could be due to your pipe not being rested enough.
Click to expand...
The pipe had rested for about a week in a dry climate. I'm putting it down to the type of blend I chose to smoke (an aromatic a little heavier on the topping than 1Q) as it seems to come with the territory for that tobacco.

 
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