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yuda

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 28, 2017
149
391
I've been thinking of what the best cadence to my smoking is, just trying to get more enjoyment out of the tobacco that way and not just puffing through it out of stress. Is it better to do a few shallow puffs every minute or so or longer draws at about the same interval? I understand there's a lot of YMMV in all this, but when it comes to different tobaccos and of course pip shapes, is it all about the same or are there indeed variations one should consider the same way one smokes a cigar?
Thanks in advance.

 

mikethompson

Lifer
Jun 26, 2016
11,292
23,325
Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I can really only speak to my own experience, with my own blends, in my own pipes. That said, the smaller, shorter sips are better. Better in that it keeps the ember in you pipe from getting too hot, and delivers more flavour from your blends.
I usually only smoke my pipe with my neighbour friend who enjoys cigars. I watch what he does, like 3 or 4 quick puffs and then lets it rest for a moment. If I were to do that in my pipe, my ember would get too hot and I would burn my tongue.
Ideally from what I've gathered (and I am no expert), you just want the pipe barely lit to get all the benefits from it.
Hope this helps!

 

workman

Lifer
Jan 5, 2018
2,793
4,219
The Faroe Islands
For me, there are differences. A ribbon cut, like Royal Yacht, dried and packed perfectly, can be smoked almost without puffing at all. A tobacco like that really allows you to slow down.

A dense flake like FVF or a plug like PPP is different. I do not rub them out, except maybe a top layer. These tobaccos are not as easy to keep lit, so they require more puffing. Often the middle third or so will smoke as easily as a ribbon cut, and then I'll need a few relights to finish. I adapt my cadence to the tobacco, not so much to the pipe.

 

bassbug

Lifer
Dec 29, 2016
1,112
905
you just want the pipe barely lit to get all the benefits from it.
^^^this^^^
The only trouble is, it takes practice to figure out just what it takes to accomplish this given all the variables such as blend, pipe, tamping, wind etc.
For the most part, short sips and gentle tamping work for me.

 
May 9, 2018
1,687
86
Raleigh, NC
+1 on the breathe smoking to the Cap'n. I've learned that what I was doing before I ever even heard of this was somewhat similar. I breathe smoke, but I still refer back to my original puffing technique, which isn't as much a technique as what feels natural to me.
Before I began breathe smoking most regularly, I would hold the pipe in my mouth, and take a small draw from my pipe, and when I expelled the smoke from my mouth, about half the air would go out through the stem and through the bowl, the other half out into the air. I would do this on about every draw, occasionally retrohaling. Breathe smoking does wonders for helping to keep a cool bowl, blend depending as mentioned above. It helps develop a slower, softer puff. Obviously YMMV, but this works well for me. Just make sure that when you're breathing, you're in a relaxed mood. Breathe smoking at a faster breath rate will still make your smoke hot. Keep it slow and relaxed, kind of like those work videos that tell you how to manage stress by taking a break and just focus on your breathing.
Oh yeah, and +100 for the Cap'n's magnificent mustache!

 

arvetus

Might Stick Around
Jul 29, 2018
68
0
I'm still trying to develop mine. I have always smoked cigars on rare occasion and I always smoke them like your neighbor friend...a few short puffs, then let it rest for a while. Sometimes (if certain beverages are involved), I may suck it down a bit faster. :oops:

Anywhoo...I'm trying to get it down and am just taking very short and light puffs which contrast to smoking a cigar as you are drawing a bit harder, but I'm also trying to practice the breath method that muttnchop discusses and what the cap'n above talks about in his video also.

Retrohaling comes naturally to me and I do it without thinking most of the time.

Keep in mind, I'm very new to the pipe, but have had a few cigars over the years. They are two very different animals.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,623
44,833
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
The only puffing I do is when I light up the bowl. After that it's just sipping, sometimes slow long draws, some times shorter ones, occasionally pushing a little air back through the bowl, which help cool it. It's similar, in a loose way, to breath smoking, but I never actually tried to practice a method. It's just what I do naturally and it varies on how the bowl is progressing.

What I'm looking for is a very slow cool burn, one where the tobacco is just simmering at the edge of going out. That's when you get all of the flavors that the tobacco has to offer. So everything else revolves around that, and I've been doing it so long that I don't consciously think about it.

 

arvetus

Might Stick Around
Jul 29, 2018
68
0
where you really set yourself up for failure though is when your anacrusis only has 1 puff. 8O

 

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
I have a fast cadence. Tend to sipuff continuously. I finally read that if you can't sip again before counting to 6 you're smoking too fast. So now I sip then count to 16, then sip again. Sometimes I take longer draughts: it depends a lot on whether the pipe is going out (it always does) and how my tongue is feeling.
Cigars are in a league of their own. I take a puff every 45-60 seconds; if I puff more often I'd get floored by the nicotine. Cigars have the advantage of requiring essentially no relights—wish pipes were like that, if I wait a minute to sip my pipe again I'll have to relight it.
I hate constant relights: I've noticed the tobacco starts to taste ashy and harsh after several relights.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,623
44,833
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Cigars are in a league of their own. I take a puff every 45-60 seconds; if I puff more often I'd get floored by the nicotine. Cigars have the advantage of requiring essentially no relights—wish pipes were like that, if I wait a minute to sip my pipe again I'll have to relight it.
I hate constant relights: I've noticed the tobacco starts to taste ashy and harsh after several relights.
That's interesting. I think it varies according to the blend. I've smoked many a bowl effortlessly on one light, and had others that required several. As for pipes going out, that too depends on the blend, I think. I've often stuck my lit pipe in my pocket while I made a quick trip into a store to pick up a couple of items, paid for them, exited, retrieved my pipe out of my pocket, and picked up right where I left off without having to relight. That's 5-6 minutes at least.

 

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
That's interesting. I think it varies according to the blend. I've smoked many a bowl effortlessly on one light, and had others that required several. As for pipes going out, that too depends on the blend, I think. I've often stuck my lit pipe in my pocket while I made a quick trip into a store to pick up a couple of items, paid for them, exited, retrieved my pipe out of my pocket, and picked up right where I left off without having to relight. That's 5-6 minutes at least.

If you ever give a workshop I'll be signing up!

 
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