Charring Light, Only Sometimes

mso489 · Mar 9, 2014

I've read several "how to smoke a pipe" instructions that talk about a pro forma charring light,

an initial lighting of the pipe that is expected to go out, to burn off the top of the tobacco and

heat the bowl of tobacco so it settles in place, ready for the actual light, that starts the smoking.

I find I only end up using a charring light about a third of the time, usually with a slightly more

moist tobacco or with something I have cut and/or rubbed out, like cube or leaf. Otherwise, with

somewhat dry tobacco or well-cut ribbon or other loose tobacco, I find I can light and smoke on

the first light, sometimes with a little tamping to settle things in place, that allows the smoking to

continue. Do you always do a charring light? Sometimes? Almost never? Never?

escioe · Mar 9, 2014

I like to do a charing light because I find that for me, toasting the top pretty evenly, followed by a settling tamp, promotes an even burn. Sometimes this isn't an issue in my narrower-chambered pipes, but in pots and especially big billiards, I find the charing light pretty indispensable.

cosmicfolklore · Mar 9, 2014

I do it because of my clenching style of smoking sometimes will send my breath back down into the stem to blow through the tobacco. If I char and tamp the tobacco to a nice flat surface, ashes down't tend to blow back out very easily. That said, I don't tend to char and tamp as often when I smoke a folded flake, because flakes sometimes don't tamp as well to a nice flat surface.
Also, the flattened ash surface tends to block out wind a little, so I don't always tamp after the initial char, especially in the car. I just char, tamp, and smoke slowly till it's to the bottom of the chamber.

latbomber · Mar 9, 2014

I always do a charring light, helps the tobacco burn nice and even for me.

dread · Mar 9, 2014

I find that a charring light promotes a much smoother and even smoke. Also, with a good charring light my tobacco almost never needs a relight, though I smoke mostly Virginias these days and that is also, I've found, the nature of these tobaccos.

kalvort · Mar 9, 2014

I always char at least once, and usually twice. Helps keep the bowl lit for longer.

jah76 · Mar 9, 2014

Kalvort I love that pipe in your avatar. What is it?
Ribbons I can get away without a true light. Flakes I need a char to get them going.
Doesn't matter anyway since ill be relighting it in 2 minutes anyway...heh.

leparker · Mar 9, 2014

Always a charring light

goldsm · Mar 9, 2014

On windy day if I don't carring light the hot ash flown away and hurt my hand sometimes.

Tamper little down settle ash flat and firm little bit.

Always carring light make a better smoking.

petes03 · Mar 9, 2014

I always do a charring light, sometimes two (depending on the blend). I find it makes for a more even burn throughout the bowl, with proper tamping of course.

mrjerke · Mar 9, 2014

I'm with the char crowd. Viva la char!

checotah · Mar 10, 2014

Never use a charring light. There are occasions when I have to relight after a couple of puffs, usually associated with damper tobacco. Guess you could call those charring lights, but not done intentionally. I find that good packing normally obviates the need. But then, I've only been piping for 50+ years...

sfsteves · Mar 10, 2014

Perhaps it's a question of habits ... 40+ years for me and I rarely don't do a 'charring light' ... like escioe mentioned (above), I've found that a careful, even toasting followed by tamping, then an even full lighting sets the stage for a cooler more even burning smoke ... minus the tamping step, it's the same method I follow in lighting a cigar ...

luckylabrat · Mar 10, 2014

Perhaps I do not pack my tobacco tight enough, because following the first light the ribbons tend to rise a lot and stick out of the top of the bowl. So, I do tamp and find that the tobacco smokes nicely once I have that flat, charred surface.

yorkshirepipe · Mar 10, 2014

I think for it does depend on the tobacco, how well tight I packed it, how moist it is etc. Usually I do the first light and it will go out after a few puffs, then re-light - if it keeps going I might not bother with lighting again until it goes out.

judd · Mar 10, 2014

I char once, because that's the way my Dad always did it. I guess it's "Like father, like Son".

salewis · Mar 10, 2014

I always use a charring light because most of my blends are flakes which usually run a little moist. However, even with a ribbon cut tobacco I also use a charring light since it ensures that the blend is packed just right after I tamp and I agree that the tobacco will usually burn more evenly.

jmill208 · Mar 10, 2014

I char, therefore I are.

12pups · Mar 10, 2014

Same. Always char. Have to nurse it less after that. Ember is even then, not just burning on one side or in spots. So puffing gets to be gentler. Easier on my tongue. If I don't char, I find myself having to huff to get 'er to balance out, risking an early tongue bite.
That said, some tobaccos are fluffy and wavy (my favorite thinly shredded blend), some are already lying down fairly well, like gravely little pebbles of SWR do. But even then I char, even with tamper, light again, rather than try to nurse it through the tamp.

kalvort · Mar 10, 2014

Thank you Jah76, it's a Savinelli Natural.

-Lateef

Charring Light, Only Sometimes

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