Difficulties With Lighting My Pipe

ravid98 · Sep 27, 2016

Hey guys !.

So, I checked if my pipe is easy to draw through after packing, and it is great [briar].

The only problem is lighting it. After Doing the first light [ The fake light, charring the top] and tamping it [very very very lightly], I tried to light up my pipe [the "real" light] but it is always going off. The only way to keep it lighten up is to draw quickly, which is retarded, since it is not calming at all, and it warms my pipe]

the tobacco moisture seems fine. I'm using captain black royal [ the aroma is nice, but the taste is bad and weak in flavor, so I ordered "Balkan Sasieni: Balkan Sasieni 50g", which I will probably smoke in a non-ghosted pipe].

I am using matchesgentle flame lighter.
Should the top of the bowl become red? [the layer of the tobacco].

Any advice?

Thanks.

aldecaker · Sep 27, 2016

Generally, the less fire, the better. It sounds like your tobacco may need some drying out. Try dryer tobacco, and a looser pack. Some of the best smokes I've ever had have been a little tiny ember, moving around the bowl.

igloo · Sep 27, 2016

I would try a false light . Just get the top nice and crispy then go do something else for a while . When you come back and relight it , things should go better for you .

pagan · Sep 27, 2016

+1, Dryer baccy and lighter pack

hugodrax · Sep 27, 2016

And yes, the top layer should turn red. Don't draw too hard, but you are looking for embers.
Don't worry about relights. One day it will just click and become relatively mindless. U til then, just try to enjoy the taste.

ravid98 · Sep 27, 2016

Thank you guys. one more question. In order to dry it, I need to leave the pouch open, but for how long? is it room temp?.

I will try smoking it again after giving it a rest, and update this thread.

cossackjack · Sep 27, 2016

Try 3-4 charring lights, tamping ever so lightly in between. The true light should just get a central cherry/coal burning which is barely kept lit by slow, gentle puffing, periodic soft tamping.

ravid98 · Sep 27, 2016

Try 3-4 charring lights, tamping ever so lightly in between. The true light should just get a central cherry/coal burning which is barely kept lit by slow, gentle puffing, periodic soft tamping.

3-4 charring lights, as in 3-4 draws? per matches?.

iamn8 · Sep 27, 2016

Have you tried pigs blood?

hugodrax · Sep 27, 2016

Easy. This one probably will.

pipesmokingtom · Sep 27, 2016

3-4 charring lights, as in 3-4 draws? per matches?.

Light. Tamp. Repeat a couple times until you have a nice, consistent layer of ash. Then give it a good light until it's going (4-5 draws should suffice).
Then start taking light draws once every 4th breath (or so).
If it starts to go out, cover part of the bowl with a finger or two and draw to stoke it back up.
These are very difficult processes to explain in words, since a lot of it is done by feel and can vary from bowl to bowl depending on the moisture of the tobacco, its cut, etc.
Practice makes perfect, and I'd also advise you to maybe watch a couple YouTube videos. Not necessarily "instructional" or "how to" videos. Just of someone smoking a pipe to see how their ritual goes.

fitzy · Sep 27, 2016

Definitely dry it out more. You don't have to leave the whole pouch open just take out enough for a bowl and leave it on a paper plate or a paper towel.
Do the pinch test to see if it's still too moist.
Pinch test

paratroop88 · Sep 29, 2016

When you say you are finding it easy to draw once you pack the bowl, how easy are you finding it?

curl · Oct 3, 2016

ravid98,
I wouldn't leave the whole pouch open. I prefer to dry out only a small portion of the pouch, an amount you plan to smoke during the next time period.
In fact, a pouch of tobacco will dry out soon enough, so it's better to put the entire contents of the pouch in a sealed jar. This should preserve the tobacco's freshness a lot longer.

cosmicfolklore · Oct 3, 2016

How about, instead of drying the Captain Black, you just try a better quality tobacco. Sure, sure, come back to the Captain Black after you have found your stride, but if you are in a humid area of the world and trying to dry out Captain Black, Hell may actually freeze over before it ever dries out.

tmb152 · Oct 3, 2016

but it is always going off. The only way to keep it lighten up

Moidering the King's English, eh? First off, chuck the Black and get some real tobacco like the Balkan blend you mentioned. Let the stuff dry out as needed until a bit crisp. The pack ought to be firm but not tight. Light and spongy. The top ought to have some spring to it.
Give the top a good false light, the whole top ought to be red and well established. Let it go out. I use a kitchen match then cover to snuff out. Let it breathe several minutes. Covering with the box should have tamped down the top. Check with your finger. Don't smash it. When ready (some give it several minutes to allow for some nice chemical changes), light well again (the true light). Don't be afraid to light the stuff! But after that, draw and puff slowly on a low simmer--- packed, lit and smoked properly, all it should take is little sips to smoke and enjoy.

Difficulties With Lighting My Pipe

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