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Hey guys, just picked up my first pipe and smoked it tonight. I researched a ton on how to pack my tobacco, what's the best kind of pipes, how to light it, etc.
I just felt as if I had to be continuing to relight it because it would continue going out. I had to use around a dozen matches for the full bowl...and that seemed extreme to me. What am I doing wrong?
Try packing more loosely, or not tamping it down so tightly; just tamp it so you can tap the ashes out. It also might be too wet, and need to be dried on a paper towel for an hour or so.
You might want to research another ton 
Welcome to PM Forums!
OK ... since you may have the packing down, let's back up for a moment and check out the tobacco. Take a bowlful out of the tin or pouch and put it on a piece of paper or a plate. Do the "pinch test" -- take a pinch of that tobacco between your thumb and forefinger, lift it up from the paper or plate a couple inches and drop it -- does it remain clumped together? If so, your tobacco is too moist. Let that bowlful dry until you can do the pinch test and the tobacco falls back down in the plate and does not clump together anymore. This can take from a 10 minutes to a lot longer, heavily cased aromatics are more "wet" and can take forever to dry properly.
Now, you can pack the bowl. Pack lightly, using pinches of that properly dry tobacco, dropping them in the bowl, using your index finger just to lightly even things out in there. Once done packing, the tobacco should be "springy" in the bowl.
Test your packing now. The "pull" should be like sipping soda through a straw ... if the pull is more like sucking a milk shake through a straw, you packed it too tight, so do it over.
Use a match (preferred), a Zippo, or a soft flame butane lighter -- never use a torch because it is much too hot and can easily burn your pipe bowl -- do the charring light, puffing to get it going, then use your tamper (if you don't have a pipe tool/tamper yet, a large nail works fine). Then another match or two for the true light, puffing to get it going.
Sip slowly. Then slow down some more. If it does go out, so what, just relight -- enjoy 
Most times, depending on the pipe,blend, moisture, etc. of the baccy, you may relight anywhere from 1-6 times throughout the bowl. Not a big deal, it is all part of the enjoyment mate. Welcome to the forums mate and enjoy
Ive been in this same situation. It seems that aromatic blends worsen the problem.
I have found however, that when smoking aromatics, the charring light is a critical point in which an even lighting pays off.
Being the pipe smoking rookie that I am, the only real advice i can offer is: dont worry about it too much. I normally relight 2 to 3 time to keep a bowl burning for 45 minutes to an hour. Just enjoy your smoke, and if that means relighting, so be it.
Some reasons that you're relighting so often may be the choice of tobacco, packing it too tight, or even tamping method. Aromatics tend to be more moist than other tobaccos and may need you to let them sit out for an hour or two, especially OTC aros *cough* Smokers Pride *cough*. Try refining your packing method, what works for someone may not work for you. Here's some good info for the new piper. It covers choosing a first pipe, tobacco, packing method, and your first smoke. When I smoke, I switch on and off with tamping methods. If I'm reading or my attention is elsewhere, I will tamp lightly (letting the weight of the tamper do the work) when it starts to go out. When I'm focusing on my pipe, I tend to keep the tamper in my hand and just tamp it into a nice convex shape, like a mild hill. Works for me.
Welcome to the forum, rjf815.
For your first smoke, as long as you didn't set your tongue on fire, you're doing fine.
Take it slow and enjoy.
Welcome to the forum, rjf815.For your first smoke, as long as you didn't set your tongue on fire, you're doing fine.
Take it slow and enjoy.
Funny thing is that I did get a little bit of tongue bite. While trying to keep it lit, I was puffing pretty fast. I think my biggest mistake was not letting the dry long enough. I was so eager to try it, and my wife and I were having friends over soon, so I think I rushed that process.
Thanks for the advice everyone! I really appreciate all the help and warm welcome.
Another quick question...if I smoked my pipe last night, is it not OK to smoke it again today?
Rule of thumb mate, is that for each time you smoke your pipe, it should have a days rest. ie: smoke it twice today = 2 days rest. How many people abide by this rule? I don't know. There has always been a difference of opinion in this regard, and I believe there always will be. Myself, I smoke whatever pipe I want, however many times I want, however many days I want. I have been doing this for 18yrs. However, like I said, the contraversial rule of thumb is, one smoke, one days rest.
I sometimes dry my tobacco in the microwave for about 10 seconds on a paper towel(then let it sit for a couple of minutes) when I don't want to wait 30 mins for it to dry out. I got the idea on here.
Last nights bowl was done this way and it smoked perfectly.
Jason
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