First try at pipe smoking

groo · Jul 9, 2018

Or I should say first try when I have some idea what I'm doing. I had given smoking a pipe a go in my early to mid 20s and, having no clue what I was doing, I didn't enjoy it much. Now that I'm older, wiser and they've invented the internet, I decided to try again.
Got my pipe kit in the mail a few says ago and took a walk to a local liquor store, the guy behind the counter seemed a little confused when I asked for pipe tobacco but I soon walked out with a pouch of Captain Black Regular, not my first choice but sometimes you have to take what you can get.
I got the pipe lit okay and the first several puffs were quite nice but I think I packed it too loose and puffed too fast, the smoke got pretty hot.
I'll try again in a couple of days, may use a filter when I do. I also have a Missouri Meerschaum and a pouch of Captain Black Gold coming soon.

warren · Jul 9, 2018

And, there you go. Each smoke will be a learning experience. Enjoy!

anthonyrosenthal74 · Jul 9, 2018

Let that Captain Black sit out and dry for a bit before loading your pipe. Aromatics can sometimes be quite moist, creating steam, leading to a hot smoke. Nothing wrong with packing a little loose. If it's too loose, you can always tamp it down a bit with a tamper/pipe tool, until the draw feels right. If it's too tight, you're puffing harder to keep it lit, again leading to a hot smoke.

groo · Jul 9, 2018

I'll try that next time, thanks.

npod · Jul 9, 2018

Welcome, Groo. You are doing it right. And by that I mean are doing it. The rest is trial and error and tips and tricks. Have fun and remember 1)dry the tobacco more than you think necessary, 2)smoke slower than you think necessary, 3)don't let the pipe get too hot, 4)smoke the pipe when you are calm and relaxed.

scloyd · Jul 9, 2018

I got the pipe lit okay and the first several puffs were quite nice but I think I packed it too loose and puffed too fast, the smoke got pretty hot.

I started the same way. I was puffing like a steam locomotive and the pipe was getting hot and I was burning my tongue. Take your time and sip...don't puff.

artificialme · Jul 9, 2018

1)dry the tobacco more than you think necessary, 2)smoke slower than you think necessary

This is the reason why I can't smoke it right at a few first bowl of pipe smoking. Looks like it getting better now for me after doing that

bnichols23 · Jul 9, 2018

Howdy & welcome aboard, groo! Glad to have you, & worry not -- you'll get more info than possibly use, a lot of which will conflict, this being an exTREMEly subjective hobby! "Take what you need & leave the rest."
Bill

Chasing Embers · Jul 10, 2018

Sounds like everyone has you covered, welcome to the forum groo!

smittyd · Jul 10, 2018

Welcome groo!

lifesizehobbit · Jul 10, 2018

Welcome and happy piping!

mikethompson · Jul 10, 2018

Welcome groo! You already have some great advice given to you already - enjoy your journey!

mackeson · Jul 10, 2018

And, there you go. Each smoke will be a learning experience. Enjoy!

Yup, agred. You will have a combo of bad with moments of amazing for a while. I'd like to recommend slower, drier, etc.. but you will need to experiment to find your own sweet spot. Welcome and good luck! It really is rewarding when you figure out your own perfect zone. Don't give up. The pipe really is the tastiest and most rewarding way to enjoy tobacco.

grimpuffer · Jul 11, 2018

Don’t lose patience with it.
I’m sure most people that first start off end up with tongue bite or some variation of it.
In all honesty, the more you keep at it the faster you’ll naturally build a cadence. That’s how it was for me at least.
The biggest point I could stress is the amount of moisture in your tobacco. Let it dry because it’s easier to tame tobacco that’s too dry than tobacco that’s too moist. That moisture is not your friend at all.

newbroom · Jul 11, 2018

Also: I've read articles on this forum that show that the process of burning tobacco results in steam from residual moisture with increased heating. Nursing your bowl slowly will help overcome this phenomenon.

If you've smoked your pipe too hot, it likely will self extinguish a lot of the time. That's when you should put it down, let it cool, check for draw and try again. If it's not working, dump it and get another bowlful.

This pipe smoking stuff really does work!

matchstickman · Jul 11, 2018

Acknowledging that you packed too loose is a good step in the right direction. I struggled with this for a long time because I was given the advice "pack looser than you think you need to." This led to me packing too loose, which caused bad combustion, which led to me having to put flame to the tobacco every few minutes. It's a fine balancing act. You want to pack tightly enough so that you can keep the tobacco lit, but not so tight that you can't get a good draw. Here's what I do: Run a pipe cleaner all the way through the pipe so that the cleaner comes through into the draft hole. Then pack your tobacco firmly in the bowl, then take out the pipe cleaner once it's packed. This will keep the draft hole free of any errant tobacco particles that might get wedged into the airway and interrupt the airflow, and it will ensure that your firm packing will keep a good ember going. This works with almost every pipe I have and was invaluable to improving my smoking experience. Hope that helps!

artificialme · Jul 11, 2018

If you've smoked your pipe too hot, it likely will self extinguish a lot of the time. That's when you should put it down, let it cool, check for draw and try again. If it's not working, dump it and get another bowlful.

This pipe smoking stuff really does work!

hmm, that's why when I smoked the last 1/4 bowl, it quickly extinguish. maybe I try that later

mikethompson · Jul 11, 2018

I don't think anybody's first bowl was perfect. We've all gotten bit before. Just the other day I loaded up some Elizabethan without drying it enough, and I had a terrible time. I had to laugh at myself there.

mso489 · Jul 11, 2018

Starting out, the fun is just fiddling around with it. I grew up watching my dad smoke a pipe daily, so I had the ritual down pretty well. However, I still had to do on the job training with a new pipe and the Tinder Box aro I had. Take to heart the advice to sip not puff. You want to keep it lit, but not be fanning up the ember. Don't push too hard nor expect too much. Enjoyable is the goal.

thomasw · Jul 11, 2018

Some good tips in here! I remember my Grandfather told me his 3 principles of the pipe, which are echoed in this thread:
1. Time (give the smoke a good measure of it, avoid any rush).
2. Dry (the tobacco).
3. Sip (the pipe).
I always remembered his tips by the acronym TDS; and it is true that a lot of troubles when pipe smoking are avoided if 'TDS' is followed.

First try at pipe smoking

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