Forgettable first smoke

judcasper · Jan 15, 2019

Just had a half bowl (as recommended with new pipes) of some S & G Coniston cut plug. I hasten to add this is not a review of the tobacco, as I spent more time trying to light it than I did tasting it. I tried the charring light but couldn't get any embers. When I did mange to, it was little more than two or three dots of red. Because of this I probably began drawing much harder than I should, resulting in not only tongue bite but throat bite, too. I was having to re-light approximately every 15 seconds.
I was careful not to pack too tight (or so I thought) but still resorted to using an aerator, which made no difference, other than my draws gurgling. I've also ended up with that unpleasant cigarette aftertaste in my mouth.
I wanted the smoke to billow gently from my mouth, enveloping me in that gorgeous, comforting aroma I remember getting from sitting next to pipe smokers as a kid. Instead my mouth and throat are irritated, and I stink like I've just smoked forty Woodbine.
I thought I'd watched enough tutorial on smoking a pipe, but clearly not.

anthonyrosenthal74 · Jan 15, 2019

First, how was the draw before packing as compared to the draw after packing? You want the draw just a little tighter than what it was when empty. If there's not much of a difference, it could be that it was packed entirely too lightly. Easily fixed by tamping the tobacco down just a little. If it was much tighter than when empty, it was likely packed too tightly. Both can cause it to be hard to light and keep lit. If it's a loose draw it's easier to fix. If it's too tight, it's best to empty the bowl and repack it a little looser before lighting.

carolinachurchwarden · Jan 15, 2019

Sounds like the tobacco wasn't dry enough. You should probably rub out enough for a bowl and let it sit there for a good while until it dries sufficiently. Everyone differs on the degree of moisture tobacco should have. Some like a little moisture to where, when pinched, the tobacco no longer clumps. This, for me, is a jumping off point. I have let it dry until it literally sounds crispy when it goes into the bowl, and man oh man, was it a good smoke.
Dry it more than you think you should, then fill and tamp lighter than you think you should. You can always tamp it down during your smoke. Above all else, practice makes perfect, so keep on trying, and be mindful that if you think it's too hot, it likely is. Set it down for a bit and let it cool off a little before trying again. Re-lighting too often also can make the smoke too hot, so when I have a bowl I might not have filled quite right and I notice this, I let it cool off for a bit.

judcasper · Jan 15, 2019

First, how was the draw before packing as compared to the draw after packing?

From your explanation I'd say I'd packed too tightly, although I thought I'd been careful not to. I did a small gravity fill, then packed to half way with a gentle finger tamp or two.

judcasper · Jan 15, 2019

Sounds like the tobacco wasn't dry enough.

Well, the first thing I thought when handling it was, wow that's moist! Not knowing these things, though, I just assumed it was normal for this particular blend of tobacco.
I'll definitely try your method with the next bowl.

anthonyrosenthal74 · Jan 15, 2019

I did a small gravity fill, then packed to half way with a gentle finger tamp or two.

Could have just been that then. Check the draw after packing and if too tight, empty and try again. Could also have been something as simple as a bit of tobacco getting into the airway and extracting the draw, making it tighter. What Carolina said above, should also be taken into consideration. Wet tobacco is not friendly tobacco. Also you may want to get a ribbon cut tobacco and gain some experience with that, as ribbons are more forgiving to a new smoker.

judcasper · Jan 15, 2019

Could have just been that then. Check the draw after packing and if too tight, empty and try again. Could also have been something as simple as a bit of tobacco getting into the airway and extracting the draw, making it tighter. What Carolina said above, should also be taken into consideration. Wet tobacco is not friendly tobacco. Also you may want to get a ribbon cut tobacco and gain some experience with that, as ribbons are more forgiving to a new smoker.

Understood. I think like you say it was a combination of a few things, mainly too tight, too moist.
Or maybe it could be the £10 pipe

carolinachurchwarden · Jan 15, 2019

Well, I would have to say I have had sublime smokes in a $6 cob, but that's just me. :lol:
Based on your description of the tobacco when trying to light, it sounded like you could have tried to light it with a torch with not much success. Like Anthony said, maybe a tobacco that's more like a ribbon cut or even a shag would be helpful. No matter the tobacco, I would dry it out to a point that it has no moisture left in it.
You create moisture in your pipe while smoking, so even the most dried out tobacco in the world, will likely gain moisture at the bottom as you smoke, it's just chemistry. Air being pulled in over an ember will create steam. Couple that with already too moist tobacco and you get a nice, hot stream of steamed air in your mouth, that's what causes the bite. It'd be a lot like putting your mouth over the spout of a steaming kettle.
The drier your tobacco is going in, the less stem that will be generated, thus providing you a cooler smoke experience. Also, keep track of your cadence. If you find yourself tugging too hard on the pipe, then your pack is too tight. You should be able to sit and sip on your pipe easily. If you puff on it too hard, you'll make the ember hotter and your pipe will get hot, then you'll start to feel that bite again.
You'll get the hang of it. We all had to, eventually, otherwise we wouldn't be doing it.

panamacharlie · Jan 15, 2019

Try a more forgiving tobacco. Lots of folks like Carter Hall.

judcasper · Jan 15, 2019

Well, I would have to say I have had sublime smokes in a $6 cob, but that's just me

I wouldn't say so. I've heard nothing but good about these cobs. But even though Popeye smokes them I can't consider them because they're so damn ugly.
I didn't try to light it with a torch, for what it's worth. I tried with a standard Zippo at first, but was struggling to draw any heat from the flame, so then I used one of those lighters with the long flexible arms (the type you use for reaching awkward areas). This was better but... well, you know the rest.

anthonyrosenthal74 · Jan 15, 2019

I tried with a standard Zippo at first, but was struggling to draw any heat from the flame,

I use a Pipe Zippo. Same thing, but with a big hole in the side of the chimney, made especially for pipes. Works like a charm. Or you could do what Embers does, and pull the wick up on your Zippo a bit over the chimney so it can be better used for lighting a pipe.

judcasper · Jan 15, 2019

I use a Pipe Zippo. Same thing, but with a big hole in the side of the chimney, made especially for pipes. Works like a charm. Or you could do what Embers does, and pull the wick up on your Zippo a bit over the chimney so it can be better used for lighting a pipe.

Yes, I've seen these and the wick trick. I've also seen a red-neck (his words not mine) drill said pipe hole into a regular Zippo chimney.

judcasper · Jan 15, 2019

It's just occurred to me I may have inadvertently offended with my above post. I'm now wondering if this is one of those terms that is okay when used about oneself, but not by others.
There was certainly no offence meant.

georgebmcclelland · Jan 15, 2019

Don't worry, "redneck" isn't really derogatory unless you're already being derogatory in sentiment. It's like "hippy" or "nerd" in that it can be used in a negative way, but doesn't have any of the hateful connotations or history like some other words that are meant only to offend and hurt. I doubt anyone would be offended by it being used casually to describe this good ol' boy who modifies lighters with drills.

olkofri · Jan 15, 2019

S'ok. Many of us want and envision our first times at many things being magical and sublime, but for the most part our first times are disappointing and even painful.
Pipe smoking has a rather long and steep learning curve. It'll take you a while to get the hang of its many aspects: packing, tamping, lighting, draw, toby drying, &c.
Don't be discouraged. Nothing that's worth doing or having comes easy or overnight.
Try a ribbon cut tobacco to start.

anthonyrosenthal74 · Jan 15, 2019

S'ok. Many of us want and envision our first times at many things being magical and sublime, but for the most part our first times are disappointing and even painful.

8O Are we really having this talk now??? 8O

lawdawg · Jan 15, 2019

Are we really having this talk now???

:rofl:
That got a real laugh out of me... I'm glad everyone else has left work for the day so my co-workers didn't hear me laughing in my office alone.
I will say that OP's first smoke of Coniston sounds much like my first smoke of Full Virginia Flake. After I played with drying times and packing, it's now one of my favorite smokes. Listen to the advice here and you'll figure out the tobacco.

judcasper · Jan 15, 2019

:lol:
Thanks, folks. I was fearing its use was akin to the N word.
Anyway, glad I'm not alone in my first bowl being disappointing. I now have a sore throat, but I had that last week when I picked up a nasty cold, and apparently it's a strain of virus that sneaks back up on you just when you think you're free of it. Here's hoping it's an unfortunate coincidence.

workman · Jan 15, 2019

Dry it till it's dry. Then dry it some more. If it is a plug or a flake, don't pack it. Fill the bowl, even out the top some without packing. Then smoke. Now do this a million times.

georgebmcclelland · Jan 15, 2019

Some good advice here, especially on drying your tobacco and checking your draw, as well as starting out with a more manageable tobacco. One other important thing to remember, in all aspects of life, is that you should never reinforce failure. If your pipe is not lighting easily then something is wrong, and if you keep going at it then things will just get worse. It's much better to stop, dump out your pipe, and start fresh. If your mouth burns, stop for a few days or until it doesn't hurt or feel raw. Patience is the name of the game.

Forgettable first smoke

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