Hello I am pretty new to the world of pipes. My name is Ben, I live in the saint louis area, and I started messing around with pipes in 08 but got frustrated and wanted to quit smoking cigarettes so I just gave up all things tobacco. Fast forward to now and I have decided to pick my pipes back up. But I have to say I am still rather frustrated. I am having problems keeping the pipe lit, packing the pipe and seem to always inhale the tiniest amount of smoke no matter what I do. I really don't like the nicotine effect and would like to learn how to smoke my pipes and enjoy them, so any help would be appreciated as YouTube and Google leave me baffled.
Hello
- Thread starter flyfish
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Take the surest route to success. Get a MM cob. Get some Carter Hall, or Prince Arthur or Sir Walter Raleigh tobacco and practice packing (loosely at first and more firmly as you fill), puffing...(just enough to keep it burning) and pacing the entire process.
If you're going to follow through with learning the way of the pipe and you decide to take the cob route you should check out these bundles:
http://www.pipesandcigars.com/samplers/77028/corn-in-the-usa-i-gift-set/#p-114041
http://www.pipesandcigars.com/samplers/77048/corn-in-the-usa-ii-gift-set/#p-140355
Those two bundles are recommended to new pipe smokers pretty regularly and are held as good starter options for learning what's what.
http://www.pipesandcigars.com/samplers/77028/corn-in-the-usa-i-gift-set/#p-114041
http://www.pipesandcigars.com/samplers/77048/corn-in-the-usa-ii-gift-set/#p-140355
Those two bundles are recommended to new pipe smokers pretty regularly and are held as good starter options for learning what's what.
Welcome.. flyfish!. I live in Columbia, Mo but I am from St. Louis area. (Creve Coeur). there are lots of youtube videos showing different ways to pack a pipe, so look at several if you haven't already. You might need to get a little better charring light and pack it a little tighter than you think and then when you relight it...REALLY RELIGHT IT... give it a good flame. It also depends on tobacco moisture and pipe as well. As far as inhaling, that will happen especially if you were a cigarette smoker...it's just natural to you. My wife is an ex-smoker and just can't understand how to draw a pipe without inhaling. The best advice I could give on that is as many have said before... just sip it like a soda through a straw into your mouth...Drink the smoke into your mouth...just DON'T SWALLOW.
Welcome to the forum, Ben. Check out the James Fox videos. Very informative stuff. I've been using the fill method in the attached video for years and it is fool proof. Enjoy and have fun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XHYPso7TXs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XHYPso7TXs
I would offer an opinion completely opposite of lucky695's post:
- 1 - Use tobacco that is drier than you think it should be
2 - Pack the bowl looser than you think it should be (the above video offers great advice)
3 - Smoke much more slowly than you think you should (and don't worry about the number of re-lights!)
4 - Do not "incinerate" you tobacco when lighting up
I don't disagree with Cortez on #1 at all. #2 I was referring to tamping after the charring light. and I didn't say anything about cadence...but once again agree with Cortez on #3. I like the video above... A LOT... I like to use that method, and have had great luck with it, but seemed a little advanced.
Flyfish if you have the expectation that if you don't inhale you will not feel any nicotine hit then you are likely to be disappointed. The range is quite wide, from almost none to head-spinning euphoria but in most cases there will be some nicotine effect from pipe smoke without inhaling anything at all.
flyfish, welcome to the forums. As a wise Jedi once said "he will learn patience". And you must if you want to enjoy a pipe. Relighting is a common thing and you will spend a considerable amount of time learning the process.
Set aside some time alone when smoking a pipe. Its not something you do in a hurried fashion.
Set aside some time alone when smoking a pipe. Its not something you do in a hurried fashion.
Thanks for the responses. I haven't tried the way of filling he shows in that video I'll give a go the next time I smoke. I had been using the child - woman - man fill method. Yesterday evening I got a half bowl to burn pretty decent, after letting the tobacco dry for an hour so maybe I need to let it dry out a little more. As for the nicotine thing darwin, I expect a little just not the head spinning effect and coughing I have been getting. I have been trying to just sip the pipe and still, due to the little bit of coughing, feel like I must be inhaling a small amount.
I sympathize. Inhaling is not the easiest habit to break. It's not just the nature of "pipe" tobacco however. Even if you were to take the tobacco out of a cig and try to smoke it in a pipe you'd discover that it is far harsher on the inhale than it normally would be. Even pipes with filters will pass smoke that is much harsher than what comes out of a filtered cigarette. It's just the nature of the beast and should in most cases serve as good training to avoid inhaling as much as possible.
When you are sipping do you exhale through your nose at all? That could explain some of the coughing you are experiencing.
When you are sipping do you exhale through your nose at all? That could explain some of the coughing you are experiencing.
I don't really want it to be habit just more for enjoyment a few times a week. If I feel like it's becoming a habit or controlling me I will just put the pipes away. I haven't smoked a cigarette in over four years so I am leery of letting anything become habit again. Minus fishing of course.
I smell what you're laying down now lol. My mistake, I figured he meant more of a nicotine habit.
Welcome to the forums Ben! There's a mountain of great videos on here and on YouTube and a wealth of advice from the members of this august community. Research, practice and patience will yield enjoyment that will last a lifetime.
@papipe - Great video John! I'm amazed I've never seen that fill method in 30 years of smoking a pipe. I rushed to give it a go, but I found the pipe just skidded over the top of the flake. Am I doing something wrong?
Andy
@papipe - Great video John! I'm amazed I've never seen that fill method in 30 years of smoking a pipe. I rushed to give it a go, but I found the pipe just skidded over the top of the flake. Am I doing something wrong?
Andy
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