Quick question about retrohaling and packing

I think it lies with you. I don't have that happen with retrohaling.

No, I don't put my tongue on the hole. I just don't breathe out my mouth when I retrohale. I assume you mean blowing smoke out through your nose when you say retrohale? If not, perhaps we're not talking about the same thing. I throat inhale and blow the smoke out my nose. I rarely if ever blow smoke out of my mouth and suck it into my nose.

So do you put your tongue in front of the hole? If not, I assume it's because I don't pack it tightly enough.

Click to expand...

That will cause saliva build up in the stem and cause a gurgle. On the exhale, push your tongue against the roof of your mouth to force the smoke into your throat and sinus cavity and the outward breath will carry the smoke out of your nose. The pressure change will cause a little smoke to rise from the bowl. Are you using the inhale to draw from the pipe or are you creating a vacuum in your mouth to draw?

I retrohale a lot but the pipe is not in my mouth when I do it. FWIW

Agree that it has nothing to do with packing. I don't cover the slot with my tongue, or push my tongue against the roof of my mouth, or really do anything except breathing out through my nose, which pulls the smoke out of my mouth and through my nose. No gymnastics, I just do it. Probably left over from those years of coffin nails, just without the inhaling into my lungs part. Or maybe it's the yogic breathing that I do. I can exhale through my nose even with my mouth open without expelling air through my mouth. I'm sure there's some unconscious thing that I do, but I'll be damned if I can figure out anything obvious.

Damn. All these threads about how to smoke (breathe smoking, retrohaling) a pipe and enjoy it amazes me. I started at a very young age and guess it just came natural after watching my elders.
Just to give an example, it took me almost the better part of a year to master a diaphragm turkey mouth call. Just couldn't figure it out, how to position my mouth and all. Finally, it all fell into place and it started to come natural.
I suspect the same happens with new pipemen. If you have the luxury of being around other pipesmokers, glean all you can from them. If not, ask questions here and watch all the pipesmoking videos you can.
Be patient and persevere. It'll come in time.
To myself, smoking a pipe is kind of a personal thing. I've haven't witnessed two pipemen demonstrate the same technique.
Not only smoke what you like and like what you smoke, smoke it the way you enjoy it. It's your world. Everyone else is just passing through. :wink: