Trouble staying lit

Welcome to the forum tornami! ::
The tobacco you're smoking is a heavily cased / wet tobacco blend that will require some dry time.
When you pinch the tobacco it should hold together only for a second and then crumble apart.
If it stays clumped together at all ... dry it more.
When you light your pipe, start with a gentle "charring" light followed by a light tamping.
Always go much slower than you think is necessary and just keep trying.
Different tobaccos in different pipes at different moisture levels will take some time to get good at.
Good Luck and Happy Smokes!

Most aromatics will take a bit of work to keep lit. When I first started I practically used a whole box of matches per bowl. Now I'm down to about 5 relights. Just take your time and don't worry too much about relighting though. You'll get it down eventually

Slight drying of the tobacco and changing your filling technique should solve all your issues. Remember to 'feed' your pipe when filling it then add the last amount before packing. A couple of charring lights followed by a gentle tamping should see you off to the races! Good luck with your new adventures in pipe world.

Once you get a good cake built up in the bowl it will help keep it lit.

Pipe smoking is such a strange art...and I use the word advisedly !
I first started smoking a pipe in the 60's when at university, mainly because friends and I thought it made us look academic !!

I don't think we really conquered the art to say the least.

After many years of mainly cigar smoking I went back to the pipe a year or so ago and was reminded that I had never been successful with the pipe.

This time however I have persevered and bought some decent pipes and some decent tobacco...not that Clan was no good in the 60's..it's all we could afford.

But to the main point...keeping the pipe lit.

It depends on a variety of factors including I've decided my mood. If I am really relaxed it seems much easier to keep the smoke going and is really satisfying to get to the bottom of the bowl only relighting maybe a couple of times.

On other occasions even though I understand how to pack the bowl and tamp etc. it can be very frustrating and I wonder why I bother.

My advice therefore is to keep at it and light up when you really have the time to spare to take your time with the ART of pipe smoking and enjoy it !

I started with Capt. Black as well. It's definitely a bit finicky at first to get used to, but it's just a matter of fixing your packing technique and just taking it slow. You need to make sure it's dry enough, and just have fun with it, it's shouldn't be difficult, but it's a process. Just keep at it!

Keeping the pipe lit is of course important but don't dwell on having to relight as being an"issue" as its more important to learn how to get a good charring light and then a good true light. When you initially pack the bowl and kick back to smoke, take the match and encircle the tobacco as you gently puff. It'll go out within in few seconds no doubt, take your tamper and just flatten the ash a bit and repeat the process, you are essentially mimicking the cigar smoker who "toast" the foot of a cigar prior to applying a true light. With pie tobaccos and the various moisture contents this step may require several repeats to get a good ember going. You will see better results as time passes and you persevere, that I can assure you. Focus on packing and gently smoking your pipe, the relights are just part of the learning process. Enjoy! And, welcome to the forums!

Most who are new to pipe smoking forget, or are not aware of how important the tamper is (aside from the advice you've already been given). When you feel it is going out simply push down LIGHTLY with the tamper to collapse the burnt ash and more likely than not you'll keep that ember going with fewer relights. Bottom line, it is indeed a learning experience so don't despair. :wink:

I'm smoking Captain Black Cherry/Royal. I switch between the two. Whenever I light the pipe it goes out in a matter of about a minute.

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I'd count that a blessing. Not sure I could take even a minute of those. :lol: Matches and Bic lighters are cheap, so if you need to relight, it's really nothing to be concerned about. Same thing with not smoking down to the bottom of the bowl despite it tasting like cowpatty. Some guys like to make everything into a competition.

Keeping the pipe lit is a function of a number of things:
1. the tobacco is not too moist; but most tobacco is not. But if you assess that it is, dry it. Be careful that you do it in a controlled fashion. Develop a feel for its moisture by putting some between your thumb and forefingers and rubbing it. A better way is the clump test. Pinch a bit between thumb and forefingers and put it down. If it stays in that form but relaxes, falling apart a bit, it's good. Too dry it won't stay together at all; too dry. If it stays together without any relaxing, too wet.
I dry by exposing the tobacco to air for 30 minutes, no more. I add moisture by putting the tobacco in a bowl with a moist towel covering the bowl. For tobacco that is fairly dry, it can take hours to bring it up. You can just spritz it but it is difficult to assess how much moisture is enough. If you judge you over-moisturized it, you then have to dry it.
But mostly I think burn is controlled through proper packing and smoking cadence. I'm not sure why, but too tight a pack predicts many relights as the draft becomes occluded. Many packing techniques account for this by putting only a bit of tobacco in the bottom of the chamber and more at the top.
I think smoking cadence is the king of pleasurable smoking, avoiding tongue bite (in most cases a sore mouth) and keeping the pipe burning at a smolder. Of the two packing is by far easier to accomplish.

Pipe smoking is kind of like riding a bicycle. Once you figure out how to balance your efforts with your objective you begin to develop your skills.

At first, you may not succeed, and you might be intimidated. I still remember the thrill of my first semi controlled bicycle ride.

Whenever I light the pipe it goes out in a matter of about a minute

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My guess is that it was never really lit well to begin with. We preach to our new members to just sip, not puff hard and fast, but that applies once the pipe is going. To get it going one must puff a bit harder till you get that red cherry top, then settle in for some sipping. Also maybe try some other tobacco that isn't so goopy. Ask your B&M for a nice medium English or Virginia, which will be easier to dry and also let you start exploring other flavors. Above all patience,patience,patience.

Moistness aside, I find for me the packing is important and to get the top of the tobacco fairly smooth and flat. Also, advice given by a friend, find some finer shreds or the 'dust' that collects at the bottom of the pouch or tin and sprinkle that on top. When you apply the charring light, this helps with initial combustion. I tend to take my time with the charring light, puffing quite a few times and getting it good and scorched. Wait a few seconds, tamp gently flat and apply the second light, taking slow puffs and making sure the whole surface is lit. In fact, once I can see only grey or white ash, I feel the lighting has done its job. Then, I try to take regular puffs, not too deep or strong, but keeping it alight and allowing the embers to burn consistently. 'Sipping' does help rather than sucking in great draughts. I also find clenching for a while helps as it makes puffing a bit easier. I'm sure you'll find the way easier the more you do it. We all up have to relight at some point. Nothing to worry about. The best thing is just to keep on at it! Well done and good luck.

I have a similar problem that I wonder if someone can clear up for me.
when I smoke I tend to draw on my pipe with quite long but not forceful draws. My "problem" that I'm experiencing is that the tobacco at the bottom of the bowl. A smallish pinch. Gets, I guess, wet. It kind of cakes and sticks together forming like a little block at the bottom. When I get at it with my poker it is like it's melded together quite firmly. I suppose it's moisture from the above tobacco going down and then drying. Am I smoking too fast?
the tobacco is a straight burley without flavoring

Pipe smoking is such a learned process. I have people see me smoking and talk about maybe doing the same thing. I first always say "great" but I also mention how doing it wrong can lead to a bit of suffering. I also mention that if you have little patience for things, pipe smoking can quickly become too bothersome for some.

I enjoy working on meticulous things and that gave me the patience to learn pipe smoking. Packing the tobacco, charring light, tamping and tending to it are too much for some.

Good advice above, give it time it will fall into place.

After trying a pipe 20 odd years ago (at college) I have decided now is the time to start it up again. There is some great advice here, as I just smoked my first bowl and it kept going out and I got a bit of tongue burn relighting it and trying to keep it lit. My new tobacco (Murrays Yachtsman) is pretty damp (just opened) so I'll try to dry it a little.
I'm looking forward to the journey of learning this new skill. This is a great site for the newbie - so thanks to all you experienced puffers out there for all your wisdom as I've trawled through the forums- enjoying the research and everyone's input!
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Finding the proper moisture level and proper packing will make all the difference.In time you will get it.