The Finger Wrap Ember Revival

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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I suspect everyone does this move, but for newbies who may not have discovered it yet: After a light or relight, if the ember looks like it hasn't quite caught, just wrap a finger or two over the top of the bowl so there is still plenty of air opening but the ember has a little more heat in the chamber. Often, the ember will revive, signaling with a ribbon of smoke, and off you go again. Tamp first of course. This will revive the fire, or if it doesn't, you may be out of burnable leaf.
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,348
Great advice indeed. You may also revive the ember using the tamper. Just start puffing slowly while holding the tamper on tobacco. With every single puff change the location of the tamper.
Absolutely, this brings the ember back into contact with the tobacco when it lifts off of it as the tobacco expands from the heat. You chase the ember with the tamper.
 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,568
27,070
Carmel Valley, CA
When my ember has all but gone out, I place the fingers over the chamber and pull like crazy, alternating tamping with the fingers, but puffing pretty hard until it's going again.
 
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renfield

Lifer
Oct 16, 2011
4,231
31,387
Kansas
A great way to rekindle without fresh flame.

This technique even showed up in one of the Lord of the Rings movies. I think it was Samwise. The actors had gotten some pipe smoking training for the movie.
 
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alaskanpiper

Enabler in Chief
May 23, 2019
9,348
42,243
Alaska
I’ve always heard it called stoking the bowl. Cover almost entirely with two fingers, draw, and half way through the draw let one finger loose, providing a rush of air to the freshly heated ember. One or two will bring a dying ember back rapidly. Three or four will result in instant tongue bite, hahaha. Very useful though.
 

alaskanpiper

Enabler in Chief
May 23, 2019
9,348
42,243
Alaska
I've heard stoking, choking, and carbing. The latter never with tobacco, though.
Haha yeah the word carb definitely calls to mind the smoking of a different leaf. That and flying. I’ll never forget my flight instructor constantly asking “When’s the last time you checked the carb heat?” Thank God the plane I fly now is fuel injected :ROFLMAO:
 

bullet08

Lifer
Nov 26, 2018
8,932
37,913
RTP, NC. USA
I'll check to see what's left, and just relight. Used to cover with two fingers and pull and lift both fingers, but if it's too far gone or hit the bottom moisture, doesn't work for me. After running out of bics, now I carry both Zippo and Kiribi. So, not worried about running out of light.
 
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BROBS

Lifer
Nov 13, 2019
11,765
40,026
IA
Haha yeah the word carb definitely calls to mind the smoking of a different leaf. That and flying. I’ll never forget my flight instructor constantly asking “When’s the last time you checked the carb heat?” Thank God the plane I fly now is fuel injected :ROFLMAO:
Dude I had that once. Left a blister on my thumb.
 

BROBS

Lifer
Nov 13, 2019
11,765
40,026
IA
Sometimes I cup the whole pipe in my hand leaving a small air gap above the chamber with just the stem poking out and smoke it that way. Especially if it’s really windy... but it also works to rekindle the ember. So the rim of the pipe is against my palm.