Distance and duration play a vital role in properly lighting the pipe. However, my thoughts were directed at the idea presented showing somewhat of a conical burn. I believe through experience both as a pipe smoker, and firefighter that if the pipe is lighted in a such a way to try to minimize heat it creates a center burn which lead to more relights and scorched tobacco. The reason being that in a pipe there are two ways for the tobacco to ignite; direct contact and radiant heat. In order for radiant heat to allow adjacent tobacco to ignite the temperature must be greater than the combustion temp of the tobacco. Which is why during a center burn we have to use an angled tamper in order to push the unburned tobacco to the ember. And then need an increased temperature to get this previously scorched tobacco to burn more thoroughly. Where as if we completely light the top of the tobacco and allow a white ash to form we have created an ember that can use gravity to assist the direct contact and an insulator to the heat which keep the tobacco burning longer at a relatively consistent temperature. In my experiences, if we allow a complete white ash on the top of the tobacco it will burn uniformly straight down the bowl without a pronounced conical burn. As the tobacco turns to white ash it also allows enough of the heat to escape thus preventing a wet smoke.
I tried this last night with the stubborn mistress known as FVF. The first bowl lighting only enough to get it smoking. This bowl turned into a center burn, the edges never really took, the pipe needed several relights, and in turn burned hotter. The second bowl I completely lit the top and was able to smoke for a bit before allowing it to go out. I then dumped half a pipeful of fluffy white ash and found minimal indication of a conical burn (one half stand of tobacco was white while the rest was not).
I did this in an attempt to look at burn qualities not thinking of taste. But now I wonder if lighting more thoroughly in the beginning, which would be an initial temperature spike, but allows a uniform ash to form would allow for better flavor throughout the smoke VS lighting very lightly in hopes of keep the pipe cool and thus causing a center burn and not getting all of the tobacco to complete combustion. I hope my ramblings made sense.
What say you?
I tried this last night with the stubborn mistress known as FVF. The first bowl lighting only enough to get it smoking. This bowl turned into a center burn, the edges never really took, the pipe needed several relights, and in turn burned hotter. The second bowl I completely lit the top and was able to smoke for a bit before allowing it to go out. I then dumped half a pipeful of fluffy white ash and found minimal indication of a conical burn (one half stand of tobacco was white while the rest was not).
I did this in an attempt to look at burn qualities not thinking of taste. But now I wonder if lighting more thoroughly in the beginning, which would be an initial temperature spike, but allows a uniform ash to form would allow for better flavor throughout the smoke VS lighting very lightly in hopes of keep the pipe cool and thus causing a center burn and not getting all of the tobacco to complete combustion. I hope my ramblings made sense.
What say you?
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