2 Questions: Smoking Cadence & Sipping

[generalzod]

Smoking Cadence: Much of the advice given to new smoker is to "slow down". Unfortunately, "slow" is a relative concept. I was wondering if some of the more experienced pipe smokers here could quantify their cadence in terms of how many breaths they typically take between sips?
Sipping: When you sip, do you take short/shallow sips or long, more drawn out sips?
Thanks in advance. Cheers.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Smoking Cadence: Much of the advice given to new smoker is to "slow down". Unfortunately, "slow" is a relative concept. I was wondering if some of the more experienced pipe smokers here could quantify their cadence in terms of how many breaths they typically take between sips?

For me, it varies considerably. I'd guess an average is three breaths.

Sipping: When you sip, do you take short/shallow sips or long, more drawn out sips?

Yes.
By that I mean, some of each. And some medium ones, too!
Good questions, hard to answer with specificity.

 

[sablebrush52]

My cadence varies. Sometimes 8-12 seconds between a sip, sometimes shorter, sometimes longer. Sips vary as well, sometimes slow and deep, or slow and shallow. It's about keeping the tobacco simmering just barely at the edge of going out, so that I can get the most flavor from it. I just vary it a bit around keeping the tobacco simmering.

 

[cshubhra]

ChasingEmbers have a demo video on YouTube. I don’t have the link handy but I think you should be able to look up by his username

 

[mso489]

I've never looked at the second hand of my watch on this question. I think a definite pause to taste and reflect is called for. I think if you are generating a lot of smoke right along, you're puffing not sipping. I'd guess most of us puff now and then, to get a big mouthful of smoke when we light up, or when the flavor is especially good, and you do that at will. But you don't want to sit there blowing smoke, as it were. Stopwatch or not, it is also a mind set; you have to relax and consciously take your time.

 

[Chasing Embers]

ChasingEmbers have a demo video on YouTube. I don’t have the link handy but I think you should be able to look up by his username

https://youtu.be/Jw8R7mxECvY

 

[JohnMosesBrowning]

Sablebush52 - [/quote]It's about keeping the tobacco simmering just barely at the edge of going out, so that I can get the most flavor from it. I just vary it a bit around keeping the tobacco simmering.

"Simmering" is a great verb - that's a helpful visual!

 

[nunnster]

I guess my cadence depends on what I am smoking and when I'm smoking it. I've tried to quantify this before, and I would say that my comfort level is somewhere between 3 "sips per min" and 5 "sips per min". However there are still times, especially when I'm really enjoying something and not focusing, and/or had a few drinks, where I'll hit something like 8-10 sips per minute, which imho is way to fast (I'm just asking for tounge bite at that pace especially with less forgiving blends) and if I'm really going, I'll hit something like 15-20 sips per second (and regret it later). As far as the mechanics of my sips, I guess that also depends. I try and listen to what the smoke and my pipe is telling me. Sometimes if I'm borderline hot I'll take tiny little puffs and slow down, and other times I will take much longer, satisfying draws. It all varies so much throughout a smoke and from smoke to smoke, that it is hard to give someone a good baseline. But the best thing I could say is just listen to what the pipe is telling you. I just always try to keep my pipe feeling a little warmer than my hand.

 

[seanv]

Cadence and sips vary greatly but I prefer long slow draws once I get into the smoke.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I keep trying to check my cadence between slooooooooowwwww sips, but I keep dozing off looking at my watch... and, I come to, to find that I've finished the pipe. The answer is one hour... at least. ::

 

[jpmcwjr]

I'll hit something like 15-20 sips per second (and regret it later).

When the briar itself catches on fire, you know you've been warned to slow down....
I thought about it more since the o.p.: Sometimes I'll go a minute or two between drags/puffs/sips, and the pipe stays lit because the tobacco isn't wet. And maybe more like 4-6 breaths between most drags.

 

[generalzod]

Thank you all for your answers and the video. I greatly appreciate it.
jpmcwjr... forgive the noob question, can I assume you're using "sips" to define shallower/shorter draws and "drags" as deeper/longer draws? Thanks again.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Yes, Sir! Sounds about right.
BTW, nice to see cosmic posting again.

 

[generalzod]

Thank you again.

 

[bullet08]

consistent slow continuous sip. never really thought about how many sip per min. i mostly breath smoke. occasionally pull to get more smoke. occasionally take stem out of mouth to drink.

 

[garageboy]

I come from cigars and I'm still trying to "slow down"
I know everyone says sip the smoke but how long of a sip too long? I take my time between sips, but sometimes I get zero smoke even after relights (maybe packing too tight?)

 

[generalzod]

garageboy... sounds like we're in the same boat. I'm also coming at this from cigars. If pipes have made me appreciate one thing, it's the simplicity of cigars. ;-)

 

[olkofri]

Don't expect the humongous volume of smoke you get from a cigar. Depending on the blend, the thickness and amount of the exhaled smoke will vary. The key indicator should be flavour, not amount of smoke.

 

[generalzod]

Thanks. That part I'm comfortable with. I'm definitely not chasing clouds with my pipe. At this stage I'm merely attempting to keep my pipe lit, without it growing too hot. And I fully appreciate that relights aren't a big deal, just trying to progress in the journey.

 

[krizzose]

The number of variables involved make a simple answer almost impossible to give. I never take deep puffs unless I’m lighting or relighting, but I often take many small sips in a row. Of course, I often put the pipe down for 20 or 30 seconds and it’s still smoldering just fine. I guess a good pack contributes to that. The good thing is that there’s always an objective indicator that something is wrong: hot, swampy smoke. Attentive trial and error is the only way to get it right for yourself.