8 matches later...

[nortonnewbie]

ok.. so i just packed and smoked my first every tobacco pipe. i packed my dr. grabow bowl with sutliff private stock maple street. i do have to say after giving up cigs a few yrs back and smoking cigars from time to time this pipe smoking deal has won me over. the ease of draw and smoothness of the tobacco is just (for the lack of a better word) nice. now i do have to say it took me 8 matches to get through the bowl. i also have some 1Q and HS-3 on order and hope that i have the same luck with those. any advice or thoughts on less matches would be nice but i am not stressing on how many times i have to light. i just want you all to know that i am glad to have found a new way to relax.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

1Q is heavenly! I just ordered 8oz of it and it arrived today YAY!. Well, eight matches isn't a whole lot for a smoke if you're using two to start the pipe, charring light then real light. I usually go through five or six matches per smoke. One suggestion would be to periodically tamp down the ash. Sometimes, for newer pipe smokers that's the culprit.

 

[baronsamedi]

Dry the tobacco on a paper towel for about an hour. Pack lighter. If you are doing the 3 step method: Step 1- Gravity fill and tamp down just enough to get it to the halfway point. Step 2- Fill it and tamp down again a little more firm. Step 3- Top off with the smaller, crumbly pieces. Then check the draw. It should be about like sipping a soda through a straw (not thick like a milkshake). Light while puffing, tamp a little then light again. After that, sip slow, tamp a little when it seems it may go out soon and if you do have to relight, don't sweat it. It's better to relight than to keep puffing hard to keep it lit, which will result in a hot pipe and moisture in the bowl.

 

[papipeguy]

Welcome to the forum and hobby. Like most everything it will take time and practice to hit your stride with pipe smoking. Hang in there and ask as many questions as you can. There's a lot of knowledge among the members here. Have fun with it.

 

[shawn622]

+1 Baron. Its an art man. I relight constantly, burn my tongue all the negative things you read about but the instances get fewer and farther between and the pluses way outweigh the negatives. Welcome to the forums. This is the best site on the net IMO.

 

[shaintiques]

Draw on your pipe while you tamp

 

[bentmike]

Welcome Norton! By the description of your very first bowl it sounds like you're on your way. I must agree a pipe and some good tobacco is nice. ::

 

[roudoudou]

As usual, practice makes perfect. Let your tobacco dry. All the above tips are good.
You'll eventually get the feel.
Welcome to the club!
Keep on :puffpipe:

 

[daytonsean]

I do a start light, and then one more to get it going. I use my finger or tamper to pull the ashes out as i smoke. I usually relight two or three times after my burn light. It all depends though. I can do two lights with old dublin and its just a smooth burn the entire bowl. But blue note might take me quite a few. Practice makes perfect. And its always nice to see a fellow new member.

 

[hawk60ce]

Dry it out. Use the pinch method, which i learned frothis forum. Reach in and grab a pinch of tobacco. If it sticks together, it is too wet. If it falls apart, pack it and smoke it. Leave a bowl full sitting out for about a half hour before you smoke it, it will be good to go.

 

[mrenglish]

Welcome Norton. Do not worry about how many matches it takes to light your pipe. Focus instead on packing method and preparing your tobacco. The lighting part will become easier once you have gained experience in packing your bowl.

 

[nortonnewbie]

thanks for all your tips.. i am geeked out and can't wait till my next smoke. i do see that i need to get another pipe due to waiting 24 hours to smoke again. my wife wants me to smoke with her tonight, i will have my pipe and she will have an acid blue line blondie.
thanks again for helping out a newbie.

 

[mluyckx]

Buy more matches :rofl:
And don't worry, it'll come to you with some practice and trying to do some of the things the guys mention above. Sometimes I get lucky and don't have to relight. Sometimes, well, not so much and I have to relight several times. It's all good :puffpipe:

 

[pipedisciple]

Welcome. the longer you do it, the less work it takes. practice, practice, practice and enjoy.

 

[nortonnewbie]

this is one of the few things that i can't wait to practice only out done by practicing to make babies with my wife :lol:

 

[ssjones]

Welcome. I couldn't strike and hold a match to save my life the first few months. Then, about six months in something clicked - better tobacco prep, bowl packing, tamping, etc all conspired to a smooth smoke.
Btw,are you a Norton fan?

 

[winton]

The maple street tobacco you started with is really good. Resting a pipe is good, but not completely necessary. After a while, you will acquire more pipes, so it is easier to rest them.
Welcome to the hobby and the website.

 

[robert76]

Don't worry to much about the number of relights. Sometimes I am "in the zone" and can smoke a bowl through without to many relights but usually other thing are going on and the number of relights goes way up. No big deal. Just try not to get the bowl to hot.

 

[nortonnewbie]

Al, what Norton are you referring to?

 

[johnny]

8 matches for your first bowl is nothing to worry about. I use more than that per bowl on a regular basis. Don't worry about how many matches you use, just enjoy the bowl