After a bad few weeks of tongue bite, I am stepping back from the pipe for a week. I rarely smoke during the week as time is in short supply, and I already hot box my smoke as it is. Being rushed will not aid in this. When I return to the pipe, I shall pack it a little lighter, smoke it a little slower and maybe switch to a smaller bowl? Life is short harsh enough without self-imposed respite but better to be self-imposed then forced.
A Self-Imposed Respite
- Thread starter finnian3
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The tongue bite should heal in a day or two. Dry your tobacco more, more than you ever thought possible. Run a pipe cleaner up the stem and draft to absorb moisture while you smoke. If the bowl starts to heat up, set it down until it is completely cool. Perhaps you should change the genre of blends you're smoking, it could be a chemical or allergic reaction.
I wouldn't switch to a smaller bowl unless you are planning a major revamp to you smoking style. It would be better to put your tobacco in a larger bowl and not pack it so tight.
You can't hurry up the pipe goodness. If you don't have time, don't do it.
There are some random popular blends most people love, that will bite me within 3 slow, tiny puffs. I can't remember what they are, but it has to be a personal chemical aversion.
There are some random popular blends most people love, that will bite me within 3 slow, tiny puffs. I can't remember what they are, but it has to be a personal chemical aversion.
The nice thing about pipes over all other forms of smoking tobacco is that you can set aside a pipe and relight it later. And, with some blends it tastes even better the second and third time you do this.
Smaller pipes is just begging for bite, IMO, as I find that smaller bowls are best smoked even slower than a larger pipe. YMMV
Smaller pipes is just begging for bite, IMO, as I find that smaller bowls are best smoked even slower than a larger pipe. YMMV
At least with your pipe, you have to slow down. In fact it could be the best remedy for hyperactivity and stress. Set aside an hour, go into slow motion, sip don't puff, slow down your cadence, relax your shoulders, and see what happens.
Be patient with it. Following all this advice can be difficult but it'll come to you.
Not as difficult as second and third degree burns to the tongue and mouth.
Tongue-bite?! Ever had your tongue crack and bleed from pipe smoking? I have, 'cause I'm a lunatic with a high pain tolerance. Even now, after 50+ years of pipe smoking, I have to watch myself. The better a blend tastes, the more likely you are to subconsciously puff more agressively. Looser pack helps; larger bowl helps; switching to cobs helps; switching to "soft" perfumed-air aromatics helps; switching to cigars helps; not smoking the tasty but nasty dottle helps. But those just apply to me. YMMV, as they say. One thing I want to check out is sipping ice water as I smoke. The cooling effect feels great, but more importantly, to my mind, is the dilution of what some claim to be a chemical reaction. If so, it seems as though that would mitigate the effects--THEN I COULD SMOKE EVEN MORE THAN I DO NOW! YEE HAW!!!
Don't just leave the tobacco out for however long and say it's dried. Check every 5-10 min to see if it's really dried. You shouldn't feel any moisture, and the tobacco should be just tiny bit crisp. And pack light. Don't push down the tobacco into the chamber hard. If you test the draw, and you should, it should be almost free and unobstructed. Forget about sucking on a straw until you can get this done.