Am I smoking incorrectly?

[faedother]

I have smoked about 8 bowls out of mt new corncob pipe and it is finally losing the bitter taste from the finish. However when I smoke the pipe, and relight the pipe, I get a ashy taste in my mouth. Now I remember from smoking clove cigars that the only time I got a ashy taste in my mouth was when I relight the cigar. Now I do realize that when I have to relight my pipe that it cause this taste. But it seems like it shouldn't happen.

So could you all tell me what I am doing wrong?

 

[bobdobbs]

Can't tell you for sure as i have no experience with corncobs. Havn't encountered any significant increase in ashy taste in my briars though. Have you cleaned it recently?

 

[maineyachtie]

If I understand how you've explained this. You experience an ashy taste upon relighting. Right?
That is normal to a degree. It depends on how you light and with what tool. Normally for me the first puff or two upon relighting has a slightly unpleasant flavor. The worst flavor comes from lighting with a butane lighter. Second would be a paper match. The least offensive relights are with a zippo or wooden match. I prefer wooden match.
Technique can also affect the relight flavor. Try holding the flame a little further away from the tobacco and gently sucking the flame down into the bowl. This relights the tobacco at a lower temperature. The lower the temp the less offensive the flavor upon relight.
Hope that helps.

 

[faedother]

Thank you, I have tried that and it is working a lot better.

-Fae

 

[cortezattic]

Are you smoking incorrectly? :!:

I'll say! Try smoking with a real pipe. :rofl:
.

Seriously now, (I just can't restrain myself when I get an opening to bash a cob), I think maineyachtie's advice is spot-on. The filter might be part of the problem too. If you've run a pipe cleaner thru it, you may have crushed the internal paper baffles.
You might also take a moment to gently remove the loose gray ash before relighting your pipe. When smoking Va flakes I frequently let the pipe go out on purpose. Then I relight, always removing the ash beforehand. It seems to restore the initial taste of the tobacco.
If you're smoking an aromatic tobacco, then I haven't a clue as to how to handle the problem. (I'm still learning how to smoke them properly.)

 

[maineyachtie]

Thank you Cortezattic.
Faedother, glad to hear the problem is no more. Always happy to help.

 

[mrivney]

Faedother,

I would suggest cleaning the pipe. Use some cheap whiskey. Dip your pipe cleaner in the whiskey and clean out the stem. Also, do this with the bowl. (You make a loop out of the pipe cleaner when cleaning the bowl.)

There are some good videos on youtube that show you how to clean your corncob pipe.

I got this same ashy taste when I just started smoking pipes. But it went away once I cleaned the pipe. I still have my corncobs but I do have briar.

Pipe snobs will call you a yokel, but I'm a happy yokel with my corncobs. Also, after getting out of the beginner phase (I hope), I never did get a bitter taste when breaking in a new corncob.

Regards, MrIvney

 

[papipeguy]

The first thing I did was to ditch the filters. Second, you could be getting the taste of the stem in the bowl burning off. I can't remember which member counceled me on this but his practice was to whittle away at the part of the stem that protrudes into the bowl. I didn't do this but it will burn off in time. I also did not do any prep work on the cobs. I'm too lazy.

I will say that my Country Gentleman and Danish Egg are slendid smokers and surprisingly cool. I use a Zippo pipe lighter exclusively and have no issues.

So to sum things up, stick with them and they'll improve with use.

Best wishes,

John