Avoiding The Charring Light

[mso489]

This is an observation, not advice. Sometimes when I first light a pipe, what I thought for a long time was a charring light, once the tobacco on the top is lit, I can quickly lightly tamp, then partially cover the bowl with two fingers (probably to close in the heat a little better) and sip softly, this sets off the ember and I don't have to relight at all, at least for quite a while. It eliminates the charring light and simply lights the pipe. I just did that with a home mix in my Ropp "Tonic" smooth straight billiard. Nice start. But oops, time for a relight now.

 

[BROBS]

I don't think it gets lit as well as your relight shows.

I do like 3-4 chars .. let it sit for like 30 seconds.. then draw the heat in from the flame to light it.

 

[mso489]

BROBS, I think I got a good twenty minutes before the relight. It had just burnt up the ember and needed tamping to resettle the ash. Or, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. I did get a long smoke before relight. Your method sounds good too.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I've found the charring light unnecessary for some time now.

 

[BROBS]

I guess it depends on the tobacco.. both cut and dryness.
Some I do go right on to smoke if they take up.. others I do the char method above and it works well providing good flavor.

If it's a thin ribbon or flake fully rubbed out bone dry.. I guess I kind of do the char/tamp/light all at once.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

To avoid the charring light, I duck just after lighting it, and then spin around real fast. So far, works like a charm.

 

[rushx9]

Tobacco cut and dryness is definitely a factor.. some blends need it. Dunhill Durbar or EMP, just light and go!

 

[ray47]

When I started smoking a pipe back in 1967 I just pushed some tobacco in a bowl, lit it and smoked it. I tamped and relit if the bowl went out. Fast forward to the start of the internet pipe forums. I read about all the techniques regarding packing, lighting, smoking and building cake etc...
I got so confused I just disregarded the advice and still do what I did back in 1967. I'm still a Happy Pipe Smoker.

 

[anotherbob]

I sometimes do the charring light. More often then not the first light and tamp really is enough to get a good even ember and a great smoke. Though sometimes a blend is a little more fighty and in those cases a good char seems needed and useful.

 

[jhowell]

If the first light goes out I tamp and relight and consider it a charring light. If it doesn't go out I just keep smoking...

 

[bullet08]

Depends on the day. Some days, I'll light the top evenly and go from there. Other days, I can't light the top evenly and it bothers the hell outta me. Move tobacco around, tamp and light again.

 

[upnorth1]

I rarely have to do a second light, but it does happen. It's usually far enough into the smoke to not consider the first light a charring light.

 

[tobefrank]

This is an observation, not advice. Sometimes when I first light a pipe, what I thought for a long time was a charring light, once the tobacco on the top is lit, I can quickly lightly tamp, then partially cover the bowl with two fingers (probably to close in the heat a little better) and sip softly, this sets off the ember and I don't have to relight at all, at least for quite a while. It eliminates the charring light and simply lights the pipe. I just did that with a home mix in my Ropp "Tonic" smooth straight billiard. Nice start. But oops, time for a relight now.

I do something similar by partially covering the top of the bowl with the tamper without actually temping. I don't think it increases the heat so much as creates a lower pressure area below the tamper (in your case your fingers) which helps the ember light up better. I do this throughout smoking a bowl as well to avoid having to relight.

 

[docrameous]

I found this to be true, sometimes I am off to the races without a charing light. It depends on the conditions, the tobacco, etc.

The consistent exception would for me would be flake tobaccos which can take a bit of persuasion to get going.

 

[alexnc]

To avoid the charring light, I duck just after lighting it, and then spin around real fast. So far, works like a charm.

Though I'm going to try this method, so far I rather embrace the charring light. Even though it's not really necessary a fair amount of the time.

 

[perdurabo]

If I’m reading you right, Wise Brother MSO, I do the same thing. I find a char light is only in need when screwing around with European tobacco. If you smoke those warm C&D Burley tobaccos, no char light is included.

Anyone like Lasagna? *In Honor of Throwing a Thread.

 

[montypiper]

I do something similar by partially covering the top of the bowl with the tamper without actually temping. I don't think it increases the heat so much as creates a lower pressure area below the tamper (in your case your fingers) which helps the ember light up better. I do this throughout smoking a bowl as well to avoid having to relight.

same here. sometimes I use this tamper with a bunch of holes in it.. seems to work well, just lightly cover and draw:

 

[mso489]

From time to time, I light the bowl thoroughly and it goes right out, thus enforcing the charring light on me, and I accept that and relight, on my jolly way. But I have noticed I can often skip this extra step ... and if so, why not? I'm glad to see that some others "get" what I am talking about and do likewise when possible. I like to think when the pipe insists on going out, it is saying, "No, really, take a minute; you're really going to enjoy this."

 

[thefishguy]

I like a cooler flame for the charring light, think match or zippo. It takes a bit longer but gives me a toasted start instead of burnt. I’ll use butane for relights to start it back up quicker.

 

[kylef]

If the first light goes out I tamp and relight and consider it a charring light. If it doesn't go out I just keep smoking...

Same here.