Brand New to Pipe Smoking

[jauzman]

Hi,Everyone,

Glad to Join the Club.

I'm totally new to pipe smoking. I have two lovely Mr.Brog Pear Wood Pipes,but I hope to get my first Briar fairly soon
Trouble is after filling my pipe,false light,I am only managing to get the middle lit. The pipe is only half full as I am trying to break it in and I guess I'm trying not to burn the edge of the bowl with the match. Also,my smoking experience has been awful as the tobacco taste's like ash with no flavour. Will this change after the pipe has broken in?
Cheers!

 

[texmexpipe]

Welcome to the forums and pipe smoking. I wouldn't worry about breaking in your pipe as much, that happens by default as you smoke your pipe. Instead read up around here about how to pack a bowl and get an enjoyable experience. As for how well the bowl lights know that even a partial or improper light can be salvedged by correct tamping. Don't worry if you have to relight. This is about taking your time, and you shouldn't feel like a bowl isn't a good one if you have to relight a time or two. As for your experience, what blends are you smoking? What don't you like thus far? These will help others point you in the right direction.

 

[buster]

What brand or blend are you smoking?

 

[ivapewithfire]

Welcome!

 

[bulldogbriar89]

Welcome to the pipe smoking hobby, and to the forum. don't pit the flame directly on the tobacco, hold it above the tobacco and draw it to get it lit. move the flame around to get an even charing. You may also not be packing your bowl correctly and that could be effecting your taste.

 

[pipebaum81]

Welcome welcome! I would heavily suggest reading a ton of the topics within the same folder this one is in. Find a friendly B&M (brick and mortar, actual tobacco shop) and ask for advice. The information I was provided on shaped my tobacco experience. I would also poke around youtube to see some practical explanations to help visually learn some of the techniques.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Look for smokingpipedreams on youtube. He has an entire video series on pipe smoking.

 

[mephistopheles]

1. As TexMexPipe said, stop worrying about breaking your pipe in. Fill it to the top and enjoy the ride. Don't do the half bowl thing. If you use your pipe as you normally would, it'll break in by itself and evenly.

2. When you have a full bowl, it doesn't mean you have tobacco at or above the rim. Take a little out or tamp it down so you can light your bowl without charring up the rim. Buy a beater pipe to train with if you're so worried about it.

3. As Gigger48 and BulldogBriar89 have said, keep the flame moving all over your tobacco and draw the flame into it. It should all catch just fine.

4. If you are smoking aromatics, which I think probably most people start with, know that they can become "sour" tasting/smelling if you smoke them too hot or if they become too dry before using them. Take slow sips. Don't worry about relights and don't puff like a freight train. If you need to re-hydrate your tobacco there are threads on it.
Hope that helps.

 

[sablebrush52]

To help avoid scorching the rim, just apply a bit of saliva to it before applying a lit match. That will buy you enough time to move the flame around and over the top of the tobacco. Let the first light go out, tamp lightly to flatten the ash, and then repeat.
You have less of a concern if you keep the fill to about 1/4 inch below the rim.
Welcome to the forums!

 

[adam12]

Have fun!

 

[dottiewarden]

Welcome aboard jauzman.
You are just embarking on a journey through pipes, pipe tobacco and pipe smoking. Take your time, pipe smoking isn't as simple as it seems, but but the time you get it figured out you'll no longer remember what was so difficult about it in the first place. It takes patience and experience, and we all know there's no substitute for experience!
You're in the right place: here you'll find a great bunch of fellows always willing to share their respective words of wisdom. Take everything with a grain of salt, try things for yourself and find out what works for you and you'll find pipe smoking to be a delicious and rewarding experience.
Soon you'll also discover PAD and TAD!

 

[boilermakerandy]

Welcome!

 

[jauzman]

Hi,Everyone,
Many thanks for Welcoming me aboard and thanks for the advice.

I had a bowl today,taking advice from you guys and was very satisfactory, but I will be changing my tobacco tomorrow as the flavour isn't very nice. I'm smoking, Mellow Virginia (Benson and Hedges)

Very hard to find a good tobacconist where I live,so I'll check out the Net.

Must pick up a nice aromatic tomorrow!

Thanks Good People! ;-)

 

[jauzman]

Got some ol irish Mick McQuaid today.

Nice smoke,had 2 full bowls. Gonna try some Condor tomorrow.

Trying to give up cigarettes.... 10 to 20 a day habit.

Really like Pipe smoking... 4 cigs today,not bad.

Smoke on Dudes!
Pity they don't sell really nice tobacco around here, I'm going to have to buy on ol Mr Internet.
Cheers ;-)

 

[pipebaum81]

Make sure you use the web sponsors here if you can. Smokingpipes.com have a great reputation with me and (from what I can tell) this site. Pipesandcigars.com is another go to for me.