Do you Cover the Bowl when you Smoke?

[cwarmouth]

A few nights ago my son-in-law and I were smoking on the back patio and I noticed he was putting his thumb on top ot the bowl and raising it up and down as he smoked. Kind of regulating the flow of air. He had a massive billow of smoke. I asked him what he was doing and how he came up with the technique. He said he was watching old Sherlock Holmes shows and saw him doing it so he tried it. I didn't start smoking yesterday but I have never encountered this. Have I been under a rock? Who else does this?

 

[Copperhead]

I've found holding the pipe with index/middle fingers over the bowl helps greatly, can adjust the airflow, too.

So, not the thumb, but same thing, not for long though....no billows of smoke lol

 

[dottlejockey]

Also works great to perk up a pipe if it starts to die out from either lack of attention/tamping or just too much chin music if you're around company. So not as a general practice, but certainly a tool in the technique catalogue.

 

[jbfrady]

If it's raining, windy, or if the pipe risks going out, it's a great technique. When I first started smoking, most of the older fellas around the shop either used their thumbs or matchboxes.

 

[kcghost]

Never done either method of covering the bowl.

 

[edger]

My wife is always reminding me to put the lid down.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I've seen old timers do this. I've tried it and it works. Packing and tamping correctly pretty much accomplishes the same thing without burning your thumb.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

If the ember is dying, I will cover the chamber with my index and middle fingers of the hand holding the pipe and change the speed of the airflow to revive the ember, but not always.

 

[Danimal92sport]

I do this sometimes with my index and middle finger - it can revive a dying bowl sometimes without a relight. I also do it to alter the flavor - could be entirely in my head, but I sense a difference with all tobaccos especially aromatics.

 

[bullet08]

Only when it rains, and I'm standing without any cover which it never happens.

 

[warren]

I often cover the bowl when there are air currents, including a fan close by when in the house. I try to smoke cool as a rule.

 

[jpmcwjr]

In a high wind, I'll clamp something tightly over the bowl to prevent it from getting too hot.

 

[Bushido]

I'm with the other guys, I use it to revive a dying bowl.

 

[BingBong]

Yes, under a rock have you been. Manipulated airflow, to revive a smoke.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Yes, under a rock have you been. Manipulated airflow, to revive a smoke.

But what cwarmouth described was none of the above!

@cwarmouth​

 

[64alex]

Mastering light tampering and when dying covering the bowl partially with the hand definitely help keep the pipe going on. The other trick when it is close to dying is to very slowing and delicately blowing air in the bowl with the tamper on in order to eliminate a little bit of the ash on the top, it makes miracles. And when tampering not pressing but just using its weight moving circularly and moving the baccy on the side toward the center. These are all tricks which not only keep the bowl on without relight for a long time (if lucky with no relight at all) but also make possible to smoke at the lowest temperature just above the dying point as the lowest is the temp the better the taste.

 

[BingBong]

But what cwarmouth described was none of the above!

@cwarmouth​

Lol, keeping him right! For billows, I use the technique demonstrated by the late Matches860, picking up and letting go - modified draught only comes into play after too long letting go.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

In a high wind, I'll clamp something tightly over the bowl to prevent it from getting too hot.

What do you clamp on there?

 

[Uguccione]

I'm with the other guys, I use it to revive a dying bowl.

Ditto, I do it just to rekindle a dying ember. I didn't learn from anyone, it's an instinctive gesture; I can't believe there's someone who has never done it.

 

[cwarmouth]

Thank you all for your replies.