Do You Move The Flame Around When Lighting?

[fightnhampster]

I am a match guy as well and also move the flame around.

 

[STP]

A little bit… nothing crazy.

 

[anotherbob]

I do on the initial light. I find most relights, when necessary, require almost nothing to relight and are done so quick there's no time to move them around.

I was about to say the same thing. On most relights it seems like a little heat in the middle gets the whole top surface going good.

 

[samuelgawith01]

I do.And I incline the pipe a little to avoid charring the rim.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

Of course it depends on the size of the bowl, but "in theory" you actually don't want to light the entire surface area of the tobacco in your pipe, the perfect burn has the ember in the middle and a "toasting zone" around it where most of your flavor will come from.

 

[mau1]

I do, and my preference is to use hemp wick that has been coated with beeswax. A smaller flame that gives a more controlled burn and it's more forgivable if I've got the shakes.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I do on the initial light. I find most relights, when necessary, require almost nothing to relight and are done so quick there's no time to move them around.

This.

 

[KafkaStoleMyBike]

Yes on the initial light and after the initial tamping. I think that lead/ to fewer, if any, relights for my smoking cadence with most blends

 

[uzzi101]

I most definitely move the flame around the bowl, but never use matches. I can see the beauty of using a match but would be frustrated with any wind blowing that sucker out.

I recently moved to 2 charing lights, 2 tamps, and then a 3rd light as my true light. I find this technique works best for me. I’m still a newbie.

 

[mikethompson]

Lately I have once again payed attention to moving the flame of the match around the surface of the tobacco in the bowl, and intending to avoid the rim of the pipe

This is how pipe lighting was explained to me when I started and this is what I still do. Something about getting an even burn across the tobacco maybe?

 

[karibo]

Yes, I try to get the whole top layer lit - at least for the initial lights. Later on in the bowl when relighting, not so much since it seems to 'take' easier

 

[cosmicfolklore]

All the pipesmokers in the house say, "WHOOP!!" Wave that lighter around!!!

 

[Ethan]

I am going to be another for moving around when doing the initial charring light, and then only enough fire to get smoke, and flavor after. Not too concerned with having the entire bowl glowing on top, especially with wider chambers. I have been using a lot more matches recently, in part due to my lighter being temperamental. It will be fine for days, and then all of sudden start throwing out a 2 inch flame for no reason...

 

[telescopes]

I try.

 

[username]

Every time.

 

[pip01]

Yes. I get a even light.

 

[mso489]

And the answer is ... mostly yes! However, if you feel we have further hairs to split, post away. Thank you gents.

 

[PipeIT]

On two subjects; Drying tabac and lighting.

Unless tabac is extremely moist, for me personally, every blend I’ve smoked is more flavorful/rich, when smoked straight from tin.

I use an IM Corona Old Boy, and when I light I try to use as little of flame as possible to get the tabac going, otherwise, for me personally it’s not as flavorful going up in a big ball of ember.

Also if I try to keep tabac lit, it’s not as flavorful for me. I light very minimally, take a few sips to savor it, let the tabac go out, and when the pipe is cool, light minimally again, sip again, same process over and over, and for me, it’s the most flavorful/rich tobacco experience.

Since most of my pipes are not huge, I move the flame down and up, down and up, only trying to let the flame come in as little contact as possible, besides moving around.

 

[LikeDadDid]

I tried lighting just the center, and didn't like the uneven burn.

 

[Peter - CCB]

A bit. Big bowls yeah. If there an area that won’t light, I dumbly figured out after months to tilt the pipe and the angle and the flame will hit an area. Only on the false light really. I don’t want to chat the rim. It’ll all catch up.