Draw Frequency and Should I Puff Like Cigars?

[brpipergui]

Title edited for capitaliztion- Rule 9

Hey guys,

How is it going?

My pipe is a Missouri meerschaum, a corn cob mini. The store that sold me didn't say it was the mini one, and I didn't pay attention. So it is what is is hehe

I wanted to ask a few questions if you guys don't mind. I don't have anyone to ask in real life, and I just wanted to hear personal opinions, even if they "only work for you", it's fine by me.

Ok, let's go:

Is it ok to puff like a cigar? And by that I mean the following:
1. Put pipe in mouth
2. Stop breathing completely (lock throat)
3. Draw the smoke into mouth let it go, once or more (not necessarily long puffs like with cigars)
4. Start breathing again
5. Wait 30 or more seconds and repeat the process (I usually wait 1m30s with cigars or so)

Maybe this is a stupid question, I've been trying to puff while breathing through my nose to keep the tobacco lit, but I feel like I'm not doing it right because I feel I may be inhaling smoke into my lungs.

After every session, I feel a headache and heavy chest for the rest of the day. Which doesn't happen when I smoke cigars.
So I thought, if I could just dry my tobacco a little bit more, maybe I would be able to keep it lit between puffs 30 seconds or do apart.
This would be great because I believe it would make smoking more enjoyable so that with time I would continue learning new things without getting frustrated

A second question would be, is a boul a day too much for a beginner like me? It's been 8 years since I stopped smoking cigarettes, and the thing I want to avoid the most is the same kind of cravings that I had when I was a cigarette smoker. My mood would get really bad if I wasn't able to smoke with the established frequency.

I started smoking pipe and cigars because I was interested in how they could help me calm down and relax, but if the opposite starts to happen, maybe it's not the hobby for the moment, right

When I started smoking cigars a few weeks ago, I would smoke one cigar per week and it would completely satisfy me.
But with the pipe, I smoke a boul one day and the next day I find myself already wanting to smoke again. Also, the smoking process itself hasn't been that much satisfying. The smoke tastes kinda ashy, and because I lack experience, I have to keep lighting the tobacco all the time. I know one thing affects the other.

Well as I said guys, I don't have anyone to ask irl, so if you will be so kind to answer, please do it like you would to a friend. That's what I'm after, to hear someone more experienced s opinion!

Thanks

 

[proteus]

Smoke anytime you are not sleeping. And don't smoke like a cigar. Puff very gently. Infrequently. Easy. Enjoy the peace and calm...

Oh and don't follow a procedure. Learn to feel the experience, the pipe, the tobacco flavor, the smoke itself. You should focus on the experience not a process.

 

[dottlejockey]

I find i smoke more often with pipes, too, but this is because the nicotine content in most pipe tobacco is nothing like what you're getting from a big ole stogie, especially, as you said, if you've got a mini cob. I would suggest a stronger tobacco, however, the headache and heavy chest makes me think otherwise.

Try a good solid burley in that pipe. I have a cigar background and always find them particularly satisfying.

Also, i'd say if you can mitigate the physical issues, picking a time to have a pipe in the evening and using that as a daily means to relax, reflect and unwind would be a good thing. Lots of info here (and everywhere) about packing, cadence, etc. Enjoy the journey...meaning, please don't smoke with a stopwatch!

 

[sablebrush52]

Puff to get the pipe going, then sip the smoke, like sipping a milkshake through a straw. That's now it's done.

 

[bullet08]

It's okay to breath. Don't inhale doesn't mean to stop breathing. You will find comfortable cadence sooner or later.

 

[Professor Moriarty]

Puffing is a mouth motion that draws the smoke into the mouth only. It is independent of your breathing.
Practice making kisses with your mouth while breathing normally through your nose.
Try both front and side kisses.
To expel the smoke from your mouth, after one or more puffs, wait for an exhale from your breathing rhythm and direct the air out your mouth instead of your nose.

 

[PipeIT]

@brpipergui Welome to the forum!

Maybe Clarin Pipes is near you, to have smoking buddies. If not, maybe they know other pipe smokers in your area.

Clarin Clay Pipes

Os Clarin Clay Pipes são sempre uma boa! Celebre bons momentos com o que há de melhor nesse mundo! Clarin Clay Pipes, the worldwide best-in-class is waking up!

www.clarinclaypipes.com

Pipes are meant to be smoked slowly! Sip pipe tobacco slowly, it’s not a cigarette or cigar.

Have fun!

 

[ziv]

Get yourself a normal (i.e. not mini) cob. I really like the Country Gentleman, and it can be had for $16 on Amazon which is still very cheap.
Also, what kind of tobacco are you smoking?

 

[brpipergui]

Hey guys, thank you for all your advice. I've just smoked a boul and got a few tongue bytes, BUT, there was one moment when I could kind of controll slow puffs, always while exhaling from the lung (just to be safe), that I felt a little bit of the chocolate flavour of my tobacco! That was really nice!

I'll keep going, please wish me luck!

And thank you all again! This got me excited to smoke more... LOL

 

[The Libertine]

Hey guys, thank you for all your advice. I've just smoked a boul and got a few tongue bytes, BUT, there was one moment when I could kind of controll slow puffs, always while exhaling from the lung (just to be safe), that I felt a little bit of the chocolate flavour of my tobacco! That was really nice!

I'll keep going, please wish me luck!

And thank you all again! This got me excited to smoke more... LOL

There isn't a flavor to tobacco, only an aroma. Try taking a small drawl and feeling the smoke in your mouth and exhale through your nose. You'll get more aroma.

 

[brpipergui]

Get yourself a normal (i.e. not mini) cob. I really like the Country Gentleman, and it can be had for $16 on Amazon which is still very cheap.
Also, what kind of tobacco are you smoking?

It's a chocolate one from a Brazilian seller, they have two chocolate flavours, mine is the one they say have the little flavour so that it should be easier for beginners. More dry and stuff like that!

Your got me thinking about getting a normal sized boul pipe, alright. It's kinda hard to find them here in Brazil, but I'll try to find one!

Thank you

 

[The Libertine]

Get yourself a normal (i.e. not mini) cob. I really like the Country Gentleman, and it can be had for $16 on Amazon which is still very cheap.
Also, what kind of tobacco are you smoking?

I enjoy my Country Gentleman as well.

 

[ziv]

It's a chocolate one from a Brazilian seller, they have two chocolate flavours, mine is the one they say have the little flavour so that it should be easier for beginners. More dry and stuff like that!

Your got me thinking about getting a normal sized boul pipe, alright. It's kinda hard to find them here in Brazil, but I'll try to find one!

Thank you

Try some English blends. Aromatics do tend to have more tongue bite.
And maybe try a filter if you are smoking without one.

 

[brpipergui]

Alright!

May I ask one more extremely newbie question?

What would be the measures of a normal pipe?

 

[The Libertine]

Alright!

May I ask one more extremely newbie question?

What would be the measures of a normal pipe?

Measurements vary. Chambers between 1-1.5 inch are very common. Some have 2 inch chambers. The length of pipe varies greatly from nose warmers to churchwardens.

 

[VDL_Piper]

I always say smoke your pipe like you're hiding from a serial killer in a wardrobe and he's standing at the door and may hear you.......

 

[OzPiper]

I always say smoke your pipe like you're hiding from a serial killer in a wardrobe and he's standing at the door and may hear you.......

Well I just shat me pants
Not sure if that’s a Nic hit
Or the serial killer at the door

 

[jbfrady]

There a good chance that the headache results from trying to over-control your breathing. Reducing your oxygen intake can do that.

When starting out, I recommend breathing normally. Once you've breathed in a regular breath, take a puff - at this point, your lungs are already full, so you're not gonna breathe in any more than you already have. Over time you'll be able to breathe normally through your nose while smoking the pipe and the two won't intermingle at all.

I'd add my thoughts on the rest, but these fellas have already answered those quite nicely.

 

[sablebrush52]

So, a couple of notes regarding the posts.
To help with tongue bite, dry down your tobacco. Since I smoke mostly Virginia blends I dry them until they are just shy of bone dry. Aromatics and English blends can be slightly moister.

Regarding flavors, almost all commercial blends have small amounts of flavorings whether added at the beginning to the component tobaccos, referred to as casings, or later, referred to as toppings. Some component tobaccos, like Malawi, which is a burley, can taste of cocoa. Added flavorings may accentuate the flavors.
When you are more practiced, try slowly exhaling through your nose, which is referred to as either retrohaling or as snorking. You have more flavor receptors in your schnoz than in your mouth. Doing this will allow you to pick up more nuances in the blend.

 

[BrightDarkEyes]

There is already some good advice here for you.

I see you are in Brazil. If you are buying your tobacco at the Recife Antigo market, it may be a chocolate flavoured tobacco that is actually pure nicotiana rustica, which happens to be the strongest nicotine laden tobacco in the world. This may explain your symptoms of headache and heavy chest if it is this particular tobacco.