First Pipe Smoked Today: Questions

[fitzy]

Steve,

Pipe smoking is something that you can pick up in a day or two but even after a lifetime you're still trying to master.
Have you thought about picking up a couple cobs to add to your rotation? Missouri Meerschaum Corn Cobs
It really is an ongoing learning experience. I hope you enjoy it.
Fitzy

 

[Chasing Embers]

Your first bowl took three hours?! :worship:

 

[sk806]

Yes, three hours. Not sure it was in a good way, though.... I am thinking of at least a couple cobs for now, as I don't want to trash a bunch of briars. Thanks for the link! I understand these are the best when it comes to cobs?

 

[ravenwolf]

Great to see new folks, and to see such good advice given to them!

 

[fitzy]

Yes Missouri Meerschaum are the best cobs. Heck you might want to buy the 10 pack of smoke able seconds from them.

 

[sk806]

So, I am a really slow smoker for some reason. I got a smaller pipe ~1.3 x .75, and tried some of Escudo Navy I let dry overnight. I spent about an hour this morning, and had to stop, as work was looming, then finished a whole bowl tonight and it took almost two hours. I love it, it's incredibly relaxing,, but two hours is a bit much, unless you want it to go that long.
I understand from the previous comments that I should be loading half bowls, and avoid flake for now, but, assuming I am too impatient to do so (I really will try!), should I use less tobacco? Does escudo need more drying?
Maybe I'll watch some YouTube videos on loading the pipe.
Man, this is fun stuff, though...the only problem i see is that I'm a wood guy (guitars, tables, wainscoating, whatever), and man those expensive pipes are perrrrrrrrty....

 

[jpmcwjr]

Maybe you'll end up carving a few bowls!
My experience with Escudo suggests more drying time. And it dries faster when rubbed out.

 

[sk806]

I'm already reading about it, looks fascinating, incorporating grain aesthetics and organic shapes with functionality (drool)! Probably need to learn to smoke one properly first...
I am letting some escudo, OSG, Full Virgina and Irish Flake dry for a couple of days right now and will stick with the blackhouse for the time being. Thanks for the tip!
Steve

 

[crashthegrey]

Out of curiosity, how many OGS flakes do you put in the bowl to last three hours? My flake pipe usually only takes one flake, maybe a small amount of a second, and lasts for about an hour that way. Are you putting a bunch of flakes in or are you a born pipe smoker?

 

[cabinfever]

Another new to pipe smoking beginner here. In regards to relighting, before a relight should I try to dump out the ash that has accumulated on top of the unburned tobacco? Also, there seems to be a build up of unburned tobacco around the outside of the ash next to the briar. Should I scrape this accumulation into the center of the bowl before relighting?
Thanks

 

[pipesmokingtom]

should I try to dump out the ash that has accumulated on top of the unburned tobacco? Also, there seems to be a build up of unburned tobacco around the outside of the ash next to the briar. Should I scrape this accumulation into the center of the bowl before relighting?

For these two particular questions, it depends on the tobacco, how the pipe is burning, if it's tasting ashy... flakes I fiddle with in the bowl more than ribbon...
The best advice here is to try dumping/not dumping/rearranging the tobacco/or not with the different tobaccos you smoke. What works with one won't necessarily work for another. This is an experience/preference thing.
Often, if I mess with it too much, the rest of the bowl tastes "off."

 

[aldecaker]

I try not to mess with it if the smoke is going well. I'll usually just run a match around the outside ring of tobacco on the relight, to try and even things up a bit.

 

[cabinfever]

Back to the original topic, I just finished a flake of Orlik Golden Sliced in my new Peterson Kinsale XL-27. I prepared the flake based on an article I recently read. The article recommended cutting the flake into tiny cubes against the grain of the flake. And, then gravity filling your bowl with the tiny cubes.
After the cutting, I dried the cubes for around 30 minutes. This method worked fairly well for me. Just a few relights. It smoked for about an hour. It was delicious. The only recommendation I would make would be to pack it slightly instead of the gravity (unpacked)fill that was recommended in the article.
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/the-cube-cut-method

 

[sk806]

Out of curiosity, how many OGS flakes do you put in the bowl to last three hours? My flake pipe usually only takes one flake, maybe a small amount of a second, and lasts for about an hour that way. Are you putting a bunch of flakes in or are you a born pipe smoker?

It was one flake in a rather large bowl. I have no idea how it happened.

 

[crashthegrey]

Well done, sir. I smell a slow smoke competition in your future.