Frustrated!

[Streeper541]

If Pastor Charlie is anything like this pastor, the pipe will go out while he's chatting or paying attention to something else.

Anyhow, what has been repeated as nasuem already is the best advice. Dry out the CH and pack it looser. Also, make sure your airway is clear.

@PastorCharlie what sort of pipe are you smoking? How long have you been smoking a pipe? What does your routine look like?

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

The less I focus on the details, the more likely I won't have to constantly relight.
Overthinking it is a real issue.

Truth

 

[Pastor Charlie]

How long have you been smoking a pipe?

I tried a few years ago for just a bit, and have just recently desired to pick it back up again. So, hardly any time at all.

 

[Pastor Charlie]

You guys are great! Wonderfully patient and thorough advice. Thank you all so much. One of the things that has me confused is how to properly use the tamper. How do you use the tamper without actually “tamping” the tobacco down? That must be a fine line.

 

[warren]

Just persevere. There's good advice above. It'll come to you, relax.

I tamp lightly, as needed, twisting my finger, the tamper usually, a 1/4 turn to keep tobacco more or less covering or, in contact with the ember.

 

[blackpowderpiper]

You guys are great! Wonderfully patient and thorough advice. Thank you all so much. One of the things that has me confused is how to properly use the tamper. How do you use the tamper without actually “tamping” the tobacco down? That must be a fine line.

The tamper is to primarily tamp down the ash layer as the bowl burns down. Very little pressure is needed, usually just the weight of the tamper itself will do. Occasionally, if you pack too lightly, you can tighten the pack just a bit with the tamper to slightly increase resistance. But go sparingly, it's easy to over tamp and ruin the bowl.

 

[jaingorenard]

You guys are great! Wonderfully patient and thorough advice. Thank you all so much. One of the things that has me confused is how to properly use the tamper. How do you use the tamper without actually “tamping” the tobacco down? That must be a fine line.

Two reasons: in theory, to compact the ash and protect the ember. Also, if it's loosely packed, to move the ember closer to the unburned tobacco. I have smoked entire bowls without tamping though, particularly if it's quite tight packed shag. You don't want to tamp too hard, and this can be achieved by just using the weight of the tamper itself without pushing, or using your finger to gently press the ashes down. It's usually essential to tamp well after the charring light to press the burnt tobacco down after it lifts up with the heat.

Edit: I just saw blackpowderpiper has said the same above, apologies for repeating!

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Shag burns real easy. You could always give that a go.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

You guys are great! Wonderfully patient and thorough advice. Thank you all so much. One of the things that has me confused is how to properly use the tamper. How do you use the tamper without actually “tamping” the tobacco down? That must be a fine line.

Someone said, and it stuck with me, tamp with the weight of a dime.

 

[bullet08]

Carter Hall and majority of OTC codger blends don't need drying. You can dry them if you want, but they won't dry too much due to whatever that thing is called that keeps tobacco moist.

Trick here is packing. Codger scoop works very well. As long as you are not too greedy with tobacco, it will leave good size air pocket at the bottom. Gravity fill also works well.

 

[mso489]

It also helps to not give a damn (pardon me pastor) about relights. If you feel irked and humiliated every time you relight, it seems endless.

I love it when an ember just keeps going and I can totally immerse in the flavor and experience of pipe smoking.

Other times, I rack up the burnt matches like cord wood, but I've learned not to care. Just keep on and go for the enjoyment. Don't worry about relights or dottle (unburnt tobacco at the end of the smoke).

Some cuts and blends nearly always burn evenly and well without many relights, and others are a chore. I just go with the flow.

For real problem cuts/blends, I hand grate the leaf and that seems to resolve the problem.

 

[FLDRD]

Should be one of the easiest smokes there is…..Carter Hall.

Wow, stumped me there. Carter Hall was my saving grace of tobacco, it showed me that I COULD actually keep something lit and enjoy it.

 

[Doctor Chopper]

Dry, pack light, and keep fuel in your lighter.

The rest will come with time and experience.

 

[OSOBUCO]

Dry, pack loose, tamp often.

I was packing too tight at the beginning trying to follow all the BS - cough - methods (Frank, three step, blah blah blah). Now I dry a bit if needed, gravity feed, rap to settle, feed more, repeat till full then a light press and . I keep a lighter handy and relight as needed and don't worry anymore. Sometimes I relight a bunch during a bowl other times it may only be once or twice. I almost never finish a bowl on one light.

 

[Wet Dottle]

You'll hear completely different views on this from different people, and there's no substitute for practice. However, here's my advice. Drying will help, but with practice you can easily smoke tobacco that is more moist than people think, and some tobaccos really benefit from keeping some moisture. With packing you CAN pack too loose, but you are far more likely to be packing too tightly. Most of the 'packing methods' don't work, often pack too tight, and you'll be much better for just putting tobacco in the pipe and gradually getting a feel for it. Tamping helps keep the ember on the tobacco below, but use your finger. The heat means you will struggle to over-tamp, and again it will give you more of a feel for it.

The problem is, different cuts, moisture levels, and types of leaf will all burn differently, and produce different amounts of smoke, needing slightly different packing and (maybe) cadence - again, there's no substitute for just doing it for years. We also all have to relight sometimes, don't worry about it!

The single most important piece of advice - don't puff hard and fast! You can smoke a pipe barely drawing on it at all, and it will stay lit far longer. Barely moving the muscles in your throat and mouth will draw smoke out of the pipe, you really don't need to 'puff' at all.

Listen to this man. He knows.

 

[kcghost]

As everyone has said dry your tobacco, pack you pipe loosely, and smoke slowly. If that doesn't work, try changing the tobacco you are smoking.

 

[RookieGuy80]

@Pastor Charlie I have one more quick question. The Carter Hall you're smoking. How did you get it? Bulk or a big tub?

 

[JOHN72]

Patience, friend. You are in the right place to be a good tobacco smoker. I, here I learned everything about pipe smoking, thanks to these great smoking friends. Well, my father also gave me some lessons.

 

[Pastor Charlie]

@Pastor Charlie I have one more quick question. The Carter Hall you're smoking. How did you get it? Bulk or a big tub?

I actually just got about 1 ounce in a sample from WVSMOKE. It came in a small ziplock bag.

 

[jwussow]

I don’t see this brought up on this forum very often, but I have great success with a stubborn blend by removing some of the ash with my pipe tool. I then make sure the tobacco is uniform again, and the relight is typically excellent.