How Do You Get Your Bowl Lit Well Without Scorching Your Tongue And Tobacco

[edm22]

I have a question as I am starting out in the pipe world. I have been reading that one of the goals in smoking a pipe and getting the most flavor out of the tobacco is to try and keep the smoke cool and not smoke it too hot and scorch the tobacco. In saying that, when I am trying to get things started, after the few first charring lights, i am taking a bit larger draws to get it off the ground and am scorching my tongue in the process. How do you get the tobacco sufficiently lighted without scorching the tongue and the tobacco?

 

[nsfisher]

If you are using a decent pipe, you should not get that much "heat" in your mouth while lighting. I usually light mine with short, crisp sips. You do not have to draw on it like a straw in a milkshake.

 

[eaglerico]

Welcome to the forum.
1) Packing technique has a lot to do with how easy/hard it is to light a bowl. I think the 3 step method is best for beginners until they find their own technique. (Step 1 - Gently fill bowl and tamp down to 1/2 way. Step 2 - Fill bowl again and tamp a little harder to 2/3 full. Step 3 - Fill bowl again and tamp even harder to just under rim of bowl. Top of tobacco in bowl should be springy without being too hard packed.)
2) Lighting technique is also something to work on. Most beginners and even some long timers will take at least 3 lights. Generally there is the pre-light. Just charring the top layer. Tamp after to get an even layer. Light again and puff gently. Tamp again. Third time if char lights were good you should get a nice cherry going and you have a lit bowl.
3) If you are smoking a moist tobacco, say most aromatics, drying it out on a paper towel for 30 minutes or longer before you pack the bowl will help. If the tobacco is moist you will have a hard time of keeping it lit. Also, if you smoke too fast the moisture will build up in the bottom of the bowl and be difficult to keep lit as well.
Generally the more re-lights you have the higher chance you get of scorching your tongue. Just takes practice and patience. If your mouth gets sore don't push it. Give your mouth a few days to heal and try it again. Don't worry you are not doing it wrong, you are find all the correct ways that don't work for you.

 

[edm22]

thanks nsfisher, good to know about the draw. Being a cigar smoker for the last 15 years, I can see it's a whole different game.

 

[edm22]

thanks eaglerico, these steps will be really helpful. I can see it will take a little patience and practice but so worth it.

 

[nsfisher]

thanks nsfisher, good to know about the draw. Being a cigar smoker for the last 15 years, I can see it's a whole different game

I was a 30 year cig smoker, so when I started the pipe 17 yrs ago, I got tounge bite and burn real bad for months. Bad enough that I only smoked it occasionally. Even now, with no cigs for almost 2 yrs now, I still have to be careful. Regardless of how dry your baccy is(I like mine almost crunchy), you can still get a sore mouth if you stick to that cig. draw. Much more satisfaction with light "sips" and if you are a clencher, breath sipping or puffing is a nice way to go.

 

[acme]

Lots of good stuff said, but I think one statement could be said again. Throw away your lighter.

anthony

 

[pipeshark]

Agreed. I found much more enjoyment when I pitched the lighters and embraced matches full time. I also find that after the char, I tend to use the second match to take two or three deep sips or light draws.. pick the preferred terminology I suppose.. and then give it a 3 count and do it again. I found that this kept the baccy from getting too hot. Welcome to the forums!

 

[judcole]

Good advice by all these guys. Since nobody mentioned it, the reason to dump the lighter is that it burns much hotter than you need for pipe tobacco.
Welcome to the forum, and happy pipe smoking.

 

[bigmick]

I struggled with the same thing. The cure for me was packing much firmer. Seems I was packing way to loose. My local B&M guy was kind enough to teach me to pack a pipe in the shop. I am still struggling to get it right every time, but my enjoyment factor has went up considerably. Also my matchstick consumption has went down drastically. At first I'd have 10-20 relights per bowl. Now I can get by with 2-3.
Another thought...using the match to gently light the tobacco, almost the same as warming the end of cigar. Let the tobacco take the flame in it's time. (While gently sipping of course)

 

[cortezattic]

Welcome to the forums, edm22 and bigmick. :clap:
The advice already given should suffice. I just wanted to add that even after many years I too can scorch my tongue

-- especially when I get gluttonous with a tobacco that I'm really liking.
If you don't see any improvement after following the advice here, trying moving to a more flavorful, fuller tobacco.

It could be that you're trying to suck out more flavor than your chosen blend can deliver. You're cooking your tongue

in the process, and your lighting technique is not the source of the problem, but the moment when your sensitive tongue

feels it most.

 

[whitebriar]

dry tobacco--dryer than you'd think you might like it--lot of what is called tongue bite is actually steam burn which is furthered by overly moist tobacco

 

[lordofthepiperings]

All posts have it down pretty good. It's usually a combination of things. Packing, tamping, puffing, moisture level and draw. Definitely check the mositure first. If you grab a pinch of tobacco then put it down and it sticks together it's still too moist. Let it sit out for 15-30 minutes before smoking it. Next comes the packing and there's countless methods. I believe there's a link to a video of multiple methods on a side bar somewhere on this site. The next big thing is checking the draw after you pack the pipe. If you do and it's easy to get a nice gentle draw you're good to light it up. If not then you can just empty the bowl and repack it until you get that nice easy draw. It shouldn't be anywhere near a cigar draw. A draw on a pipe should be easy and effortless. After that usually most guys will do a charr light where you just move the match/lighter around the top tobacco in a cirlce while lightly puffing. After that you tamp the raised tobacco down and then do one more lighting. The hard part afterwards is keeping it lit which can be better achieved with periodic tamping of the ash. This keeps the ember closer to the unburnt tobacco and keeps the pipe lit without getting too hot for your mouth or the bowl. Usually it takes a nice light tamp with the weight of the tamper about every 5-10 minutes, but this like most other aspects of pipe smoking you'll eventually learn your own rhythm and timing as you progress. I hope everyone's advice has been helpful and you enjoy this wonderful hobby. Welcome to the forums.

 

[gray4lines]

thanks nsfisher, good to know about the draw. Being a cigar smoker for the last 15 years, I can see it's a whole different game. edm22

I believe that is a large part of my difficulty as well (although you do have a lot of years on me even as a cigar smoker). Even though I tried to read up on pipe techniques before my first pipe arrived, my first bowl was hot and bitter with tons of gurgle, especially when lighting/re-lighting.
I think I am still learning how a good pipe draw should feel as compared to a cigar draw/and smoke output.
Thanks, guys.

 

[edm22]

Thanks everyone first of all for the warm welcome and also for all the info. I've got some smokin to do.

 

[numbersix]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this, but if you use a butane lighter like I do, try teasing the flame over the baccy - don't let it touch. Butane runs much hotter than tobacco burns so letting the flame touch the baccy is essentially over heating it.

 

[corncobguy]

also something to try, if your pipe feels like its going out put your fingers over the bowl leaving a small space in between and draw on your pipe just as you would normally so all the air going into your pipe is centralized in that one spot and it will relight your bowl without having to use a match or lighter and thus not burning or biting your tongue. im new to pipes also and this has really helped me.