How to quantify a sip

[Dankpipez]

Hi guys,

Relatively new piper here. I am loving all of the advice and the wealth of knowledge that has gathered here on this forum. It has been a great resource so far in answering a lot of the questions, in detail, that I find myself pondering in regard to the art of pipe smoking.

As I peruse the forum reading about the different techniques that folks use for packing, smoking, cleaning, and maintaining their pipes, I find myself with a few questions here and there, one of which I would like to ask now -

I often see people use the word "sip" when discussing how to smoke a pipe. I understand the word sip, but also understand that what is a sip for me, may not be a sip for you. There seems to be a bit of subjectivity inherent in the word sip. I was curious if anyone can quantify, within the context of pipe smoking, what the ideal "sip" is. Length? volume? volume of smoke in the mouth?


I used the search function to poke around just a bit, but didn't come across anything specifically related to defining a "sip". I am curious to hear your thoughts!

For bonus points, what, in your opinion, is the ideal time between "sips"?

Cheers!

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

Not a clue what's it means either, don't really care, just want to smoke my pipe.

 

[monty55]

Lol, well my friend, a sip is something you'll need to quantify yourself since it's different for everyone. I'd say don't overthink it. Experiment with your own pipes and blends until you find the right sip that suits you. I think part of the fun of being a newbie was all the experimentation to find what fits you best. For myself, I found a slow draw works as well as a quick sip, although they may be entirely the same thing

 

[anotherbob]

Hi guys,

Relatively new piper here. I am loving all of the advice and the wealth of knowledge that has gathered here on this forum. It has been a great resource so far in answering a lot of the questions, in detail, that I find myself pondering in regard to the art of pipe smoking.

As I peruse the forum reading about the different techniques that folks use for packing, smoking, cleaning, and maintaining their pipes, I find myself with a few questions here and there, one of which I would like to ask now -

I often see people use the word "sip" when discussing how to smoke a pipe. I understand the word sip, but also understand that what is a sip for me, may not be a sip for you. There seems to be a bit of subjectivity inherent in the word sip. I was curious if anyone can quantify, within the context of pipe smoking, what the ideal "sip" is. Length? volume? volume of smoke in the mouth?


I used the search function to poke around just a bit, but didn't come across anything specifically related to defining a "sip". I am curious to hear your thoughts!

For bonus points, what, in your opinion, is the ideal time between "sips"?

Cheers!

I think I was the first to use that term in modern times heard it before and didn't see it around, thought it expressed the most directly what people mean by go slow. Seriously. If anything it is less giving specific instructions and more a general guideline. How long you pull your sip or how much smoke you pull doesn't matter as much as taking and using a very minimal amount of force to draw the smoke into your mouth. And a sip seems like the easiest word to express that idea. Everything else is subjective. Honestly sometimes the sips are quite long and get a lot of smoke. Sometimes they're tiny and wispy. The thing is if you sip as in take a small amount of smoke in per second it will give you fair warning before getting too hot. As far as how long to wait? Depends on the tobacco you're smoking. Five bros and a folded flake are totally different animals. But both work great with a light pull that uses minimal force. A flake it's pretty constant sip blow sip blow sip sip blow where as a shag like five bros is going to be sip watch what the squirrels are doing and take another sip. While science is involved pipe smoking isn't science and is a leisurely activity. There are rules but they apply to how the tobacco and smoking it will react you puff like a freight train you'll get burnt, however if that's what you enjoy have at it.

 

[anotherbob]

Lol, well my friend, a sip is something you'll need to quantify yourself since it's different for everyone. I'd say don't overthink it. Experiment with your own pipes and blends until you find the right sip that suits you. I think part of the fun of being a newbie was all the experimentation to find what fits you best. For myself, I found a slow draw works as well as a quick sip, although they may be entirely the same thing

yeah first time I used the term I wasn't thinking precision but more dropping a new smoker off in the wilderness where they can find the camp site and with a good but small hint that's clearer then go slow. Because everyone thinks they're going slow without any reference to what's too fast. I have to admit I borrowed the idea from snuff where no matter how much you tell people to lightly sniff the snuff they rip it like they're snorting cocaine (they do, every time) telling them to smell the flowers and focus not on getting the snuff up the nose but just trying to smell it like they would a rose or some perfume helps a lot. Basically it's tying it back to something they already know no matter their history with tobacco.

 

[dctune]

I’ll give it a stab here. But like the above replies, it’s pretty subjective.

With a pipe, the draw could almost always be considered a sip. For me, it’s just a lazy tug, like taking a normal drink from a fountain Coke. (Not soda. Not pop. Coke. And sometimes Dr. Pepper. And if anybody prefers Pepsi over Coke, I’ll press charges.) Not a quick sip, and not a mouthful chug. Just a normal drink.

But as mentioned, it’s whatever works for you.

And a few things can influence the “sip.” Some pipes draw differently from one another. When folks say a pipe is a “good smoker,” one of the things they mean is that it draws easily. And some folks prefer an extremely loose draw. My first pipe had a a real tight draw, like sucking on a milkshake. Of course, I didn’t know that until I bought some other nicer pipes along the way.

Also, my draw or sip is influenced by the type of tobacco I’m smoking; whether it burns cool or hot. This has more to do with cadence in some respects (pace, tempo, the amount of time between draws, as you asked about.) If it burns hot, I’m obviously going to naturally adjust, taking a combination of smaller or gentler sips and perhaps more time between them.

Best of luck, and welcome.

 

[bullet08]

You chug beer. You sip hot tea. It not that you sip continuously, you start the draw with light sip and let the smoke drift into you oral cavity. Don't think.. Let it just trickle into your mouth. Breath through your nose. When you think it's no longer coming into your mouth, sip again. Key is not thinking. Sooner or later, you will just breath and whole thing will go into auto drive.

 

[solideogloria86]

A sip is far less than a swaller, and about 1/3 of a swig. Don't be back warshin in the jug neither.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Great question, but unquantifiable over different cuts, types and moisture content of tobacco. And ambient humidity, which can increase or decrease how readily the tobacco ignites.

 

[mso489]

A sip is not registered with the bureau of weights and measures. It is a small intake of smoke to swirl around the middle of your mouth before being exhaled in a wisp. You don't have clouds of smoke hanging in front of your face as you would with a puff, and you aren't blowing any smoke rings. Beyond that, you needn't analyze it much. A sip of bourbon isn't chugging it ... that sort of thing. Now relax, take a deep breath, and enjoy your smoke.

 

[Winterreise]

Personnally i smoke like a freight train and enjoy it that way ! When i started i tried every method in the book , breathing method sipping etc. Sip if you seek subtle aroma or got easily tongue bite which i never had .
when you sip the pipe your supposed to see barely any smoke , the key of pipe smoking is enjoyment , when i overthink i lost that .

 

[dog_park_piper]

I just checked the mirror with a flashlight: I chugged my Peterson System so hard I got a sore that's healing right where the smoke landed on the side/back of my throat. Need I say I didn't sip? I

I think being cold outside makes me want to "get to the bottom of the bowl" so I can get inside.

New rule for me: Don't measure tobacco pleasure in bowls; Sip and actually sip; Let the damn tobacco sit in the bowl another few hours if I need to go inside.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

A sip just sounds like too much. But... you can do what you like.

My take on this is that you're small blood vessels in your mouth can only absorb a little of the nicotine, and you taste buds can only sense a tiny bit of the smoke. So, puffing (to me) is just wasting the tobacco. I am a slow passive breath smoker, mere trickles at a time.

but, if someone enjoys choo choo-ing, then ejnoy away... away over there... far from me, so that I don't get your smoke all tangled up in mine.

Don't overthink it. There really aren't any rules to this, just suggestions for folks struggling to find their pleasure in this hobby. If you are fine with what you do, then just enjoy it. If not, then maybe try some of the suggestions.

 

[jguss]

The universal standard is 1 sip equals 1.618 puffs. No matter what you may have heard to the contrary this is what is meant by the Golden Ratio.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Are you sure it's not 3.1416?

 

[Winterreise]

Puffing
Sipping


i can’t help it , i grow up watching John Wayne movies ?

 

[Streeper541]

A sip is far less than a swaller, and about 1/3 of a swig. Don't be back warshin in the jug neither.

I was gonna say this, but he beat me to it.

I would add that my sips are bigger than my wife's, which are bigger than my daughter's, which are bigger than my toddler, but are similar if only slightly larger than my teenage boys' sips. I know this because they always ask me if I'm gonna take a "dad sip" or a regular sip of their drink.

Dont worry to much about it... just sit back, relax and smoke your pipe. ?

 

[jguss]

Are you sure it's not 3.1416?

With all due respect John, you’d have to be pie-eyed to think that.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Yup, pie-eyed, gobsmacked, and feeling no pain.

 

[tklee]

Wait, let me measure my sip first, then i'll update here