I Can't Take It Anymore!

[Wellington]

Seriously, I am starting to get more frustrated smoking pipes than relaxed, I'm so tired of relighting 15 times. I've been smoking occasionally for years, more regularly for the past year and I still can't pack a pipe right. It hasn't bothered me much in the past, I just relight and keep going. But after so many bowls, much more than it should take to learn to do it right, I still can't do it. Sure I've had a few bowls where I've had a good 15 or so minutes without relighting, but rarely. Is it because none of my pipes have a cake? My Cob, which has probably been smoked too fast too many times, has the most cake, that or its just charred badly, ha. My old Wellington used to give me better luck it seems. that one probably had a cake at some point, but my Uncle probably cleaned it all out when he gave it to me as a child. I'm so sick of relighting so many times, then smoking too fast to try and keep it going and getting a bad taste after a while.

I don't need to see more videos, I think I've seen just about every one over the years. I did have pretty good luck with that Harry method the one time, I tried again and it wasn't as successful. I should keep at that method a bit more maybe.
How important is a cake in contributing to a limited amount of lights kind of smoke? Why can't I get this? This has recently started to really stress me out.

 

[gwtwdbss]

What type of tobacco are you smoking? Maybe you should let it dry out a little before packing the pipe.

 

[Wellington]

I've smoked a number of different tobaccos, only aros so far. I thought I wasn't drying them enough after recently reading some insightful comments on the site here, but I just finished a bowl where I let the tobacco dry out more than normal and it was still a brutal bowl. I can't tell if I pack it too hard or light sometimes, in the videos it looks like they pack it harder than I do, so i've tried packing it harder and it usually turns out worse :s

 

[pipe8]

Hi Lose, sorry to hear about your troubles!
There are quite a few possible answers
The best thing is to pop to your local B&M and have a chat with the clerk. Heck even buy some of their tobacco and ask him to show you how to pack it.
I'm sure others will come up with some brilliant ideas as to advice; this place has been like an encyclopaedia to me!
I wish you the best of luck with this, it will work, you will soon have that light bulb moment, whatever you do don't give up!

 

[jharvard]

Pipe8"s suggestion is the one I would recommend. Good luck. Stay patient friend. :puffpipe:

 

[philobeddoe]

The amount of cake is irrelevant to the amount of relights.

 

[piperl12]

I think some of the stress is coming from the fact that you are over thinking things, so you have to relight a few times. Is it that big a deal, part of the enjoyment of pipe smoking is the ritual. I have had nights that my pipe lasted an hour and others where it went out after five minutes. I agree with the advise about seeking someone in person through a BM or a pipe club to help, but honestly don't stress so much. As long as you are enjoying the moments you are not relighting thats the main thing right? One other thing I find, if I am relaxed already listening to music by the fire my smoke lasts longer. If I am working while I smoke or talking while I smoke or even walking the dog, I relight more often. Hope this helps.

 

[pipe8]

Another Idea is to treat yourself to a Savinelli Corona Old Boy. You will hope your pipe goes out just to use the artwork that will be sitting in your hand.

That will make you love relights for sure

 

[brdavidson]

I just started smoking iat the end of December, I've smoked pretty much aros only to date. I dried out some CBR overnight and tried that. The smoke was significantly better, drier, less goop and the smoke stayed lit longer. I've also tried the packing method I saw online, an older Irish guy talking about Peterson pipes (I think his last name was Fox) and he piled the tobacco jn his palm, turned his pipe upside down and just rubbed the pipe clockwise and it packs the pipe almost perfectly. I've had the most success using this method. I'll post a link if I can find it.

 

[mrenglish]

+1 piper!
I used to stress out about that as well. But then decided that while it is a noble endeavor to strive for relight free bowls, it is not worth stressing out and losing the enjoyment of the pipe. So, I gave up worrying. I just pack and smoke and usually relight ten times thru a bowl, less if I am just watching a movie or reading. Every so often I get a relight free bowl but its not by design.

 

[ravkesef]

You could watch every video ever made, and read every book ever printed, and it still might not help. The best advice I can give you is to sit down with a pipe smoking buddy, who will walk you through, step-by-step, all the things that he does. Then you can emulate him, and within a very short while you will find yourself experiencing the pleasure of great pipe smoking. It is a bit complicated, and there is a bit of a learning curve. My advice: stick with it and eventually you'll be a very very happy camper.

 

[bobpnm]

Hang in there! It gets better!

 

[jwp159]

Here is how my Grandfather taught me to fill a bowl over 20 years ago and it has served me well. loosely fill bowl to top, press it down to 1/2 full, loosely fill to top and press down to 3/4 full, loosely fill to rounded up and press till level full. It works well with most cuts of tobacco. I still normally have to relight a few times during the bowl, sometimes I get a bowl that smokes all the way with no relights.

Another thought is don't over tamp during your smoke, many people tamp way to much or to hard and this can cause it to go out. A little tamping goes a long way

Last thought, if you pack the way I described and still have trouble then try not packing the bottom as tight by only pressing the first load down to about 2/3 full. Most of use have to do a few relights, don't worry about it, relights are free. just pick one packing method and work with it going lighter in packing or tighter till you get a smoke like you want. Hope this helps

 

[baronsamedi]

Try the "Harry Method" demonstrated here. It's amazingly simple and works for a lot of new smokers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XHYPso7TXs

 

[brdavidson]

Thanks @baron that's the video I was talking about, I've had the most success by far with this method, last night I had a bowl that only needed to be relit once

 

[Wellington]

Thanks everyone, i'll give it some more time. That video is the method that has worked best out of everything I've tried so far.

 

[uberam3rica]

I'd say try smoking something other then aros. You might have more luck with that way.

 

[Wellington]

I'd say try smoking something other then aros. You might have more luck with that way.

I think I'll crack into my first English/Latakia blend after I'm done this one i'm on and see how that turns out.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

The last time I checked there was no one way to smoke a pipe and no set rules on how many times you can and can't relight your pipe. You're stressing yourself out by over thinking the process. You're taking the your own enjoyment out of it.
I gravity fill my pipes, so I pour the tobacco into the pipe and then lightly push it down. Then pour more tobacco into the pipe and then push that bit down and if necessary repeat the process. If I know I'm having a pipe later in the evening or the next day I sometimes fill the pipe ahead of time and then let it sit out. It will help dry out the tobacco, but not dry it out as much as if I just left it on a plate etc. I then when I'm ready to enjoy my pipe I do my charring light, then tamp and then light again. Then you're off and going.
How often are you tamping? It helps to tamp while drawing on the pipe. I sometimes cover my pipe with my thumb while drawing in. That seems to help with the burning of the tobacco as well.

 

[freddysmoker28]

Your over thinking your method. Once you pack your pipe always remember that the draw should feel as if your sipping from a straw, if it feels like your having a milkshake its packed way to hard. Keep trying don't give up, it's an art to smoke a pipe. Hope you have better pipe smoking days soon.