I'm the worst pipe smoker ever...

[admin]

This thread is a perfect example of how great this community is and what a great resource we've all built it into to help grow and support the wonderful pipe hobby.
Thanks for posting those links Romeowood, and thanks to everyone else for their great answers.

 

[capnbellamy]

I had this at the start too, like pretty much everyone it seems. Choose a packing method that you're comfortable with, and then find a lighting method. I go with a three step:
Pack the pipe. Light the top, puff a little, tamp it down lightly. Light it again, puff, tamp down again. Light, tamp, relight and it then lasts until the end of the bowl unless I utterly ignore it. A good ash layer on the top will help keep it burning.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

Well I would say that "serious pipemen avoid aromatics" is up for debate. I will admitt that aromatics do tend to burn warmer than non-aromatics. A lot of times from what I've gathered, relighting is impacted by the packing of the tobacco into the bowl originally. Bob has some good instructional vids on different packing methods. I believe there's a link to them on the left hand side of this page. If not just checkout the pipesmagazine youtube channel (do I get bonus points for a plug? lol) at http://www.youtube.com/user/PipesMagazine#p/u . Bob's packing vids are under the see all video uploads just click that and scroll down, they're towards the bottom. Don't forget to tamp the tobacco down a little as it burns. I just let the weight of the tamper press the burnt tobacco closer to the burning tobacco. Also it could be the tobacco you're smoking. Some blends give off more moisture than others and cause gurgling and in some cases get the tobacco so moist it won't burn properly. Might want to give different blends a try. I will say most aromatics are tricky to keep burning and so as a beginner it's probably better to try Enlgish blends or Virginia/Perique blends until you get use to the heat control. Might want to try blends like Peterson's Old Dublin, Dunhill's My Mixture 965 or Nightcap or Early Morning Pipe for latakia/oriental blends, and for perique blends might give Scottish Cake by Robert McConnell or Frog Morton On The Bayou by McClelland a try. As stated before different environments will affect the smoking differently. Try smoking indoors a little, if the wife/girlfriend won't let you my advice would be to smoke in the garage. It's a little more controlled environment and you don't have to battle that infernal wind that makes smoking even more difficult. Don't get too frustrated if you still have to relight a few times, I've been smoking daily for about year and still have to relight 3-4 times on a consistant basis. Hang in there and keep at it.

 

[jimbo]

I've been smoking for years and I probably average about 6 relights per bowl. This doesn't bother me. I'm usually reading or doing something that takes my focus off the pipe. I make an effort to smoke every last bit of tobacco in the bowl. (With some pipes, this is hard to do.)
I try to remember to lightly press down the ashes every few minutes to keep it going. If I find it is about to go out, I put two fingers crosswise over the bowl and draw a little harder, allowing only a little air between the fingers. This makes for a stronger draft that MAY rekindle the remaining embers.
Packing, tobacco types, etc.... it's all trial and error. Find something that works for you.
(I don't think I'd ever be much competition in those slow-smoking contests.) :lol:

 

[maduroman]

sometimes it is no relights for me... sometimes it is over a dozen. i find the damper tobaccos need to be relite more often.
when i started i was focused on the number of relights and had a hell of a time.... now if the blend is good and i'm relaxed i don't care how many times i relight.
it's the journey, not how many times you have to restart it is what's important.

 

[nmbigfoot02]

nmbigfoot02, are you truly in GA and love the Yellow Jackets?

Indeed I am. I graduated from the North Avenue Trade School in 2007.

 

[portascat]

sometimes you just smoke a crappy pipe or two in a row.

 

[jwp159]

I've smoked a pipe for over 20 years my advice is don't sweat it, relights are free... relax, just enjoy your pipe the more you smoke the more your skills will increase. Follow the basics and above all enjoy your pipe it doesn't matter how many times you relight, no one is keeping score.

 

[unclearthur]

After well over 40 years of smoking a pipe I still get one that just isn't right now and then . Take your time don't think about the pipe and just enjoy.

 

[bootlegbonvivant]

Awesome, nice to see another person in GA. I'm northeast of Atlanta, in Flowery Branch, where the Falcon's camp is located.

 

[timmay]

Thanks for all of the great tips everybody! After reading through all of the great information, I don't think I've been tamping properly at all, and I'm not sure my lighting technique is very good either. So hopefully today I'll get out to enjoy another bowl.
As for whether the relights bother me, it wouldn't bother me to relight 3, 4, 5 times for a bowl, but as it is, I typically have been relighting 10-15 times, and I've just been smoking 1/4-1/2 bowls in my new Arthur pipe to try and break it in. With any luck, your suggestions will steer me where I need to go.
I guess I couldn't play a song on my guitar after a month or so, why should I expect any different with my pipe? Happy puffing gentlemen & ladies.
-Tim

 

[nmbigfoot02]

Awesome, nice to see another person in GA. I'm northeast of Atlanta, in Flowery Branch, where the Falcon's camp is located.

Wow small world. I'm also in FB.

 

[timmay]

Smoke report:
Tried my hand at the Frank method tonight. Upon test puff, felt about the same resistance as when I use the 3 step method. 10-15 relights before I got to the last 1/8th of the bowl and gave up. It came to about one relight every 3rd puff. I was able to squeeze one more puff out though by getting it to relight by tamping/puffing though, so I guess thats a step in the right direction. Tobacco was nice and dry, very little to no wind outside. Used matches and my zippo.

 

[baldy]

Glad to hear timmay. Keep at it and you'll get the hang of it soon enough. When I first started a year ago I was struggling with lighting and tampering. At that time I didn't light it enough and don't tamper often enough. For me the amount of relighting varies, a lot depends on the tobacco, packing, pipe and me.

 

[tiltjlp]

Slow progress is still Progress Tim. A question, do you keep your pipe in your mouth between puffs, or in your hand? The reason I ask is that a normal, relaxed breathing pattern can help keep your pipe lit. It requires that you clench a bit, which again, can take practice and getting used to. As you might be figuring out about now, there are dozens of little factors involved in pipe smoking, but once they all come together, you'll be surprised how simple it seems.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

Another thing I forgot to mention would be when you're lighting the tobacco let the flame of the match/lighter cover all the tobacco. Most people I've seen, and I do this myself, will strike the match/lighter and move the flame around in a small circle to make sure all the tobacco is lit and lit evenly. The tobacco burns a lot better when the entire bowl is evenly lit.

 

[bootlegbonvivant]

Yesterday I had a wonderful day spending time with my kids, parents, brother, and wife at my oldest son's birthday party. I smoked a bowl while everything was happening and even though I enjoyed the baccy, I had to relight every few minutes. I tried everything I knew to fix the problem and nothing helped. Later yesterday, my wife and I had a date night. Something that doesn't happen often enough, but I took a pipe with me since we were going to a park. Again, no matter what I did, I couldn't seem to keep my pipe lit. The difference is, there were so many other things going on that I just didn't care much.
We just have days where we'll get those perfect smokes, mediocre days, and then days where no matter what pipe or tobacco mixture, nothing seems to work right.

 

[timmay]

Great observations everybody, I do certainly seem to enjoy my smoke more, relights and all when I'm enjoying a good book or otherwise focused on the exercise at hand, relaxing and and enjoying myself.
John, I typically hold the pipe in my hand and clench when I'm turning pages. I do struggle with clenching, I seem to salivate a lot when I clench. Don't know what that's about.

 

[adam12]

As an aside, I would like to proclaim Bootleg as the coolest pipe smoker ever, for smokin his pipe at his son's birthday party AND date night with the wife. Obviously, he is channeling Cary Grant circa 1958 in his home. Good job.

 

[jwp159]

Just a suggestion, if after trying the new packing method you still had a lot of trouble I would guess you are just getting it packed to tight. Try when you fill the pipe the first fill don't pack the tobacco down as much. Then on the 3rd fill only fill to level and push down lightly. Also do a good false light then tamp the ash down. On your true light be sure to get a good light all the way across the top. Anytime it goes out be sure to lightly tamp the ash before you relight. Hope this helps.