This may be old hat to the more experienced of you out there. But for you newbies, one of the most common complaints I've heard from you about pipe smoking has to do with keeping the pipe lit. So I want to share two "save techniques" that work well for me, and may help you. First, though, let's agree on two things: That, one, when loading your pipe you're not doing the ol' tobacco cram--packing in as much tobacco into the bowl as your little fist can hold; and two, that your tobacco is somewhat drier than a wet sponge. However, if you've got that down and you're still having some difficulty keeping your pipe lit, you may want to try one or both of these little tricks:
1) Before reaching for the matches, the first thing I do if my pipe looks like it may be in need of a relight is to check it by covering the bowl with two fingers and puffing on it. If there is the slightest trace of a spark left in there, the first thing you'll see is a thin wisp of smoke, then a bit more, and before you know it your pipe will be a roaring inferno once again. This technique has always seemed counterintuitive to me, like I'm depriving the poor thing of oxygen, thus guaranteeing its demise. But apparently covering the bowl creates more suction, so when you draw on it, it gets whatever dying bits of ember in there to start burning hot once again.
2) If I sense that my pipe may be going out, I will blow gently into the bowl instead of drawing on it. And I do mean gently. No need to scatter embers everywhere and risk setting yourself on fire. Just a few nice, easy-does-it blows may help to get it going again.
Now, are these techniques foolproof? No, of course not. You will still have to relight on occasion. But perhaps just not as often.
1) Before reaching for the matches, the first thing I do if my pipe looks like it may be in need of a relight is to check it by covering the bowl with two fingers and puffing on it. If there is the slightest trace of a spark left in there, the first thing you'll see is a thin wisp of smoke, then a bit more, and before you know it your pipe will be a roaring inferno once again. This technique has always seemed counterintuitive to me, like I'm depriving the poor thing of oxygen, thus guaranteeing its demise. But apparently covering the bowl creates more suction, so when you draw on it, it gets whatever dying bits of ember in there to start burning hot once again.
2) If I sense that my pipe may be going out, I will blow gently into the bowl instead of drawing on it. And I do mean gently. No need to scatter embers everywhere and risk setting yourself on fire. Just a few nice, easy-does-it blows may help to get it going again.
Now, are these techniques foolproof? No, of course not. You will still have to relight on occasion. But perhaps just not as often.
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