Learned the hard way

[skunk]

Hi all,
What are some of the pipe smoking lessons you've learned the hard way? This morning mine was walking outside in windy weather and have a strong gust blow hot ash and tobacco into my face. Lesson learned? - Pipe safety goggles in high winds needed.
Anybody else?
Edit: Moved to Pipe Smoking Basics, L.

 

[baronsamedi]

I learn the hard way, judging by the holes in my shirts. And I actually own a wind cap. How thick headed am I?

 

[lazydog]

My mouth and tongue just learned the hard way, never combine an aromatic with Turkish Izmir. Awful combination. Blender I am not.

 

[photoman13]

Using a tamper helps for me. I also am a terrible clencher and find myself blowing ashes out so I stick to holding the pipe.

 

[taerin]

I once coughed into the stem of my pipe and hot embers came down like rain in a storm, I managed to fall down, spilling my drink in a failed attempt to get away, resulting in like 20 holes in my synthetic shorts. Don't wear delicate synthetic clothing with a really low melting point, while smoking a pipe!
Also when I was learning to tamp, I kept acidentally bringing hot embers up, out of the pipe, and onto my clothing multiple times until I developed a technique where I tap whatever got ontop of the tamper back into the pipe, before I lift it out of the pipe entirely!

 

[joshwolftree]

Make sure your pipe is out before using your thigh to knock the ash out/ while driving.
Also pipe tobacco is hotter when burning away with a nice glow than a cigarette
On a related note the dislodged ember from a pipe that was still lit, when you tapped it on your thigh while driving, is significantly less comfortable to have roll back and stop directly beneath your family jewels than a cigarette cherry. It is however very slightly more comfortable than a live tiger.

 

[photoman13]

Don't dump your ashes straight from your hot pipe to the trash can.

 

[mrgunnar177]

dont empty your ashes straight away into a very very dry compost pile also if you have a cough, dont smoke, also if you insist on using your finger as a tamper becarful where your finger lands on the ash.

 

[spyder71]

I learned the hard way to smoke slowly. I only found this site in search of the cause for my very burnt tongue, from there I got to read the other don'ts and saved myself a ton of grief.

 

[jpants]

I'm with Spyder on that one to... one I found myself puffing alittle to aggresively and two not packing my pipe tight enough. Since I have been trying to rework my puffing rythme and paying closer attention to my pipe packing my mouth has not been biten!!!

 

[topd]

Told this story before, but:

Was walking from the Staff Club after a long evening, wind blowing real good. Had a

good smoke going in a meerschaum and it got to hot. My pipe cracked/exploded in my face.

Set my mustache on fire and made me puke all that good beer! I was only 24 and didn't

know how to puke and slap out the flames at the same time yet.

 

[lestrout]

Eric said re tampers: "Also when I was learning to tamp, I kept acidentally bringing hot embers up, out of the pipe, and onto my clothing multiple times until I developed a technique where I tap whatever got ontop of the tamper back into the pipe, before I lift it out of the pipe entirely!"
Eric - the tamper snobs at my club look down on the venerable Czech tamper tool because of the shelf doing just that. That's why they use artisan tampers. I'm still unpersuaded myself - it's all in the wrist.
hp

les

 

[cynyr]

Top:

I was only 24 and didn't know how to puke and slap out the flames at the same time yet.

That sentence leads me to believe that you have learned since then... how often does that situation come up?? :rofl:

 

[lasttango]

I keep lighting the wrong end... lol....
draw air in slower when lighting the pipe... a slow tight draw works better than a hoover vacuum...

 

[taerin]

@ Lestrout I never found a handmade tamper I really like as I need it to both scoop and tamp well... Right now I am using a pipe nail, no longer a slave to the Czech pipe tool... It still brings up hot embers though.

 

[rd02sir]

Don't break in a new pipe while there are gusts of wind blowing. Had to send a pipe back to the factory to get them to fix'er up. I'm going to be investing in some windcaps. Any suggestions?

 

[jah76]

I learned to keep a tobacco I don't initially like. Just jar it and revist it later.

 

[skunk]

Great stories all. Nothing like learning from the lessons/experiences of others. I now truly stand on the shoulders of masters.
Thanks TopD: I will now never smoke a meerschaum in a windstorm with a cold pint.
Synthetic clothing is now out of my pipe smoking wardrobe as well.
Good times.

 

[daytonsean]

The good ole ninety-nine cents Pipe Nail has never given me a problem with tamping. I've never pulled up embers with it. And the scoop on the other side does well with ash.
Learning the hard way? Derp. Always clean your pipe. Years ago I was smoking Devil's Holiday quite often and never cleaned my pipe afterwards. What a nightmare. The taste of condensated devil's spit and ash still frightens me enough to buy extra pipe cleaners.

 

[shawn622]

I really should clean my pipes more. I just never use the same pipe long enough to really foul it up. I have several pipes that I rotate. My problem is I have way more big bowls and I smoke flake 95% of the time so I pack half bowl a lot. I also mostly smoke indoors so.....