My Best Muttnchop Piper Impression...For A Slow Smoke Competition

[carolinachurchwarden]

Well, I trimmed back the old facial curtain this weekend and I'm working on my slow smoking ability. It ain't that strong. I need to be able to find that balance between puffing just a little too much that keeps my ember surely going and the one in which you puff juuuuuust enough to keep her lit, but still smoking and not going out.
This will be the first time I have ever attempted such a feat and having never actually tried, on purpose, to see just how long I can keep a bowl burning and make it last off one light, I'm a little perplexed.
I usually pack light enough that I can tamp her down when needed, but if I put her out it's usually not a problem. In this contest, however, I think they provide two matches.
So, my plan is to sit out on the back porch and practice lighting a bowl with one match, then tamping a little, then providing a nice, even light across the top of the bowl. I plan to breathe smoke lightly the entire time, hoping that keeps me stoked while not allowing it to get too hot. I'm thinking that they would likely provide something like a simple Va. or a burley, but I'm not sure, so all I can do is guess and practice with my burleys in the hope that that works.
Having never even seen one of these events, however, I plan on looking up any videos that might aid in my first attempt, but any helpful tips would be much appreciated, gents.
Now, I present the new look of CCW, keeping it smokey with a little Boswell's Premium Burley in my MM Charles Towne Cobbler:

 

[cosmicfolklore]

The six slow smoke compitions I have done all used 1Q, because most of the guys were always aro smokers.

But, I just practiced with whatever I normally smoke to get the hang of it. I don’t do the compititions any more, because of the tobacco selections. I usually just root for my friends now on the sidelnes.

 

[Chasing Embers]

This will be the first time I have ever attempted such a feat and having never actually tried, on purpose, to see just how long I can keep a bowl burning and make it last off one light, I'm a little perplexed.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Using a tamper with every draw helps to. How in the world mutton has not burned a hole in his pipes is beyond me. He blows smoke back through the pipe with every draw like a bellows.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

BTW, nice chops.

I try to make every bowl last as looooooong as possible now. It’s easiest when I am driving.

 

[bryguysc]

I like the look, CCW!

Good luck on the slow smoking. I suck at it.

 

[aldecaker]

^^^ Yep, me too. I see it as something I would be sentenced to do as atonement for something horrible. Best of luck!

 

[olkofri]

Cool. Now you just need your own youtube channel with pipe tutorials. ::

 

[crashthegrey]

I've done a three of these now, and third is the best I have done so far (seconds behind second and only about 4 minutes behind first). This one uses an English blend every time. Regardless, you are onto the right idea. The best method (breath) is whatever works for you. Just start smoking slow. It will benefit you across the board in pipe enjoyment anyway. Become aware of how long you smoke and how slow you take it, and before long you won't notice that you are slowing.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I have found that the best technique, more than just smoking slow, is just keeping the pipe lit. 90% of the competition will fall out in the first quarter, because they went out. The rest are merely those who kept the fire a going.

I have also noticed a pattern... a guy thinks his ember is dying, so he tamps and puffs, which kills the dying ember. Instead of just slowly, with long slow sips bringing the ember back. I have no idea why someone would tamp if they thought the fire was dying.

I also have noticed that guys who win rarely do some amazingly loooooong time... they really just merely don't let the fire go out.
But, that all becomes moot if you are going up against a ringer.
They key is to have fun.

 

[crashthegrey]

Very good observations, Cosmic. We have a ringer who is usually half an hour ahead of anyone. I think he got nervous last year.

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

Cool. Now you just need your own youtube channel with pipe tutorials. ::

Yeah, on how NOT to smoke a pipe, I'm sure! :rofl:

BTW, nice chops.

Thanks a bunch! Digging it so far.

I like the look, CCW!

Good luck on the slow smoking. I suck at it.

I appreciate it! Not really used to trimming anything, so it's kind of new to me. I might need all the luck I can get. Going to be practicing my form as the week goes on, so we'll see.
Good tips, guys! I do plan on breathe smoking my way slowly. I do have to adjust the way I puff early on when lighting though. I can tend to pull a little harder than I probably should and I think that gets my ember a little too hot, too soon and then I find myself slowing down maybe a little too much and *poof* it dies on me.
I have been able to lay a finger or two across the top of the bowl to restrict just enough airflow to bring one back from the brink, but I haven't perfected it and it's still about a 50/50 shot it works. I have even seen it get a little too clogged by the ash on top a time or two when tamping it down, but I can curb that with a little hole poked through the top layer. Not sure if dumping any ash would aid or cause my ember to go out, but that layer sometimes will cause me to think it's out, when it's really not. That's caused a face full of ash on more than one account trying to see if any smoke was coming out of the bowl.
I am planning to have lots of fun with it and hope I can hang in there for at least a while, but if not, no biggie. It's a first time thing for me, so there's a good chance I might be out early. That's alright though. At least if I fall off early, I can light up some Sleepy Hollow and watch the rest of them go. ::

 

[cosmicfolklore]

FWIW, I have never seen anyone dump the ashes while competing... but then again, I have never seen anyone dump the ashes out of a pipe that wasn't finished, ever. And, I visit places full of pipesmokers frequently. Maybe it's a Northerner thing? ::

 

[aldecaker]

Or a Westerner thing?

 

[mso489]

What are typical times for winning these slow-smoking events? The fingers over the bowl maneuver works but you have to practice or you'll just put the ember out. I'm always so focused on the flavor, I'd miss keeping it going. Maybe a blend you don't like much helps.

 

[mikethompson]

I can only imagine how terrible I'd be at a slow smoking competition.
You need to update your avatar to reflect your new look!

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

I really should!
Well, the winner of one I watched a video of won after about 57 minutes. He didn't really look like he smoked it, however. He was tamping it a lot and holding it in his hand, mostly puffing on it to keep it stoked, then just holding it and watching the inside of the bowl. Kinda weird, but hey, if the rules don't say you have to "smoke" it, then I reckon that works.
Yeah, MSO, I'm with you. If they give me something tasty, it'll be hard not to want to puff on it a little more. ::

 

[crashthegrey]

I have seen the typical win at between an hour and an hour and 45 minutes. My opinion: I have never seen anyone dump ash either, and I do not recommend it. It may be explicitly against the rules, as we are given a piece of paper to prepare everything on and no ash tray. Additionally, covering the bowl is a technique used by a lot of people who peter out at the 25 to 30 minute mark. It seems like a good idea on paper, but honestly seems to result in the pipe going out most of the time. I recommend you work on cadence instead. There is a tendency to go out at around 30 minutes, just when the pipe is getting to that middle point. Your cadence is going swimmingly, and you slow down into a groove. Then that lower half of the tobacco really needs to get going and you forget to speed up just a bit. The temperature of your smoke in your mouth is a good indicator of when you are hitting this point. It mellows just a tad too much, and if you don't throw a few extra puffs in, you are dead in the water. I find a couple of short puffs every few long sips at the 30 minute mark can keep you in the game. But again, this is just the opinion of a relative newbie who has gotten lucky on a few slow smokes. YMMV.

 

[voorhees]

I've been in 3 competitions. 3rd place, 1st place and a no finish. Not sure what I did or if anything special. I did use a cob on the win. I love that pipe and got a Nording Pipe/Knife set for my troubles. 53.50 minutes is the longest I've gone and I don't converse with other while doing it.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I always relax after the first person drops. I don't mind losing, but I just don't want to be that first goob that goes out, ha ha. After he goes out, I am fine, win or lose, I'm fine.