My Friends Technique

[Flatfish]

I have a friend who smokes cigarettes.
This week I persuaded him to dig out his old pipe and try that for a change.
So he did. He had a little bent pipe. Some overly dry Presbyterian mixture. And proceeded to smoke it.
Now I've been lurking here long enough to understand something about packing techniques, and tampers and charring lights and smoking slowly.
None of these he did.
Tobacco was stuffed into the bowl. One light only was required and a little poke with the finger. And puff puff puff and he was very satisfied.
I was downwind of him and the smell was sort of middle of the road. Neither offensive, but not fantastic either.

So I'm not sure what I've learnt.
He seemed to enjoy the change. But then went back to the cigarettes.

 

[warren]

Obviously, you haven't lurked long enough. Stuff and puff is my normal method and well as for many of the members.

 

[didimauw]

Obviously, you haven't lurked long enough. Stuff and puff is my normal method and well as for many of the members.

If the tobacco takes more than a few minutes to prepare, I don't want anything to do with it lol. I just want to smoke.

 

[cynyr]

Stuff and puff works for me!

 

[Chasing Embers]

Tobacco was stuffed into the bowl. One light only was required and a little poke with the finger. And puff puff puff and he was very satisfied.

Sounds about right. Techniques and thinking too much about it can just about ruin pipe smoking.

 

[SBC]

Involved packing methods exist more or less to help ensure approximately correct pack density, until you get a good feel for it.

If you have no clue, then "stuff and puff" will often wind up too tight to light well (or less frequently, too loose if certain tobaccos are only gravity filled). Following a packing protocol gets you in the right range when you're unsure.

But once you have a good feel for the density that burns and draws at the right rate, you don't have to think about it anymore.

As for him being off to the races after only his initial light ... that is probably because his tobacco was overly dry (to my preference -- some guys like it like that). Many tobaccos require even experienced pipe smokers to relight a number of times (although this depends partly on whether you're giving the pipe undivided attention ... any distraction leads to more relights).

 

[sablebrush52]

I have a friend who smokes cigarettes.
This week I persuaded him to dig out his old pipe and try that for a change.
So he did. He had a little bent pipe. Some overly dry Presbyterian mixture. And proceeded to smoke it.
Now I've been lurking here long enough to understand something about packing techniques, and tampers and charring lights and smoking slowly.
None of these he did.
Tobacco was stuffed into the bowl. One light only was required and a little poke with the finger. And puff puff puff and he was very satisfied.
I was downwind of him and the smell was sort of middle of the road. Neither offensive, but not fantastic either.

So I'm not sure what I've learnt.
He seemed to enjoy the change. But then went back to the cigarettes.

It comes down to what you want to get out of smoking a pipe. For some it's the nicotine hit and the rest is of lesser concern. For others it's extracting the maximum flavor and the rest is of lesser importance. And there's also the matter of wear and tear on one's pipes.

Fast smoking will give you the nicotine hit, and less flavor, and will cause more wear and tear on your pipes. it's efficient.

Slow smoking offers greater flavors, the nicotine hit, and is kinder to your pipes. It's relaxing.

I'm not a fussy packer. After decades of smoking pipes I know what a proper pack feels like and more often than not it's a codger scoop. Moisture levels and cadence are more important to me for getting the maximum flavors a blends has in it.

 

[warren]

So I'm not sure what I've learnt.

Well, you observed smoking a pipe needs not to complicated to be thoroughly enjoyed. I like my smoking simple, very little thought involved.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Many tobaccos require even experienced pipe smokers to relight a number of times

No need for constant attention. Period tamping with a finger tip just becomes automatic and relights become negligible if at all. Less thought can go into a pipe than smoking a cigarette.

 

[LeafErikson]

It just sounds like a normal guy smoking a pipe. It’s really not that complex of a habit.

 

[abecox]

Once I get a feel for how a blend packs with more exacting ways I tend to just stuff and puff it. Thats how I pack Pegasus at least.