On Smoking Slowly and the Benefits...

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dunnyboy

Lifer
Jul 6, 2018
2,574
32,073
New York
I have a question about lighting and keeping your pipe lit but I don’t know how to formulate the question. Does going as slow as possible mean more relights? Do you start very slow as well? I’ve burnt my tongue lighting my pipe recently just out of frustration, especially lighting flakes. But the real question is about going slow and relights.
It is hard to get folded flakes going. Adding some drier crumbs of tobacco on top can help. But it's true: if you're working hard to get the tobacco lit or stay lit, it's going to make it almost impossible to just let the smoke drift into your mouth. You can still try to reestablish that gentle style of smoking after you've got the tobacco going but you might have already spoiled the bowl. Better to have more light touch relights than try to get the cherry going once and for all.
 

PipesRock

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 21, 2020
644
4,304
Florida
I have a question about lighting and keeping your pipe lit but I don’t know how to formulate the question. Does going as slow as possible mean more relights? Do you start very slow as well? I’ve burnt my tongue lighting my pipe recently just out of frustration, especially lighting flakes. But the real question is about going slow and relights.
Dry it then try it, don't worry.
 

PipesRock

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 21, 2020
644
4,304
Florida
Discipline is a muscle that requires exercise. In counterintuitive pursuits, especially. It separates us from the beasts.
Counter-intuitive exactly. So many of us start on aromatics then wonder why cherry tastes like ash and vanilla is ash and maple is ... you get the picture. Crap tobacco aro's certainly contribute to ashy smokes; but the natural tendency to suck the toppings off the tobacco because your in the mood for a certain flavor is also a yuuuge contributor. Not just aromatics of course.
 

bearwolf56

Might Stick Around
Mar 16, 2013
67
261
68
Burlington, North Carolina
When I first took up smoking a pipe it was a substitute for cigarettes with my morning coffee. I smoke it fairly fast because I had to get off to work. I didn't appreciate the taste or experience. After retiring when I had more time to smoke my pipe, I kept the same hurried way of smoking it. Not really enjoying it. I knew something was wrong and I was missing a lot. Then I found one of cosmicfolklore's posts on his take of the breath method and it finally all made sense. I worked on slowing myself down. Letting my breath as I inhaled and exhaled do the work instead of puffing. It took some time and I'm still working on it but my pipe smoking is now not only much more enjoyable, but my bowls also don't heat up, and any gurgle is almost gone. So, it's kudos and gratitude for cosmicfolklore"s postings and sharing of his pipe smoking insights. I only wish I had him around when I first started smoking a pipe.

 
When I first took up smoking a pipe it was a substitute for cigarettes with my morning coffee. I smoke it fairly fast because I had to get off to work. I didn't appreciate the taste or experience. After retiring when I had more time to smoke my pipe, I kept the same hurried way of smoking it. Not really enjoying it. I knew something was wrong and I was missing a lot. Then I found one of cosmicfolklore's posts on his take of the breath method and it finally all made sense. I worked on slowing myself down. Letting my breath as I inhaled and exhaled do the work instead of puffing. It took some time and I'm still working on it but my pipe smoking is now not only much more enjoyable, but my bowls also don't heat up, and any gurgle is almost gone. So, it's kudos and gratitude for cosmicfolklore"s postings and sharing of his pipe smoking insights. I only wish I had him around when I first started smoking a pipe.

I am also always working on it. I catch myself puffing sometimes, and have to correct myself. But, some people smoke differently. This is just how I find the most joy in my smoking. The trick is to just find pleasure or joy in doing this however works best for you.
Thank you for your kind words.
 

Don_Muertos

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 1, 2023
103
232
Nicaragua
We smoke pipes a lot in the tobacco fields. It's always pretty funny when an immigrant laborer busts out some giant ornate rhodesian on the shady side of the tractor. If it's break time, we tend to smoke at the pace of conversation. Those of us that clamp and work tend to relight 3-4 times, that's pretty slow. A quicker pace isn't "cigarette mentality" it's "get that nicotine rush mentality," but smoking a pipe does leave broader space for people to speak in the conversation. Plus the bole gets hot as fuck if you're sucking like Jenna Jameson. Just let your pipe speak.
 
A quicker pace isn't "cigarette mentality" it's "get that nicotine rush mentality,
Same thing... besides, as I mentioned above, the way nicotine is absorbed more slowly through the small blood vessels, smoking faster is just blowing smoke into the air, wasting it. Smoking a pipe faster does not give you more nicotine more quickly. Unless you are in haling... then again, that would be cigarette mentality.
 
The sinuses do absorb acids, such as heat cured and fermented tobacco, much more quickly. Cigarettes/air cured tobacco are alkaline by design, that's how alveoli absorb.
The very idea of drawing smoke through my sinuses makes me sneeze. It gets bantered about as an idea in pipe forums, but is not indicative to pipesmoking as a tradition. But, do what you want. However it brings you joy.
 

Don_Muertos

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 1, 2023
103
232
Nicaragua
Who's tradition? The Europeans that adopted it? We're talking about a thing people have been doing for literally thousands of years. Many of us just do it. It's even encouraged through Antillean tribal tradition. Tradition in a specific context without cultural reference is rather cryptic.
 

Don_Muertos

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 1, 2023
103
232
Nicaragua
Better come armed with knowledge if you're gonna drop word bombs. I really don't get the impression that you have much on the subject of tobacco. Enjoy you're thing, unsolicited advice is synonymous with criticism. I guarantee someone will ask a question that your words may grace.
 
Better come armed with knowledge if you're gonna drop word bombs. I really don't get the impression that you have much on the subject of tobacco. Enjoy you're thing, unsolicited advice is synonymous with criticism. I guarantee someone will ask a question that your words may grace.
I just can tell from your other posts that it's just not worth engaging. Have a great day.
 

Don_Muertos

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 1, 2023
103
232
Nicaragua
I just can tell from your other posts that it's just not worth engaging. Have a great day.
Likewise. You might enjoy your pipe more if it wasn't lodged up your...

You're obviously one of those people concerned with distancing yourself from lowbrow people. Like the ones that produce your tobacco. The best way to distance yourself from lowbrow tobacco producers is to stop smoking.