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DaiZen

Lurker
Feb 3, 2020
6
20
27
Mexico City, Mexico
EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9) - Bob

So my question is really simple, Im starting to buy some pipe blends but Im not sure on whats the tecnique on pipe smoking; searching on the internet I found various results/discussions, so here it is: Should you pass the smoke to your lungs (like a cigar/cigarette) or taste/sample in in the mouth like a cuban pure?
P.S. If you found any grammar mistakes please tell me, english is not my native language so I might have some few mistakes here and there
 
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brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,602
14,666
P.S. If you found any grammar mistakes please tell me, english is not my native language so I might have some few mistakes here and there

Welcome...and your grammar is good. You will sometimes see worse here by those who do have English as a native language.

So my question is really simple

Unfortunately these pipe questions aren't really simple. Partly because many have different "techniques" and you'll find that pipe smokers often disagree on a number of really basic things.

So it will take some trial and error for you to figure out what works for you.

My 3 primary suggestions for someone just beginning are:

1. Dry the tobacco before filling your pipe.

2. Don't pack too tight or too loose.

3. Don't inhale, and don't even draw in through the mouth much at all...just breath through your nose and this should create enough of a draw into the mouth. If you "puff" on the pipe you're likely going to get tongue burn.

All of the above will take some practice and will vary a bit depending on what blend and type of cut you're using.
 

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
3. Don't inhale, and don't even draw in through the mouth much at all...just breath through your nose and this should create enough of a draw into the mouth. If you "puff" on the pipe you're likely going to get tongue burn.
This is the famous 'breath method'. Try it, but don't feel bad or discouraged if it doesn't work for you. I can't make it work.

I was gonna share my technique last night but I didn't want to overwhelm you, but since Brian is mentioning the variety of techniques... this is what I do:
  1. With the pipe away from my face, I take a moderately deep breath.
  2. I put the pipe to my lips and draw as if I were drinking from a straw, letting the smoke fill my mouth. DO NOTE: I draw very gently, as if I were sipping tequila instead of a milk shake. If you draw strongly you'll burn your mouth.
  3. After I finish drawing, I take the pipe away from my mouth and at the same time I exhale the air I breathed in in Step 1, to force any smoke that is trying to come down back up: this keeps me from inhaling it.
  4. I swish the smoke around in my mouth making pumping motions with my cheeck muscles. Sometimes, this causes some smoke to go up to my nose via the upper airways: this is what is known as 'retrohaling' or 'snorking'.
  5. I blow the smoke out. After it's out I exhale again to make sure no smoke remains in my oral cavity or sinuses.
  6. Repeat.
Taking a breath before putting the pipe to my lips and holding the smoke in my mouth but not inhaling it, resembles the motions we make when we go swimming (take a deep breath and hold it), even the inflated cheeks kinda resemble a swimmer. I once spoke with someone from Mexico and the way to smoke puros and pipes was referred to as 'hacer buzitos' because it indeed resembles what we do when swimming.

Hope that's somewhat helpful.
 

bullet08

Lifer
Nov 26, 2018
8,932
37,913
RTP, NC. USA
to breath smoke, two things have to be in place. 1. wide open airway with very little to no resistance. 2. space at the bottom of the chamber. in order for smoke to be drawn into mouth with no active inhale, there can't be any resistance in airway. also, it's not really packing light that helps, but having little room at the bottom of the chamber that will help with easy air flow. if you use frank method to pack a chamber, you'll notice this.
 
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Worknman

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 23, 2019
968
2,819
Learn to crawl before you walk. I wouldn't recommend for a brand new pipe smoker to be trying the breath method and retrohaling. Just pull in gently like you were sucking from a straw and then blow it out without inhaling. Once you get the hang of that you can experiment with other methods.
 

brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,602
14,666
Learn to crawl before you walk. I wouldn't recommend for a brand new pipe smoker to be trying the breath method and retrohaling. Just pull in gently like you were sucking from a straw and then blow it out without inhaling. Once you get the hang of that you can experiment with other methods.

I can understand why you say that...because some people do struggle with the "breath method", but I don't believe your statement is true for everyone. I feel certain it would have saved me a lot of grief in the beginning had I understood it from the start.

It also would have caused me to become a "clencher" much sooner than I did...which in turn would have changed some of the early pipe purchases I made.
 

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
If I could manage the breath method I'd become a clencher, yes.

Okay, I see my churchwardens giving me nasty looks now—ahem! As I was saying, the Breath Method method sux, it's best if you try...
 
Dec 6, 2019
4,296
19,375
33
AL/GA
After reading every single thing i could find about how to do it, it finally clicked. It bettered my smoking so much, it was like learning how bike. Oh, this is how this tool works.. the tongue bite was pretty much gone, I could breath fresh air while smoking, and I could taste so much more in the tobacco. It seemed to cure a lot of the problems I was having, even keeping my pipe lit. It helps give a better draw if you pack it lighter than you think you should. Also, remember that making big clouds of smoke isn't the name of the game.
 

bullet08

Lifer
Nov 26, 2018
8,932
37,913
RTP, NC. USA
big cloud is possible, without losing the flavor. just have to control the airflow actively. do it too often, there is a chance of overheating the bowel.

about packing lightly, you don't need to. like frank method, if you grab a big pinch of tobacco and shove it in with twist motion, it's not packing lightly. the feel from the opening of the chamber on tobacco will be pretty tight and packed. however, there is room on the underside of the tobacco at the bottom of the chamber. this helps with free airflow. another example is over packed chamber where there is no room on the bottom and you can't draw air. simply you take the stem off and stick a pipe cleaner in the shank into the bottom of chamber and poke around few times. this creates space in the bottom of the chamber and you should get free airflow.

free airflow is key to easy breath smoking. once you have that, you can play with airflow and actively control how much smoke you want.
 

Bowie

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 24, 2019
980
4,352
Minnesota
This is the famous 'breath method'. Try it, but don't feel bad or discouraged if it doesn't work for you. I can't make it work.

I was gonna share my technique last night but I didn't want to overwhelm you, but since Brian is mentioning the variety of techniques... this is what I do:
  1. With the pipe away from my face, I take a moderately deep breath.
  2. I put the pipe to my lips and draw as if I were drinking from a straw, letting the smoke fill my mouth. DO NOTE: I draw very gently, as if I were sipping tequila instead of a milk shake. If you draw strongly you'll burn your mouth.
  3. After I finish drawing, I take the pipe away from my mouth and at the same time I exhale the air I breathed in in Step 1, to force any smoke that is trying to come down back up: this keeps me from inhaling it.
  4. I swish the smoke around in my mouth making pumping motions with my cheeck muscles. Sometimes, this causes some smoke to go up to my nose via the upper airways: this is what is known as 'retrohaling' or 'snorking'.
  5. I blow the smoke out. After it's out I exhale again to make sure no smoke remains in my oral cavity or sinuses.
  6. Repeat.
Taking a breath before putting the pipe to my lips and holding the smoke in my mouth but not inhaling it, resembles the motions we make when we go swimming (take a deep breath and hold it), even the inflated cheeks kinda resemble a swimmer. I once spoke with someone from Mexico and the way to smoke puros and pipes was referred to as 'hacer buzitos' because it indeed resembles what we do when swimming.

Hope that's somewhat helpful.
I experimented with this technique tonight just for fun. It actually works for finding some tastes. I don't think it's something I can do for a majority of a smoke, but it's interesting to incorporate in every minute or two.