Pipe Physics

[aldecaker]

"...but I was wondering if a different pipe or pipe shape would suit aromatics more."
I think asking that question, in the last paragraph of his post, is how the OP got popped with "buy a cob", Cosmic. I was going to suggest he buy a $7500 artisan pipe and see if it smokes aros better for him, but I would have had to add, "But if it doesn't, I'm sure as shit sorry about your $7500". :rofl:

 

[mso489]

I think these questions are answered pipe by pipe. I don't think you can summarize or generalize very much. It's over-thinking it (maybe). Pipe smoking is probably more art than science, and most of it is lost in treating it as a technology, or so it seems to me. But if you kind of like a systematic approach, and it makes sense and works for you, that may be your art. I just don't think it's going to translate well for others. Or those are my thoughts.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

You guys don’t smoke aromatics in your Lambourginis? Or is that Lambourginii? ::

 

[olkofri]

until I got my first Savinelli 320

Which line of Savinelli did you buy, Anthony? Looks like that shape is available in many of their lines. Wonder if the 321 behaves similarly.
Very nice post, Cosmic. Tempted to print it out and put it in my pipe sock. Personally, I've not been successful at all with the breath method, even though I've watched studied the videos. Maybe it's that I'm expecting to see noticeable amounts of smoke, as you suggest. I think I might be unconsciously thinking: lotsa smoke = pipe burning OK and not about to go out. But yeah, it's not like I'm telegraphing or something. I'm also afraid of some smoke finding its way down the lower airways with that method. Some of you might remember me asking about inhalation a few times. Not knocking down the breath method; I'll certainly try it again, see if I can get it down. I've a bit of a sore throat, which I blame on me not having learned to properly light yet.
Not trying to systemathise pipe smoking, but I guess my scientific side can't be sated. Just for the record, currently I've three pipes (thinking of buying a Quixx soon): the churchwarden's bowl is like an inverted cone (it has a Dublin shape), the Brigham a cylinder with a spherical bottom (a U-shape I guess), and the cob is a true cylinder.
Thanks everyone. ::

 

[panamacharlie]

It seems to me that you didn't get "tongue bite" from the tobacco, but "tongue burn" from lighting. You only filled the pipe a third full, so there was no tobacco to cushion the flame, which you sucked directly into your mouth. Try filling the pipe, if you smoke just a little of it you can relight and finish it later.

 

[olkofri]

How long can you leave an unfinished pipe standing for?
I left my 1/3-filled pipe, with about half that unsmoked, for about 24 hours and tried to finish it last nite. It wouldn't stay lit. Thinking I had got to the bottom and that was the reason why, I emptied it only to find most of the 1/6 to 1/5 of the flake still orangey coloured. :x

 

[bassbug]

May I ask why you're only filling your pipe 1/3?

 

[pipesmokingtom]

If you're only packing a third because you don't like committing to long smokes, pack it full, smoke what you want and (optionally) tip the smoked ash out. When you're ready to pick it back up, lightly breathe through the stem a couple times to gently rehydrate and go back to business.
I often have three or four pipes partially smoked. It happens when you're trying to involve pipe smoking in a busy life. This works better for some blends than others, but I've rarely not been able to finish a bowl that I've let sit for some time.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

Case in point: left to right is PS English Luxury, Arango Balkan, my Whatever jar mix and Autumn Evening. I'll probably get through them throughout the day.

 

[olkofri]

May I ask why you're only filling your pipe 1/3?

I can't smoke at home. So I have to smoke in my car whilst I'm driving, or sitting in it in the parking lot at the varsity, so I have to keep my smoking times short. I'm waiting for my next paycheque so that I can order a new pipe with a very small bowl, in order to be able to fully pack it.
Thanks for the tip, Pipesmokingtom, now I can stop fretting about the tobacco going bad if I don't finish the pipe on the same day.

 

[bassbug]

Pipesmokingtom got it exactly right.
Fill the bowl, dump the ashes if you can't finish the bowl and go back to it later. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Just take it easy when you relight the bottom half of the bowl, you don't have a lot of tobacco to absorb heat and if you're too aggressive, you'll burn your tongue.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

I find whatever "stoving" happens via smoking some and letting it go out and coming back later can actually improve the flavor. So long as you're deliberate about it, as bassbug suggests.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I’m not sure how much better MacBarons 7 Seas Royal gets with stoving and returning to it later, but yeh, in principle, I prefer returning to a relit pipe as pipesmokingtom says. I probably would just dump the dottle on an aromatic though.

 

[olkofri]

Well, loaded my churchwarden again, this time with some cubed SG Navy Flake. Couple of videos I watched stated that cubed flake is best for beginners, and that it's not too hard to keep lit. Well, fail again. Two puffs, pipe out – relight — two puffs, pipe out — ad nauseam (and sorem tonguem).
I had put that flake out to dry yesterday. When I was cubing it, it seemed dry enough to me — too dry, actually. Wonder if it's still wet or if my cubes are the wrong size.

I didn't finish it. Tossed out the ashes, put on the windcap, and it's in the pipe rack for now. Maybe I'll get back to it, tomorrow, God willing and tongue permitting.
I knew there's a learning curve to all this. Let's hope I survive boot camp. :|

 

[bassbug]

Noticed the Canadian penny..are you in the Toronto area by any chance?
If you are, you're welcome to come over for a smoke anytime and I'd be happy to give whatever assistance I can.

 

[mso489]

I often smoke my pipes intermittently. I tamp them gently (when I remember) before I put them down to wait for the next installment. A little judicious tamping usually makes continuing the smoke work fine for me. Don't pack them to tightly to start the bowl, so there is enough air for the fire when you tamp it.

 

[panamacharlie]

I still think a lot of your problem stems from your insistence on only partially filling your pipe. Too little tobacco means you will never get a good ember going to keep it burning.

 

[olkofri]

I don't dispute that, panamacharlie. And I can certainly find time for a longer smoke this week and try with a full bowl. Thing is, I'll eventually get to lower levels and shall have to relight whether because it goes out (as usual) or I'm forced to stop mid-smoke.

 

[nevadablue]

Hmmm... you guys have taught me well, I think. So...
- don't overthink pipe smoking, just smoke it.

- smoke dry tobacco, wet stuff will burn you tongue (even as dry as the air is where I live, I still use the microwave dryer)

- wet tobacco won't stay lit

- don't worry about relights

- smoke slowly, sip, take your time, ENJOY

- ENJOY, take your time
8)
Oh, I don't hesitate to 'save' an unfinished bowl. Like Tom said, it works fine for me. Why waste expensive tobacco?

 

[olkofri]

Good points.
I hear that dry tobacco will burn fast and hot. I don't care about fast (I can use fast), but am worried about hot. Then again, dry tobacco WILL stay lit, won't it? If so, then another mistake I'm making is that the tobacco is still not dry enough.