Pipe Smoking and Humidity

[bullbriar]

I don't know if anybody else has this same issue, but I am an "outdoor smoker" and ever since the humidity has descended upon New England about a month ago, I have been relighting much more. I used to be able to smoke with only one relight (if any), and now I seem to be relighting three to four times. In addition, the dottle in my bowl is soaking wet. Is this change due to the humidity?
I'm back to pipe smoking after many years off, and don't remember humidity affecting this change in my smoke. Any insights would be appreciated.

 

[oldredbeard]

I think the humidity has a lot to do with it. I live near a very large lake, and almost have wet doodle at the bottom. Even when the tobacco is very dry the doodle still gets wet. I can go visit my brother and it doesn't do that. So in my opinion yes that's what happening to you now, I think as fall and winter come on you will see it back to the way it was.

 

[bullbriar]

Oldred,
Any tricks or tips you recommend in order to minimize this problem?

 

[petes03]

Here in east TN we've been getting more rain than I've seen in a long time. I think it's something like 11in. in the last week alone! The humidity is terrible! I too, am an outdoor smoker, mostly, and rarely if ever have to relight. But I have noticed that I've had to relight 2 to 4 times per bowl in the last day or so. I've been smoking a pipe for about 5 years now and haven't had to relight this many times since I was just getting started! It is very annoying!

 

[brdavidson]

I have the same problems and the humidity finally let up last night so I lit up a bowl and smoked it through with only one relight. I asked a similar question about 2 weeks ago and Harris (cigarmaster) noted that humidity is a major problem for him as he lives in Florida. He said (and his experience is far greater than mine) that there's really nothing you can do except try to find a cooler indoor space if possible to smoke. Or wait for the humidity to break.

 

[eaglerico]

I live in Houston and have humidity almost year round. I am an aromatic smoker mostly, and when the humidity is bad, I can leave out a high quality aromatic to dry for a few days and it still seem moist. I have to help it along with a desk lamp with the tobacco in a glass bowl. I now prefer my tobacco almost crispy. I almost always have some wet dottle and always thought it was expected rather then caused by my circumstances. The drier the tobacco and the slower I smoke though, the less wet the bottom of the bowl is. I would say, try to dry it out till you think it is too dry and see what that is like.

 

[bullbriar]

Thanks for the advice. The humidity dropped here overnight, I dried the hell out of some tobacco(tried the microwave method), and had a great smoke this morning with only one relight. I guess it was the humidity after all.
brdavidson,

I didn't see that post by cigarmaster, thanks for the update.

 

[salewis]

I also live just outside of Houston where humidity was invented. I smoke mainly Virginias and usually use the fold and stuff technique. During the summer months I find that if I rub out the Virginia tobacco a little finer it becomes easier to light and stay lit which works for me.

 

[hunterwold1]

I live in eastern Ontario and the humidity has been high this summer. I have noticed a difference. I end up having to re-light a bowl two to three times that normally would stay lit with one light. I also have to give my pipes, tobacco, and accessories time to adjust as I bring them from storage in basement(central air cool and dry) to the humid outdoors where I smoke. They sweat like crazy and then dry some. So my smoking takes some planning and preparation.

 

[foggymountain]

I am having trouble keeping this pipe lit right now, since you mention it. It also requires more time between smokes for each pipe to dry out.

 

[petergunn]

I haven't noticed a humidity issue as much as heat, I'm an outdoor smoker and I just don't enjoy the smoke as much when the air temp breaks 80 and at 85-90 the bowl seems to get hotter even in the shade.
So I flee the deck and set up under the trees closer to the creek where there's at least a chance for a breeze. My wife calls me nuts but I'm just hardcore

 

[wilson]

You can just leave the top off the tin and let your tobacco dry out a bit -- it should be ready sometime in October!