Possible Tongue Bite Solution

[PApiper63]

I'm very close with a young man that's 35 years younger than me. When we first met, he was a dedicated cigar smoker, but his wife hated the smell. When she was around me she always remarked to her husband about how much she liked the smell of my pipe. She even told him he could smoke a pipe inside if he gave up his stinky cigars lol. A couple years ago he transitioned two pipes and found that he enjoyed them even more than cigars and as an added benefit, his wife fully supports him.

About six months ago we were together at our local B and M and he sadly told me that he was going to have to give up pipe smoking because he thought he was one of those guys that would always have tongue bite. He was really upset by this so I offered him some advice. I told him the two things that helped me the most in getting over tongue bite was to dry my tobacco to almost a crisp and to treat the bottom of the bowl like the foot of a cigar. My uncle told me many years ago to treat the bottom of a bowl of pipe tobacco like the butt of a cigar and don't try to force light it, but just dump it. My buddy explained that he hated to waste the tobacco, so he was always trying to smoke to the very end. I wondered if the combination of moist tobacco, and force lighting the bottom of a bowl was leading to his tongue bite. He called me about two weeks later and told me that he had no tongue bite since he made those two changes. if you're struggling with tongue bite, it might be worth a try. Of course your mileage may vary and it might not solve your tongue bite problem but it wouldn't hurt to experiment with these ideas if you're a person that struggles with chronic tongue bite.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

I've never been one of those guys that felt the need to smoke a cigar down to the nub, and then put a toothpick in the nub or something else to smoke it to the very end. When the cigar starts to get too hot and/or doesn't taste enjoyable anymore then I put it down. Even if I don't make it down to the nub. No sense in smoking something that isn't enjoyable.

Same goes for my pipes. When I get to the bottom of the bowl and its just wet dottle or it starts to taste ashy as there is basically just ash left, then I dump the dottle or ash and load up another bowl. Again, no sense in smoking something that doesn't taste good, especially if you're burning your tongue.

 

[Monssen13]

I'm very close with a young man that's 35 years younger than me. When we first met, he was a dedicated cigar smoker, but his wife hated the smell. When she was around me she always remarked to her husband about how much she liked the smell of my pipe. She even told him he could smoke a pipe inside if he gave up his stinky cigars lol. A couple years ago he transitioned two pipes and found that he enjoyed them even more than cigars and as an added benefit, his wife fully supports him.

About six months ago we were together at our local B and M and he sadly told me that he was going to have to give up pipe smoking because he thought he was one of those guys that would always have tongue bite. He was really upset by this so I offered him some advice. I told him the two things that helped me the most in getting over tongue bite was to dry my tobacco to almost a crisp and to treat the bottom of the bowl like the foot of a cigar. My uncle told me many years ago to treat the bottom of a bowl of pipe tobacco like the butt of a cigar and don't try to force light it, but just dump it. My buddy explained that he hated to waste the tobacco, so he was always trying to smoke to the very end. I wondered if the combination of moist tobacco, and force lighting the bottom of a bowl was leading to his tongue bite. He called me about two weeks later and told me that he had no tongue bite since he made those two changes. if you're struggling with tongue bite, it might be worth a try. Of course your mileage may vary and it might not solve your tongue bite problem but it wouldn't hurt to experiment with these ideas if you're a person that struggles with chronic tongue bite.

FWIW I also experience less tongue bite when I don’t dump all the ash. I assume it acts as a sort of insulation.

 

[seanv]

FWIW I also experience less tongue bite when I don’t dump all the ash. I assume it acts as a sort of insulation.

Ask 5 pipe smokers and get 5 different answes lol
I almost always dump ash mid way when I'm smoking a folded flake. When smoking ribbon cut I rarely dump ash mid smoke.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Just a joke, of course, but... Dames is a nickel a dozen out there.

 

[Snook]

The part about the bottom of the bowl is so true. Many years I've tried to get that last little bit of baccy out of my bowls, only to end up tasting char and getting tongue bite. Good advice.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

When it stops tasting great, stop smoking and empty the bowl. With that said, I don't think smoking to the bottom of the bowl contributes much to tongue bite unless you're too persistent with lighting attempts while puffing.

Dry the tobacco, smoke slowly and pack properly. If tongue bite persists, change blend type. I think most tongue bite is chemical or due to being allergic to a tobacco type. I've known a number of people that can't tolerate Red Virginias.

 

[The Libertine]

Dry tobacco and smoking like a sloth helped me eliminate tongue bite. Correct packing is also a requirement. Ask how to pack your pipe and you'll get different answers on how. Just find a way that suits you best.

 

[sablebrush52]

Somewhere in the mountain of pipe smoking myths is the belief that smoking to the bottom of the bowl is a laudable goal. It's a great way to get some sour smokes, increase the risk of tongue bite, and structurally damage your pipe.
Nobody really wants to structurally damage their pipe, do they?

 

[anotherbob]

I've never been one of those guys that felt the need to smoke a cigar down to the nub, and then put a toothpick in the nub or something else to smoke it to the very end. When the cigar starts to get too hot and/or doesn't taste enjoyable anymore then I put it down. Even if I don't make it down to the nub. No sense in smoking something that isn't enjoyable.

I sometimes milk the nub but only with that rare cigar where the best part is the nub. Weirdly that usually happens with cigars that I find good but no better then that. But I don't get fighting to get the last bit of out of a cigar.

Same goes for my pipes. When I get to the bottom of the bowl and its just wet dottle or it starts to taste ashy as there is basically just ash left, then I dump the dottle or ash and load up another bowl. Again, no sense in smoking something that doesn't taste good, especially if you're burning your tongue.

Every once in a while I'll take a match stick and stir the last bit tamp it lightly. After a few swirls it fluffs up to somewhere between a third and half a bowl. You never get too much more smoke but a few blends in the right condition actually will smoke very good that way. But for people who want to try and smoke every shred that technique is the best way to go. Again it's like with the cigar nubs, only happens when the last couple minutes are the best of the smoke.

 

[anotherbob]

Somewhere in the mountain of pipe smoking myths is the belief that smoking to the bottom of the bowl is a laudable goal. It's a great way to get some sour smokes, increase the risk of tongue bite, and structurally damage your pipe.
Nobody really wants to structurally damage their pipe, do they?

I like how the devil is always in the details. My best and rarest smokes do go to the bottom of the bowl. Getting down to the bottom without trying means everything went perfect (including things like ambient humidity). Those are like the one match light. You know when you char light tamp and still end up with a good even ember. I don't shot for it but it's still nice.
All of that is way different then trying for or worse forcing either out come.
Though what blows my mind is how much new pipe smokers seem to think there is a dogma that must be followed or they're doing it wrong. It astounds me the number of posts that say I enjoyed my pipe had no problems with my smoke, did I do it right? I feel like that's the biggest hurdle now for new guys. So much info and so much info presented as being from one of the illuminated masters of pipe smoking. I am going to try a new mantra for the newbies and see if it helps. "Load, Smoke, and Refine."