I am relatively new to pipe smoking(smoked cigars for many years) and like most people I had trouble keeping the dang thing lit and I had a consistent problem with gurgling. It seemed liked I was doing everything right but I was missing something. Last week I was crusing throigh some old forum entrys and read a description that made the biggest difference. Since I currently mostly smoke aromatics I started drying them for 10 seconds in the microwave and letting it sit out for 30 minutes before I put it into storage in tue mason jar. That gave me a much dryer smoke. I also read about a specific breathing method which included 3 breaths inhaled and exhaled through the nose while the pipe was in your mouth only sucking smoke through the pipe on the third inhalation amd exhaling it through the pipe VERY slowly. This slowed my cadence down giving me a much cooler smoke with fewer relights and no gurgle. If I don't pay attention to the cadence, I smoke too quickly. I also pack much looser. Thank you for the excellent advice. It has made my pipe, smoking journey much more fulfilling.
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- Thread starter PApiper63
- Start date
Well done. There's a lot of factors to pipe-smoking. Glad you're finding techniques that are helping you! I have also had to learn to dry my aro's more than I think before smoking, and have had to focus on slowing my cadence. It's a journey!
Absolutely.
Over time you will learn that technique is MUCH more important than packing method and moisture level.
To tell the truth, for many years my packing method has been to stuff, cram, push and crush tobacco into my pipe.
MOST blenders sell their tobacco the way THEY believe it smokes with the best flavor and characteristics. For instance, most straight Virginia blends come quite dry. I hear people all the time saying their tobacco needs to be sent back due to it being too dry. But once they try it, they realize its perfect.
Eventually you will puff through a "wrongly" packed pipe of soaking wet tobacco without thinking about it, and have very few re-lights.
Over time you will learn that technique is MUCH more important than packing method and moisture level.
To tell the truth, for many years my packing method has been to stuff, cram, push and crush tobacco into my pipe.
MOST blenders sell their tobacco the way THEY believe it smokes with the best flavor and characteristics. For instance, most straight Virginia blends come quite dry. I hear people all the time saying their tobacco needs to be sent back due to it being too dry. But once they try it, they realize its perfect.
Eventually you will puff through a "wrongly" packed pipe of soaking wet tobacco without thinking about it, and have very few re-lights.
