Really Struggling.

[diamondback]

Feeling over-advised yet, OP?

You’ve gotten some great advice here. Like Jay said near the beginning of the thread: try everything, some things, whatever, just keep trying until it “clicks.”

It’s really hard (for me) to type out what I do. It took me about 14 months - not kidding - before I began to feel like I knew what I was doing. But at that point I couldn’t have really told you ??‍ Still can’t exactly.

Personally I never had an ‘epiphany’ moment in learning how to smoke a pipe, it all just fell into place as I went.

Hang in there man. Keep the Biotene near by and please keep us updated!

 

[olkofri]

Feeling over-advised yet, OP?

Heh, we're not even touched the subject of draw hole diameters and/or filtered vs. unfiltired yet...

 

[shanez]

And congrats to the OP for starting a thread that made it to 3 pages of helpfulness without getting derailed with our usual shenanigans. That's gotta be some sorta record! ?

 

[olkofri]

Heh, we're not even touched the subject of draw hole diameters and/or filtered vs. unfiltired yet...

Man, one's typing really goes to $#!1 when you're ill. I meant "we've", and "unfiltered".

 

[jaytex1969]

After re-reading this thread I noticed no one mentioned putting a couple of fingers over the chamber and taking a gentle puff or two while smoking. This really helps get/keep things going.

This is akin to the "venturi effect". You're drawing the same amount of air through the pipe, but narrowing the size of the air intake with your fingers. This causes the air to have to move faster to get the same volume through the smaller intake, which increases the burn rate.

I go for a "spongy" feel.

Every time I go for a "spongy" feel, I get slapped.... ?

 

[JordonBrooker]

Alright, some progress has been made! Thank you for all of your advice.

Packed a lot looser, it's better, staying lit for longer, I've probably halved my relights by just packing looser.

The other question is when you're lighting initially and you're really getting the flame into the bowl, do you get tongue bite? I could feel the bite as I was lighting, I guess I'm lighting it too well?

Also, do you light your relights as much as your first true light?

 

[jaytex1969]

There's tongue irritation from heated air, which I suspect is what you're feeling during the light, and then there is tongue bite, more of a chemical reaction experienced from some types of tobacco leaf, especially when puffed too hot.

As redundant as that sounds, there are differences. Feeling the heated air on your tongue during the light can be uncomfortable but should subside rather quickly. The real tongue bite will persist with discomfort, usually long after the bowl has been finished.

If you really want to understand tongue bite, load up a big ol' bowl of the Virginias, smoke it hard and fast and enjoy your week of vacation from pipe smoking as your tongue heals.

Slow and easy solves so many piping issues. Ask us how we know. Each of us had to learn the hard way...

 

[donjgiles]

Try to NOT get your flame into the bowl. Hold the pipe so the bowl is completely flat and level, use a wooden match and keep the flame ABOVE the bowl and draw gently. This will keep the temperature down and save your rims from getting scorched.

 

[BROBS]

Right now I'm smoking a blend with 7 hours dry time in 35% humidity that others have smoked straight out of the tin. I've had several re-lights. Just plan on having a few. Don't try for zero and burning down to "fine grey ash".

One trick I've learned which everyone has mentioned is to pack looser than you think is necessary. You can tamp it down a little tighter if necessary while you smoke.

I gravity filled to the rim while tapping the side of the pipe and then stuffed a bit more on top of that. Going on 45 minutes now with what seemed like not enough tobacco.

Exactly ?

 

[BROBS]

After re-reading this thread I noticed no one mentioned putting a couple of fingers over the chamber and taking a gentle puff or two while smoking. This really helps get/keep things going. I even do it with my tamper instead of my fingers.

There's a scene in Lord of the Rings where this can be seen. That's not just for the movie. It's a legit thing to do.

Do this with every bowl too. ?

 

[brian64]

And congrats to the OP for starting a thread that made it to 3 pages of helpfulness without getting derailed with our usual shenanigans. That's gotta be some sorta record!

That's only because the pages are much shorter since the upgrade.

 

[olkofri]

The other question is when you're lighting initially and you're really getting the flame into the bowl, do you get tongue bite? I could feel the bite as I was lighting, I guess I'm lighting it too well?

Also, do you light your relights as much as your first true light?

Easy things first: the answer to your second question is NO.

Elaboration: the purpose of the charring light is precisely that: to char the leaf. That's why we don't sweat it if it goes out afterwards, and indeed, some of us actually stamp the cherry out with the tamper as we even out the strands that rose with the heat. Once it's charred, it catches fire more easily: hence further into the smoke you don't have to apply the flame to the leaf directly, and can just light like a cigar: letting the superheated air ignite the tobacco. When you're doing the charring light, it's not a 'bad' thing to touch the flame to the leaf.

Second question: yes, I've gotten tongue burn from this, which is why I hate relighting—well, I don't want to give you more reasons to fret—so anyway. The fix for this is just the right amount of drawing, not too much, not too little, like Goldilocks, sorta. This will only come with practice, through repetition, if you don't learn it, your mouth and lip muscles will. The draw also varies by pipes: not all are drilled the same, more open draught holes can exacerbate the burning. Then again, with time you'll learn your pipes and their unique, inherent eccentricities, and your mouth itself will modify the intensity of the draw with you being barely aware of it.

In a nutshell: you just need to develop 'the feeling' for all of this things. This can only happen with practice, practice, practice.

 

[bullet08]

did you dry the tobacco? when you grab some tobacco between thumb and index finger and give a good pinch, it shouldn't be cold and damp. it should not turn to dust either. but make sure the tobacco is dry.

once loaded, don't put flame on tobacco. hover over the tobacco and pull the flame into tobacco with steady inhale. while pulling the flame, make sure to move the flame source around so you don't get one spot getting all the heat. you want the top of the tobacco lit evenly and flat as possible.

 

[jpmcwjr]

The other question is when you're lighting initially and you're really getting the flame into the bowl, do you get tongue bite? I could feel the bite as I was lighting, I guess I'm lighting it too well?

Also, do you light your relights as much as your first true light?

Not even close! For me, first light can be about 2-4 seconds, and it's done. Relights are a fraction of one second.

You don't want the flame touching the tobacco (or rim!) at all. The superheated air past the tip of the flame is plenty hot.

 

[dcicero]

Some of my most enjoyable smokes have been those where I'm talking so much the pipe goes out. Then I relight. No worries. Relight again, and again...I think it's ok to relight. Very rarely do I smoke a whole bowl without relighting a couple times, even if uninterrupted. Its typical for me to have my best stretch of no relights through the middle of the bowl. Additionally there are few pipes I can clench comfortably, so I set it down often, and forget to pick it up - like typing this right now. If I were focused on not having to relight, I think over time (veterans, not me) you quickly understand the cadence of that bowl, that particular bowl as I think each has it's own pack, moisture, etc. The amount of smoke vs how you puffed etc naturally tells you what to do to keep it lit. I've experienced that kind of flow before by accident. Either way, I say, try not to let the fact that you have relight take away from enjoying your smoke and your moment of meditation.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Yes, relights happen, and are "a good thing". Except when there are many, often caused by tobacco that's too damp.

 

[rushx9]

I had trouble keeping an ember going until I started codger filling, then poking a nail or Czech tool straight down the middle of the bowl, then lightly pressing back down afterwards. This makes a hole for your ember to get started. After charring and relighting, lightly tamp around the sides to squeeze the ember so the tobacco burns from the middle, outwards. If done properly it makes any cut burn down like a well rolled and stuffed flake for me.

 

[anotherbob]

Aren't flakes harder to light and keep lit than ribbon? Isn't that why flakes and coins are Piping 201 material? ?

they also handle relights so much smoother than ribbons. And if you really rub out rope it burns pretty easily compared to a rubbed out flake. Also that 201 status given to flakes, cheeses me off. Flakes are a little harder to pack and keep lit. But they're flavorsome, less chance of bite, and slightly different to pack (I say just as easy just different).
Coins are also so easy to rub out. I just poke the middle with my finger, barely fluff the edges, roll it into a ball and shove the ball into the pipe. One to three coins depending on their size and the pipe in question.

 

[anotherbob]

The other question is when you're lighting initially and you're really getting the flame into the bowl, do you get tongue bite? I could feel the bite as I was lighting, I guess I'm lighting it too well?

Also, do you light your relights as much as your first true light?

That is awesome that you're able to enjoy the hobby more.
First question: yeah unless I use a pipe lighter and not a bic or good matches. Either of which is not only quite affordable but a hell of a deal for how much easier it makes pipe smoking.
Second question: not really. Often relights are easier often taking a few seconds to get going. Typically what works for me is to hit the middle of the tamped tobacco three times each time for roughly a second (full second for stubborn relights, half a second for most). Seems to work perfectly. Last step in getting it lighted up proper... Then do three really long slow drags, like you're trying to suck out a clog in a drinking straw but don't want it flying into your throat or breathing hole. Works well for me....

 

[Mr.Mike]

It's funny how things go. I was in your boat when I started, trying all the different methods of packing. Could have ran a whole seminar with charts and graphs about the damn process. Now I absent mindedly stuff my pipe with no rhyme or reason and smoke the whole bowl with one or two relights, sometimes none if I tamp at the right times. It's as if there's some pipe God who decides when your worthy ?