Hello I really enjoy listening to your radio show and I was wondering if you could do a show for us beginners to teach us how to smoke a pipe without getting tongue bite and burn, maybe proper puffing cadence? Or how to know if it is a chemical reaction to certain tobaccos?
Show for us beginners
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I have watched beginning pipe smokers and I have noticed every time they just draw way too deeply trying to produced a lot of smoke. The trick is to sip more than "suck". Keeping the ember at just the right burn is the key to enjoying the taste of the tobacco. That's true for aromatics as well as natural tobacco blends.
As usual I agree with Jud. I think slowing down will solve the vast majority of your problems.
If, as a new smoker, you're experiencing tongue burn/bite it's probably not due to "chemical reaction". I'd bet my last dime that you're puffing too fast on a cheap, poorly drilled and cured pipe packed (perhaps poorly) with even cheaper, overly sweetened low-grade tobacco.
I say this not to make you feel bad, but because I've been there. I smoked this way for YEARS, thinking that a burned tongue was just the price I had to pay. But I was eventually given some pretty simple advice: using good technique and good materials will yield a better, more pleasurable result.
If, as a new smoker, you're experiencing tongue burn/bite it's probably not due to "chemical reaction". I'd bet my last dime that you're puffing too fast on a cheap, poorly drilled and cured pipe packed (perhaps poorly) with even cheaper, overly sweetened low-grade tobacco.
I say this not to make you feel bad, but because I've been there. I smoked this way for YEARS, thinking that a burned tongue was just the price I had to pay. But I was eventually given some pretty simple advice: using good technique and good materials will yield a better, more pleasurable result.
I wonder if my pipes is a problem but I really think it is packing or cadence because it seems that I only get a few puffs before my pipe goes out and with many relights it gets hot and loses taste, slowing down makes it go out every time, I have been smoking since august so not quite a year and can't get it figured out but one thing I notice is that there is always a lot of moisture in the bottom and tenon of my pipes, I have some early morning pipe that I am going to leave out today and see if drying it out a lot will change anything, I have been smoking primarily english blends have tried some aromatics also I really appreciate the help. I really am liking pipe smoking but always having a sore tongue is definitely discouraging
What blends are you smoking? Drying your tobacco a bit can be very helpful. I learned this from the gentlemen on this forum, and it has helped me greatly. Brian L has said on the show that he likes to dry his to the point of being almost crunchy. The only blend I have yet to figure out thus far is Three Oaks. I have to smoke it about five minutes with a few attempts at a charring light and then let it sit in the pipe overnight and come back to it the next day to get it to smoke without constantly needing to relight. I also learned here to carefully sip. I grew up around cigarette smokers, so that's how I was drawing on the pipe. Sipping has helped greatly. This is why I recommended to another beginner not to throw tobacco away if their first experience of it is unpleasant. I have revisited jarred tobacco I didn't like at all before learning better smoking technique. Now when I revisit them, I find a whole new experience. An example is Escudo. When I first tried it, I didn't like it at all and wondered why it got such great raves. After two years of keeping it in a jar, I revisited it with improved technique, and now I get it. It's wonderful to have those little breakthroughs in your experience. Go through and listen to all the shows, paying special attention to the "Pipe Parts" section. Take some notes. I've learned a lot from this segment of the shows. I wish you much enjoyment .
I have tried sg flakes,most of the dunhills, pembroke, and several different aromatics and pretty much all of them seem to bite and not have much flavor. I kind of think it has a lot to do with the moisture that ends up in the pipe which burns my mouth then I can't taste it very much. I really enjoy the pipes radio show and hope to figure this out soon
Im still pretty new, but I smoke almost all the time, Chain Pipe smoker in a way. I have been slowing down the puff pace yet still love a thick cloud thru the nose. I really like the nicotine hit and slight burn. Although the taste is not the same as that first few hits with the pipe cold and dry.
My newbie experience and my "faster" style of smoking thus far has proven that Virginia Flakes will bite no matter what I do. Letting them dry out a bit does help some. I like Latakia flavor but if there is too much of it I will get tongue bite. I got some Brebbia Latakia Flake (which has some Virginia too) and tried to mix it with a mild tobacco like Carter Hall. That helps some. Giving the tongue a break from the Virginia's and the Latakia helps my tongue. The biotene mouthwash is good for healing too. This lay-off helps my taste buds reset. I will smoke CHall during this time which gives me no tongue bite at all. (which by the way proves to me my pace is not all that fast). The best Latakia flavored with the least tongue bite so far has been John Bull pouch. And its cheap too!
There is something to the PH of individuals and the PH of the tobacco. I am not that skilled on this yet. A infrared temperature spotter has been useful to help me find some reference to the bowl temps with different tobaccos and different pipes.
Just some of my observations so far. Im still working on slowing down some more. Right now I just use the rotation method to keep the tobacco and bowl cool. I'll have some unfinished bowls that get finished off on the next go round. Hehe. Patience in the nicotine addiction arena is not my best suit. You should have seen me in the 70's with booze and pot! Bottom line is I like to smoke a little faster but dont like the tongue bite, so Im finding ways to enjoy what I like, compromising on each end.
My newbie experience and my "faster" style of smoking thus far has proven that Virginia Flakes will bite no matter what I do. Letting them dry out a bit does help some. I like Latakia flavor but if there is too much of it I will get tongue bite. I got some Brebbia Latakia Flake (which has some Virginia too) and tried to mix it with a mild tobacco like Carter Hall. That helps some. Giving the tongue a break from the Virginia's and the Latakia helps my tongue. The biotene mouthwash is good for healing too. This lay-off helps my taste buds reset. I will smoke CHall during this time which gives me no tongue bite at all. (which by the way proves to me my pace is not all that fast). The best Latakia flavored with the least tongue bite so far has been John Bull pouch. And its cheap too!
There is something to the PH of individuals and the PH of the tobacco. I am not that skilled on this yet. A infrared temperature spotter has been useful to help me find some reference to the bowl temps with different tobaccos and different pipes.
Just some of my observations so far. Im still working on slowing down some more. Right now I just use the rotation method to keep the tobacco and bowl cool. I'll have some unfinished bowls that get finished off on the next go round. Hehe. Patience in the nicotine addiction arena is not my best suit. You should have seen me in the 70's with booze and pot! Bottom line is I like to smoke a little faster but dont like the tongue bite, so Im finding ways to enjoy what I like, compromising on each end.
First I have to say RULE NINE NINE NINE lol.
My guess is you're not packing the pipe tight enough. Make sure the last bit of packing is done rather firmly and be sure to check the draw before you light the tobacco. I noticed when I started packing the bowl tighter it stayed lit longer and the bowl itself was cooler throughout the smoke.
I'd also suggest if you aren't already doing it have something to drink every time you have a bowl. Even if it's just sipping on water occasionally. I've noticed my tongue can last longer when I'm sipping on water and the flavor of the blend comes out a lot better as well.
Another trick is to run a pipe cleaner down the stem and shank during a smoke. Brian Levine does this many times throughout a bowl, I've watched him do it. It helps lessen the moisture and I'd say it also keeps the draft hole clear.
Hope the situation improves.
My guess is you're not packing the pipe tight enough. Make sure the last bit of packing is done rather firmly and be sure to check the draw before you light the tobacco. I noticed when I started packing the bowl tighter it stayed lit longer and the bowl itself was cooler throughout the smoke.
I'd also suggest if you aren't already doing it have something to drink every time you have a bowl. Even if it's just sipping on water occasionally. I've noticed my tongue can last longer when I'm sipping on water and the flavor of the blend comes out a lot better as well.
Another trick is to run a pipe cleaner down the stem and shank during a smoke. Brian Levine does this many times throughout a bowl, I've watched him do it. It helps lessen the moisture and I'd say it also keeps the draft hole clear.
Hope the situation improves.
Have you tried any English blends? They tend to be very smooth and have less bite than the aromatics. Lane's HGL or Sutliff Medium English are both nice blends and inexpensive. I just tried Hearth & Home Marquee BlackHouse, and it is a great one too - Smooth and flavorful. These blends dry nicely too. There are endless opinions on what is good, but these are very decent blends. If you like aromatics, I recommend something simple like Lane Limited RLP-6 or 1Q. Folks love 1Q, but I personally prefer RLP-6. Again, they won't break the bank and don't have quite as much moisture as a lot of "goopy" aromatics. If you haven't yet tried a more burley dominant blend, you might give that a go also. Hearth and Home Classic Burley Kake is a very nice blend. The Virginias and flakes can be challenging. That's all good of course, but the blends I mentioned here will be more forgiving and are very nice smokes by many, many accounts.
I'm guessing you use a lighter. Try matches. Early on, I tended to really scorch the tobacco with a lighter but when I switched to matches, and learned to just get it smoldering, that eliminated my tongue bite. Don't relight too far into a bowl, that is where tongue bite will also get you. Light and tamp carefully, and puff slowly, you'll get it!
I think a radio show or two for beginners is a good idea, though Levine wouldn't be my first choice for an instructor.
Come to think of it, he wouldn't be my first choice for a radio talk show host! :lol:
Come to think of it, he wouldn't be my first choice for a radio talk show host! :lol:
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