Smoking Techniques

[jb235]

Title edited for capitalization and length. Original:

"Smoking Techniques: you can light it up very little to make a little smoke or light it up to make a blast of fume"


Hey, folks. I'm discovering more and more new things when it comes to smoking a pipe. Today I hardly burned the tobacco and my smoking experience was not bad, most times I light it up in the hard way and get a ton of fume. What's is your experience and preferences ?

 

[woodsroad]

I’ve found that a few drops of lighter fluid in the bowl really helps with getting things moving.

 

[bassbug]

I prefer kerosine but in a pinch, a little diesel will also do.

 

[Jacob74]

Jokes aside, I like to build an ember that is just powerful enough to keep the pipe lit, but not so strong as to get the pipe too hot. Ruins the flavor, makes things ashy.

 

[sablebrush52]

I want flavors. Otherwise, why bother? There are better buzzes to be had, so it's flavors for me.

That means getting the tobacco moisture right, and the pack right, so that I can enjoy a smoke just nursing the ember along at the point of almost burning out. Flavors come from what's simmering around the glowing cherry, and in my experience, are strongest when the pipe is barely going. I'll just keep it barely going for the length of a bowlful.

 

[bullet08]

Flavor is what I'm after, along with nicotine. I make sure the entire surface is lit. That gives the best flavor for me. I don't torch the tobacco, but few smooth pass of my Zippo at the start, providing there's no wind, get it started. Lately, I've been using false light to get the ember going. Then after few moment use true light to fill up the area I missed. Less contact trying to get the entire surface going this way. Once the ember covers the surface, it will burn down and mostly move to the center. Noticed the edge are left without ember. But this is what helps with relight. The charred tobacco at the edge of the chamber catches the light very fast with light touch of flame. Trick to this is not torching the tobacco and using lightest touch with flame.