Struggling Coming Back after a Hiatus

[fishmansf]

Title edited for capitalization. Rule 9.

Been taking about a month or two of a pipe smoking hiatus and am having troubles coming back. When I light up my bowl I get a lot of the great flavor from my blends but lose the flavor about a minute into smoking. I can’t seem to find the right balance of smoking slowly with small puffs to maintain flavor/prevent overheating and keeping the bowl lit. When I try to smoke slow, I get good flavor but my bowl always goes out. How do I find the right middle ground?

 

[BingBong]

Been taking about a month or two of a pipe smoking hiatus and am having troubles coming back. When I light up my bowl I get a lot of the great flavor from my blends but lose the flavor about a minute into smoking. I can’t seem to find the right balance of smoking slowly with small puffs to maintain flavor/prevent overheating and keeping the bowl lit. When I try to smoke slow, I get good flavor but my bowl always goes out. How do I find the right middle ground?

Try rescuing the ember by partly blocking the top of the bowl with your finger and creating a fast draught, as soon as it starts to dwindle.

 

[The Libertine]

Make sure you're packing looser than you think you need and make sure you're tamping the cherry down. You don't want the cherry level but more centered. That will heat the tobacco around the cherry to help release it's aroma.

 

[MattRVA]

This packing method has helped me recently.

 

[Grangerous]

These “First World Problems” are a real kick in the pants.

 

[dottlejockey]

2 tips:
1) Keep your pipe in your mouth, whether clenching or handling, and use what some call the "breath method," by simply allowing some of your exhale to flow back through the pipe to help keep the ember stoked between puffs.
2) As @BingBong suggested, if the ember starts to fade, cover the rim with a couple fingers (like a damper) and use long, gentle puffs to get it going again.
Good luck!

 

[Grangerous]

There are 3 parts to this tool. Most ignore this obvious remedy.

Gently push straight to the bottom and smoothly withdraw the tool.

It’ll create airflow.

You’re
Welcome.

 

[PaulRVA]

What are the blends ?

 

[Pipke]

I'd pack looser, let your tobaccos dry a bit.

You didn't say what you are smoking that's giving you difficulties. Is it all pipe tobacco or some of your favorites?

 

[bullet08]

As you can see, a lot of suggestions. Take a pick. Personally, I think you packed too tight. Normally at this point, I use pipe cleaner to reach deep into the chamber bottom by either through stem, or take stem off and access draught directly through shank, and create an air pocket. Of course, this also freshen up the smoke by cleaning out the moisture. By creating an air pocket at the bottom of the chamber, air will circulate better for smoking.

 

[FurCoat]

What are the blends ?

That's a good question

 

[FurCoat]

Depending on the blend, you may need to dry the tobacco a bit more. Even then, relights happen. Don't over thinkand it'll work itself out.

 

[PipeIT]

@fishmansf I see this all to often, as if there’s a certain way in which to smoke, or must smoke, in order to be doing it right.

There aren’t actually correct ways you have to specifically follow, just various methods you adjust to your preference/style of smoking.

You smoke a pipe to what fits your needs/style at the time is all, and the type of pipe and tobacco you are smoking.

You smoke a one dimensional, easy going simple blend like SWR, you light it, don’t have to think much, puff away, and it delivers a simple non complex taste.

You smoke complex blends, or aromatics, or blends that might bite and get harsh when smoked to fast, then trying to always keep these lit, might not be the best approach.

Everyone can give you personal experience advice, but ultimately, you simply have to experiment doing things in various ways. Dryness, packing, keeping the pipe lit, not keeping it lit, and smoking cadence/puffing, small sips, bigger sips, etc…

Play and Experiment…

 

[ThermionicScott]

When I try to smoke slow, I get good flavor but my bowl always goes out. How do I find the right middle ground?

Relighting isn’t a sin. Just relax and do it as many times as it takes.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Drier tobacco is easy to smoke, therefore it's easier to taste.

 

[fishmansf]

View attachment 341575
There are 3 parts to this tool. Most ignore this obvious remedy.

Gently push straight to the bottom and smoothly withdraw the tool.

It’ll create airflow.

You’re
Welcome.

I’ve never heard of that before, I’m going to give it a try!

 

[fishmansf]

@fishmansf I see this all to often, as if there’s a certain way in which to smoke, or must smoke, in order to be doing it right.

There aren’t actually correct ways you have to specifically follow, just various methods you adjust to your preference/style of smoking.

You smoke a pipe to what fits your needs/style at the time is all, and the type of pipe and tobacco you are smoking.

You smoke a one dimensional, easy going simple blend like SWR, you light it, don’t have to think much, puff away, and it delivers a simple non complex taste.

You smoke complex blends, or aromatics, or blends that might bite and get harsh when smoked to fast, then trying to always keep these lit, might not be the best approach.

Everyone can give you personal experience advice, but ultimately, you simply have to experiment doing things in various ways. Dryness, packing, keeping the pipe lit, not keeping it lit, and smoking cadence/puffing, small sips, bigger sips, etc…

Play and Experiment…

Play and experiment, that’s the name of the game. That’s how I first started too, just need to rediscover, it’s sort of fun! Almost feels like you’re smoking for the first time all over again

 

[First Sealord]

Make sure the tobacco is on the dry side. Don't over pack. Don't worry about relights, they are normal.

 

[Grangerous]

You’re building a continuous, smoldering fire.

You have a combustible (tobacco) and it needs airflow.

One day you may have an easy time and the next day, doing exactly the same, you find your pipe repeatedly going out. -Weather does that day to day. High Humidity vs a Cool, Crisp day.

I hear, dry your tobacco often cited. I don’t bother. The char light toasts the top. If I experience my pipe going out I do one of these three things.

1,). Set it aside. When I grab it again in a few minutes it usually catches. You could call that drying the tobacco.

2.) Create some airflow using the pipe tool as illustrated in my previous response. In addition, push a pipe cleaner through the stem into the tobacco. Recheck your draw and you’ll feel it has improved.

3.) Load and enjoy two pipes at one sitting. Sometimes same tobacco in each, other times not. But when one becomes difficult, light the other. This goes perfectly with remedy one above. And is something I often enjoy doing.

Added benefit: You can really taste tobacco’s when comparing them side by side. The flavor differences are more apparent.

And if both pipes contain the same tobacco, now you’re comparing pipes! By alternating pipes you can identify the better smoking pipe.

Have fun!

 

[MisterBadger]

<SNIP>

3.) Load and enjoy two pipes at one sitting. Sometimes same tobacco in each, other times not. But when one becomes difficult, light the other. This goes perfectly with remedy one above. And is something I often enjoy doing.

Added benefit: You can really taste tobacco’s when comparing them side by side. The flavor differences are more apparent.

And if both pipes contain the same tobacco, now you’re comparing pipes! By alternating pipes you can identify the better smoking pipe.

This is genius. Never occurred to me. Going to try it. Thank you, Grangerous