You do a charring light, and then properly light the pipe. But suddenly you notice that only 50% of the top layer of tobacco is lit. Do you keep smoking? Do you wait for the pipe to go out? I run into this a lot and what'll happen is the cherry will burn straight downward and I'll only be able to tamp part of the pipe. How big of an issue is this?
Suppose Your Pipe Is Unevenly Lit...
- Thread starter subsalac
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I guide the ember to the tobacco with a pick. A method called ember chasing.
^^yep
Or just light the other half and work on a better lighting technique to light the entire surface area.
Or just light the other half and work on a better lighting technique to light the entire surface area.
I try not to overthink things. To me, this is not a big deal. If I don't notice it, I'll keep smoking. If I do notice it, I might give it another pass with the lighter. At any rate, as long as I'm getting a good burn and some tasty smoke, all is good. If midway or so down the bowl I notice some tunneling, I may give the ash a gentle rake with my tamper, dump out the ash, scrape tobacco from the sides and even things out, relight and I'm off to the races again. I think over time you just develop a feel for things. My main suggestion for folks is not to pack things too tight. As long as you pack loose and hang loose, adjustments can be made.
Yep, this is my take on it to a tee. You'll find what works for you with time.
The tamper will even out the tobacco after a few minutes.
What the above folks said. Same for me, except I seldom bother with a "charring light". Too fussy, that is.
I agree with the above posters. When this happens, I just relight. Stir it a little if need be. It will even out eventually.
i don't do charring light. i make sure tobacco is even before lighting. make sure to inhale steadily, and slowly while moving the lighter in circle. if i find that it wasn't evenly lit, i clean the ash, even out the tobacco and lit again when light goes out.
A drop of lighter fuel or a fire lighter and the problem is solved. 
On a serious note I concur with the above comments. It is often better not to try and over think these things. A quick tickle with the old Bic and a tamping down of the tobacco tends to solve these issues.
On a serious note I concur with the above comments. It is often better not to try and over think these things. A quick tickle with the old Bic and a tamping down of the tobacco tends to solve these issues.
A drop of lighter fuel or a fire lighter and the problem is solved.
i'm very tempted to fill the chamber with butane and flick the wheel on bic.
Might lead to a Darwin Award moment!
Oh just draw harder on the unlit side to even things out nana
I have an irrational paranoia about charring bowl rims, and because of this I always seem to err too far on the side of caution when lighting the first part of every bowl. I’ve been smoking a pipe for over a year and I don’t think I’ve ever had one light fully. I run into the same thing, a small part will burn and the rest won’t. It usually evens out after about 10 minutes.
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