It's a mystery to me how centuries of millions of pipes smokers thoroughly enjoyed their pipes and tobaccos without "methods".
I totally understand this perspective, but at the same time, I wouldn’t be a pipe smoker without help from this forum seven years ago. I tried my hardest to smoke a pipe at first but I knew nothing about tamping and it just kept going out. Not to mention I was “smoking” Borkum Riff in a Medico Brylon.
After I learned about briar and all the varieties and qualities of tobacco, it was still two or three years before I understood that freight-train puffing and smoking wet tobacco didn’t work with my mouth.
Some of us need kindergarten guidance, as silly as that seems sometimes!
P.S. This leads me to again thank everybody who was here and is here now, because I can say with surety that I would never have been able to figure out pipe smoking without you guys! Thanks!