The Relight debate

[sablebrush52]

View attachment 289444

Damn typ0z...

 

[sardonicus87]

I didn't even realize there was a debate... I thought it was just a bunch of blustering and one-upsmanship nonsense.

"I only had to relight twice!"
"Oh yeah? I only had to relight once!"
"You are all like babies, I don't have to relight at all, I have more skill than you."
"I don't even need to light, it just spontaneously combusts through sheer force of will."

Honestly, I don't get the obsession. Relight if you need to, it's not just not a big deal, it's not a deal at all unless you're having to relight after every other puff, in which case you're doing something wrong, but there's otherwise no right way.

 

[denholrl]

When I was 17 I bought a Kaywoodie and some Cherry Blend . . . lit up in my room. My Mom walked by, saw me, and said nothing. That evening she told me that she and my father had discussed it and decided that, if it would keep me from smoking cigarettes, they would not object to my pipe smoking. Been doing it ever since. That was in 1962.

 

[denholrl]

Sorry, I responded to the wrong posting! Note my age and forgive me my frailty.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

I've never had an issue with having to re-light my pipe. I'm usually re-lighting my pipe multiple times during a smoke as I get distracted doing other things, and the just goes out. No big deal for me.

Unless you're in a slow smoke contest it shouldn't matter if you have to re-light your pipe.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Smoking Pi.

View attachment 289466

 

[solideogloria86]

I'm still smoking the first pipe I ever lit back in 42. I'm about a third of the way down the bowl. Only used one match because that's all I had. People who relight are an embarrassment to pipe smokers everywhere. They can't manage to keep a pipe lit and we let them have drivers licenses, and even vote!

 

[Donn Scott Shetler]

On the other side of the point, packing lighter and frequent tamping can significantly reduce the need to relight.

I have been working on my tamping technique since reading your post .
a lighter pack ( I’m only using the weight of my tamper ) to good result. Although , when walking my dog I press a bit harder to get a longer smoke . I learn a lot in these forums

 

[Chasing Embers]

I have been working on my tamping technique since reading your post .
a lighter pack ( I’m only using the weight of my tamper ) to good result. Although , when walking my dog I press a bit harder to get a longer smoke . I learn a lot in these forums

I try to limit relighting as much as I can. Lighting consumes more tobacco than just smoking it.

 

[bullet08]

How are you gonna smoke without a light? If it goes out, you have to relight.

 

[uzzi101]

I find the tighter the pack, the less flavor I get. Same goes for tamping. A heavy tamp leads to a harder pack and again, less flavor.

I find relights enjoyable. The Kiribi lighter I purchased feels great in the hand and sound fantastic. I also get a burst of flavor with each relight.

 

[HeavyLeadBelly]

I’m confused as to why relighting a pipe is a question….relights are part of this game and only time it’s a concern is if you’re in a pipe smoking competition lol

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Relights are for losers who can't keep their pipes in clench. Loser, loser losers...
Also, pipesmokers shouldn't give a fuck what other people think.

 

[K.E. Powell]

Relight as needed. A lot of people place all the emphasis on tamping and packing, stating proper technique for both will reduce the need to relight. That's true, but it ignores what I believe to be the most important factor that is within one's control (as opposed to those things that are not within one's control, such as the climate or the tobacco itself): the false/charring light.

Provided I am able, I always use a sulphur-free match to do a thorough false light, making sure the tobacco is being burned evenly as possible. I let my pipe stand for about a minute, then proceed to do the same again. After that, relights can be done with anything (I prefer my Zippo), since I very rarely need the flame to actually touch the tobacco from that point. And, if I did things right with the false light and things are tamped and packed just right, the relights are then fewer in number and easier to achieve when necessary.

But if you start off with a crappy false light, then it impacts the entire smoke. The same can be said of packing. Tamping is important, but not hard; just occasionally use the weight of the tamper to lightly press down on the ashes. That's it. Kinda hard to mess that one up. But the false light and packing take practice.

Of course, like Cosmic said, if you keep a constant clench, then relights should be few and far between. I'm a wet smoker, so I'm a loser But we all do what we can to get by.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I don't have false lights- at least not on purpose! A good first light does the trick for me almost always.

To me, it's a preference. A fine preference- just one I don't adhere to.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I have been working on my tamping technique since reading your post .
a lighter pack ( I’m only using the weight of my tamper ) to good result. Although , when walking my dog I press a bit harder to get a longer smoke . I learn a lot in these forums

Donn- Good questions, but why not start a post in "Introductions" and tell us what you like to smoke and in what.