The Story of my First Pipe...

[Cyxelsid]

Title edited for caps. See Rule 9!

Well, I finally found some time tonight to sit on my back patio, and try smoking a pipe for the first time! To set the scene, I am sitting on my patio, (which I just finished building), with a glass of Knob Creek Single Barrel (not my favorite, but it was here) and ginger beer. I put some light jazz on the speakers, and set out to pack my first pipe.

I tried to do as I had read and watched on YouTube. I gravity packed the tobacco in three layers, with a gentle tamp. I tried the draw, and it felt like sucking liquid through a straw. I tried to be careful to pack less than I thought I needed, and tamp with less pressure than I thought i needed. Then I did 3 charring lights, with a gentle tamp at the end.

Then I tried to do the real fire light. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience. The flavor and feel of the smoke was far less severe and acrid than I have experienced smoking cigars. I really enjoyed the woody, almost fruity taste and smell of the smoke. I don't think I experienced any tongue bight. But kind of hard to tell in between sips of bourbon and strong ginger beer.

The hardest part was keeping my pipe lit. I had to relight 5 -7 times. At one point, I dumped the bowl, cleaned it out, repacked and started over. It was better, but still had to relight often. Maybe it is a cadence thing...

Anyway, I tried to be aware of how hot the bowl got, and it was a gentle warmth between my fingers. I was able to go for about 35 to 40 minutes. It was fun to hear my wife and daughter kindly laughing at me from inside. They said I looked like the "quintessential grandpa"... come on now, I am only 48!

Overall, a very pleasant experience, one I enjoyed far more than a cigar. I think I will keep this up! Thanks to all for your advice! I look forward to developing some friendships here!

 

[OzPiper]

Congratulations on your first pipe bowl
Things WILL improve with each bowl.
The most important thing is you ENJOYED the experience.

I got back to smoking pipes a few years ago after smoking cigars exclusively for years.
I'm enjoying my pipes so much my cigars have been feeling rather neglected

 

[Cyxelsid]

Congratulations on your first pipe bowl
Things WILL improve with each bowl.
The most important thing is you ENJOYED the experience.

I got back to smoking pipes a few years ago after smoking cigars exclusively for years.
I'm enjoying my pipes so much my cigars have been feeling rather neglected

I only smoke cigars 4-5 times a year. I enjoy it, but not enough to do it on a regular basis. I am hoping to smoke pipes much more often. I DID enjoy it! So, let's raise a glass to the old ways, which sometimes really are often better!

 

[Nevaditude]

Great report, good voice to your writing too, felt like we there there, (but not laughing like the family though...ignore them & other naysayers)
Keep at it , the pipe & the writing!
Again, Welcome & be well...

 

[didimauw]

The hardest part was keeping my pipe lit. I had to relight 5 -7 times. At one point, I dumped the bowl, cleaned it out, repacked and started over. It was better, but still had to relight often. Maybe it is a cadence thing...

Sounds like you about got it down! Except one very important thing.
Dry your tobacco. Now, this of course is not necessary by any means, however it will be much easier to keep lit. Your preferred dryness may be different than the next guy, but I first obliterate the tobacco with my fingers, and then leave it out to dry for hours if not days. And I dry more than I need, so I can have some ready, while drying out the next batch.

Many people ask how to rehydrate their tobaccos, and I've never understood why....

 

[Cyxelsid]

Great report, good voice to your writing too, felt like we there there, (but not laughing like the family though...ignore them & other naysayers)
Keep at it , the pipe & the writing!
Again, Welcome & be well...

It was good natured laughs, and I enjoyed it! The laughs and the pipe!

 

[Cyxelsid]

Sounds like you about got it down! Except one very important thing.
Dry your tobacco. Now, this of course is not necessary by any means, however it will be much easier to keep lit. Your preferred dryness may be different than the next guy, but I first obliterate the tobacco with my fingers, and then leave it out to dry for hours if not days. And I dry more than I need, so I can have some ready, while drying out the next batch.

Many people ask how to rehydrate their tobaccos, and I've never understood why....

Yes, I have been reading about drying. I feel like this first batch I got may be dry already? It is in a ziplock bag (I need to figure out how to store it), and it is not cool to the touch, it rebounds when I squeeze it between my fingers, and flakes apart when I drop it. All that being said, I am sure I will figure it out as I go!

 

[OzPiper]

I discovered the Forums when I got back to pipes a few years ago.

The advice form the knowledgeable members here and having TobaccoReviews and Pipedia to refer to has really changed my enjoyment of pipe smoking.

I cannot over stress the importance of drying your tobacco.
I dry to the point where if I take a good pinch and let it drop, the strands do not clump together but fall separately

I find shag cuts (the finest cut) to be the easiest to keep lit.

I find that rubbing out flakes fully or cube cutting BEFORE drying to help immensely. I have not had much success with the fold&stuff technique with flakes.

 

[didimauw]

Yes, I have been reading about drying. I feel like this first batch I got may be dry already? It is in a ziplock bag (I need to figure out how to store it), and it is not cool to the touch, it rebounds when I squeeze it between my fingers, and flakes apart when I drop it. All that being said, I am sure I will figure it out as I go!

Yeah for me that's still WAY too wet. There should be no squeezing, only crunching!
I probably take it a little farther than most in the drying department, but there is no fussing this way.
But as you said you will figure out how you like it best!

 

[Cyxelsid]

Yeah for me that's still WAY too wet. There should be no squeezing, only crunching!
I probably take it a little farther than most in the drying department, but there is no fussing this way.
But as you said you will figure out how you like it best!

My second bowl is already going better!

 

[Chasing Embers]

They said I looked like the "quintessential grandpa"...

To be fair, that's an awful lot of white hair to be only 48.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Off to a great start. Enjoy!

 

[bullet08]

Sounds like a wonderful relaxing time!

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Glad you enjoyed it! Number of relights seems to be something new pipe smokers tend to fixate on. I guess many have a preconceived notion that they should be able to light thier pipe once and smoke it to the bottom. It takes as many relights as it takes, trying to smoke without relighting will inevitably cause you to smoke hot. The number of times you have to relight will decrease with experience so don't get to hung up on it. If you're enjoying it just go with it, it'll get easier. Try to focus more on cadence and speed, if it goes out it goes out. That just means your not smoking to hot or fast

 

[scloyd]

The hardest part was keeping my pipe lit. I had to relight 5 -7 times. At one point, I dumped the bowl, cleaned it out, repacked and started over. It was better, but still had to relight often.

Don't worry about re-lights. I've been at this about 5 years (certainly no expert) and on occasion will re-light 5 or more times depending on the tobacco. I, like didimauw, like my tobacco real dry and find the drier the tobacco, the less re-lights I have.

You're doing fine.

 

[Grangerous]

Some days, the weather and factors outside of our control require frequent relights. It’s normal. Unless, as others say, you choose to smoke a shag-cut, aka 5 Bothers or dry your tobacco crisp.

You didn’t mention the blend you enjoyed. I’m sure many here, besides me, would like to know.

Some blends require drying. Some come “ready-to-smoke.” Experiment

 

[pappymac]

Every journey begins with one small step...

I've been smoking a pipe since 1972 and I still will occasionally have to relight my pipe multiple times. Yesterday, I was smoking some dried out Tradition No. 2 in an Ascorti Business KS and had to relight it four times. It happens.

As others have said, it could be the moisture in your tobacco, packing too tight or how fast you puff among other things. It could take months for you to get the packing down to how you like it and it may be different with different pipes.

 

[Highlandpiper]

Well, I finally found some time tonight to sit on my back patio, and try smoking a pipe for the first time! To set the scene, I am sitting on my patio, (which I just finished building), with a glass of Knob Creek Single Barrel (not my favorite, but it was here) and ginger beer. I put some light jazz on the speakers, and set out to pack my first pipe.

I tried to do as I had read and watched on YouTube. I gravity packed the tobacco in three layers, with a gentle tamp. I tried the draw, and it felt like sucking liquid through a straw. I tried to be careful to pack less than I thought I needed, and tamp with less pressure than I thought i needed. Then I did 3 charring lights, with a gentle tamp at the end.

Then I tried to do the real fire light. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience. The flavor and feel of the smoke was far less severe and acrid than I have experienced smoking cigars. I really enjoyed the woody, almost fruity taste and smell of the smoke. I don't think I experienced any tongue bight. But kind of hard to tell in between sips of bourbon and strong ginger beer.

The hardest part was keeping my pipe lit. I had to relight 5 -7 times. At one point, I dumped the bowl, cleaned it out, repacked and started over. It was better, but still had to relight often. Maybe it is a cadence thing...

Anyway, I tried to be aware of how hot the bowl got, and it was a gentle warmth between my fingers. I was able to go for about 35 to 40 minutes. It was fun to hear my wife and daughter kindly laughing at me from inside. They said I looked like the "quintessential grandpa"... come on now, I am only 48!

Overall, a very pleasant experience, one I enjoyed far more than a cigar. I think I will keep this up! Thanks to all for your advice! I look forward to developing some friendships here!

Sounds like a perfect evening.

 

[Cyxelsid]

Try to focus more on cadence and speed, if it goes out it goes out.

Bowl #2 went MUCH better with only a few relights! Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[Cyxelsid]

Some days, the weather and factors outside of our control require frequent relights. It’s normal. Unless, as others say, you choose to smoke a shag-cut, aka 5 Bothers or dry your tobacco crisp.

You didn’t mention the blend you enjoyed. I’m sure many here, besides me, would like to know.

Some blends require drying. Some come “ready-to-smoke.” Experiment

I apologize! I have noticed that but of information (tobacco blend) included in most posts, but I forgot to include it. The blend was something I picked up at a local cigar and tobacco store here in Long Beach, CA, called The Country's No. 1. The label described it as "basically a golden cavendish blend". I'm too new to understand if that is good or bad.

I can tell you, it smelled great, with hint of woody fruit when smelled from the bag. The smoke had a very pleasant odor and taste, at least compared to cigars I have smoked.