Thoughts On My First Smoke

[jbchilders]

*This might run a little long, but I wanted to write it while it was fresh on my mind. Feel free to give any thoughts or input.*
All of my supplies came in today, so I decided to have my first smoke. I watched the Muttnchop Piper video series on YouTube for basic instruction. The following are the various thought and observations I had while smoking.
- I had a very hard time keeping the tobacco lit, and this absolutely wasn't for a lack of puffing it. I made sure not to do anything else that might distract me and just focused on puffing at regular intervals, but the pipe still went out regularly. I used ten total matches to get through the bowl.
- The bowl got extremely hot, despite the fact that it was going out. This confuses me; I would assume either the tobacco would stay lit and the bowl would get hot, or the tobacco would go out a lot and the bowl wouldn't get hot. If you have any insight here, I'm very curious as to how that could happen.
- I occasionally tamped the top of the tobacco per instruction, but I didn't notice any sort of effect. I didn't feel like there was any give under the tobacco that I could see, and I could tell almost no difference in the draw before and after I tamped. Over the course of the smoke the charred portion did make its way down the bowl, but that seemed to be an effect of drawing moreso than tamping.
- Are all corn cob pipes poorly made? I bought one from Missouri Meerschaum per recommendations from this forum, but I didn't really like what I saw upon opening it. The shank isn't centered on the bowl; it's way off to the right. There was also a lot of debris in the bowl and shank; I cleaned out everything I could before packing it.
That said, I enjoyed the experience. If I had been able to draw smoke regularly without the issues I mentioned above, it would have been a fantastic 40 minutes of relaxation. If you know how I can address any of those issues please let me know, as I'd certainly like to continue with a pipe. I'm letting the pipe cool now and then I'll clean it. I'll have another chance to smoke again tomorrow afternoon.

 

[ignaciojn]

Muttnchop Piper is very nice, but I strongly recommend the "How to smoke a pipe" series by SmokeRingsPipeDreams (Kel).

His videos are a delight to watch, funny and instructive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMdq096WrXY&list=PLF038D14740357930
I consider him my mentor.

 

[mikethompson]

Best advice I got when I started: dry out your tobacco, and take your time puffing. You'll want to take little sips, not long drags.
Packing also plays a part as well, but the drying time and cadence are key IMHO.

 

[techie]

I can relate to your experience, since I only started the pipe about three weeks ago. About the best advice this beginner can give is, keep reading, keep watching, and keep practicing. It took me about a week smoking 1 to 3 bowls each day to start figuring out what works. I'm definitely having less problems now than when I started.
Another thing, I also bought a MM cob, and it took about six bowls before it started to work ok for me.
Just keep at it!

 

[weezell]

I didn't feel like there was any give under the tobacco that I could see, and I could tell almost no difference in the draw before and after I tamped

BINGO, packed to tight. It's all a journey that takes time Grass Hopper... ::

 

[pianopuffer]

+1 on the drying of tobacco. My suggestions, most of which I gathered from generous forum members here:
1- dry more than you think

2- pack looser than you think

3- smoke slower than you think
Also check your draw before lighting up. If it’s not open and unrestricted, then empty and repack the pipe. Different pipes have different draws so learn each one’s tolerance and take it from there. Mostly, just enjoy the process. If you’re having fun then that’s the most important thing. Good luck!

 

[lawdawg]

Regarding your question about the craftsmanship of Missouri Meerschaum corn cob pipes, it is true that they often contain some imperfections. Even so, they are well-built pipes. Sometimes the shank is a little off center, sometimes the bottom (of the non-hardwood models) gets soft and spongy, and sometimes the bowls begin to crack on the outside after only a couple of smokes. This is just the nature of the corn cob material. I've never had one where the shank was way off center, though.
All of that being said, Missouri Meerschaum makes the best corn cob pipes on the market. I smoke Missouri Meerschaum cob pipes very often, and I love them for what they are: an inexpensive good smoker that's well-built, though not perfect. Despite the imperfections, they last a long time, and dependably deliver a cool, dry smoke.

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

+1 on packing too tight.

+1 on drying out your tobacco.

+1 on slowing down.
It takes time, but you'll get it. You want make sure that draw is not too tight. Do you smoke with or without a filter? If you smoke with one, then pack the pipe and test the draw before placing the filter in the stem. I discovered that I couldn't get the feel of the pack with the filter in while testing the draw. Pack it loose, you can always tamp it down. Make sure you're getting the entire surface lit. If you are only getting a tiny ember here or there, then only small pockets of tobacco are burning. Take it nice and slow and sip your smoke slowly. If you like Muttnchop Piper, then check out his video on breathe smoking, that might help you out with cadence, but only if you breathe at a relaxed pace. Lastly, if the bowl gets too hot, then set it down for a while and let it cool. Over puffing could damage your pipe when it gets super hot like that. I mean, it's a cob, so cheaper than a briar, but you still, you want it to last as long as it can under reasonable circumstances. If you have a czech tool, you could always try to loosen the pack by using the poker to push down into the tobacco. I have actually trimmed off the ash, stirred it from the bottom up, re-tamped and re-lit when I have packed to tight in order to fix it. Speaking of ash, you might want to check and make sure the ash layer isn't too thick, causing a blockage of air to the ember. A lot of times I scrape off the top layer, leaving the ember if it starts wanting to go out too much. A few re-lights are okay, but if you use a whole box of matches on one smoke, you know something is wrong, lol.
If you're concerned about the pipe at all, you could always try contacting MM about it and see if there's anything they can do to help, especially if it's a pipe you bought outright and it's not a second or anything. They seem to be really good about that.

 

[scloyd]

I agree with packing too tight and drying out the tobacco.
What blend were you smoking?
A couple of months ago I was trying to smoke a bowl of black cavendish that was so moist I couldn't keep it lit. I spread it all out on paper towels on a cookie sheet and let it dry out overnight. It was much easier to keep lit after drying out.

 

[seanv]

Reading things and watching internet videos is good and bad. Good info to get you going but bad in the way that it may lead you to over analyze everything. Your packing technique, tamping technique and smoking cadence can be learned with online help but can only be perfected with practice. Keep at it.

 

[workman]

Read everything, watch the videos, try the 'methods'. Before you know it, you are doing it your own way without analyzing everything. Oh and dry you tobacco. 10 matches aint bad for a first time, BTW.

 

[bigpond]

The term packing alone can start new folks down the wrong path from the get go. You don’twant to pack a pipe...you want to fill it. Next time you smoke, fill the pipe as high as you like, then use your finger to gently settle it.
The tamper is your best friend when it comes to relights. The objective is to help the ember find unburnt leaf. All that is required is to place the tamper in the bowl with no downward pressure and simply give it a gentle turn. This will generally break up a level of top ash and may flatten and spread the ember to the leaf below. It is enormously helpful to take a gentle puff on the pipe while you are tamping to keep the ember alive. This is very easy to do with a bit of practice.
The more frequently you tamp the less frequently you relight.
Some folks love cobs. I wouldn’t worry about a draft being off center. A mm or 2 offline has zero impact on smoking. Similarly, a draft that enter the bowl higher then the bowl floor is actually an asset as it will keep some of the moisture that is an inescapable byproduct of smoking out of your mouth piece.
Your question about a hot bowl going out—relights and fast puffing both increase the temperature of the bowl. It’s when you fight to keep the darn thing burning that it burns the hottest.
Next time, dry the tobacco until it doesn’t feel moist and fill the pipe gently. You can always refill another bowl afterward if the smoke didn’t last long enough. Just run a pipe cleaner through it and you’ll be good to go.
What are you smoking?

 

[sparroa]

I believe he is smoking MacBaren Pure Virginia on my recommendation, among others.
It is not the easiest blend to start with but I think it has many characteristics that would make it pleasant to a new pipe smoker who would benefit from getting to know a fairly natural tasting VA.
jb,
Yes, even MM corn cob pipes are imperfect but they are vastly superior to the foreign competition - no other cob brand is worth buying, period.
Even so, they are an inexpensive country pipe made from agricultural materials so yes they are quite variable. I buy about ten Country Gentleman cobs at a time and there are always a few that leave a lot to be desired but keep in mind that this is $100 for a large rotation. A hundred bucks is not an unusual price for one middle of the road briar. For less than $10, a single cob can give you a fair (and occasionally excellent) smoking tool that can give you countless hours of enjoyment for your money and that is an outstanding return on investment.
I definitely wouldn't overdo it with the videos because I find some of these guys too idiosyncratic and obsessive compulsive about their pipes. The good thing about a forum is you can get a wide variety of viewpoints with a quick browse whereas a video monopolizes your time/attention with only a single perspective that is possibly flawed or flat out wrong. You really need to know that your source is good. Even then, there is more than one way to skin a cat and I see people recommending things constantly that I wouldn't ever do...
Anyway, the best thing for you is to test one variable at a time while keeping everything else constant.
I suggested MacBaren Pure Virginia because it is not a particularly wet blend and a small amount of drying beforehand should be sufficient. First, try to try your blend a little longer and see if that helps. If not, back to the drawing board...
I usually pack my pipe with the three step method or a simple gravity fill followed by tamping much as bigpond suggested.
Without seeing the volume of tobacco you are using, you are possibly using too much tobacco or too little tobacco. Both can create an airflow problem and cause you to have difficulty keeping it lit.
The bowl got hot because you were likely puffing too hard to keep it going. The pipe should almost smoke itself and you just take sips from the smoke if it is packed effectively - you shouldn't have to stoke it with fast puffing just to keep the combustion going.
Don't worry, mate. This takes practise and time. Slow down and size up what you are doing and make small adjustments until it all clicks for you. Some people might disagree with recommending a Virginia flake to a beginner but I think you'd be much worse off with a wet aromatic soaked in PG on top of your mechanical difficulties right now.
Keep sharing your early impressions and questions!

 

[jbchilders]

Got my second smoke in yesterday afternoon. Definitely some progress.
- Only used six matches from my initial light to finishing the bowl, down from ten in my first smoke.
- I didn't take very long draws this time, instead I took more frequent small draws. The bowl never got as hot and my ember lasted longer between relights.
- I packed the same way for this smoke. After I packed I tested the draw and it was completely unobstructed, so I really doubt I'm packing too tightly or using too much tobacco.
- I dried the tobacco for about 16 hours before smoking it, compared to straight out of the tin for my first smoke.
Simenon is correct, it's HH Pure Virginia. Won't have a chance to smoke today but I should get at least one more in this weekend.

 

[npod]

Got my second smoke in yesterday afternoon. Definitely some progress.

Perfect! Each smoke is a journey and you will progress well. I still learn new tricks to improve my technique all the time.

 

[bigpond]

Right on!
Don’t sweat the matches JB, they come in big boxes for a reason. When I was brand spankin’ new to all this I used to be super worried about relights. I thought if you didn’t nail it with a single match and see all the “fine white ash” at the end you were doing it wrong. Well, it’s simply not true. Enjoy yourself and don’t sweat the details!
Edit: I smoke a bunch of hh Pure Va and find it benefits from a little dry time but goes a bit flat with too much. I think it’s best when folded and stuffed , however it is way easier to keep burning if you cube cut it or rub it out fully. Good stuff, but it takes a slow, gentle smoking to get the most out of it. I get orange, almond, and a light malt or biscuit notes with a little sweetness.

 

[timt]

Sometimes I'm just careless loading the bowl or impatient with drying my tobacco but I'm still a good person - really. ::

 

[sablebrush52]

Hah! Your first smoke sounds about as shitty as mine was, nearly a half a century ago. It gets better, much much better. Don't sweat the matches. Anyone who tells you that it should only take one or two lights to enjoy a bowl is bullshitting you. It takes as many matches as it takes. Smoking a pipe is not a stunt. Not all blends burn the same.
+1 on drying your tobacco more than you think you should. Most of the blends I smoke give me the best flavor when they're really dry. By that I mean dry to the touch when squeezed, with no feeling of moisture coming to the surface, but still pliant, just shy of bone dry.
+1 on the notion of filling a pipe rather than packing it. Yeah it's a light pack, but you'll get there. Mostly it's looser at the bottom of the bowl and slightly denser at the top. Don't worry about it. Practice will get you there as well.
Puff a few times to get the pipe started then just slowly sip. If the pipe goes out, relight. It's no big deal. Just don't start puffing like a steam engine. If you puff frantically, your tobacco will taste like cremated Wheatena at best. Believe it or not, cremated Wheatena is not a goal.
Keep to a slow cadence and learn to adjust the other parts, like moisture level and packing, until that cadence works. You'll get to flavor nirvana a whole lot faster.
Don't worry about burning up every last shred of tobacco in the chamber. It's perfectly fine for a little to remain when you toss the load. You can seriously screw up a pipe by going after every last thread. Your pipe shouldn't get hot. If it gets hot, stop and let it cool down, then start again. BTW, if you keep to a slow cadence, your pipe won't get hot and your tobacco won't taste like cremated Wheatena.
You did well for your first time. At least you didn't set yourself on fire.

 

[cwpiperman]

@sablebrush That was a great post. Gonna inject a question. I'm very careful to do all that you have suggested above. What I DO notice is that I take MUCH longer to finish a bowl (even with the odd distraction, setting the pipe down, etc) than most people suggest. For instance, a standard Savinelli Roma 673KS packed as you note above, with any blend (example from last time SPC Plum Pudding) can take me perhaps 2-3 hours go go thru. I stop when the pipe feels too warm, relight as needed, hot tamp as needed.
Last night, I packed my Radice Rind Pure Billiard rather loosely for breaking-in, and proceeded to have a 3.5 hour smoke.
Not deliberately TRYING to smoke that slowly thru bowls, but perhaps I'm going too slowly for maximum flavor (still working on detecting the flavor notes)? Of course, my mouth is still adjusting to smoking anything (now 1.5 months into my pipe journey, and smoking of any type) so I tend to be careful when light soreness presents itself.
Thanks!
CW

 

[sablebrush52]

@sablebrush That was a great post. Gonna inject a question. I'm very careful to do all that you have suggested above. What I DO notice is that I take MUCH longer to finish a bowl (even with the odd distraction, setting the pipe down, etc) than most people suggest. For instance, a standard Savinelli Roma 673KS packed as you note above, with any blend (example from last time SPC Plum Pudding) can take me perhaps 2-3 hours go go thru. I stop when the pipe feels too warm, relight as needed, hot tamp as needed.
Last night, I packed my Radice Rind Pure Billiard rather loosely for breaking-in, and proceeded to have a 3.5 hour smoke.
Not deliberately TRYING to smoke that slowly thru bowls, but perhaps I'm going too slowly for maximum flavor (still working on detecting the flavor notes)? Of course, my mouth is still adjusting to smoking anything (now 1.5 months into my pipe journey, and smoking of any type) so I tend to be careful when light soreness presents itself.
Thanks!
CW

What are you, braggin?
Congratulations! Forget about what people suggest regarding the length of a smoke. Get ready to compete in a slow smoking contest and walk home with the prize. A smoke lasts as long as it lasts. I get well over an hour on average with a medium sized bowl and 2+ with a larger one. But that also depends on the type of blend as some burn more rapidly than others.

The question is, are you enjoying the flavors you're getting? If so, then there's nothing wrong.