Tobacco Moisture

[bigboss93]

Greetings pipe smokers! I've been smoking a pipe for some time now and I've become quite decent at it, but I've always had the problem of never being able to smoke down to the bottom of my pipe, with virginia's or aromatics. When it comes to aromatics I've kind of just givin up due to the high moisture content, but with virginia's it seems odd. Should I try drying it out for a few minutes, before smoking, and I have never have truely broken in my pipe the proper way with 1/4 of a bowl then 1/2 a bowl and so on and so on could that be contributing to the problem as well? What would you guys suggest? I would also enjoy suggestions on new kinds of brands, and blends since I've only tried a house aromatic blend, and Mac Baren Mixture Scottish Blend. Also to add I found that the Mac Barren tended to give me tounge bite immediatly from the chaing light is this common? Thanks in advance.
BigBoss

 

[mountainman]

Welcome bigboss! Personally, and there are different opinions on this, but I don't really go out of my way to break in a bowl. I just load and smoke slowly, while not getting it too hot. Virginia's and aromatics aren't the best for this as they can burn hotter. As far as smoking to the bottom of the bowl while staying dry, I feel that newer pipes struggle with this more. I feel like pipes smoke much better after 20 bowls or so. Also, good tobacco will improve this. And finally, don't feel like you have to smoke to the bottom. Once it starts tasting ashy or bitter, then dump it. Next thing you know the pipe will be more broken in and you'll probably notice that you are having longer, cooler, and dryer smokes.

 

[tokerpipes]

Many good points hit.
An many aro's you may also need to let it dry out before packing.
The best smoke comes once the cake is built up to about the thickness of a dime.
And don't dump the dobtle and toss it. Tap out the ash and stick it in a jar with the rest of the dobtle you accumulate. When you are running low or want to try something different get into that left over stash. Also add the remnants of a blend that don't quite make a bowl to it also.