Tongue Burn on nosewarmer

[tmgaus51]

Hi All,
Recently picked up this beauty poker nosewarmer. Great clencher and a nice and open airway, but when I light it, it seems the flame goes right to my tongue as if I'm holding the lighter right in my mouth. When I go for a relight the same issue often comes back. Once I get into a decent rhythm, there's no problem, but I've already scorched my mouth at that point. Any advice?? Thanks!

 

[blueeyedogre]

I prefer shorter pipes and never noticed a difference between lighting one of my nosewarmers or my regular pipes. What kind of lighter are you using?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Maybe pack a little tighter, or draw softer on the light.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

+1 what the Captain says, and try drying your tobacco a little more.

 

[tmgaus51]

Thanks for the advice. Using a zippo lighter, but I think I had the same result when I tried with matches. I guess my real question is, is there any chance that this has to do with the pipe, or is it purely a technical issue on my part? If I were to pick up one of these for example, http://www.moonshinepipes.com/collections/the-shiner-collection/products/the-shiner-stoker-wire-rusticated?variant=24233066947, would I just have the same issue?
Thanks again.

 

[hakchuma]

I purchased a few short pipes and noticed I get more tongue bite with all of them.

 

[pitchfork]

I've never had that problem with shorter pipes, but some of my pipes (because of stem angle?) tend to direct the smoke at the tongue more than others. Maybe that's the case here.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Doc, it hurts when I do this.

Then stop doing that.
Whatever the cause, maybe just toss the pipe and move on. Why rack your brain about it?

 

[tmgaus51]

Well, I am a big fan of the aesthetic and feel of the pipe, which is also why I wondered if getting a similar shape from someone else would yield the same result.

 

[dottiewarden]

I bet you could get your lighting technique down on this one with just a little fiddling. The pipe is a beauty and I think it is worth having in your collection. Several elements come into play every time we light up our pipes, some of which have been mentioned above. To begin with I'd go matches despite your past experience as they burn significantly cooler than any lighter. Next comes blend selection. You'll want to stay away from those soggy flakes or stubborn aromatics and try some dry ribbon that takes a light easily, maybe something like Early Morning Pipe or some other no fuss blend. I've also found Irish Oak by Peterson to be a very user friendly blend. While lighting, take a few very short but spaced charring lights before the true light. This is also an opportunity to put you're pipe tool to work by tending a barely lit bowl into an even burning pipe. Once alit you're off to the races.
Good luck on this one. Although we all know it takes some patience to be a successful pipe smoker, we have also tasted the rewards for our efforts.

 

[jeepnewbie]

Must be a problem with the pipe. Just pack it up and send it to me. :rofl:
But the advice of packing should help.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

Lighting has been one of my biggest struggles with just about every pipe since I started.
Most of the time I prefer to just use a jet torch that throws heat from a distance and then you basically don't have to draw to light. Unfortunately good reliable jet torches are hard to find, and during winter most common flammable gasses stop being gasses, so I still find myself using a lot of matches.

My latest attempt at lighting with minimal exposure is to push and pull air back and forth in the pipe, rather than constantly drawing. I do this to "stoke the flames" fairly often but I just tried it with lighting last week and it worked reasonably well (with the note that my tobacco was a fine cut blend that was also very dry [Hearth & Home Black House]).

Of course longer stems and filter chambers help separate you from the flames, but theoretically you can do something similar with any size pipe.

 

[jpmcwjr]

.... but when I light it, it seems the flame goes right to my tongue as if I'm holding the lighter right in my mouth.

Two things: hold the flame much further away from the tobacco, and tamp the tobacco down a touch more.
HTH, and good luck!

 

[shutterbugg]

I cracks me up when pipe "hobbyists" try to deny or cheat the laws of science. Of course a short pipe is going to smoke hotter than a long pipe! That's why it's colder in the room in your house farthest from the furnace (assuming it's a hot-air system). Or why your face feels hotter peering into the oven than from across the room. Don't like the heat of a stubby pipe? Smoke a regular or long-stemmed one! Bingo! Problem solved.

 

[cortezattic]

I avoid nose warmers because the hot smoke stream frequently scorches my tongue.

 

[pappap]

I just bought a Little Devil corn cob from MM ,it's abouthe same size as was shown ,I smoke it with PA in it just stuff and puff packing and light with a Zippo ,I don't get any burn or tonuge bite.

 

[tmgaus51]

All, thanks for the valuable feeback. I tried drying my tobacco out a bit more than usual (Trout Stream, an aro I've yet to get tongue burn with in other pipes), and packed just a little bit tighter. Very nice smoke!
Thanks again.

 

[Chasing Embers]

There ya go! Great to hear you didn't give up! :clap:

 

[dottiewarden]

Congrats on getting a hold on that sweet looking nosewarmer.

 

[disinformatique]

Congrats on your Rick Black Poker. As its a stubby nosewarmer I advise you to use matches instead of a lighter and dont let the flame touch the tobacco directly. The heat would be sufficient to light the leaf. Also, try to air your tobacco for 15 mins if its humid where you live or less if its hot. Pack your pipe what we call the Frank Method. It's basically gravity filling your pipe and not packing it too tight. It will help in your smoking endeavours. If all else fails, be patient and use long stemmed pipes till you are comfortable smoking slow.
When I started smoking I got a few pipes which smoked horrible for me, 2 years forward, those pipes are now my best smokers. It's all a matter of patience and learning the skill of smoking slow.
Cheers,

Chris :puffpipe: