What is the Best Tip or Advice You've Ever Gotten About Smoking a Pipe?

[EssJaySea]

Hi all.

One of the difficult things as a relative (or still totally) newcomer here is most of the obvious, essential questions and topics have been covered. And then covered again.

And again.

I know, for instance, sitting permanently at the top of this section is a link to pipe smoking tips for beginners. (Helpful, no doubt.) But I'm trying for something a little different, as the subject line says: What's the best tip or advice you've ever gotten about smoking a pipe? Maybe another way to put it: If you only could give someone one suggestion, what might it be?

One a podcast (I honestly don't remember which), I heard this, and I think it has really advanced my enjoyment of my pipes: When you're tamping, the goal is to introduce the burning ember to the unlit tobacco underneath it -- and it doesn't take a lot of force.

 

[ray47]

Smoke what you like and like what you smoke.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Best has been clean with water flush.

 

[Tar Wheel]

I know that you’re asking for one suggestion, but the “dry longer, pack lighter, smoke slower” advice, was what really got the ball rolling, for me.

 

[keith929]

The best encouragement I received was The Peterson book by Mark & Gary Malmberg.
i have been a Pete Nut since my first Pete (an African Meer 302). The book really help me focus on those rare pieces i had been neglecting .

 

[Casual]

The beginner advice that helped me the most:

Dry more than you think you should,
pack looser than you think you should,
tamp lighter than you think you should, and
smoke slower than you think you should.

 

[EssJaySea]

I know that you’re asking for one suggestion, but the “dry longer, pack lighter, smoke slower” advice, was what really got the ball rolling, for me.

I didn't say you couldn't be creative and pack a lot into one suggestion. (Maybe I did.) I definitely can always use the reminder to smoke slower.

 

[didimauw]

"Try a meerschaum pipe".

I was against the idea of them for many years. Till one was forced upon me. Lol. Now I don't really want to smoke anything else. In my opinion they are the best, neutral and cleanest smokers.

 

[Inspired Idler]

An elaboration on smoking slower. The goal should be to use as little flame/heat as possible to get the pipe going (don't use huge draws at the light or you char a lot of tobacco further down the bowl), and as little air as possible to keep the pipe going (low temps = better smoke).

 

[STP]

Probably tobacco packing techniques…

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

Don't pull on the pipe. Just breathe.

 

[WVOldFart]

Other than the ones already mentioned: always drink a citrus drink while smoking. Now my morning pipe must be with my morning coffee, but otherwise I try to drink Lemonade, pineapple juice or tonic water while smoking. It helps to clean the palate and ease a tired mouth.

 

[didimauw]

Other than the ones already mentioned: always drink a citrus drink while smoking. Now my morning pipe must be with my morning coffee, but otherwise I try to drink Lemonade, pineapple juice or tonic water while smoking. It helps to clean the palate and ease a tired mouth.

That's funny, my two main drinks are clogged and mt dew. So I'm already biased, but the combinations are amazing together. The only person I know that drinks as much Dew as me is @chasingembers

 

[Chasing Embers]

The only person I know that drinks as much Dew as me is @chasingembers

Yep, nearly twenty-four twelve ounce cans per day.

 

[cfreud]

Experiment. As a pipe smoker, I get too entrenched in the pipes I smoke as well as the blends. Variety is the spice of life. If you like aromatics, try virginias, vapers, va-burs, va-per-burs, and or englishes. Your rotation may be briar, but try a meer and/or a cob. One of the great things about pipes is that there are so many different types of pipes and tobaccos to try.

 

[Dudditz]

Smoke slow. It's real easy to get that fantastic taste and then start "Chasing the Dragon" and huffing the pipe like train to get more only to get burnt tobacco and a bitter taste.

 

[OzPiper]

I know that you’re asking for one suggestion, but the “dry longer, pack lighter, smoke slower” advice, was what really got the ball rolling, for me.

^^^^
Best advice I ever got.

Recently I discovered meerschaum chips. 3-4 pieces in the bottom of the bowl if I didn't have enough time to dry the tobacco results in a nice dry smoke and minimal dottle.

 

[bullet08]

"Dry the tobacco." How long to dry it is all based on how dry you like your tobacco. Lately, been drying extra slow for long time, seems to taste better to me.

 

[solideogloria86]

Dry your tobacco

 

[Ahi Ka]

One that hasn’t been said yet, and has made a huge difference in terms of flavour and smoking enjoyment for me, give up alcohol and put that money spent towards tobacco instead.