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

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

EssJaySea

Can't Leave
May 12, 2021
428
6,421
Los Angeles, CA
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.
 

Inspired Idler

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 4, 2019
163
299
Denver, CO
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).
 

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
9,894
31,614
34
Burlington WI
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
 

cfreud

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 1, 2014
256
284
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.
 

OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
5,757
30,563
71
Sydney, Australia
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.