Why the char light? And do you?

[willisk]

Thanks fer the advice Neal and cosmic!! I definitely won’t teach the handshake

I was sworn to secrecy on that lol

 

[btwes7]

Everything I smoke gets a char light (except for Semois and Carter Hall). More even ember for me.

 

[olkofri]

Heck, I sometimes do TWO charring lights: if when I tap the ash out mid-pipe the tobacco is too unburnt and moist, I have to do a charring light and then a proper one.

 

[mikethompson]

, but that one time it goes out, you can say the first time was a charring light.

that's me!

 

[jjmitchem]

Ive found that the Char helps to dry the top bit of tobacco even further giving it a better ember once lit

 

[bnichols23]

Usually I will, but often not, depending on whether it's a blend like 3 Nuns that'll stay lit from the first. If it does I don't.

 

[davek]

I end up doing a char light about half the time, and when I do, it is because the tobacco seems to need to settle in the bowl. It burns and expands and is no longer packed. This doesn't relate to how hard it's packed in the first place, more about how it is cut and how dry it is

"There is even a brand of European smoking-tobacco that

I like. It is a brand used by the Italian peasants. It is loose

and dry and black, and looks like tea-grounds. When the fire is

applied it expands, and climbs up and towers above the pipe, and

presently tumbles off inside of one's vest. The tobacco itself

is cheap, but it raises the insurance. "
Mark Twain
Same with me, I char light if it needs it.

 

[bnichols23]

Seldom, I like that. Well said, & in few words to boot! :worship:

 

[arvetus]

New pipers tend to feel they've flunked their dexterity test if they have to immediately relight, and they are feeling self-conscious anyway. Relights come with the territory, charring or otherwise.

Yes, I admit I was feeling pretty flustered the first few times, but the more videos I watch, the more I see old time pipers constantly relighting. Then I didn't feel so bad. I'm still by all means a n00b, but feeling a bit better about it and gaining some confidence.

 

[willisk]

Thanks for all the input. I’ve been playing around with a few of talks techniques!!

 

[oldtoby]

I find giving the bowl a good charring light, light tamp, and about a ten minute DGT to cool off allows the heated tobacco to meld and the sugars to caramelize a bit. Makes for an amazing taste once the "true" light is performed.
To my palate, this works well with Viginias as well as Latakia mixtures. YMMV.
But then again, depending on said mood and situation, I'll just fire it up with one match and let 'er go, never giving it a second thought.

 

[arvetus]

you could have also told them about the secret "turn the bowl upside down to get a better light" trick.

Just don't show them how to do it. It's one of those "you just have to do it" tricks.

 

[willisk]

Seriously turn the bowl upside down?

 

[tslex]

Char light, especially for shag or other loosely cut or "springy" types, help to settle and compact the top of the tobacco load.
I will do a char light, gently tamp, then true light with the result that I get a nice, cohesive cherry to carry the burn all the way through the bowl.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Seriously turn the bowl upside down?

Only if you want to smudge or char the rim, risk fall out, or look silly.

 

[willisk]

That’s what I was envisioning in my head lol. But ya never know I’m learning new tricks almost daily.

 

[arvetus]

Sure, why not? My theory is that since the flame tends to burn upward, if you turned the bowl upside down, you could char the tobacco throughout the bowl instead of trying to suck the flame down to char only the top layer. It's a fine theory and you ought to try it out for yourself, and then go tell the old timey pipers what they're missing.

 

[bnichols23]

Seriously turn the bowl upside down?
Only if you want to smudge or char the rim, risk fall out, or look silly.

Or if it's raining, right, John?

 

[crashthegrey]

I totally turn a bowl upside down in the rain or the shower. But I never light it that way, that is guaranteed rim char.

 

[bnichols23]

But crash, that's what the torch is for!