Won't Stay Lit

[mso489]

I'm new to Peterson Irish Flake, but I love the flavor, hearty and rich. I dry it out in a pottery bowl and rub it out well, but it doesn't stay lit. I like it so much, I just go ahead and relight carelessly -- it's that good. But I may try grating it to make it even smaller, in hopes of an even burn. Anyone else have this problem? I'll use seven or eight matches to a bowl. It's worth it for the richness of the smoke.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Try gravity filling with minimal tamping.

 

[warren]

Yup, try a bit looser pack.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

I'm new to Peterson Irish Flake, but I love the flavor, hearty and rich. I dry it out in a pottery bowl and rub it out well, but it doesn't stay lit. I like it so much, I just go ahead and relight carelessly -- it's that good. But I may try grating it to make it even smaller, in hopes of an even burn. Anyone else have this problem? I'll use seven or eight matches to a bowl. It's worth it for the richness of the smoke.

Both the old K&K version and the newer STG iteration require more relights than average. I just relight when it needs it. ?‍

 

[augiebd]

I agree with the Cap’n and Warren, it seems to burn alright if you use a gravity feed.

 

[FurCoat]

I have a few blends that give me fits like that, generally in the SG family. After setting it out to dry to where it should smoke, I load my pipe and let it sit overnight.

 

[mso489]

I'll pack it looser, gravity feed. I think it should be dry enough; I leave a few rubbed out flakes in the bowl for a few days. I'm glad bladesmith has noticed this too. Matches are cheap, but I think I could savor the blend even more if I could get an even steady burn. It is exceedingly tasty.

 

[anotherbob]

with flakes I really extra light it like a big huge cherry. let it sit for a few seconds and it seems to not need relights. No clue why that works as it seems counter intuitive. But start off at over lit and let it go back to a simmer.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

with flakes I really extra light it like a big huge cherry. let it sit for a few seconds and it seems to not need relights. No clue why that works as it seems counter intuitive. But start off at over lit and let it go back to a simmer.

Not sure if we’re talking about the same thing or not, but with rubbed out flake, I definitely do a more involved charring/lighting routine. I “char“ the tobacco until it stops moving around, and gets toasted all the way across the surface, and then light until the whole surface is lit. Sometimes it takes a little while, but it does seem to help.

 

[anotherbob]

Not sure if we’re talking about the same thing or not, but with rubbed out flake, I definitely do a more involved charring/lighting routine. I “char“ the tobacco until it stops moving around, and gets toasted all the way across the surface, and then light until the whole surface is lit. Sometimes it takes a little while, but it does seem to help.

seems like the same principle.

 

[mikethompson]

gravity

gravity feed.

gravity feed

What is gravity feed?

 

[Chasing Embers]

What is gravity feed?

Fill the chamber, tap the heel on your palm, fill the chamber, tap the heel on your palm until the pipe is full. Light and enjoy.

Speed ahead to 1:52.

 

[hairvise]

Fill the chamber, tap the heel on your palm, fill the chamber, tap the heel on your palm until the pipe is full. Light and enjoy.

Speed ahead to 1:52.

I can’t get the video to play but thanks for the “down to Earth“ gravity feed explanation.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I can’t get the video to play but thanks for the “down to Earth“ gravity feed explanation.

Here ya go.?

 

[hairvise]

Here ya go.?

This is a brilliant video and should be considered required viewing for new to intermediate pipe smokers. I’m not sure though this is the video you meant, since it doesn’t show you gravity filling a pipe.

 

[Chasing Embers]

This is a brilliant video and should be considered required viewing for new to intermediate pipe smokers. I’m not sure though this is the video you meant, since it doesn’t show you gravity filling a pipe.

Oh, oops.?
1:52

 

[Seamaster]

That’s one of the best explanations of breath smoking I’ve seen, chasingembers, thanks for posting that even inadvertently!

 

[Chasing Embers]

That’s one of the best explanations of breath smoking I’ve seen, chasingembers, thanks for posting that even inadvertently!

Back before I was a barber.?

 

[hairvise]

Oh, oops.?
1:52

This is excellent and well worth watching all the way through. At times, I think I have more of a tamping problem. I tamp lightly but I just can’t resist fiddling with the damn tamper during the smoke which may mean the bottom fourth of the bowl gets packed too tightly by the time I get closer to the end of my smoke.
Maybe after I do the initial charting light, I need to take the tamper and set it down at a distance, so every time I want to tamp, I actually have to get up to go get it. Is there a tampers anonymous out there?

 

[02Knight]

I purchased a tin of Peterson's Irish Flake myself and really enjoy the flavor. I have taken to rubbing it out more than I would with other flakes, then a lighter pack on the first gravity fill than I normally would and increase it as I go up on the 3 step gravity fill method. Seems to work for me.