Newb question about how long a bowl should last

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KevH

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I took up pipe smoking a month ago. I bought an estate Dunhill 3202 today and smoked a bowl of Squadron Leader in it.

It seemed like the bowl only lasted for about half and hour or so. I also burned my tongue while lighting it and a couple times after that.

I packed the bowl loose until it was slightly sticking out the top, lit the pipe, tamped it down a bit and then lit it again to start.

How long do you think a bowl should last? What am I doing wrong?
 
The length of your smoke is dependent on the tobacco and the size of the bowl (and a few other factors). Squadron Leader is a ribbon cut and should burn a bit faster than say a flake for instance. Your Dunhill 3202 is a group 3 with a bowl about an inch deep or so. With a ribbon cut I would expect a nice 45 minutes out of it at least in general. If your tobak was a little dry it would burn a bit quicker, but providing it is at about optimum moisture you should be getting about 45 minutes IMO.

There are a few factors that will change with every pipe/tabak combination and you will experience different lengths of your smoke. It sounds to me like you were puffing a bit instead of sipping (which can be a big factor in the tongue bite) but that is just speculation. Don't worry if the pipe goes out on you, relighting is okay which is something a lot of new smokers think is a bad thing. I try to pack ribbon cut so it is firm but still has a bit of spring to it which is generally ideal for my smoking. Smoking outside in a breeze will generally cause a faster burn as well, cupping your hand around the top edge of the bowl to block wind hitting it directly solves a great amount of that.

Conditions of the smoke would help so we can give better direct advice for the case. Hope that helps and keep practicing brother, it is well worth it.

 
It does help.

I was sitting on the front porch and it was pretty windy out. I packed the bowl pretty loose. I'm sure I was puffing as well.

I think all of these things help explain why the smoke only lasted for a short time.
 
Glad to be of assistance. It's all a learning curve and we are darn happy to help you in your path to piping bliss.
 
Kaiser said it. Eventually, when you find out what your comfortable pace is, it'll all make sense.

Pipes are like little time machines. Done right, be it for 30 minutes or three hours, I have found myself looking at the clock and thinking, "Holy sh*t, where did I go?" :lol: Those are pretty cool moments. Provided deadlines aren't pressing.

Yes, I have gotten close to the three hour mark, no special packing, puffing, pipe size or tobacco. Just kind of let it sit there, smoldering slowly, taking a sip now and again...usually I was engrossed in a book, BoB or writing something inane. It happens.

The goal? Enjoy every second, if you're able.
 
KevH":idlqvowe said:
I also burned my tongue while lighting it and a couple times after that.
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I think tongue bite (burnt tongue) is the most evil of the new pipe smoker hazards. It happens to the best of us at one time or another. If it gets bad pick up some Biotene Dry Mouth Oral Rinse, it's a bit like mild mouth wash and cures a scorched tongue in a couple of days.


Feel free to swing by The Welcome Wagon and introduce yourself as well. BoB members are some of the most helpful, giving and knowledgeable pipe smokers around.




Dan


 
Oooh...never mouthwash right after you smoke, or was it never smoke after you mouthwash...crap it's one of those ways that burns like a sob.
 
kaiser83":rxiq4deu said:
Oooh...never mouthwash right after you smoke, or was it never smoke after you mouthwash...crap it's one of those ways that burns like a sob.
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Try biotene instead of anything with alcohol or similar properties -- no sting! (or at least a lot less)
 
KevH":lw8rjtb6 said:
I took up pipe smoking a month ago. I bought an estate Dunhill 3202 today and smoked a bowl of Squadron Leader in it.

It seemed like the bowl only lasted for about half and hour or so. I also burned my tongue while lighting it and a couple times after that.

I packed the bowl loose until it was slightly sticking out the top, lit the pipe, tamped it down a bit and then lit it again to start.

How long do you think a bowl should last? What am I doing wrong?
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From all that you described, sounds like you were really "puffing" away and not sip/breath smoking. SLOW things WAY DOWN and I would say pack a bit firmer next time and you probably will get a much BETTER smoke. Make sure you can get a "draw" in a packed pipe (with NO sound) just by breathing and do this when you light it and continue breath smoking for the bowl. As for "...how long it should last?" I can usually get OVER 1 1/2 hours out of a grp3 sized pipe as your Dunnie is with a ribbon cut Va based bac, longer if it's a fully rubbed out flake such as Blackwoods Flake or such. Just sounds like you need to slow things down a bit and it ought to eventually fall in place. This whole pipe smoking thing is an evolutionary GRADUAL process, not really a 21st century " learn the APP" sort of thing. Slow down and enjoy :p
 
also a Lat blend is going to burn more quickly than a straight Va. I would use that group 3 for Va flakes, and if your technique is good you should see up to 90 minute sessions with it. That shape only has about 1 1/4" deep chamber. You'll need a larger pipe to smoke a Lat blend for that long. I generally use a pipe with a shallow chamber like that for stronger tobaccos that are good for after dinner or late in the evening.
 
I suppose it should be mentioned "tongue bite" and "tongue burn" are similar problems, but have different origins...but not really. "Bite" is often from a chemical reaction being sensed by the tongue, with varying degrees of discomfort, while "burn" is a searing of the tongue by hotter-than-it-should-be smoke being drawn onto it. Often, when new smokers engage a bowlful, these two problem overlap and it's tough to tell the difference or figure out which is which.

Seasoned smokers, I've noticed, can still get bite from a tobacco, even though their practiced methods avoid their tongues from being burned. It's a different feeling, both rather unpleasant. If the single variable of the tobacco being changed out fixes the problem, it's likely chemical (body chemistry vs that of the leaf), if any and every tobacco hurts, it's probably packing/drawing/tamping etc methods that need some attention.

8)
 
Kyle Weiss":84c6vu1w said:
Seasoned smokers, I've noticed, can still get bite from a tobacco, even though their practiced methods avoid their tongues from being burned. It's a different feeling, both rather unpleasant.
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I've had one bonafide case of tongue bite. There is no mistaking it when it happens. You'll know. Very unpleasant, and I never smoked that tobacco again.
 
I got a small case of tongue bite from Altadis #503 heavy english the other day, tongue, throat. ruined my night I was planning another bowl after that but I just sat there sulking :(
 
There are people who hold the pipe nearly the whole time they're smoking it (except for something like turning the pages of a book), and there are people who clench it in their teeth most of the time.

If you're holding it, it's pretty easy to direct the smoke stream up & over your tongue, which spreads the smoke around.

:face:
 
oh and relights are normal. if you aren't relighting, you probably are smoking too fast, in my limited experience. i think Kyle said something about it not being a contest, it's about enjoyment (terrible paraphrase of a well written story)

keep it up and don't get discouraged. it takes time.

 
Yak: This is true. There's even certain tobaccos I deem better while holding the pipe, and some that I prefer when clenching. Night smoking is my music listening/dark/quiet time smoking, so that's "hold time." Daytime is work/read/BoB/Internets etc "clench time." Most of my Latakias, for example, I prefer to move around, or things just get dull.

Jerk: You got the gist of it. :lol: I think it was something about wannabe hedonists are those keeping score, combining too much or proudly finishing first. I have many adaptations of that philosophy. Enjoyment certainly is not a contest, or if it is, may we all win. :cheers:

8)
 
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