One of the worst experiences

[kaiser83]

We have all had times when we were smoking a blend that just does not agree with our particular tastes. Well tonight was not one of those occasions. I was smoking my Nording signature pipe with Same Gawith Chocolate Flake and it was a nerve racking experience. It is dark outside, I mean pitch black making it so I can't see the smoke coming out of my mouth. I took probably 15 or so minutes to cube cut and gravity feed my pipe (first time with cube cut method for flakes). To be honest I am not highly experienced with flakes to begin with. I have smoked Penzance and chocolate flake and that is the limit of my experience with them. Not being able to see the smoke I was subconciously second guessing whether the pipe was still it or not. I have smoked a lot of ribbon cut in the dark like this and never had an issue before.

I guess my lessons from tonight are:

1. Unless you are familiar with the smoking traits of a type of tobacco, smoke it during the day.
2. Don't try a different method of preparing tobacco for a night smoke.
3. Basically, smoke what you know when you can't see.

I have ribbon, flake, and plug here and will continue to try and gain experience with flakes the different ways to prepare them and the way they smoke when prepared. Same for plug. But at night I am smoking ribbon. And now to go smoke some Frog Morton to actually relax.

 

[riff raff]

I learned those SG blends will bite!

 

[kaiser83]

I haven't had any issues with SG biting yet, but will be careful.

 

[cigrmaster]

I have never been bitten by a SG blend, however they are a bitch to burn if they are not properly dried out. I would recommend, cube cutting it and then letting it air dry for a good hour before smoking. I think you will then get a nice burn. Also when packing, make sure you pack all the way around the sides. If possible choose a pipe that has a wide open airway, nice thick walls, and not bigger than a group 5 chamber. I think you will get much better results if you try this. I smoke a lot of SG and it took me some time before I figured out how to get it to smoke great. Hope this helps.

 

[Jers]

Bad news Kaiser - but as you say taking a positive slant on it reveals it was a learning experience. I like your solution - load up a bowl of your favourite blend and make the bad memory disappear!

Still - you got me thinking and now I'm sitting with my eyes closed smoking my Mario Grandi trying to see if I can tell if the pipe has remained lit by French inhaling!
:lol!:

Fraternally

Jers

 

[kaiser83]

Cigrmaster- I did cube cut it, and I let the pipe sit there after packed for quite some time so the toby was pretty dry. It was just the mental bit of it to me of not being able to see the smoke and the fact that I had never cubed before and am not widely versed with flakes. Thanks for the recommendation though.

Jers- French inhale just sounds so dirty, a little french tickle to the heel of the pipe too perhaps? lol.

 

[cigrmaster]

kaiser, next time after cubing do not pack the pipe. It will dry much better and more evenly out of the pipe. Spread it out a lot so the tobacco is not on top of each other. See if that works a little better for you.

 

[kaiser83]

Thank you, I will give that a whirl next time. I honestly think my toby was dry enough and it was all psychological. I will also stick to day smoking tobaccos and cuts I am unfamiliar with.

 

[Jers]

Jers- French inhale just sounds so dirty, a little french tickle to the heel of the pipe too perhaps? lol.

:lol!:

It's true I'm probably more of a lover than a fighter (I also have a nasty habit of tonguing the button)......but you dudes are tough! Can't you just bring the pipe to your face and touch the tobacco with your nose to see if it's still lit?
:lol!:

Fraternally

Jers

 

[kaiser83]

I actually kept sticking my finger in it, but seeing as I have rough hands I couldn't tell. Another reason to smoke during the day so I can scoop ash out. Just a learning experience all around. I figure I'll be a noob until I reach 20 years or so of smoking.