Some guidance for a newbie?

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S

Stone

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As I mentioned in my introduction, I am trying the pipe again after a long absence and I need a lot of help.  From everything I've read I guess every new pipe smoker goes through this.  I started smoking the pipe ten years ago and fell in love with the entire process, I bought and repaired pipes, I bought expensive and basic tobacco, I couldn't stop!  But after so many failed attempts the stuff has sat now for 9 1/2 years.  I decided last week to sell it all and in the process I noticed the excitement again as I looked through the stuff I have  I will sell 90% but keep a few nice pipes and some tobacco and come hell or high water, learn to enjoy it without the constant relights.  After all, I built a nice man cave and I can't just get rid of everything!

I am analytical so I am trying everything and I hope you guys can use some of my successes and failures to help me get it right while I still have a tongue :)

I "think" I have been using tobacco that is too moist, but I don't how to tell so I am going to go to a pipe shop and talk to some accomplished smokers.  The best success I've had is with tobacco that is a little crisp on the edges, is this what I am looking for?

When people say it should be like sipping a soda I am confused, my draw is always like drawing on a straw but no resistance, like a straw in the air, not pulling soda?

I've tried packing a little firmer and a little looser and seldom get past 1/2 a bowl and constant relights.  But ..... the other day, I read an article a lady wrote about her deceased husbands method of lighting the pipe after the first pack (1/2 a bowl) and smoke that for a minute or two and then top it off and light as usual and I had some success this way ..... does this tell you anything?

I notice that if I don't pay constant attention the pipe goes out but if I puff frequently the pipe gets hot?

I also notice that if I really draw the coals down in during the light, it obviously lasts longer but that seems harsh and gets me started with a burnt tongue?

I am an accomplished cigar smoker and I know that some of the best people I have met in my life were brothers of the leaf and I can only assume it's the same with the pipe and I am not going to miss out :)

Thanks!
 
Sometimes when I'm lighting mine I'll keep the flame going a while. Not really drawing the coals real deep like you mention but really get it lit with nice burn across the whole top. Sometimes I'll go through two or three matches. Then tamp to the desired draw resistance (personally i start with a looser pack). I have rarely completed a full bowl with only one light, sometimes you just need to relight.

If you have a local pipe shop near you that would be a great resource for education. Not only for education but you can also meet some other pipe smokers to hang with.
 
For the sipping a straw analogy, think pulling from the straw on a soda without getting any soda.  Enough to rise the soda in the straw but not hard enough to get any in your mouth.

Also different tobaccos light differently. Flakes are fold and stuff. It may seem loose but it will expand. I usually like a non-butane lighter for flakes and I will light and tamp lightly and re-light and sip. Especially for straight Virgina's which if you smoke too fast you will get tongue bite.

Some aromatics need to dry out a bit before packing an lighting and some burn just fine.

I finally got the hang of smoking twists. I love Sweet Rum Twist and cut coins off with a cigar cutter, rub it out and pack the bowl loose to get the best burn and least about of re-lights.

Ribbon and English blends I pretty much just pack normal with a 3 load method. Fill to top, tamp, fill to top tamp, fill last bit and tamp. No issues lighting and keeping lit unless the tobac is super moist.
 
What are you puffing on for me personally if a tobacco sticks together in a clump the moisture levels too high if my pinched sticks together and I just put it in the pipe and let it sit or put it in a little bowl and let it sit probably half a day or all day and then I smoked it but it really depends on what you're smoking when I first started I smoked Lane 1q that was like my very first tobacco ever and it is wet I blew up more pipes smoking that stuff without letting it dry then anything I've ever smoked before it's really up to you how moist do you like it as far as sipping you don't want to be a freight train my opinion it's all about just chilling relaxing once again this is all my opinion and it really doesn't matter but I hope it helps you to some extent as far as packing I was taught personally that you fill the bowl all the way up lightly and you press it down as firm as you would shake a child's hand you fill the bowl all the way back up and you pack it as firm as you would shake a woman's hand and then once that's packed you feel it again and you pack it almost as hard as you would shake a gentleman's hand others on this form may not agree with that but it works for me sometimes if I pack too hard I am packet and I do it again but more gently
 
arkansaspiper":0ukwhgop said:
What are you puffing on for me personally if a tobacco sticks together in a clump the moisture levels too high if my pinched sticks together and I just put it in the pipe and let it sit or put it in a little bowl and let it sit probably half a day or all day and then I smoked it but it really depends on what you're smoking when I first started I smoked Lane 1q that was like my very first tobacco ever and it is wet I blew up more pipes smoking that stuff without letting it dry then anything I've ever smoked before it's really up to you how moist do you like it as far as sipping you don't want to be a freight train my opinion it's all about just chilling relaxing once again this is all my opinion and it really doesn't matter but I hope it helps you to some extent as far as packing I was taught personally that you fill the bowl all the way up lightly and you press it down as firm as you would shake a child's hand you fill the bowl all the way back up and you pack it as firm as you would shake a woman's hand and then once that's packed you feel it again and you pack it almost as hard as you would shake a gentleman's hand others on this form may not agree with that but it works for me sometimes if I pack too hard I am packet and I do it again but more gently
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I love your avatar! I have the same sign in my hunting camp :D
 
Yee yee! I’m literally first gen flush toilets on my fathers side lol.
 
My aim when testing the draw is to have it feel as close to how it feels when the pipe is completely empty. I fill first 1/3 and only tap the side of the pipe to settle. I fill the second 2/3 and lightly push down on the tobacco. Last 3rd to the top i press more firmly. If the draw is to tight i empty and start again. it is worth the extra time to get it down right, makes for a much better smoke.

As far as few relights, I gave up on that idea years ago! :D I usually relight mine about 10+ times. I sip slowly to make it last so it goes out more often. I usually have to relight more frequently with the last 1/3 of the pipe.

I tamp very little, allowing the natural wieght of the tamp on the ash do most of the work

Hope this helps!!
 
And your tongue does eventually get “burnt”, for lack of a better expression. It gets conditioned to the smoke is maybe more like it. Re lights don’t matter much in the long run. I think it’s part of the experience really.
 
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