Pipe tobacco?

Got Some Favorite BBQ Recipes You Want To Share With The Rest Of Us Or Some Hunting Or Fishing Stories You Want To Share? This Is The Place To Do It!!

Moderator: Country Joe-PG-

Post Reply
NightRunner
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 1:23 am
Location: Armpit of California

Pipe tobacco?

Post by NightRunner »

Started smoking pipe tobacco when I was 18, but the years have passed and my wife got me a bag of tobacco and a pipe for valentines day. The problem I am having is keeping the damn thing lit! I treat it like a delicate flower but yet it just dies out.

Any help would be grateful.

P.S. Yes I know quitting would be the best suggestion lol.
HotStick
Posts: 1256
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 3:38 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

Re: Pipe tobacco?

Post by HotStick »

Night,

I smoked a pipe when I was a younger man... yah I know... hard to believe I was ever young. :D

I always found that it was all in the moisture content of the blend, and the load of the pipe. The best thing I ever invested in was an excellent cleaning and tamping tool made of quality nickel plated steel. With it you can apply just the right amount of pressure throughout the stages of the load.

The way I loaded the pipe had everything to do with the quality of the smoke. My trick was to load the bowl full loosely for the first charge. You then take the tamper (or your finger if you have misplaced it) and compress the load down to 2/3rds the total depth of the briars bowl. The second charge should be a little more dense (less loose and fluffy than the first) and should be charged to over full. Then compress with the tamper to 1/3rd the total bowl depth. The last charge should be the most dense and compact of all, and charged to over full, compressing the shyte out of it until it is level or just slightly domed with the top of the bowl.

Now, I always made the first light a char light, just drawing enough air to carbonize the top layer of blend. With that done, let it extinguish, and tamp the ash level with or slightly below the top edge of the bowl. You may then proceed to light up and enjoy the smoke. I always kept the tamper handy and used it to compress the stack slightly as I drew down on the pipe. This has the effect of always keeping the char layer level and making the stack more uniform throughout the smoke.

I have to admit, I often crave the taste and aroma of a good blend. Maybe I will take it up again after I retire (my damn health insurance is sky high if you use tobacco).

Invest in a good glass humidor with a rechargeable moisture disk or two... it keeps the blend at the right moisture content (dry tobacco = a hot smoke).

ENJOY :D :D :D


PS: I have a couple of meerschaums that I used. The pure white bowls turn a bing cherry red color over many years use, and are said to provide the sweetest and coolest smoke (I would agree). The only disadvantage is that they should not be handled by the bowl while smoking, as this will ruin the finish of the patina (supposedly). It is easy enough to hold them by their stem while smoking, though. Pricey, but well worth the investment. ;)

Blow a ring or two for me!!
Image
Image
Image
HotStick-PG-
NightRunner
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 1:23 am
Location: Armpit of California

Re: Pipe tobacco?

Post by NightRunner »

Thanks for the tips Hot. I was pretty sure the first bowl that I had was kinda low quality tobacco. I will go check amazon for a decent humidor. Thanks dude!
Post Reply