Welcome to the Second installment of Basics for Brown Leaf Seedlings
One of the most common issues a new pipe smoker may encounter is the inability to keep the dang thing lit.
Usually that first attempt goes something like this;
1. Acquire new pipe (Ain't she beautiful?)
2. Acquire fresh tobacco (The stuff in this jar labled Captain's Blend smells good, so does this Irish Rover. So you blend this yourself? Cool. I'll take some.)
3. Take fresh tobacco and stuff in in new pipe (This thing doesn't hold very much, I need to squeeze some more in there)
4. Put fire to pipe
5. puff puff puff puff puff puff (these are big clouds of smoke)
6. Remove fire from pipe
7. puff puff (this is pretty cool)
8. puff (small wisps of smoke)
9. Relight; puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff
10. puff...puff
11. Out again
12. TAMP!
13. Relight; puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff
14. (Is this supposed to hurt this much?)
15. Out again ( What the Hells Bells!?!)
16. THIS PIPE SUCKS!
Let's start over
1 Read Buying a Briar Pipe to make sure the pipe you are starting out with is serviceable.
2 Those big jars of tobacco in the pipe shop, and any fresh tins you open, are probably WAAAY too moist. Take a pinch worth and lay it out to dry for 30 minutes. Don't have that kind of time? Set it under a gooseneck lamp for 5 minutes.
3. Fill your pipe with less tobacco than you think you need. There are various methods to filling your pipe and you may use different ones depending on the type of tobacco or the shape of your pipe so try a couple and see what works for you. A few you can try are; The 3 step method, The Swirl Method, The Frank Method.
Also feeding a pipe cleaner down the stem into the bowl and then filling will keep the draft hole clear.
4. Ignore Herr Frank and use a match or soft flame lighter. Not a torch.
5. Perform the Charring Light this is an initial light you're looking for the top layer of tobacco to burn and start to rise.
6. Tamp down (gently, don't push) the tobacco that has risen. Just compress this top layer
7 Relight, and take short puffs. You are only trying to ignite the top layer not all the tobacco inside the pipe.
8 Puff often, but not too often. The goal is just to keep the ember lit, not have a roaring fire.
9 Tamp occasionally. The goal is to keep just the top layer of ash compressed, but not the unburnt layers underneath. Use just the weight of the tamper. Not your He-Man strength, not even your girly man strength, just the tamper's weight.
If the pipe does go out that's ok, it will. Even the seasoned pipe guys have to relight, it's just part of the experience.
If your tongue starts to hurt STOP that's not what is supposed to happen.
Practice. Just like anything else, you will develop your own style and rhythm but that takes some experience. Sit back, Relax, and Enjoy your new pipe.
Keeping Your Pipe Lit
One of the most common issues a new pipe smoker may encounter is the inability to keep the dang thing lit.
Usually that first attempt goes something like this;
1. Acquire new pipe (Ain't she beautiful?)
2. Acquire fresh tobacco (The stuff in this jar labled Captain's Blend smells good, so does this Irish Rover. So you blend this yourself? Cool. I'll take some.)
3. Take fresh tobacco and stuff in in new pipe (This thing doesn't hold very much, I need to squeeze some more in there)
4. Put fire to pipe
5. puff puff puff puff puff puff (these are big clouds of smoke)
6. Remove fire from pipe
7. puff puff (this is pretty cool)
8. puff (small wisps of smoke)
9. Relight; puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff
10. puff...puff
11. Out again
12. TAMP!
13. Relight; puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff
14. (Is this supposed to hurt this much?)
15. Out again ( What the Hells Bells!?!)
16. THIS PIPE SUCKS!
Let's start over
1 Read Buying a Briar Pipe to make sure the pipe you are starting out with is serviceable.
2 Those big jars of tobacco in the pipe shop, and any fresh tins you open, are probably WAAAY too moist. Take a pinch worth and lay it out to dry for 30 minutes. Don't have that kind of time? Set it under a gooseneck lamp for 5 minutes.
3. Fill your pipe with less tobacco than you think you need. There are various methods to filling your pipe and you may use different ones depending on the type of tobacco or the shape of your pipe so try a couple and see what works for you. A few you can try are; The 3 step method, The Swirl Method, The Frank Method.
Also feeding a pipe cleaner down the stem into the bowl and then filling will keep the draft hole clear.
4. Ignore Herr Frank and use a match or soft flame lighter. Not a torch.
5. Perform the Charring Light this is an initial light you're looking for the top layer of tobacco to burn and start to rise.
6. Tamp down (gently, don't push) the tobacco that has risen. Just compress this top layer
7 Relight, and take short puffs. You are only trying to ignite the top layer not all the tobacco inside the pipe.
8 Puff often, but not too often. The goal is just to keep the ember lit, not have a roaring fire.
9 Tamp occasionally. The goal is to keep just the top layer of ash compressed, but not the unburnt layers underneath. Use just the weight of the tamper. Not your He-Man strength, not even your girly man strength, just the tamper's weight.
If the pipe does go out that's ok, it will. Even the seasoned pipe guys have to relight, it's just part of the experience.
If your tongue starts to hurt STOP that's not what is supposed to happen.
Practice. Just like anything else, you will develop your own style and rhythm but that takes some experience. Sit back, Relax, and Enjoy your new pipe.
Keeping Your Pipe Lit - Basics for Brown Leaf Seedlings (BBLS)
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