New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart

[Emjaysmash]

Originally Posted by spectrrr

I just picked up the pipe this week (so uber noob). strolled down to the local tobaconist (thank god there is a GREAT one 3 blocks away!) and picked up four 1oz bags of the first bulk blends that caught my eye in jars. Mostly aromatic names like amaretto, black&gold, cake box, and balkan 1 (that ones not so aromatic). I stayed away from the stronger stuff because I'm learning to smoke inside and don't want a stinky house

NOW ON TO THE QUESTION:
I can't keep the $@&^)@*%#@ thing lit! Using 3 different well broken briar pipes. Tried loose and tight loads, etc..... I just don't seem to be finding the groove. (I'm a fairly hands on kinda guy, so NOT finding the groove yet is strange to me). Is is possible that the bulk blends just have too much something or another in em to keep them moist and they'll never burn right? should I got back and pick up a few tins for trying?? If so, recommendations for a few tins? (doesn't have to be aromatic, just shouldn't stench the house too much, strong stuff will have to wait until summer).

Originally Posted by spectrrr

mmm, and I should add that if I do manage to get it lit in such a way that it stays "lit" for more than a puff or two, its an extraordinarily thin smoke. I'm not expecting billowing clouds here... but this barely qualifies as smoke!

And I guess another similar question... ARE THERE specific tobaccos and pipe styles that lend themselves to generating great billowing clouds of smoke other than when you light them)?

I'm going to try to answer these as best I can.
1. It takes a little while to be able to smoke through a bowl with only one light. There are several things that you can do try try and fix this.

First, let your tobacco dry out a little bit. If it is very moist from the jar, spread out a thin layer on a table top or other flat surface and let it air-dry for 10-20 mins.

Secondly, learn a method of filling your pipe. The most basic method taught to new pipers is the 1/3 Method. Take some of the air-dried tobacco in your index and thumb and fill your pipe roughly 1/3rd of the way. take you tamper and tamp down lightly. Take a somewhat larger pinch and fill the second third, then tamp again. Finally, fill the last third and tamp lightly- the tobacco should be fairly loose on top. Don't tamp it in so hard that you form a tobacco plug on top (that's a different method).

Thirdly, you need to properly light a pipe. take you lighter and rotate the flame around the top of the tobacco while taking long slow draws. Do this until you see that most of the tobacco on top has become ash or blackened. Tamp this down lightly and make sure it's even across the tobacco. (this is like toasting a cigar for example, to help it burn correctly). Now, use your lighter and bring the flame and rotate again with long slow draws until you see a nice ember glowing. and thats it! your off!