Newbie burn question.

[pistolero]

OK here's probably a dumb newbie question but, lots of times when I burn a bowl, it burns right down the center.
The stuff up against the bowl is left and there's like a cone of ash to the bottom of the bowl as the unburned baccy gets thicker toward the bottom. This is helped alot by stirring and relighting a couple times, but if I want to just smoke it down this seems to happen more often than not. I am reasonably sure I'm not packing too tight, maybe too loose? Puffing fast? This is with PA / CH in basic small billiards (Grabow Golden Dukes/Crown Duke).
Tobacco too wet? I did have what I was smoking dried pretty good (seemed a little easier to light evenly and burn most of the bowl) and recently got back into the tubs and it seems worse like before so maybe that's it, but it really doesn't seem too moist nor does it smoke wet.

 

[Kapnismologist]

Are you tamping the tobacco periodically as you smoke it?

 

[pistolero]

Yes and it helps somewhat, sometimes. Maybe not often enough or I'm just messing it up. I've been trying to figure out how to tamp it as I go down because like I said I don't like to have to stir it up and start all over. Occasionally it works perfect then sometimes I get that cone, I'll have to figure out what makes the difference.

 

[Smokin' Blues]

Pistolero, I have the same trouble sometimes but I have no idea what causes it to happen. I have found that if I have my tamper handy when filling my pipe, I can use the spoon to pull the tobacco more toward the center after I tamp a layer and that seems to help. When the tamper isn't handy, I'm just screwed. Lol

:cheers: and happy puffs!

 

[LL]

The most common cause of ANY pipe performance problem is uneven bowl filling, together with improper density (too much or too little pressure used when filling).

Strive for a uniform matrix of tobacco from top to bottom. Break the shreds/flakes/whatever into as equal-sized pieces as possible, and remove all clumps. Too much pressure is worse than too little, because you have to dig it out and start over vs. tamp a bit more after lighting.

Taking a bit more time to pay attention and do your best, as opposed to "grab and jam," will pay off exponentially.

 

[pistolero]

Thanks. I'll work on it. 8)

 

[Eric]

There are folks who prefer to smoke that way - burning only the tobacco in the middle and allowing the tobacco on the sides of the bowl to go unburnt. I'm not one of those folks but there isn't anything necessarily "wrong" with what's happening, if you enjoy your smokes... it may just be what "works" for you.

If I'm not mistaken, this was essentially what was termed "The Wosbald Method" in this thread on another forum, but unfortunately my friend PipeAndPint removed the pdf document from his sight so I can't verify that: http://www.christianpipesmokers.net/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=8744

If you go to his site (http://www.pipeandpint.com/) and write him for the "Wosbald Method PDF" I'm quite sure he'd send it to you.

I just mention that there isn't necessarily anything wrong (if you enjoy your smokes) because I spent years packing the way "I was supposed to" and ignored the obvious fact that it wasn't really working for me. It wasn't until I decided to abandon the pedagogy and find my own way that I really started to enjoy the pipe.

 

[skaukatt]

No question is a dumb question so fire away! Let me add this, are you sure that you are lighting the entire surface of the tobacco? If you light it in a circular pattern while drawing in you should be able to burn the entire contents of the bowl. You will be able to see the top glow red - be sure it is glowing in its entirety. You will need to tamp, of course. As always, be careful with the flame so you don't char the rim of your pipe.

It sounds to me like you are only igniting the center of the fill.

Hope this helps.

Lou

 

[Midnight Blues]

I would have to agree with SK, and also add a tamping technique that works for me.
I tamp with the tamper at a slight angle so that you create a small mound thats higher in the center, also LL was right on the money with tamp pressure, you just want to use the weight of the tamp.

 

[pistolero]

No question is a dumb question so fire away! Let me add this, are you sure that you are lighting the entire surface of the tobacco? If you light it in a circular pattern while drawing in you should be able to burn the entire contents of the bowl. You will be able to see the top glow red - be sure it is glowing in its entirety. You will need to tamp, of course. As always, be careful with the flame so you don't char the rim of your pipe.

It sounds to me like you are only igniting the center of the fill.

Hope this helps.

Lou

I can get it lit all the way around just gets smaller as it burns down I guess. I'll work on packing and tamping techniques. Thanks everyone for all the info.

 

[skaukatt]

I would have to agree with SK, and also add a tamping technique that works for me.
I tamp with the tamper at a slight angle so that you create a small mound thats higher in the center, also LL was right on the money with tamp pressure, you just want to use the weight of the tamp.

FYI, Gunnar Weber-Prada (totemstar.com) - no affiliation other than him being a friend whom I met in Chicago this year and being a customer) sells his Icon Tamper which has an angled end rather than a flat one typical of tampers. The angled surface when used as intended, will tamp or compress the tobacco towards the back wall of the bowl (towards the airhole). This helps keep the bowl (tobacco) lit to the bottom and aids in burning all the tobacco, at least it does in my experience. Of course, all other variables as noted in other posts must also be accounted for such as proper packing, lighting and tamping as well as moisture content of the tobacco. But, it is not as complicated as it sounds once you get going and it will become routine.

Lou

 

[Lupulus]

I've had this exact same problem, read a lot of this advice here and in other places, none of it seems to make too much difference. As pistolero said he did, I light all the way around the bowl, look at it to make sure, think I have a great light and maybe it will be different this time, but the heat just draws to the center anyway and I have the same problem.

I have tried the tamping at an angle, and perhaps that helps a little, but how often are we talking about tamping? I usually tamp only 2 or 3 times during the whole bowl (and, honestly, usually only after it goes out and I repack, I just forget to tamp while it is lit, maybe that is my problem), am I way off on this and you guys are tamping much more often?

 

[skaukatt]

I've had this exact same problem, read a lot of this advice here and in other places, none of it seems to make too much difference. As pistolero said he did, I light all the way around the bowl, look at it to make sure, think I have a great light and maybe it will be different this time, but the heat just draws to the center anyway and I have the same problem.

I have tried the tamping at an angle, and perhaps that helps a little, but how often are we talking about tamping? I usually tamp only 2 or 3 times during the whole bowl (and, honestly, usually only after it goes out and I repack, I just forget to tamp while it is lit, maybe that is my problem), am I way off on this and you guys are tamping much more often?

In my experience, tamping through out the smoke makes all the difference. It helps keep the bowl lit (evenly, too) and aids in a complete burn.

I could not tell you how many times I tamp during a smoke but it is way more that 2-3. In my experience, it really helps me complete an entire load of tobacco.

 

[Lupulus]

In my experience, tamping through out the smoke makes all the difference. It helps keep the bowl lit (evenly, too) and aids in a complete burn.

I could not tell you how many times I tamp during a smoke but it is way more that 2-3. In my experience, it really helps me complete an entire load of tobacco.

That's why I love this place, I am always getting great advice and learning new things. Imagine if I were smoking just 10 or 15 years ago, I wouldn't have access to the wealth of knowledge accumulated here and probably would have quit in frustration already. I will execute extra and more careful tamps during my next few bowls and report back.

 

[pistolero]

That's why I love this place, I am always getting great advice and learning new things. Imagine if I were smoking just 10 or 15 years ago, I wouldn't have access to the wealth of knowledge accumulated here and probably would have quit in frustration already. I will execute extra and more careful tamps during my next few bowls and report back.

What he said. I also was only tamping twice maybe three times a bowl under the (apparently mistaken) assumption that the less I messed in it the better off it would be. Thanks!

 

[skaukatt]

That's why I love this place, I am always getting great advice and learning new things. Imagine if I were smoking just 10 or 15 years ago, I wouldn't have access to the wealth of knowledge accumulated here and probably would have quit in frustration already. I will execute extra and more careful tamps during my next few bowls and report back.

What he said. I also was only tamping twice maybe three times a bowl under the (apparently mistaken) assumption that the less I messed in it the better off it would be. Thanks!

There are no rules when it comes to frequency of tamping but I found, for myself, that it is indispensable throughout the smoke - for a successful or rather, complete and enjoyable smoke.

Experiment on your own and you will develop your own rhythm.

 

[Wayne_Teipen]

Good advice here already given. I also tamp at an angle inward creating a bit of a mound in the middle and then, with just the weight of the tamper, tamp the middle of the mound lightly. I also tamp much more than 2-3 times per bowl. I've found that the need to tamp tends to correlate with how you prefer to pack your tobacco. The more loose you pack the more frequently you will need to tamp to keep the ember in contact with the tobacco. You may also try a longer and lighter draw to give the ember a chance to ignite the tobacco around the outside.

 

[Eric]

Ah! If found the article that I had eluded to earlier: "The Wosbald Approach" maintained by PipeAndPint.com...

http://www.pipeandpint.com/downloads/wosbaldapproach.pdf

You might want to have a look at that before you abandon everything you are now doing.

This Wosbald is the same gent that G.L. Pease refers to here in the Briar & Leaf Chronicles...

http://glpease.com/BriarAndLeaf/?p=59

 

[Mr_Jeff]

Tamp while you smoke and make sure you light it evenly.

 

[bruins]

Ah! If found the article that I had eluded to earlier: "The Wosbald Approach" maintained by PipeAndPint.com...

http://www.pipeandpint.com/downloads/wosbaldapproach.pdf

nice article shellbriar. thanks for posting. apparently i'm still sucking too damn hard on the pipe (which may be why all the Vapers are tasting the same to me, bitter, slightly harsh.) try try again.