Newbie burn question.

[Stogiegila]

My packing techinque is very rusty. I purchased some McClellands St. James Woods yesterday. Well after dinner I rubbed it out (a tedious process that I really don't enjoy) and loaded up a bowl in my Comoy Rover.

Well between the tobacco being wet and my poor loading, I got a nasty case of tongue bite.

Having a second bowl of some Frog Morton in my other pipe did nothing to help the situation. :no:

Oh well practice makes perfect.

 

[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

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

shellbriar, i have to say when i read the article i thought, 'yeah, this guy is a little anal about his process...' but i'm here to testify that when i took the time to follow his instructions, it greatly improved the flavor and quality of my smoke. thanks for posting. i think it should be the newbie pipe smoking primer.

 

[Natch]

What works for me is that I almost never "tamp" the ash, but rather use the thin, nail-like end of a Czech tool and gently scrape/poke around the edges of the bowl. The center seems to take care of its self and collapse to the level of the edges.

Works for me,

Natch

 

[Anonymous]

I have also been exposed to the "conical center burning"-phenomenon, especially when I first started out and wanted to prove myself a good pipe-smoker by smoking a entire bowl in one light. I learned, greatly due to advice found here, that there is no shame in relighting. As stated here earlier; an elegant technique should come second to an enjoyable smoke. Periodically relighting and a better tamper-technique seems to have solved the center-burn problem.

Toon

 

[Stogiegila]

Thanks for the link Bruins.

I will continue practicing. I definitely need to take more time in my initial lighting.

 

[MisterE]

Yes, tamping is the ticket. If the tobacco is too loosely packed to begin with, it can just burn down the middle. Even lighting will help as well. Sometimes very coarse cut tobacco will have trouble keeping lit at the extremities of the bowl. Just `cause you tamp doesn`t necessarily mean you have to relight- just keep puffing as you tamp it down and it`ll stay lit. I like to dump out excess ash as I go- just a light tap on the side of the bowl to loosen the ash. That allows for freer oxygen flow and it will burn more evenly. Smoking the bowl to the bottom is much easier that way too. Just my $.02.

 

[Skip48]

A couple of things I have found about my filling and packing. First I saw some place a little video of a guy that took a cheap nail type alum tamper and held it between his stretched out fingers. Actually between the index and next finger and near the first knuckle and when it slips stop, it packed enough. Even if it seems still a bit loose to me it works.

Next I have been trying different ways of filling my pipes with Flake and first tried the rub and fill and then just fold and fill. Well both worked, but the rub and fill seems to work much better for me and I also have a easier time having the full bowl lit all the way across.

I do re-pack very lightly after it's lit because it expands when first lit.

Skip

 

[Anonymous]

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.

I agree with LL here, this and good tamping is the key!
I have not much to add here, the boys seem to have it covered.
The key to any good smoke is in the packing, take your time during this process, and light evenly, you will be rewarded!
Good luck and enjoy!!

 

[pistolero]

Thanks for all the advice. Smoking is much improved. I was packing the bowl a little too loosely and not tamping enough. Still have to relight some at the bottom third of the bowl (to keep it lit all around) but it at least it burns most all of the tobacco now.

 

[Anonymous]

We aim to please bro!!

 

[Harlock999]

Working on my tamping technique has been the best thing for me. Tamping has also meant fewer re-lights. Thanks to DubintheDam on youtube for that insight.

 

[Anonymous]

Working on my tamping technique has been the best thing for me. Tamping has also meant fewer re-lights. Thanks to DubintheDam on youtube for that insight.

:cheers:

 

[pistolero]

Been getting my technique down. Just had a great smoke. PA Choice Blend in my Grabow Omega. Lit easy. Burned down so cool. Got almost all the way down the bowl tamping as I went and it was sweet and nutty and pleasant the whole way, LIKE CANDY!
It seems to me with PA if you don't get it warm enough it doesn't ever open up with the flavor, but as soon as you get there if you get it hotter it gets a little nasty. This was so tasty and good through the whole bowl. Got just a little wet and sizzly right at the very bottom, but I am smoking outside on the front porch with a light rain.
This is how it's supposed to be.
AWESOME.

 

[Anonymous]

Been getting my technique down. Just had a great smoke. PA Choice Blend in my Grabow Omega. Lit easy. Burned down so cool. Got almost all the way down the bowl tamping as I went and it was sweet and nutty and pleasant the whole way, LIKE CANDY!
It seems to me with PA if you don't get it warm enough it doesn't ever open up with the flavor, but as soon as you get there if you get it hotter it gets a little nasty. This was so tasty and good through the whole bowl. Got just a little wet and sizzly right at the very bottom, but I am smoking outside on the front porch with a light rain.
This is how it's supposed to be.
AWESOME.



Well done bro!
Believe it or not, PA is one of my fav. all round everyday smoke. Love the stuff, use it especially when breaking in new pipes!!
Well done and enjoy!!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: