Relights

[LordTemplar]

I hate to relight my pipe while I am smoking it. I have not had this problem much because I do pack well. Today I had to relight a pipe 6 times and it never staid lit. It is the second pipe of the day for me and the first one did the same thing. The pipes I am smoking the tobacco in are high quality and very old friends.

Any suggestions anyone?

 

[Richard Burley]

Any suggestions anyone?

Yeah. Don't worry about it.  :sunny: 

 

[gravel]

Any suggestions anyone?

Yeah.  Don't worry about it.   :sunny: 

There are many variables. Each tobacco is different and each day is different. If you stick to one tobacco and prepare it exactly the same way each time only smoking it in one pipe you will find you are no closer to the end of less relights.

Try packing less.

If your goal is better flavor, relights become inconsequential as your focus has shifted. You'll find a smoldering pipe nearing going out delivers better flavor.

 

[monbla256]

So what's wrong? I've been smoking for over 40 years and have to re-light with ALL my pipes and 'baccy. That's just smoking a pipe so what's wrong?  :twisted: :twisted: 

 

[Northern Neil]

The day I stopped trying to keep my pipe lit with no re-lights was the day I truely started enjoying this little past time of ours. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[williamcharles]

The day I stopped trying to keep my pipe lit with no re-lights was the day I truely started enjoying this little past time of ours.  I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Same here. Just enjoy your baccy. Even the old timers I knew when I was a kid relit now and then. Jim Beard says that you should not worry unless you require more than a dozen relights and if you do need that many you should either change the method of packing or dry your baccy a tad first (or longer). All the guys have made good points.

 

[LordTemplar]

These are all good points. I will have to relax. Of course telling me to relax is like telling a Bull Elephant that is charging to stop charging.

 

[Stick]

These are all good points.  I will have to relax.  Of course telling me to relax is like telling a Bull Elephant that is charging to stop charging.

Sounds like a good reason for another pipe old chap.

 

[williamcharles]

These are all good points.  I will have to relax.  Of course telling me to relax is like telling a Bull Elephant that is charging to stop charging.

You could take away his credit card.  :twisted: 

 

[APKurt]

I am pretty new to smoking a pipe and one of the things that I was a bit relieved to hear was that everybody relights their pipes   .  I do find that judicious use of a tamper helps me keep my relight numbers down a bit.  Here are my observations so far on what seems to work well for me:

For the first half of the bowl tamping with moderate firmness while drawing on the pipe seems to build a nice ember.  This technique becomes counter-productive about halfway through the bowl.  From there on in, I very gentle tamp from around the edges toward the center as I'm drawing gently on the pipe: almost like a brushing maneuver more than a tamping.  This seems to keep the ember going and I seem to need fewer relights.

It does get me wondering, though, does anyone else use a similar tamping technique?  Any pointers on what might work better?

 

[monbla256]

This "RELIGHT" thing keeps coming up time and time again!! WHAT'S WRONG WITH RELIGHTING a pipe ? It's part of the whole process of SMOKING !! All this ELITEST relight mania can take a flying leap!! It's part of smoking a pipe !! Oh well  :twisted: :twisted: 

 

[RDPipes]

I've said this before when this subject came up, It's like the Rookie truck driver when asked when was the last time he missed a gear and he replies, "I've never missed a gear!" And then the same question was asked a 30 year veteran truck driver and he looked at his watch before answering. It something we all do, whether we wish to admit it or not, part of life as a pipe smoker. I probably have to relight more then others because I constantly find myself day dreaming.

 

[gravel]

Re: tamping

It does help minimize relights, but over tamping is bad juju. I generally let the weight of the tamper do the work.

 

[MisterE]

Everyone knows the mark of a skilled pipeman is to smoke the entire bowl with only one match.







































Not.  :lol!: :lol!:  Light, and relight, and light yet again.

 

[huffelpuff]

The only time I even think about relights is when I'm low on matches or just about out of lighter fluid. At those times I find putting two fingers over the top of the bowl when I draw will often bring the ember back to life. As far as tamping goes I tend to angle my tamper but just let the weight do the work. So I end up with a slight mound in the center of the bowl. Never really thought about it before.

Jim

 

[lb]

I am pretty new to smoking a pipe and one of the things that I was a bit relieved to hear was that everybody relights their pipes   .  I do find that judicious use of a tamper helps me keep my relight numbers down a bit.  Here are my observations so far on what seems to work well for me:

For the first half of the bowl tamping with moderate firmness while drawing on the pipe seems to build a nice ember.  This technique becomes counter-productive about halfway through the bowl.  From there on in, I very gentle tamp from around the edges toward the center as I'm drawing gently on the pipe: almost like a brushing maneuver more than a tamping.  This seems to keep the ember going and I seem to need fewer relights.

It does get me wondering, though, does anyone else use a similar tamping technique?  Any pointers on what might work better?

What works for me is the other way . I always tamp while gently blowing and never drawing in order to avoid changing the taste at the bottom. Remenber that when you blow the fire goes up and when you draw it goes down. Tamping while drawing may heat the bottom so much as to change the taste later when that part is smoked. To smoke a pipe with a single match is perfectly possible but not recommended. You can use the pick of the pipe tool to inject an air channel and keep the fire. Or you can remove the ash at the top while smoking to keep a better air supply. I have smoked a pipe with a single match several times with this technique. However , most of the time i do not do this and i light about 3 or 4 times because in that way i enjoy better(cooler) my smoke.

 

[APKurt]

I always tamp while gently blowing and never drawing in order to avoid changing the taste at the bottom. Remenber that when you blow the fire goes up and when you draw it goes down. Tamping while drawing may heat the bottom so much as to change the taste later when that part is smoked. To smoke a pipe with a single match is perfectly possible but not recommended. You can use the pick of the pipe tool to inject an air channel and keep the fire. Or you can remove the ash at the top while smoking to keep a better air supply. I have smoked a pipe with a single match several times with this technique. However , most of the time i do not do this and i light about 3 or 4 times because in that way i enjoy better(cooler) my smoke.

I have been trying to learn the proper balance between tamping and relighting.  I don't have an issue with relighting but I also want to learn how to use the tamper effectively.  I  really appreciate the suggestion.  I will try this tonight!

 

[Stick]

Why don't we flip this on its head and have a competition to see how many relights we can get to one bowl? Might help to trivialize the concern over multiple relights??!!?? I'll start the ball rolling... last week I recall using 7 matches after the charring light. I've probably had more than that in the past but I struggle to remember anything past yesterday...

 

[monbla256]

Why don't we flip this on its head and have a competition to see how many relights we can get to one bowl?  Might help to trivialize the concern over multiple relights??!!??  I'll start the ball rolling... last week I recall using 7 matches after the charring light.  I've probably had more than that in the past but I struggle to remember anything past yesterday...

If you want to maximize your "re-Lights" try taking some McC's Dark Star right out of the tin, loading your pipe and start striking matches ! Will take you about 1/4th the box of wooden kitchen matches to get it lit and the rest of the box to KEEP IT LIT   :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Brewdude]

Relights?

I never stress about this. It's a given.

Sometimes have multiple relights. Depends on what I'm doing at the time. Could be a couple or more. I don't count them.

<shrug>


Cheers,

RR