smoking technique advice

[bruins]

new to the brothers of the briar. have been pipe smoking for a year. favs are Frog morton and tinderbox reserve 1928. i've got some gl pease union square in my closet but i have to put on my big boy pants for that one. anyway, here's my problem. no matter what i smoke, the last half of the bowl is ashy tasting and not nearly as nice as the first half. i hate those tobacco reviews where they describe how wonderful that last third of the bowl tastes. i never get that far. maybe i'm a crappy packer, maybe too light or too tight--not sure. i've recently started using the german method. i like it for it's simplicity, but i'm still getting the ashy taste. i welcome all the wisdom that's out there. thanks.

 

[Hunter5117]

How much do you mess with the tobacco while you are smoking it. I have come to pack all my pipes super-loose, trying to maintain an air chamber at the bottom, and I never get any ash smoking all the way to the end unless for some reason I feel the need to poke around in the bowl. Tamp very little and only let the weight of the tamper do the work. Be careful if you need to use a cleaner to clear the airway, a pipe cleaner too far down the shank can also lift the tobacco up, permitting ash to filter down through and then into your mouth.

These are the only times I get ash in the smoke, maybe others can help more.

 

[adauria]

Maybe you're smoking it too hard - too fast, and too hot. If you think this might be the case, try slowing down. Don't puff, puff, puff like crazy. Gentle smoking... You get the idea. If things get too hot or burn too fast, things will taste harsh pretty quickly. It'll just get worse as the bowl burns down if you keep smoking fast too.

-Andrew

 

[bruins]

yeah, i'm suspicious that i might smoke too fast. my bowl can get pretty hot sometimes. i've tried setting it down for 5 or 10 minutes and coming back to it, but it usually tastes weird when i do that. i'll try and just take it down a notch, see if it doesn't improve the flavor.

(hey, and thanks for the reply. i joined the botb because of a post you wrote some guy about the differences between virginias, english, and aromatics. it was about the least complicated and digestable breakdown i've come across.)

 

[Eric]

Another thing you might try is just filling the pipe half way. I remember having the same experience(s) 15 or so years ago - the first half of the bowl tasted great but the latter half wasn't enjoyable. I might have "acquired" a taste for second half of the bowl, but I'm really not sure. At any rate, there's no law stating that you have to fill the pipe to the top. A half bowl might just be what's most enjoyable for you.

 

[Wayne_Teipen]

My experience has been that wet tobacco tastes more harsh. It could be that you are tending to smoke wet. Slow the pace and intensity of the draws and see if that helps. I've also noticed that some tobaccos hold up through the bottom of the bowl than others. There are some that I can smoke all the way down and others that I end up dumping the bottom 1/4 of the bowl. Are your pipes well broken in? The more broken in your pipes are the better they will handle moisture.

 

[Zeno Marx]

A very old gentleman who once worked at a Cuban cigar factory told me that a puff around every 60 seconds is close to the perfect speed. The tobaccos don't build up too much tar and nicotine as it filters itself. They burn at a nice, even, coolish temp, so there is lesser drying during the smoke. You get the idea. That slow pace allows for every ribbon and millimeter to remain in a good state of grace and to be completely smokable. No waste. I think a full 60 seconds might be a bit over-cautious, but I understood the gist of what he was trying to convey. As most have likely found in their own time, that slow, steady pace really does serve the tobacco well; whether it be cigar or pipe. Didn't one of the great Sirs of history say something like, "You pay service to the tobacco, not the other way around."

 

[bruins]

appreciate all the advice. i tried it all last night while i smoked gl pease westminster. flavor was a lot better, not harsh, sweeter. (the old cigar advice of one sip every 60 seconds, while pretty conservative, is really good advice for me, who was hitting the pipe about every other breath.) i didn't get to test it out fully though, because i didn't make it to the bottom of the bowl. for me, that product has a head reeling nicotine hit and i had to quit. anyway, glad i joined botb. thanks again.

 

[Anonymous]

to wet, not good for m at all, you work to hard to keep it lit and then smoke it hot!
SMOKE SLOW, REAL SLOW (sip the pipe) and don't pack the bowl to tight is the best advice I ever got!
Good luck and enjoy!!!!

8)

 

[Smoker99]

Pack a little on the loose side, tamp lightly, and smoke slowly.

 

[Johnny]

I struggled with my pipe-filling technique for a long time until I stopped overthinking it. Now I just drop the tobacco in the bowl until full, tap the side of the pipe with my finger then repeat until full. Works for me and I get much better smokes now. Just have to remember to smoke slow too. I hope this helps

 

[Justpipes]

I struggled with my pipe-filling technique for a long time until I stopped overthinking it.

Best damn advice I've seen yet! Just smoke the pipe and enjoy it!

 

[MisterE]

3 things come to mind:

1. Packing too hard.

If the tobacco at the bottom of the bowl is too dense the moisture which results from combustion will collect there.... remember all the smoke goes THROUGH the tobacco at the bottom to get to the other end. Ever seen a smoked cigarrette filter or cigar butt? Same principle... best to give it plenty of airspace.

2. Smoking too fast/hot.

Just about any tobacco will lose a lot of what it has to offer if you let it get too hot. It can get pretty wet and nasty if you "hotbox" them. (That might be better left for more intimate situations). I think slower and cooler is the ticket... You'll appreciate this more if you ever start getting into flake tobaccos. They just don't work well if you puff them too hard.

3. Too moist

If the tobacco is too wet, the resulting condensation will build up in the heel and all the "gurgliness" equals sourness before too long.

In general, err on the side of too LOOSE when packing. You can tamp it down if its too loose or want a more intense concentration to the flavor. Harder to unpack it once it's lit. I just gravity fill the first part of my bowl- almost no pressure on it at all. Then as I fill it up I'll pack each layer a little firmer. It just takes a little practice is all.

The "cooler" smoking is good thing to cultivate especially IMHO. In addition to minimizing tongue-bite, the complexities of the different tobacco blends are more accessible. Kind of like food. If you eat it REALLY hot, it's still good, but you can miss some of the flavor and subtleties. It's just to HOT. When it cools down a little, however, you can really get a feeling for the flavor. This too takes a little practice.

One afterthought. If your pipe is really cruddy inside, this can be a detriment as well, no matter how good your technique is.

 

[Zeno Marx]

Pack a little on the loose side

I found this helpful when I developed my packing technique. I fill the bowl about 20% full. I hold the pipe in my left hand and hit that gripping thumb against the palm of my right hand. I don't want to be hitting the pipe directly, but I want to jar the tobacco a bit. I tamp lightly. I then fill the bowl to the top and repeat. I try to get the tobacco ribbons (or chunks in the case of a rustic cake) to lock into themselves and fill the space with just a little jarring. Again, I lightly tamp. It's certainly not a dense fill, but it isn't fluffy, either. Overpacking creates all kinds of problems and hassles with heat and moisture. This seems to consistently avoid any of that trouble. Seems to also help with the moisture collecting at the bottom as well, regardless of the tobacco.

 

[Anonymous]

Good, Glad you are winning there!!
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

 

[bruins]

thanks to all for the advice. i'm glad you got around to packing. after reading your thoughts, i do pack too hard. for you guys who smoke union square, do you tear it apart, make a plug, or what?

 

[Anonymous]

thanks to all for the advice. i'm glad you got around to packing. after reading your thoughts, i do pack too hard. for you guys who smoke union square, do you tear it apart, make a plug, or what?

There are many ways to smoke it bro, I prefer well rubbed here!
Tear & stuff is another and so on, experiment to find out what suits you best!

 

[bruins]

thanks to all for the advice. i'm glad you got around to packing. after reading your thoughts, i do pack too hard. for you guys who smoke union square, do you tear it apart, make a plug, or what?

There are many ways to smoke it bro, I prefer well rubbed here!
Tear & stuff is another and so on, experiment to find out what suits you best!

well rubbed it is! (sounds like my teenage years...and married years...i think i'll shut up now.)

 

[Anonymous]

thanks to all for the advice. i'm glad you got around to packing. after reading your thoughts, i do pack too hard. for you guys who smoke union square, do you tear it apart, make a plug, or what?

There are many ways to smoke it bro, I prefer well rubbed here!
Tear & stuff is another and so on, experiment to find out what suits you best!

well rubbed it is! (sounds like my teenage years...and married years...i think i'll shut up now.)

Dude you're a Legend, remember it reverts back after 10 years of Marriage!!!!
............. I'll shut up too now!!! :lol!: :lol!: :lol!: