My first successful bowl, mostly

[Robster]

Hi all,

I can really say that today I had an awesome experience. I've been at it for a month or so now and I've noticed I'm hitting the "sweet spot" on the draw about a third of the way into the bowl. Lovely stuff, really love that moment, but it never lasts long.

Well, this time I hit the sweet spot very quickly and it held and held and held all the way to about 1/4 from the bottom. I think it was just too hot then. I can't tell you how satisfying that is! I'm not sure what it was. I do know I just read the start of the Pipeman's Handbook and:

• really went easier on my packing as per its instructions in the first part, it could be that.
• It could be the tamping gently as I go.
• It could be I used matches instead of a zippo.

Basically, they're the three things I did differently and I'll be experimenting with all of those in the future.

Just a bit excited, and just wanted to let you all know that "yeah, I did it!". I had my "aha moment" with the pipe....

 

[Hangten]

Sweet! What did you smoke and what kind of pipe?

 

[Robster]

Mr Brog Churchwarden #14.
Unknown brand, rich aromatic, mild blend. Lots of chocolate/vanilla/sherry when you smell it. Sweet and mild when you smoke it. (and get the sweet spot)

 

[Commander Quan]

Good job. When everything clicks it elevates the whole experience. Even after you become a seasoned piper you'll have sessions where everything just seams to fall into place, and those are great.

 

[the_edski]

Good job. When everything clicks it elevates the whole experience. Even after you become a seasoned piper you'll have sessions where everything just seams to fall into place, and those are great.

+1. The "perfect" bowl is divine! I'm glad you had your "aha" moment. Keep up the good work!

 

[Argonaut]

That's what makes the pipe an endeavor, instead of just a hobby. Guys that have been smoking pipes for 50 years will still tell their friends about having a perfect bowl. Congratulations on your first of many.

 

[oc_in_fw]

It was the original packing and tamping that did the trick. Flame is the easy part.

 

[blindmouse]

I'm quite new and buying a pipe tool and lightly tamping down the ash improved my smoke immediately. Glad to hear things are well!

 

[the_edski]

I'm quite new and buying a pipe tool and lightly tamping down the ash improved my smoke immediately. Glad to hear things are well!

Tamping is more technique than tool. A czech tool is always preferable (even if just for the other uses), but if you do it right, a golf tee or fat headed nail will give you the exact same results.

 

[Argonaut]

It's also important to remember when lighting, you're just trying to light the top of the tobacco, not to suck the flame all the way to the bottom of the bowl. This will start your smoke off too hot from the start, and will be difficult to recover. A lesson I learned the hard way many moons ago. I'm convinced that if internet forums were around twenty years ago, we'd have a whole lot more happy pipe smokers in the world today.

 

[Robster]

Great comments. I had two very sub par bowls since then unfortunately and coming back to bemoan my recent failures , read the above, and I think you're right (all of you). Especially the start flame. I go too hard and pull too much at the start. I've been reading the pipeman's book (PDF) that was shared on here not long ago with each bowl and it's really really helping, but that bowl that started this thread, I'm chasing it again!

Speaking of the Pipeman's book. I'm VERY much interested in different tobaccos after reading half of it. Anyone who hasn't read it, I highly recommend it.