So i made a pipe, how to smoke it right?

[redbreast]

Hi.
i got this piece of "carve your own pipe" briar from my girlfriend. So now I finished sanding it and is about to wax it using carnauba first thing in the morning.
But I have no idea how to treat it right while smoking. And since I actually don't smoke I have never tried a pipe before. Got some tobacco for it but that is pretty much it.

Does it take some kind of smoking in? Appritiate any kind of advice.

 

[Commander Quan]

You will want to start building up a layer of carbon inside the pipe from the bottom up. Start with half a pipe full and try to smoke it to the bottom 10 times or so and then go to 3/4 full and do the same.

What kind of tobacco did you get? You'll probably want to let it dry out, before you try smoking. If the tobacco is too wet it won't burn well, and you'll probably burn your tongue on the steam.

 

[joshua1970]

You will want to start building up a layer of carbon inside the pipe from the bottom up. Start with half a pipe full and try to smoke it to the bottom 10 times or so and then go to 3/4 full and do the same.

What kind of tobacco did you get? You'll probably want to let it dry out, before you try smoking. If the tobacco is too wet it won't burn well, and you'll probably burn your tongue on the steam.

+ 1

what derrick said

 

[jwhite]

The only thing to add, although it may seem obvious to us regulars, give the pipe time to rest between smokes and puff gently. Your pipe and tongue will thank you.

 

[oc_in_fw]

you must post pics

 

[redbreast]

Will post pics once carnauba is applyed. Is there something special to think about when packing the tobacco? Pack "hard" or "soft and gentle"?
How long should I let the pipe rest between smoking it again?
The tobacco is 'my own blend' Paul Olsen , it was supposed to be a very mild tobacco suitable for beginners.

 

[conroygc]

The pipe should be packed firm, but not too firm. Drop loose tobacco in the pipe without pressing down, until it is overflowing. Then pack the tobacco down until it is firm. That should leave it about 1/2 full, which is where you want it for the first few smokes to build up the protective carbon. When you test the draw, it should be like sucking on a straw. Somewhere between hard, and soft/gentle.
The pipe should "rest" 24-48 hours. You'll also want a pipe tamper (or something to gently push the tobacco ash down, like a golf tee) and some pipe cleaners.
After you're done smoking let the pipe cool off completely for an hour or two. The dump all the ash out and run some cleaners through it.

 

[oc_in_fw]

Will post pics once carnauba is applyed. Is there something special to think about when packing the tobacco? Pack "hard" or "soft and gentle"?
How long should I let the pipe rest between smoking it again?
The tobacco is 'my own blend' Paul Olsen , it was supposed to be a very mild tobacco suitable for beginners.

IMO, pack it loose first- you can always tamp it down if needed. You will soon get the feel for it.

 

[joshua1970]

Will post pics once carnauba is applyed. Is there something special to think about when packing the tobacco? Pack "hard" or "soft and gentle"?
How long should I let the pipe rest between smoking it again?
The tobacco is 'my own blend' Paul Olsen , it was supposed to be a very mild tobacco suitable for beginners.

best to start with the 'gravity method' allow the mixture to fall into the pipe filling it to the top then grab a small finger full and push it into the pipe. press that down so it's spongy to the feel.

what you want is a more compact layer on top but looser as you get to bottom of the bowl. that way when you tamp it as you smoke, it gets compacted a bit but keeps it loose enough to puff gently and keeps an even burn going - but nothing wrong with relighting a pipe unless you are at a pipe smoking contest.

the briar burls are the the water resevoirs of the White heath shrub (mediterranean/arid climate) and the grain are the capillaries that carry the water within the burl. if it's high quality wood, well cured, the pipe draws out much of the moisture from the cumbustion process and leaves you with a cool/dry smoke - the slower the puffing the cooler/dryer the smoke. one way to pre-judge the wood is to hold it and feel its' 'heft' the weight/mass of the wood (if you had 2 blocks the same size, the lighter would likely deliver a better smoke and be able to be smoked more frequently)

with good wood one can get several smokes out of it with a natural tobacco (less with aromatics) per day, but I generally try not to smoke the same pipe more than twice a day and then give it a rest when traveling I may smoke more if the pipe can take it.

some people have 7 day sets so that each pipe gets a full week to rest and dry out.

you get the idea LOL sorry, sleep deprived and rambling. need to sleep after I finish up this pipe of Friedman & Pease Fez (in a peterson silver spigot bent billiard). yummy!

 

[redbreast]

So i tried smoking it this past weekend.
The tobacco kept fading out, and I hade to relight all the time. Maybe bad packing of the tobacco. Anyhow the first smoke I had in years seemed to keep me up for hours and impossible to fall asleep. Terrible.


http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums...155D8D-21704-000014674302435D_zps623e3499.jpg

 

[Stevew443]

My hints to smoking a new pipe... fill it and smoke it. I tried all the tricks in the world regarding building cake and found that when I fill it and smoke it the cake will come. As for proper density of the tobacco, the pipe should draw like a very well made cigar when loaded with tobacco. It takes a lot of practice to learn how to smoke a pipe. I just celebrated my 42nd pipe smoking anniversary this week and I still am learning.
I like the pipe you made. It looks very nice.