| Smoking a pipe requires more apparatus and | | | | will tamp out this initial lighting after a |
| techinique than cigarette or even cigar | | | | few seconds, pack the surface down more |
| smoking. In addition to the pipe itself and | | | | tightly, and relight. If the tobacco catches |
| matches or a lighter, smokers usually require | | | | fire during either light, it can be put out; |
| a pipe tool for packing, adjusting, and | | | | the goal is to have the surface smoldering in |
| emptying the tobacco in the bowl, and a | | | | a uniform way. |
| regular supply of pipe cleaners. | | | | |
| | | | Prevent Burning |
| Packing | | | | |
| | | | To prevent your wood pipe from burning make a |
| Pipe tobacco can be purchased in several | | | | 50/50 mix of honey and water and use your |
| forms, which vary both in flavour (leading to | | | | finger to spread it around the inside of the |
| many blends, or the opportunity for the | | | | bowl. Let this mixture dry. After a few |
| smoker to blend their own tobaccos) and in | | | | bowls, the mix will create a barrier that |
| the physical shape and size to which the | | | | will be burn resistant. |
| tobacco has been reduced. Most tobaccos | | | | |
| resemble cigarrette tobacco, but | | | | This method is not considered extremely |
| substantially more moist (so they must be | | | | effective, and can also add a flavor which |
| kept in airtight packaging), and cut much | | | | may be undesirable to smokers. Most Briar |
| more coarsely. This makes it rather difficult | | | | pipes are already pre-treated to resist burn, |
| to roll pipe tobacco into cigarette papers; | | | | and if smoked correctly, the cake will build |
| but finely cut tobacco does not allow enough | | | | up properly on its own. |
| air to flow through the pipe, and overly dry | | | | |
| tobacco burns too quickly with little | | | | Smoking |
| flavour. Some kinds are cut into long narrow | | | | |
| ribbons. Some are pressed into flat cakes | | | | Pipe smoke, like cigar smoke, is usually not |
| which are cut up. Others are tightly wound | | | | inhaled. It is merely brought into the mouth |
| into long ropes, then sliced into discs. | | | | and then released. It is normal to have to |
| Flake tobacco (sliced cakes or ropes) may be | | | | relight a pipe periodically. If it is smoked |
| prepared in several ways. Generally it is | | | | too slowly, this will happen more often. If |
| rubbed out with the fingers and palms until | | | | it is smoked too quickly, it can produce |
| it is loose enough to pack. It can also be | | | | excess moisture, producing a gurgling sound |
| crumbled or simply folded and stuffed into a | | | | in the pipe. A pipe cleaner can be used to |
| pipe. Some people also prefer to dice very | | | | dry it out. The bowl of the pipe can also |
| coarse tobaccos up before using them, making | | | | become uncomfortably hot, depending on the |
| them easier to pack. | | | | material and the rate of smoking. For this |
| | | | reason clay pipes in particular are often |
| In the most common method of packing, tobacco | | | | held by the stem. Meershaum pipes are held in |
| is added to the bowl of the pipe in several | | | | a square of chamois leather, with gloves, or |
| batches, each one pressed down until the | | | | else by the stem in order to prevent uneven |
| mixture has a uniform density that optimizes | | | | coloring of the material. |
| airflow (something that it is difficult to | | | | |
| gauge without practice). This can be done | | | | Cleaning |
| with a finger or thumb, but if the tobacco | | | | |
| needs to be repacked later, while it is | | | | The ash and the last bits of unburned tobacco |
| burning, the tamper on a pipe tool is | | | | (the dottle) need to be emptied after |
| sometimes used. If it needs to be loosened, | | | | smoking, and the pipe should be cleaned with |
| the reamer, or any similar long pin can be | | | | some regularity. A cake of ash eventually |
| used. | | | | develops inside the bowl. This is good for |
| | | | controlling overall heat, but if it becomes |
| Lighting | | | | too thick it needs to be scraped down. |
| | | | |
| Matches, or even separately lit slivers of | | | | Sweetening |
| wood, are usually considered preferable to | | | | |
| lighters. Some people complain that lighters | | | | When tobacco is burned, oils are vaporized |
| impart an inappropriate taste to the tobacco. | | | | and condense on the walls of the bowl, in the |
| Because a lighter must be held sideways, | | | | existing cake, and in the shank. Over time, |
| putting the fingers much closer to the flame, | | | | these oils can oxidize and turn rancid, |
| they can be harder to use with pipes than | | | | causing the pipe to give a sour or bitter |
| matches are. However, lighters especially | | | | smoke. An effective measure called the |
| made for pipes exist that minimize or | | | | Professor's Pipe-Sweetening Treatment |
| eliminate these issues. When matches are | | | | involves filling the bowl with salt and |
| used, they are normally allowed to burn for a | | | | carefully wetting it with strong spirits. |
| couple of seconds to remove the sulfur from | | | | Some people find that regularly wiping out |
| the tip, and to produce a fuller flame. The | | | | the bowl with spirits is helpful in |
| flame is then moved in circles above the | | | | preventing souring. Commercial |
| tobacco while the smoker puffs on the pipe to | | | | pipe-sweetening products are also available. |
| draw the flame into the tobacco. Most smokers | | | | |