OK... so if my pipe keeps going out...

[GregNJ]

It means either it's packed too tight or the tobacco is too wet? I did a few searches, and that was all I can come up with. Are those really the only two possibilities?

Thank you.

Greg

[Dzrtrat]

First welcome to the forums.

Well those would be the most obvious and probable reasons and would be a good place to start..Usually if I have a problem in that area it's one of the two. I can usually tell right off if I have overfilled the pipe before the lite, and make the correction, some tobacco's need to dry out a little more than others and it's a matter of finding out what works best for you.

There can also be a problem with the pipe, although I have not come a cross this problem, the pipe may not be drilled properly which in turn wont allow proper air flow. Some pipes are considered wet smokers and you may have to smoke certain tobacco's in them. If this is a consistent problem that you are having with different pipes then I would refer to the first two.

[Damicom3]

What type of pipe is it? Using matches or a lighter?

Packing pipe
Ok here is the way I pack my pipe, many people do it this way. First fill the bowl up to the rim with loose tobacco, then tamp down lightly... your bowl should be about half filled. Fill up to the rim again tamp down a little harder then the first time. Should be 2/3 full. Ok lastly fill it up and this time tamp it down like a man. Its called the three step method and hasn't failed me yet. Remember after each step check air flow through pipe. Takes about a minute when I do it.

Lighting Pipe
Do a false light of your pipe, I mean light tobacco while taking a few short puffs. Let it go out. Tamp down any tobacco that has shifted lightly Then do the 'real' light. Sounds complicated but once you get the hang it will be a short 15 second process.

I hope this helps You'll get the hang of it I had the exact same problem and it turned out my pipe was a peice of crap ebay one made in china or whatever. Got a cob and a briar and both work great.

[Pypkius]

I've been pipe smoking for just over 6 months, and my pipe has been going out until just recently when I read an article about smoking flakes (can't remember what the link is but it was in one of the forums here).

I used to get nervous everytime when I was reading tobacco reviews and the guys said, ''it smoked to the bottom with very few relights, only white nice ash left...''. when I smoked my pipe I used about 30 matches for a bowl, and ended up with loads of dottle at the bottom..I used to tamp alot thinking that would facilitate better burning...

What I do differently now is (on top of proper smoking technique, i.e. slow puffs etc) dry the tobacco very well and DO NOT TAMP. This guy in the article had 30years of smoking experience and also found it very difficult to resist to tamp, however that's the right way to smoke flakes, and works fine with other tobaccos too..

I gravity fill flakes and use Frank method for ribbon cut tobacco, and only tamp very lightly to settle the surface after lighting. seems to have improved my smoking experience very well. when the pipe starts going out now, that means it's time to knock the white nice ashes out and reach for more tobacco...

Hope this helped

[Damicom3]

Originally Posted by Pypkius

I've been pipe smoking for just over 6 months, and my pipe has been going out until just recently when I read an article about smoking flakes (can't remember what the link is but it was in one of the forums here).

I used to get nervous everytime when I was reading tobacco reviews and the guys said, ''it smoked to the bottom with very few relights, only white nice ash left...''. when I smoked my pipe I used about 30 matches for a bowl, and ended up with loads of dottle at the bottom..I used to tamp alot thinking that would facilitate better burning...

What I do differently now is (on top of proper smoking technique, i.e. slow puffs etc) dry the tobacco very well and DO NOT TAMP. This guy in the article had 30years of smoking experience and also found it very difficult to resist to tamp, however that's the right way to smoke flakes, and works fine with other tobaccos too..

I gravity fill flakes and use Frank method for ribbon cut tobacco, and only tamp very lightly to settle the surface after lighting. seems to have improved my smoking experience very well. when the pipe starts going out now, that means it's time to knock the white nice ashes out and reach for more tobacco...

Hope this helped

While smoking don't tamp but if your packing the bowl (non-frank method) isn't it ok to do so? With thumb or pipe tool whichever. I'll have to try this not tamping while smoking, if it will make my smoking experience better i'm down for it.

[Mad Hatter]

The best advice I ever heard was "you have to put some air in there with your tobacco". Packing too loosely has a quick fix, packing too tightly, not so much.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Mad Hatter

The best advice I ever heard was "you have to put some air in there with your tobacco". Packing too loosely has a quick fix, packing too tightly, not so much.

And that's the name of that tune.

[GregNJ]

Originally Posted by Dzrtrat

There can also be a problem with the pipe...

I bought two cobs. Having the same problem with both. It's definitely a user error of some description.

Originally Posted by Damicom3

Ok here is the way I pack my pipe, many people do it this way.

Packing and lighting exactly as you suggested. My draw feels unimpeded through the pipe. Yet I'm still relighting constantly. That said, both tobaccos I'm smoking may be too moist. One is a 965, one is an aromatic of some description. Both were bought by the ounce out of glass jars at the local tobacconist (if that offers some insight with regard to moisture levels).

Originally Posted by Mad Hatter

The best advice I ever heard was "you have to put some air in there with your tobacco". Packing too loosely has a quick fix, packing too tightly, not so much.

I've read where you've said this in a few threads, and I suspect that if my tobacco isn't too wet, I'm guilty of a lack of air.

Thanks all... I'll keep at it.

Greg

[Mad Hatter]

Originally Posted by GregNJ

I've read where you've said this in a few threads, and I suspect that if my tobacco isn't too wet, I'm guilty of a lack of air.

Thanks all... I'll keep at it.

Greg

Yeah, I like saying that because its so childishly simplistic. Even if your tobacco isn't dry enough it just means you have to put even more air down there to replace the space air loses to moisture released in the presence of heat

[GregNJ]

Originally Posted by Mad Hatter

Yeah, I like saying that because its so childishly simplistic. Even if your tobacco isn't dry enough it just means you have to put even more air down there to replace the space air loses to moisture released in the presence of heat

Thanks. My next pipe will be a loser fill.

Greg

[Pypkius]

It is difficult to resist the urge to tamp, however the article Ii read advised to only tamp when the pipe wouldnt stay lit without tamping, and even then tamp just the very surface by the weight of the tamper, so just to flatten the ashes. Works for me...