Help! I'm puffing and I can't slow down!

[gjcab09]

So when I'm puffing on a cigar, there's no problem, puff here, puff there, takes me an hour and a half to get through a robusto, consistently. When I pull out my pipe, though, it's another story entirely, I can't stop puffing on that thing...there's no relaxation there at all, I feel like if I stop puffing it'll go out and I also think that I can't put it down or it'll go out and I'm not a big fan of re-lighting every 3 minutes.

I don't know what to do, but I don't enjoy it the way things are.

Any tips...pointers...anything?

Thanks,

[Mad Hatter]

It takes practice and experience. I was in the store just last week for upwards of 5 minutes and when I got back out to the truck my pipe went on like I hadn't even set it down, not that it happens everyday. Its just getting a feel for it and not packing too tightly and all the other factors that are involved.

[Mitch]

Originally Posted by gjcab09

So when I'm puffing on a cigar, there's no problem, puff here, puff there, takes me an hour and a half to get through a robusto, consistently. When I pull out my pipe, though, it's another story entirely, I can't stop puffing on that thing...there's no relaxation there at all, I feel like if I stop puffing it'll go out and I also think that I can't put it down or it'll go out and I'm not a big fan of re-lighting every 3 minutes.

I don't know what to do, but I don't enjoy it the way things are.

Any tips...pointers...anything?

Thanks,

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
First off, I think being a cigar smoker is a disadvantage. I am one myself, and I have the same problem. But once you get tongue bite a few times, your forced to learn. I have noticed smoking in the car has helped me learn also. When I would smoke at a shop first starting out, I would stress out about keeping it lit. When I am running errands in my car and smoking my pipe, I don't worry about the pipe as much. So this has taught me to relax when smoking my pipe. And in the beginning, don't make keeping the pipe lit your goal. My goal is to take a hit no stronger then I take a breath of air. If I have to re-light, oh well, I am learning.

[Lefty]

Originally Posted by Mitch

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
First off, I think being a cigar smoker is a disadvantage. I am one myself, and I have the same problem. But once you get tongue bite a few times, your forced to learn. I have noticed smoking in the car has helped me learn also. When I would smoke at a shop first starting out, I would stress out about keeping it lit. When I am running errands in my car and smoking my pipe, I don't worry about the pipe as much. So this has taught me to relax when smoking my pipe. And in the beginning, don't make keeping the pipe lit your goal. My goal is to take a hit no stronger then I take a breath of air. If I have to re-light, oh well, I am learning.

Take longer slower puffs. I too tend to smoke cigars faster. Also, drink a beverage while smoking the pipe. If you are doing something that requires thought or an active conversation I tend to let the pipe go out more frequently.

[drastic_quench]

I blow a little air back through the pipe and also cover the bowl a bit with my fingers when inhaling sometimes to stoke up the pipe. As long as you're not overheating your pipe and it's broken in, this works fine.

I do relight a fair amount of the time too. It's just part of the pipe.

[gjcab09]

The stem bugs the hell out of me too...hurts my teeth to bite down on it, and I get tired of holding the darn thing the whole time. Thanks for the tips so far, I really don't want to give up on my pipe as I have had a few good smokes out of it, and it can be a nice change of pace.

[Mitch]

I now prefer a pipe over cigar, but I am getting better at it. I don't stress over it going out anymore. Once I get my bowl lit, I don't have to re-light until I am toward the end. But I don't smoke the pipe like a cigar anymore. I take it slow.

[Mitch]

Oh, and make sure your tobacco isn't wet. This helps also.

[WWhermit]

1. Don't worry about having to relight your pipe.
2. Don'g worry about having to relight your pipe.
3. Can you guess? Don't worry about relighting your pipe!

Relighting the pipe takes nothing away from the enjoyment of smoking it. I had a great bowl of Anniversary Kake yesterday, took an hour to smoke. I probably lit it close to 9 times. Why? Who cares? Did I enjoy it any less? Nope.

Having a pipe go out come from many factors:

1. Moisture level of the tobacco.
2. How firmly or loosely it's packed.
3. How interesting the book is that I'm reading.
4. Quality of the briar that the pipe's made of.
5. How quickly or slowly I'm puffing on the pipe.

All these things contribute. As a beginner, the only thing you should be concerned about is how to keep from burning your tongue from PUFFING TOO QUICKLY! That's the #1 mistake of novice pipe smokers. If you feel that you have to puff quickly to keep it lit, tamp it down just a bit. Puffing like crazy and your cheeks are getting pulled in? Probably have it packed too tightly.

Point is, learning to properly smoke a pipe takes time, and patience. Give it a year. That doesn't mean that you won't enjoy the journey. You will. Grab a book, sit on the porch, and smoke your pipe. A week from now, you'll be better. A week later, even better. A month from now, you'll have a relaxed smile on your face. A year from now? Bliss. I promise. Relax, and enjoy the journey.

That is all.

WWhermit

[gjcab09]

Originally Posted by WWhermit

1. Don't worry about having to relight your pipe.
2. Don'g worry about having to relight your pipe.
3. Can you guess? Don't worry about relighting your pipe!

Relighting the pipe takes nothing away from the enjoyment of smoking it. I had a great bowl of Anniversary Kake yesterday, took an hour to smoke. I probably lit it close to 9 times. Why? Who cares? Did I enjoy it any less? Nope.

I hate relighting my pipe! Unless it's just to get that last little bit toward the end, cuz then I know I'm almost done! I hate relighting it because I have to clench it in my teeth to do so. As I mentioned before, my teeth hurt when I do that. It's uncomfortable even for the minimal time necessary to light it. I don't like to repeat the process if I can help it. If I have to actually support the entire weight of my pipe in my clenched jaw, I'm an unhappy camper! Not hollering at anyone, just frustrated, which is entirely the wrong emotion to associate with what should be a calming experience.

[Requiem]

Some people are clenchers, some are not. I tend to drool if clenching for more then a few seconds.
Just hold the pipe in your hand and, when forced to clench, put the pipe in the sides of your mouth, clenching it with your pre-molares, not with your front teeth.

[WWhermit]

Originally Posted by gjcab09

I hate relighting my pipe! Unless it's just to get that last little bit toward the end, cuz then I know I'm almost done! I hate relighting it because I have to clench it in my teeth to do so. As I mentioned before, my teeth hurt when I do that. It's uncomfortable even for the minimal time necessary to light it. I don't like to repeat the process if I can help it. If I have to actually support the entire weight of my pipe in my clenched jaw, I'm an unhappy camper! Not hollering at anyone, just frustrated, which is entirely the wrong emotion to associate with what should be a calming experience.

I understand your frustration, and all these will lessen with time. This is a different hobby than cigar smoking. It's not an instantly perfected activity. That's why it's called "The gentleman's hobby." There are skills to be learned here, but trust me when I say, every pipe smoker has gone through what you're experiencing, and has found the end to greatly justify the means!

I tend to hold my pipe more than clench. You may find that because you're new to the pipe, and are a bit concerned about having it fall out of the mouth, you may be clenching too hard? Perhaps, perhaps not. My jaw muscles can't stand clenching for long, just like you, so I tend to hold the pipe more than clench. You will find what you're comfortable with naturally.

Be patient, enjoy the enjoyable parts of the craft, and see where it takes you. Your efforts will be greatly be rewarded!

WWhermit

[commonsenseman]

Also If you're set on clenching, smaller pipes & rubber bits help quite a bit

[gjcab09]

Naw...I'm not set on clenching, the only time I actually support the full weight of the pipe with my teeth is when I'm striking the match to light it (not coordinated enough to do that with one hand lol) but even that brief amount of time makes me cringe. Most of the time I hold the pipe in my hand, with the end of the stem between my lips and teeth, trying not to bump my teeth with it.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts so far.

[drastic_quench]

Originally Posted by gjcab09

Naw...I'm not set on clenching, the only time I actually support the full weight of the pipe with my teeth is when I'm striking the match to light it (not coordinated enough to do that with one hand lol) but even that brief amount of time makes me cringe. Most of the time I hold the pipe in my hand, with the end of the stem between my lips and teeth, trying not to bump my teeth with it.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts so far.

Here's how to light up without clenching for a right hander, reverse for lefties:

1) Cup the pipe bowl with your left hand, keeping your index finger higher than the bowl as a wind shield. Use little box matches - not cardboard. Take a match out. While cupping the pipe, place the box in between your ring and little finger. So now in your left you're holding both your pipe and the match box.

2) Strike the match and light up with your right. There's nothing to it, and you never have to clench your pipe. If I can do all this and shoot my camera with my mouth, it has to be easy.