New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart

[AdamJoshua]

Well I should have watched the videos of loading the bowl, the false light, the tamp ... didn't though, first bowl was kind of a fail, I used some Entertainer ribbon cut that I got at the local shop, kept going out of course and did not take long to burn through it, seems I put about 1/3 of what I should have put and it wasn't loaded down enough. Now I know though

Ok question, I got some tobacco at the B & M and it's at a certain moisture level, some of the samples that Steve blasted me with are all over the moisture spectrum, do you smoke different mixes at different humidity levels or is it like cigars you find a level that works for you and you smoke all of your tobaccos at that same humidity level?

[mahtofire14]

Don't get discouraged. It will get better with practice. I have a lot of work to do on my loading skills as well. I have found many helpful videos online where a guy goes step by step loading the pipe and lighting it.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by AdamJoshua

Well I should have watched the videos of loading the bowl, the false light, the tamp ... didn't though, first bowl was kind of a fail, I used some Entertainer ribbon cut that I got at the local shop, kept going out of course and did not take long to burn through it, seems I put about 1/3 of what I should have put and it wasn't loaded down enough. Now I know though

Ok question, I got some tobacco at the B & M and it's at a certain moisture level, some of the samples that Steve blasted me with are all over the moisture spectrum, do you smoke different mixes at different humidity levels or is it like cigars you find a level that works for you and you smoke all of your tobaccos at that same humidity level?

As a general rule for me and personal preference, I like to dry out my pipe tobacco on a paper plate for 30 minutes or longer before filling the pipe. Aromatics and other baccy that have been topped or cased tend to be more wet. Higher moisture content leads to moisture in the bowl and "gurgle" when heated along with the need for several relights while smoking. Most of the tobacco I sent you has been resting in my cellar in mason jars for over 2 years. Some however, like the Balkan Sobranie and Germain's Special Latakia Flake, were fresh out of the tin. While they are not aro's, baccy right out of the tin tends to be wet and needs a little drying time. The Devil's Holiday aromatic has been in a mason jar for almost 2 years and was left open to dry for a while before cellaring and it's still wet. Pipe tobacco moisture content preference is just something you kind of figure out and get a feel for as you go along with trial and error. Good luck, and remember...don't pack the pipe...just fill it.

P.S. Look up the "Frank Method" of filling a pipe on youtube. It helped me out when I first started off.