Balance between taste and staying lit

Sometimes it can't be helped. My smokes have been universally hotter than normal this month, especially the finish. Humidity may be the culprit.

For me it depends on the tobacco I’m smoking. Some I use the gravity drop method and a light tamp before lighting the tobacco. After a few puffs another light tamp usually helps. Some flake or cube cut blends get a much firmer pack, if you sit back, relax and keep your cadence at a moderate pace, you will not overheat the tobacco or the briar, meer or Cob your smoking!! Every pipe smoker has their own personal preference, try a few methods and see what works for you the best. My methods change depending on what tobacco I’m smoking at the time.

Also, look up the “ Frank “ method of packing and smoking a pipe on YouTube, very informative 👍👍

...once you get the tobacco fully lit, puff only when you are afraid it's going to go out...

...it's a fine line, but you eventually get the rhythm...

...this is kind of the crux of pipe-smoking... getting used to being something close to natural breathing... sounds easy, but it takes some practice... IMHO...

Well the truth is, I really don't care how many times I have to relight.

I have figured out ways with specific tobaccos in specific pipes smoking a specific way, tamping and puffing rhythm, to go more than 40 minutes without a relight. It has taught me a lot.

But for my normal smoke, I puff and tamp at a rate to keep the bowl from getting to hot to hold, and that's it. And if I have to relight I relight.

I can't see anyone telling me I am "doing it wrong", and if they do I am a big boy, I know how to handle it. (I have been doing so many things wrong my whole life I have a lot of practice.)

So what, really, is the issue. Tamp, light, puff, puff, tamp, light, puff, puff, tamplightpuffpufftamplightpuffpuff...

...yes, tamping is key... but I wasn't sure if that was too much information under the circumstances.

Good advice given by all.

Not all pipes perform in the same way, and not all tobacco's burn at the same rate...as with anything, as you try to employ some of the methods posted above, you will eventually get positive results.

I have a few pipes that I can be smoking, set the pipe down and expect it to have gone out, only to find that a light puff wakes up the slow burning coals...I think that is the result of a properly engineered pipe, and I think that the wide open draw allows it to perform that way. I am thinking that in a filtered pipe, that probably wouldn't happen.

When I tamp I just don’t do the center, it’s best too also tamp around the diameter of the chamber...works well for me👍

Sometimes I have a transcendent smoke, and sometimes not, but they're all acceptable. I usually just light it and puff as I happen to feel like. I know, philistine.

It’s definitely a ‘go by feel’ thing for me. So many factors influence the quality of the smoke. Even my state of mind has its influence. Some mornings, if I have a lot to do later that day and am thinking about getting it all done, I can smoke a bowl too fast & with too much vigor. If I set the pipe down to do some chore, and then come back to it later- I often pick up nicer flavors from the cooler bowl.

I have a fast Cadence and I am not a fan of relighting. So I probably puff faster than I should just to keep the ember burning hot. I have found that flake cut tobacco is very good at staying lit and I smoke flake for my longer pipe sittings. Ribbon cut I find to be the worst at keeping lit myself. Always having to relight.

Patty, sounds like you have a drooling issue. What causes you to create so much saliva while smoking a pipe?Wonder if that’s why you have throat issues? 

I just completed another bowl of "Squadron Leader" applying this technique and managed to keep the bowl lit to the very end, the bowl stayed cool and I didn't have to puff like a wild man.