stone
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Post by stone on Jun 13, 2019 7:10:54 GMT -5
I am really starting to get a lot better at making the experience of pipe smoking more enjoyable but I notice that my tobacco is always burnt right down the center of the bowl and the tobacco on the edges is not burnt.
Tim West has a saying "tamp the center, light the edges" but unless I would use a torch I can't be that precise.
Is this normal? Is it something with my packing or lighting? The moisture of the tobacco? Cadence?
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Post by Legend Lover on Jun 13, 2019 8:06:12 GMT -5
I would suggest that it's perhaps your initial light. I try to get a good ember going across the top of the bowl.
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chasingembers
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Post by chasingembers on Jun 13, 2019 8:07:23 GMT -5
Always use a tamper in smoking to bring the edges down to the center.
I always heard the opposite. Light the full surface and use frequent tamping. Drawing pulls the ember down the chamber in an inverted cone shape.
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Post by pepesdad1 on Jun 13, 2019 9:26:31 GMT -5
Sort of what Duane said...get a good tamped char on the top of the tobacco and you should have no problems...if the top is flat and charred properly it should burn all the way down with no problems.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2019 9:46:13 GMT -5
chasingembers.......I always heard the opposite. Light the full surface and use frequent tamping. Drawing pulls the ember down the chamber in an inverted cone shape. This ^^^^^^^^^ has worked best for me for many years👍 Every pipe smoker has their own technique that works best for them......YMMV
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Post by papipeguy on Jun 13, 2019 10:44:18 GMT -5
Lighting the entire top and twisting the tamper helps distribute the burn. Been doing it for years with good results.
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Post by monbla256 on Jun 13, 2019 12:57:45 GMT -5
Make sure your bowl is loaded level with the rim. Then make sure you light ALL of this surface with your char light. This will make sure that any subsicquant lights will light all across the tobacco surface. You may burn the top of the rim but no biggy as you will get complete burning of all tobacco all through the smoke. And it goes without saying that total surface area tamping all thru the smoke is equally important. This has worked for me for 50+ years of smoking. 
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stone
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Post by stone on Jun 14, 2019 13:20:40 GMT -5
Make sure your bowl is loaded level with the rim. Then make sure you light ALL of this surface with your char light. This will make sure that any subsicquant lights will light all across the tobacco surface. You may burn the top of the rim but no biggy as you will get complete burning of all tobacco all through the smoke. And it goes without saying that total surface area tamping all thru the smoke is equally important. This has worked for me for 50+ years of smoking. I think this is the key. I have been loading slightly below the rim to avoid charring and failing to get a compete first light. |
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Post by peteguy on Jun 14, 2019 14:49:46 GMT -5
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Mac
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Post by Mac on Jun 14, 2019 19:03:58 GMT -5
Lighting and subsequent tamping across the whole chamber works for me. No difference if tobacco is level with rim or below it.
If the flame is held above the tobacco and drawn down to the tobacco, scorching rims will be lessened or not occur.
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captblack
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Post by captblack on Jun 15, 2019 18:35:06 GMT -5
There are so many variables to ember shape that it can be hard to figure out exactly why the bowl of tobacco burns a certain way. Does the pipe have a wide, shallow bowl or is it narrow and deep? What kind of tobacco do you usually smoke? Torch lighter or flame? How fast do you puff?
To me, the #1 variable that determines ember shape is the pack. If I pack tightly, I end up with the inverted cone. If I pack a bit looser, I tend to get a more even burn. The inverted cone can be a pain in the rear for sure, as tobacco on the side of the bowl ends up getting steamed but not actually burned, so the flavor profile is not complete.
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matt
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Post by matt on Jun 15, 2019 18:43:49 GMT -5
I tend to smoke fast and hot. This causes the cherry to burn right down the center of the bowl. Slow your tempo a little bit, and angle your tamper toward the middle of the bowl and away from the side. Give it a try. Happy smokes!
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Post by smellthehatfirst on Jun 16, 2019 0:18:44 GMT -5
Make sure your bowl is loaded level with the rim. Then make sure you light ALL of this surface with your char light. This will make sure that any subsicquant lights will light all across the tobacco surface. You may burn the top of the rim but no biggy as you will get complete burning of all tobacco all through the smoke. And it goes without saying that total surface area tamping all thru the smoke is equally important. This has worked for me for 50+ years of smoking.
As usual, monbla256 knows what's up. A charring light is really, really important.
The charring/"false" light is arguably more important than the "real" light. You should keep re-lighting, initially, until you have gotten a proper "sea of red," or a full ash surface, either way.
(I'm not so sure about loading level with the rim. I'm sure it works just fine, but I find I build less tar/gunk on the rim if I avoid filling so high!)
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Post by smellthehatfirst on Jun 16, 2019 0:21:25 GMT -5
Make sure your bowl is loaded level with the rim. Then make sure you light ALL of this surface with your char light. This will make sure that any subsicquant lights will light all across the tobacco surface. You may burn the top of the rim but no biggy as you will get complete burning of all tobacco all through the smoke. And it goes without saying that total surface area tamping all thru the smoke is equally important. This has worked for me for 50+ years of smoking. I think this is the key. I have been loading slightly below the rim to avoid charring and failing to get a compete first light. What is important is that you get that full sea of flame, a full light across the surface, to ensure the ash cap and even layer of embers that makes a good smoke roll nicely.
It may be easier to achieve if the tobacco is even with the rim, but it's not strictly necessary.
I'd rather light my pipe six times at the outset, to get a full charring light, than have even one re-light later down the line. It's not about the hassle of operating the lighter. It's about what I get out of the bowl. I have a better time if I get a really good charring light on minute one.
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stone
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Post by stone on Jun 16, 2019 6:11:26 GMT -5
I think this is the key. I have been loading slightly below the rim to avoid charring and failing to get a compete first light. What is important is that you get that full sea of flame, a full light across the surface, to ensure the ash cap and even layer of embers that makes a good smoke roll nicely.
It may be easier to achieve if the tobacco is even with the rim, but it's not strictly necessary.
I'd rather light my pipe six times at the outset, to get a full charring light, than have even one re-light later down the line. It's not about the hassle of operating the lighter. It's about what I get out of the bowl. I have a better time if I get a really good charring light on minute one.
Excellent point! |
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