Pipe won’t stay lit!

[Kevin Keith]

Original post by Mister Moo.


Inability to keep a pipe lit seems to be the #1 problem for new guys. There is good news and bad news.

The good news! Einstein could smoke a pipe and you can smoke a pipe. I am thick-headed but I still figured it out. I couldn't keep a pipe lit to save my life when I got serious about pipe tobacco. It was definitely harder than keeping a cigar lit and, for me, quite frustrating. Now, I routinely smoke a pipe to ash (or nearly to ash) without much attention to relighting after an initial light, charring, tamp and relight. Yeah, so sure, there are a few relights now and again depending on tobacco moisture, the specific pipe, flake vs. ribbon and how much attention I'm paying - but let’s just say "frustrating" relights are a thing of the past.

The bad news! Hah. There isn't any. It just takes a while to learn the ropes. Here are Old Fart Top Tips to make relighting frustration a thing of the past.

1. Don't sweat it for, say, a year. There is a learning curve.

2. A definition of "crazy" is doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different outcome. If you constantly have relighting hassles change something.

3. There is great wisdom in starting out with a Missouri Meerschaum Legend and a tub of Carter Hall. Virtually all Old Farts employ or respect this combo. This benchmark creates a clear common language to troubleshoot problems. If you smoke 10 different pipes with 10 different tobaccos we can try, but; if you start out with Prince Albert or Sir Walter Raleigh or Carter Hall or Half & Half in a Missouri Meerschaum Legend we know exactly what you're talking about.

4. Get your tobacco right. Most tobacco comes three ways - too wet, too dry and just right. Test tobacco with a pinch. If it crumbles it's too dry. If it flattens it's too wet. If it flattens and springs back it's probably just right.

5. Got a new briar? Many new pipe smokers do. Here's the deal. The bottom half will be harder to keep dry (and burning) than that of a caked, broken-in, pipe. See #1, above. Give it some time and, definitely, smoke only half-bowls to lessen the moisture soaking into the heel of the pipe. Too much moisture will prevent the pipe from burning nicely. A wet pipe will encourage a new guy to relight, without hope or joy, over and over.

6. Hint of moisture in your pipe mid-smoke? You can swab out a pipe stem with a pipe cleaner mid-smoke. You don't need to wait until the pipe is kaput to swab it.

7. It's all in the fill. Fill your pipe half- to 3/4 full evenly, don't "pack" it. Whatever fill method you use, don't restrict the draw to more than a light resistance - like sipping on a straw. If your pipe gets "packed" you will suck your cheeks off, burn your tongue and your pipe will keep going out; don't even think about poking holes in this kind of wad with a pipe tool - it's a wasted effort. If the draw becomes too free, tamp very lightly to encourage continued burning. There is a balance between proper filling, sipping on lit tobacco and tamping. It is like sliding down a razorblade if you're inexperienced. A little attention to this balance will sort it out soon enough.

8. When you light a pipe, don't pussyfoot. Light the darn thing all the way across the top of the pipe. If, on a first light, the tobacco fluffs up and quickly goes out, that's normal. Tamp gently and relight thoroughly. If the pipe won't stay lit reread 1-7.

[ncrobb]

Mister Moo told me to “Hit it like a napalm strike” with regard to lighting. He was a gem.

[Jlando19]

Anyone who uses the term pussyfoot is an A plus character in my book. Thats not an easy one to work in now days. Hahahaha.

[Kevin Keith]

Mister Moo told me to “Hit it like a napalm strike” with regard to lighting. He was a gem.

That’s the way I do it. I hit it till the flame is about 5 inches tall!

[Ruffinogold]

Moo was a trip . I bought a great pipe off him and had fun conversations and a couple unfun . It was a bit of a shocker when he passed . How the guy loved to shave , lol

[Fr_Tom]

Mister Moo told me to “Hit it like a napalm strike” with regard to lighting. He was a gem.

That’s the way I do it. I hit it till the flame is about 5 inches tall!

I think I am doing it wrong.

[Piping Abe]

Mister Moo told me to “Hit it like a napalm strike” with regard to lighting. He was a gem.

That’s the way I do it. I hit it till the flame is about 5 inches tall!

I think I am doing it wrong.

How about the ultimate Rim Cake thread?

[Kevin Keith]

That’s the way I do it. I hit it till the flame is about 5 inches tall!

I think I am doing it wrong.

How about the ultimate Rim Cake thread?

There’s nothing like rim cake!

[Tsal]

Moo was great! We bonded over slaughter houses and Galaxie 500s. I miss him.

[Fr_Tom]

That’s the way I do it. I hit it till the flame is about 5 inches tall!

I think I am doing it wrong.

How about the ultimate Rim Cake thread?

I am the fan of some protective rimcake. Some people see it as a lack of character or something. I will say when it starts to really look impressive, a hunk will get knocked off smacking the heel of your shoe between smokes.