Attention New Pipers: Even The "Vets" Struggle Sometimes!

[Branzig]

I couldn't help thinking about this thread lately. For the last week or so, I seem to have lost my touch. I load a bowl, and it's either too tight and I have to reload, or it's like drawing on air and I can't get the bowl started. I push a pipe cleaner in to dry out the pipe or knock down "the nastys" and it doesn't stop at the bottom of the bowl but tries to push the baccy out of the bowl. I don't know why I'm struggling all of a sudden after five years of pipe smoking, and I'm sure it will pass, but it is most frustrating to be going through this.

It will indeed pass. I think we all just fall victim to user error from time to time. It doesn't help that tobacco and pipes are fickle little bastards. One day they smoke like a dream, the other they bite you and make your life miserable

[Griz]

Perhaps some of the problem may be us. We smoke a wide variety of tobacco, including flake, ribbon cut, and plugs, with innumerable blends and toppings. We dry them out, rub them out, and some people stove or age them. Add to that the myriad of pipe shapes and sizes, for both the bowls height and diameter, and the stems length and bend.

Is it any wonder we cough up a lousy smoke once in a while?

Out of the hundreds of thousands of combinations of tobacco and pipe, how are we to remember exactly how that perfect smoke occurred? I firmly believe it is the pursuit of the sublime that motivates us. When it is good, and the combination works just right, it is great. When it is bad, it just sucks.

But we'll try again.

[Dcmain]

Awesome thread here. I just got back into pipe smoking at the beginning of the year and bought a bag of smokable seconds from MM. I purchased a selection of common bagged brands like Prince Albert, Borkum Riff etc, and a bunch of "bulk" 1-2oz bags from P&C.com. I have had a couple of problems lighting and re-lighting, but I give up pretty quickly as I'm usually driving down the road and can't spend time distracted. Lighting more than twice seems to give me no pleasure, bad taste, and the aroma is ruined for me too. However the vast majority of the time I get 15 -20minutes of sipping pleasure from the tobaccos I enjoy the most and so I count myself lucky. The relatively low price per smoke as compared to cigars makes me feel better about dumping out the pipe when I have a failure, so I'm thankful for that.

What a great extension to my cigar habit!

[mooster]

Perhaps some of the problem may be us. We smoke a wide variety of tobacco, including flake, ribbon cut, and plugs, with innumerable blends and toppings. We dry them out, rub them out, and some people stove or age them. Add to that the myriad of pipe shapes and sizes, for both the bowls height and diameter, and the stems length and bend.

Is it any wonder we cough up a lousy smoke once in a while?

I hear you. That's why I went back to my 'first love' Full Virginia Flake this week. Back to basics and all that!

[NeverBend]

...One day they smoke like a dream, the other they bite you and make your life miserable

Sounds like my wife.

Mark,

I took extreme measures today. W.A. Mozart's Requiem in D. Serious stuff. It's working (of course), Louisiana Flake tastes like I'm kissing it's ugly little cousin with acne but at least I'm in the same family again.

Directions for use:

1. Put on (any) Mozart at least 5 minutes before smoking is to commence.
2. Get a preferred beverage.
3. Select pipe and tobacco
4. You know the rest.
5. Thank Pete

[Nature]

I certainly don't consider myself a vet. I packed a bowl this morn and there was just a little bit of tobacco remaining of this sample, so what did I do? I packed some more, trying to finish off every last shred. Needless to say, it was overpacked. Couldn't get a decent smoke, so I began puffing more. Became very hot but still not much smoke, and not much flavor. Worst bowl I've had to date! Not discouraged though. I know there will be sweet bowls to come as I continue to learn more all the time.

[Branzig]

Sounds like all of our wives.

Fixed the quote for you there Pete.

I agree there are a ton of factors and combinations of pipes and tobaccos. But, to me, that is part of what makes it so much fun! Finding a blend that really sings in a pipe is very rewarding. And the hunt half the fun.

[mooster]

Sounds like my wife.

Mark,

I took extreme measures today. W.A. Mozart's Requiem in D. Serious stuff. It's working (of course), Louisiana Flake tastes like I'm kissing it's ugly little cousin with acne but at least I'm in the same family again.

Directions for use:

1. Put on (any) Mozart at least 5 minutes before smoking is to commence.
2. Get a preferred beverage.
3. Select pipe and tobacco
4. You know the rest.
5. Thank Pete

I'm bummed...I have no idea which box in which closet my CDs are, and while I loaded all the Beethoven onto my hard drive, Mozart is not there. The only other thing I have is some Rachmaninoff, but the disc is badly damaged. And you know what they say: if it's not baroque, don't fix it...

[mooster]

Yeah, I know that line is well past it's sell-by date, but I've been waiting forty-five years to use it; forgive me!

[Demuths1770]

well they always say pipe smoking is a art and guess what....... even art can get messed up from time to time. it happens even to the best at some time or another!!