How to Smoke a Pipe Correctly and Look Like You Know What You’re Doing
A smoking pipe conjures images of dignitaries, noblemen, old-timey rogues, and other distinguished figures. In fiction, characters like Sherlock Holmes and the magical Gandalf the Grey come to mind.
No matter what a tobacco pipe reminds you of, it probably isn’t some goofball burning his thumbs and coughing his lungs out because he doesn’t know how to properly smoke one. That’s pretty much the opposite of what you’re going for.
That’s why we’ve put together this in-depth guide to help you out! Pipes offer you a form of recreational smoking like nothing else. If you’re going for that enigmatic, chic, and classical pipe toting look, you’ll need to know how to handle things properly. Let’s take a look at precisely how it’s done!
Let’s Take a Look at What You’ll Need First
Before you can become a pipe-smoking aficionado, you’ll need a few basic supplies. Below, we will go over exactly what you’ll need and how you can make the best selection for your purposes.
1. A Pipe
While this one goes without saying, you will definitely need a quality tobacco pipe. Although this may be the most obvious supply, sometimes a quality tobacco pipe can be hard to find. Pipes come in various shapes and sizes and can range greatly in price and quality.
Beginners should look into corn pipes which are also known as corn cob pipes. These pipes are inexpensive and can get the job done as you’re mastering your pipe smoking skills. These pipes are ideal for beginners because they don’t require breaking in. That’s right, some pipes do need to be broken in, to some extent.
Another great option is the briar pipe. Briar pipes are fantastic in quality. However, if you’ll be using a briar pipe, it’s a good idea to master your smoking skills first.
Pipes retain the flavor of the tobacco, so if you want to smoke many tobacco blends, you may want to have a few pipes on hand. As you slowly get used to pipe smoking, one briar pipe and a couple of corncob pipes will work fine.
2. Pipe Tools
Pipe tools are another essential for pipe smokers. Pipe tools are the small little gadgets that can help you empty, pack, clean, and care for your pipe. The most important pipe tools to have are a reamer, pick, and a tamper. You can actually get a neat little three-in-one tool kit that offers everything you need.
A pick is a pin that can be used to clear your pipe of debris. Your pick will be sharp, so when you use it to aerate your pipe, be careful not to scratch it. Picks are not used for scraping. A reamer is a flat instrument that looks kind of like a spoon. This is what you scrape out your pipe with. A tamper is a blunt tool that looks like the head of a nail. The flat end is for tapping down a bowl of tobacco evenly as you pack it. You’ll also want to have some pipe cleaners on tap. These will be used to clean out your pipe after you’re done smoking.
3. Fine Tobacco
Once you have your pipe and your pipe care tools, you’ll need some pipe tobacco. This is what you’ll be packing into the bowl of your pipe and smoking. There are a wide variety of tobacco blends available in a multitude of flavors.
Buying pipe tobacco in bulk is the most cost-effective option. You can choose bold, mellow, or robust blends of Virginia, Burley, and Oriental tobaccos. These blends may come in different strengths and flavors as well. There are even tobacco blends with flavors like vanilla, cherry, and menthol available for pipe smoking. Ordering online is the easiest way to acquire good tobacco blends with minimal effort.
4. Pipe Lighter
You’re also going to need a fire source of some kind to light your pipe. This will likely be a lighter or a match. There are special lighters available for pipe smoking, so we highly recommend picking one up. Otherwise, a regular lighter will do the trick. You should avoid using paper matches as they go out quickly and may make your pipe taste like sulfur.
How to Smoke a Pipe
Now that you’ve got everything you need, you’ll want to light up your pipe. Here’s how you can do that.
First: Pack the bowl
First, you’re going to need to learn how to properly pack a bowl. You’ll fill the bowl loosely with tobacco, and press it down gently with your tamper tool. The bowl should be half way full from the bottom at this point. Now, add more tobacco and pack it down more. It will be about 3/4 of the way full. Finally, top the bowl off with another pinch of tobacco and pack it down until there’s a tiny amount of space left from the top. Don’t overflow your pipe.
Next: Do a test draw
Put the pipe to your lips and do a test draw. Some air should flow freely through the stem of the pipe. If it doesn’t, you’ve packed it too tightly. If you’ve done that, remove some tobacco and try again. If air flows through, you’re ready to smoke.
Then: Light the pipe
With your lighter, aim towards the bowl. Light it as you take a draw. Your aim is to light the pipe by sucking the flame into the bowl. Move the lighter in slow little circles to make sure everything gets lit evenly. Once it’s lit (this is called false lighting) you will let it go out. This is just a way to get things rolling. Light it again and begin smoking.
Now: Pull and exhale
You’re going to do some pulling puffs to get the pipe going. You’ll know it’s smoking properly because wispy tendrils of smoke will rise up when you puff it. Do not inhale the smoke from your pipe, similarly to cigar smoking, pipe smoke is meant for your mouth, not your lungs.
Finally: Kick back and enjoy your smoke
The best part of pipe smoking is the relaxation and enjoyment it offers. You can now savor your tobacco and unwind for a bit. Take slow steady puffs so that you don’t get a “tongue bite” which is a burning sensation from your pipe. If it goes out while you’re smoking, just relight it, as this is pretty normal.
Congratulations! Now You’re a Pipe Smoking Boss
So there you have it! Now you know how to smoke your pipe like a pro. The next time you light up a sweet tobacco blend, you’ll be able to proceed with confidence and cool.
Pipe smokers from all walks of life can now easily access an amazing selection of pipe accessories, fine tobacco blends, and other impressive recreational smoking products online! Ordering online is the fastest and simplest way to find precisely what you’re looking for. Plus, you can have everything shipped directly to your front door. Just something to keep in mind. Thanks for reading and enjoy your new pipe!
