062013 Pipe Smoking

Smoking a Pipe
Introduction
fter 50 years of smoking a pipe I have garnered certain skills that have
added to the quiet pleasure I get from the practice, but whether I’ve
mastered the art is another question. In this manual I’ve outlined some
ideas and practical advice a new pipe smoker may find valuable until he
develops his own approach to what some call an art or hobby but I call a
comfortable passion.
The reasons pipe smokers give for choosing to smoke a pipe vary from how pipe
smokers are perceived to the oral and tactile gratification smokers experience. Some pipe
smokers choose a pipe because they don’t want to inhale cigarette smoke while others feel a
sense of calm from the pipe smoking procedure. For others, taste is paramount. Depending
on the individual, of course, any number of reasons may apply.
There is no question that smoking a pipe is more complicated than smoking a
cigarette or cigar. There is the paraphernalia that must be carried in addition to a pipe or
two and a tobacco pouch. Jacket pockets bulge, items get misplaced or forgotten, and time
and effort is expended to a greater degree than required by other tobacco products. But it’s
perhaps for these very reasons that pipe smokers choose as they do.
The process of pipe smoking slows you down and takes attention from the activity
you were about. It is difficult to light a pipe in the same absentminded way you light a
cigarette. In the forty seconds it takes to fill a pipe and light it, the pipe smoker has
provided himself a respite from the task he interrupted and a means to return to the project
with a fresh eye or to provide valuable time for reflection. Perhaps this is why pipe smokers
are reputed to be somewhat more meditative than others.
There are a number of books on pipe smoking, books with beautiful photography
picturing a myriad of pipes and tobaccos. They typically present a history going back two
centuries and are most appealing to connoisseurs. The reader can find them in tobacco
shops, bookstores, and libraries throughout the country. This short manual is designed for
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the novice pipe smoker to help develop practical skills required to draw the most from one of
life’s simple endeavors. It’s divided into five short sections: THE PIPE, THE TOBACCO, THE
TOOLS, WHERE & WHEN, and PRACTICAL HINTS.
The Pipe
Selecting a pipe:
There are as many forms and styles of pipes as there are creative pipe makers. From
clay pipes to water pipes, from corncobs to meerschaums, the choices are quite astounding.
But the majority of pipes are briars, wooden pipes of about six inches in length with a
rounded bowl and an acrylic or rubber bit, and it is the briar pipe under discussion here.
Briars are relatively inexpensive to harvest and to carve, and in truth there is little
difference among them. Pipe buying is unlike the majority of other purchases we make; in
buying a pipe you do not get what you pay for. A twenty or thirty dollar briar may smoke as
well or better than a thousand dollar one. Much of the cost depends on style and
craftsmanship, on the appearance of the grain, and the pipe maker’s reputation. Some
pipes are collector’s items and are, like some bottles of wine, never used. They are simply to
have, to hold, and to treasure. Others are workhorses that continually provide a good
smoke regardless of the occasion.
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There is one caveat, however. Many pipe smokers insist their most expensive pipes
are clearly superior both in beauty and in performance. My favorite pipe, the one that
provides the best flavor from my English blend tobacco, is a flame grained Charatan made
in the 1960’s which I bought new at a pipe show fifteen years ago for $100. I have another
similarly priced Charatan, pictured above, which is not any better than some twenty-dollar
pipes I enjoy, but I like it for its look and feel. It is likely that in buying a pipe “you pay your
money and you take your chances.”
Most briars are polished and eventually lose their luster. Rubbing the pipe with a
soft cloth after each smoke will help keep the shine, and there are waxes available. Machine
buffing a dull pipe does wonders for its appearance (and nothing for its performance). Some
pipes have a matte or dull finish and deepen in color over time.
While the shape of the pipe does not affect its smoking performance, straightshouldered pipes may not be as tidy as those with a bend.
Ashes are less likely to fall from a pipe if its bowl is parallel to the ground, and curved
pipes provide that quality. So, if you’re working or reading while smoking, a curved pipe
may be best; if not, straight pipes are just fine and are generally considered more attractive.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
Pipe bits are made of rubber or plastic-like material, the latter being slightly more
expensive. Rubber bits tend to show wear more quickly and stain readily. I can’t sense any
effect of either on the taste of the smoke.
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What is important along these lines is that the pipe stem remain either lower or
parallel to the mouth when you draw smoke. Raising the pipe above that horizontal plane
can cause fluid to drain through the stem, a highly undesirable circumstance.
Filters of one sort or another are occasionally offered either as a fixed part of the
throat or as a replaceable insert. They seem to succeed in blocking the airflow, gumming
things up, and causing too much moisture. Any claims about the value of filters do not
seem to outweigh the problems they cause. That said, I have two pipes requiring maple
wood filters which smoke very well.
Dry pipes deliver the best flavor so it’s a good idea to smoke a pipe only once before
retiring it for a day or two to dry out. A half dozen pipes, therefore, seems minimally
required to maximize smoking pleasure.
Many pipes are available for $25 dollars or so, but they last for many, many years.
(One of my favorites, which I probably smoke every third day, was given to me by my wife in
1964.) Corncob pipes cost only a few dollars, and while they don’t last as long as others,
they perform well. In pipe smoking as in owning a dog, it is not the initial cost which is
greatest but the other costs associated with them. In the case of pipe smoking, tobacco and
lighters over time will cost more than all your pipes.
Packing:
Regardless of the pipe you choose, a lumberman (long throat and short bit) or a
sandblast (roughened briar), how you pack it is critical.
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Packing it too tightly will make it difficult to draw and impossible to keep lit, and
packing it too loosely will make it burn too hot, robbing the tobacco of its flavor. The
problem is determining what is too loose or too tight. A good way of judging is first to draw
on an empty pipe. Then fill the pipe such that drawing on it is the same or only very slightly
more resistant than it had been when the pipe was empty. If it is too tight, using the awl of
a pipe tool [discussed later] or a straightened paper clip once or twice through the tobacco
as it sits in the pipe will open a necessary air passage allowing for an easy draw.
Drawing:
Pipe smoking is unlike cigarette smoking in which a puff every thirty seconds or so is
sufficient. To stay lit, a pipe needs a steady supply of air in the confined space of the bowl,
and that often means steady drawing until there is enough heat to keep the tobacco lit.
Several quick draws are required to do that before a more leisurely pace can be established.
Over time the smoker will sense the heat required to keep the pipe lit and draw on it
accordingly. Until that time, keeping the pipe lit will require conscious effort.
Caking:
As pipes become “broken in,” carbon builds up around the inside of the bowl and
actually cools the smoke making it more flavorful. It is wise, therefore, to allow carbon to
build to about the thickness of a dime before reaming it out. Some pipes build up more
carbon than others, and while that is a positive trait, the smoker is then required to ream
the bowl [discussed later] more often so the area for the tobacco doesn’t become so
restricted that only a ten or fifteen minute smoke is possible. (Twenty minutes or so is my
average.)
Emptying:
There are several ways of emptying a finished pipe. Banging it against a hard surface
is the worst way for obvious reasons. You can strike the pipe against your shoe, especially
against a rubber heel. Or you can slap it against your open palm, though this can easily
soil the hand. Using a pipe tool [see below] is the best way with the ashes falling into an
ashtray. In this way, ashes hot or cold can be confined safely and tidily.
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The Tobacco
More important than the selection of the pipe is the quality of the tobacco with which
you fill it. It occurred to me early on that what we term “pipe smoking” should more
properly be called “pipe-tobacco smoking” both because it is the tobacco which is smoked
and it is the tobacco which provides virtually all of the smoking satisfaction. If I were to be
blindfolded while drawing on a pipeful of tobacco, it is the tobacco which would be
recognizable, hardly the pipe.
Straight or Aromatic:
Pipe tobacco is usually a blend of a few different types of tobaccos categorized either
as straight or aromatic. The former contains nothing but the tobacco; the latter contains an
additive which can vary from a cherry perfume to whiskey. As the term aromatic suggests,
the burning tobacco emits a pleasant scent. Not surprisingly, not everyone agrees. There
are many who prefer the aroma of a straight blend. But as in the case of some foods, their
taste is not commensurate with their aroma. If you are concerned with the olfactory senses
of those around you, no smoking is probably best. However, you smoke primarily for
yourself, and whether or not a blend smells good to others is probably of little consequence.
It is considerate not to smoke indoors when others are present or in close proximity so your
smoke doesn’t offend, whether or not the blend is “aromatic.” Smoking outdoors is seldom
an issue though you might ask if those nearby would be disturbed by the smoke.
Strong or Mild:
Tobaccos have varying degrees of strength or mildness. By that it is meant that some
tobaccos burn more or less hot and/or tend to be more sharp or stinging. In general,
stronger tobaccos provide more flavor than milder ones, and tobacco blenders can balance
strength and flavor to your palate. Latakia and Perique are popular strong tobaccos, Burley
and Cavendish are mild. Turkish is strong but there is a mild variety. Virginia tobacco
tends to be mild while Red Virginia is strong.
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Blends:
Blends are grouped according to basic flavors, and within each group there can be
varying degrees of strength, mildness and acidity. Popular groups include English, Oriental
(or Syrian) and Virginia. English and Oriental blends feature Latakia and Perique and are
more full-flavored than the Virginia blends which feature Virginia and Cavendish.
It is unlikely that without a great deal of experience you can judge the flavor of a
tobacco blend by smelling it. That’s why tobacco shops offer the pipe smoker an
opportunity to smoke a blend before purchase. You may want to sample a straight blend
from the three main groups: Virginia, Oriental, and English to help hone in on the blend
that will be most pleasing to your taste. Among the aromatic blends, however, it is unlikely
that you’d appreciate a coconut blend if you don’t like coconut so choosing an aromatic
blend may not be too tough.
Whether you choose an aromatic or straight blend, you may never settle on one blend
that cannot be changed. It is probably a good idea to select two or three favorites and
alternate among them. That is because one’s palate tends to become inured over time and
flavor gets lost. This is true also of smoking more than two or three pipefuls consecutively.
Smoking a pipe, after all, is done ideally for flavor, not for a nicotine lift (which I don’t get) or
as a matter of habit. Limiting your smoking permits you to enjoy a pipe to its fullest. The
above notwithstanding, for the past several years I have been smoking only one blend,
“Admiralty” by www.pipesandcigars.com. They blend it for me with a little less Perique than
normal.
The Tools
Smoking a pipe can be messy because pipe tobacco is loose and seems always to
leave flakes around your canisters and receptacles. And, it is a bit of an effort to keep a
pipe clean and dry. Fortunately there are tools and means by which you can keep things
dry and tidy. In addition to matches or a lighter, you would do well to be armed with the
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following “tools of the trade”: pipe cleaners, a pipe tool, a pipe reamer, a paper clip or length
of wire, paper towelettes, a small pliers, a wide-mouthed jar or tin with lid, a sealable plastic
bag, a piece of sponge or a capful of water, and a soft polishing cloth.
As mentioned earlier, a dry smoke is preferred, and absorbent pipe cleaners unclog
passages as well as sop up moisture. It usually takes two pipe cleaners to effect the desired
result. After every second or third pipeful you should see to the plumbing:
Step 1: Separate the bit from the pipe’s throat. Insert a clean pipe cleaner first into
the bit end (mouth side) and push it straight through until the cleaner can be grabbed and
pulled part way through the bit. A back and forth motion before the pipe cleaner is removed
from the bit helps ensure a good cleaning.
Step 2: Run the pipe cleaner into the bowl to ensure that no loose tobacco blocks the
passage and that the walls of the stem are clean and dry. Both ends of the pipe cleaner can
be used to accomplish this. (I hold the middle of the pipe cleaner with small pliers to keep
my hands clean.) The used pipe cleaner should be gray. If it is black, an additional pipe
cleaner is required.
The typical pipe tool has three parts. One part is a straight rod designed to unclog
the air passage of the stem or shoulder of the pipe. It can also be used as an awl to cut an
air passage through a tightly packed bowl. There is a flat spoon to remove any unburned
tobacco and ash that remain on the sides and bottom of the bowl. And there is a flat head
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to tamp the tobacco after it is lit. Tamping is required because the flame tends to separate
the burning tobacco making it possible for an ember to fly out of the bowl. Tamping lightly
is done the first or second time the pipe is lit. It is sometimes necessary to relight a pipe
after it is tamped, especially if you tamp too forcefully. (In the absence of a tamper you can
use the inside upper half of a book of matches.)
Unfortunately, pipe tools are never long enough to unclog all of your pipes because of
the length of some throats and bits, a lumberman pipe for example. You can use a pipe
cleaner, of course, but a length of 12-gauge wire works better because it is less expensive,
longer, and more rigid. I use a bit of paper towel to clean the pipe tool and wire after use to
keep them from caking. There are extra-long pipe cleaners.
Depending on the carbon build up of a particular pipe, it is necessary once or twice a
year to ream the bowl to prevent too much residue from accumulating. The reaming of the
bowl will create significant dust so I work on newspaper. As mentioned, the ideal thickness
of carbon on the bowl’s sides is about that of a dime.
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Matches or Lighter:
Lighting a pipe outdoors is not always easy. In lighting a cigarette, only the briefest
flame is necessary, but in lighting a pipe you must keep the flame for several seconds at a
time.
A match is less expensive than a lighter, but that is its only advantage. Wooden
matches can break while being struck and paper matches can get moisture laden from
humidity. Lighters are quicker and do not present the problem of what to do with spent
matches. But perhaps the best reason to use a lighter is that it can remain lit in a strong
breeze, if it’s windproof. For a few dollars you can purchase from a tobacconist or boating
supply store one with a refillable butane fount and requiring no flint. Of course it is
possible to spend seventy dollars at a hunting supply outlet for a completely storm and
waterproof proof lighter. Either way, the advantage of a windproof lighter will become
apparent to any pipe smoker who tries to light up outdoors on any but the calmest of days.
Naturally you must refill the pipe with butane every so often, but that is a small
inconvenience when compared to the ability to light your pipe on any day anywhere.
If you use a match, however, wait a few moments for the sulfur to burn off before
drawing on the light so the taste of the match isn’t transferred to the tobacco.
Where & When
The essence of pipe smoking is the solitary pleasure that it affords, despite the
existence of pipe smoking clubs. There is certainly a kinship among pipe smokers as there is
among many hobbyists in the same pursuit; however, most often pipe smokers indulge their
pastime alone.
Where and when to smoke a pipe is a consideration. Many do not smoke indoors, but
I do. Aside from refraining from smoking when around individuals who have difficulty
tolerating smoke, there are some times which seem better than others to indulge. After
smoking a pipeful or two, taste buds become rather dull, and for that reason smoking
immediately before a meal is not a good idea. Conversely, smoking immediately after a meal
tends to obscure the aftertaste of the food, especially if you’ve had wine. There are those
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who like to smoke at night before bed, and they generally elect a milder, less pungent blend
on that occasion. Naturally, the times you elect to smoke, like the tobacco you select, is
highly personal. You may find that tobacco smoked indoors will be a bit stronger than when
smoked outside; and smoking indoors, especially straight blends, may leave an unpleasant
odor. In any case, it’s best to cover ash receptacles because the odor of the ash will last
days.
Because your head tends to be lowered while reading, spent ash can more readily fall
from your pipe and onto papers. Smudging can occur if you wipe the spent ash from the
page. Blowing on them is best. Less likely, a glowing ember can also fall on the page
leaving a burn mark. Using a curved stem pipe lessens the likelihood of spilled ash. If this
becomes a problem, you can purchase a metal screen device which is attached to the bowl
by a spring mechanism.
Smoking a pipe while driving is not recommended for neophytes because both hands
are needed to fill a pipe, and lighting and tamping the tobacco require some concentration.
As you become more adept at the process, one hand is all you will need, so smoking while
driving should not be more of a distraction than using a cell phone.
Practical Hints
1. Depending on the lighter, it’s best to tilt the bowl toward the flame when starting it
to keep from burning the rim of the pipe. If carbon builds up on the rim, you might try fine
sandpaper to remove the top layer and a solution of baking soda and water or club soda to
remove the rest.
2. Some pipes look better than others, so if you smoke while you work at a messy job,
use the lesser beauties, saving the best looking for when your hands are clean. (Soiled
outsides don’t prevent a pipe from delivering a good smoke.)
3. After you smoke a pipe, your clothing will retain the odor of the smoke. I smoke in
my wood shop and while I write (usually outdoors), so I change clothes before entering my
house. (That’s why there were smoking jackets.)
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4. It is best to store your pipes stems up to allow any moisture to work its way down
to the bowl rather than sit in the stem, which is less absorbent.
5. I often smoke in my car (when I’m alone) and have found it best to carry two
lighters in my tobacco pouch.
6. I drive with a window open, even on the coldest days or with the A/C running, to
reduce inhaling “second hand smoke.” I also leave my car windows open in my garage to
remove stale air.
7. On cold days in unheated space, butane lighters are difficult to start. Lighters that
use standard lighter fluid work best in that environment.
8. Lighter fluid cans (for a Zippo, etc.) are often hard to open. I keep a small
screwdriver next to the can to lift the spout.
9. Meerschaum pipes yellow with age. And we gray --- so what?
10. Meerschaums are breakable, but they don’t absorb as much moisture as briars so
they can be resmoked, after they cool a bit.
11. A hot pipe reduces flavor, so let it cool for two minutes before relighting.
12. I find it best to leave some unburned tobacco at the bottom of the bowl rather
than smoking it all the way down. Flavor is reduced the lower down you go.
13. Leaving tobacco in the pipe until next time does not allow the pipe to dry in a day,
so I empty the pipe after it is finished to let it dry before its next use.
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14. Ashtrays tend to be messy and generate a foul odor. Using a wide mouthed jar or
tobacco tin as a receptacle for ashes, matches, and pipe cleaners disposes of the problem.
15. Humidity is required to keep tobacco fresh, but the traditional leather pouches
despite their liners do little to maintain the required moisture. Tobacco tins or jars with
screw tops work well as do sealable plastic bags. In any case it is advisable to affix a
removable one-inch square piece of sponge on the inside lid of your store of tobacco.
Wetting the sponge will keep the tobacco from drying out and burning too hot. Or you can
sprinkle a few drops of water on the tobacco every once in awhile. I use a bottle cap with
water which I remove after the tobacco which the desired moisture level. How moist the
tobacco should be is a matter of taste and considerable debate. If the tobacco feels hard to
the touch and separates easily when filling the pipe, it is too dry for me.
16. You can buy pipe bowl fresheners which work well, but if you’re diligent in
cleaning your pipes regularly, the pipe tools highlighted above will suffice. Scrubbing pipe
bits in warm soapy water is a good idea if you rinse them thoroughly. By the way, pipe bits
can be replaced at tobacconists and on-line, but be prepared to wait several weeks for the
return of the pipe being fitted.
Conclusion
I smoke on average five pipefuls a day. I am fortunate to be a healthy 68-year-old
and am seldom sick, and there are many other pipe smokers like me. I don’t inhale the
smoke, and when I get a cold I wait until I’m back to normal before resuming the quiet
pleasure. There is, of course, no way of knowing how one will take to pipe smoking or
whether it will affect negatively one’s health. It is likely that genetics trumps environment in
this regard, as it does in most others.
There is no question, however, that pipe tobacco is far richer and offers greater
variation of flavor than do cigarettes and even cigars. (Some pipe smokers smoke cigars and
some even smoke cigarettes.) Most pipe smokers when asked will say they are habituated
not addicted to smoking, that they can and often do stop from time to time, and that most of
all they enjoy the flavor of the pipe. It is, after all, the continued enjoyment which we
pursue when we light our pipes. And to maximize that enjoyment simply remember to “Keep
your pipe dry and your tobacco moist.”
June, 2013
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