Ah yes. The lighting of the pipe. One of my favorite moments in the ritual of sitting down to enjoy a bowl of fine tobacco. While there is some nuance in how one goes about this process, the goal is often the same: have a well-lit pipe that burns consistently. There are various methods available to achieve this goal. Here are the steps that I’ve used that have often brought me success.
1) Moisture Content
Success in a solid pipe light starts with how you prep your tobacco before it ever gets into the bowl. There are a few things to consider: when it comes to the moisture content of your tobacco, a good old-fashioned “Goldylocks” approach is key. Too wet is just as bad as too dry. You’re looking for the “just right” moisture. To test this, pick up a bit of tobacco and give a solid pinch. Tobacco that is too wet will not expand when you release the pinch and will need some time to sit out and dry up a bit. If the tobacco is too dry it will have a crunchy presentation (think dead autumn leaves) and leave behind leaf dust on your fingers. When you pinch the tobacco and it slowly springs back into its pre-pinched form, you’re good. Remember that aromatics, due to their flavor casings, tend to present on the wet side and might need extra drying time.
2) Packing the Bowl
Ask three different pipe smokers about how to pack your bowl and you’ll probably get three different answers. Many variables need to be considered when filling your bowl. If your pack is too loose, you run the risk of the tobacco smoking too hot, too fast, or possibly too wet as you’re smoking. Either of these conditions could lead to adverser effects such as tongue bite or a soured pipe. If you pack the bowl too tight you may find your pipe goes quickly and you are unable to get the good flavor out of your leaf.
The two main methods you hear most often about are the Pinch/Frank method and the Three-Layered Method. I’ve never found much success with the three-layered approach so I’m going to leave it to you to find out how that works should you be interested. For me, my pipe smoking game changed significantly when I discovered the Frank method of packing my pipe. Here’s what you need to know:
1) Start with a gravity fill. The gravity fill is as simple as taking a loose pinch of tobacco and light letting the leaf fall into your bowl. DO NOT TAMP THE TOBACCO DOWN. Let the tobacco fall gently until the bowl is full.
2) Using your thumb, index finger, and middle finger, grab a large pinch of your tobacco. It is better to slightly overestimate how much you need rather than coming up short.
3) Place the pinched tobacco onto the top of the bowl. Using your thumbs, gently push the tobacco towards the center of the bowl. There is no need to press down into the bowl, so try and keep your thumbs at the level of the bowl rim. As you continue to manipulate your tobacco, you will find that the leaf works itself into position rather seamlessly. When the tobacco is level with the rim, you’re good to go.
3) The False Light
A properly executed false light ensures a good chance that you’ll have a smooth smoking experience without dealing with multiple relights. The concept is fairly simple: char the top layer of the leaf so that you can tamp down the ash to form a carbon “puck”.
1) Using a soft flame lighter, bring the flame to the top of the bowl and light the tobacco using a circular motion.
2) Draw quick, short, puffs on the pipe while lighting the tobacco.
3) Hold the flame over the leaf just long enough until it is glowing orange/red.
4) Using the same rhythmic puff, draw on the pipe a few more times to ensure the entire top of the leaf is lit. If you don’t have an even light your tobacco will burn unevenly.
5) STOP. Do nothing else. Simply sit back and wait patiently for the tobacco to burn out. It should only take a few moments. Once the leaf is no longer burning the false light is complete.
4) Gently Tamp Down The Chared Tobacco
Using your tamper tool, gently tamp down the top layer of ash/char/carbon/burnt leaf that has formed on the top of the bowl. You want to tamp hard enough that it collapses into a nice even layer. However, do not over-tamp/push through the charred leaf as this will ruin the carbon “puck” you are trying to form on the top of the bowl.
5) Time For The True Light
The true light is where all this work pays off. Using steps 1 – 3 from the false light and your pipe should be properly lit. If a few bits of ash curl up you can gently tamp those back down as needed.
This sequence of steps has workly flawlessly for me for quite some time in my evening pipe smoking sessions. I trust that if you’ve struggled to light your pipe these steps will either completely cure you of your woes, or, get going down the right path to finding your perfect lighting sequence.
Happy Puffs To All!
