Is my pipe tobacco too wet?

**breadstick** · 07-01-2012, 07:23 PM

I just got some tobacco from the Tinderbox and I'm having a lot of trouble getting it to light. I'm really new, but I don't think it should be this hard to get it to light. I'll get it going a little and it goes out really quickly. I look in the bowl after I light it and it when I blow in it, I can barely tell it's going and it always seems to be lit toward the far side of the bowl.

Like I said, I've only been smoking a pipe for a few days so it could be my technique. Any help is greatly appreciated.

**oc_in_fw** · 07-01-2012, 07:28 PM

Leave some out for 15 minutes before packing it in the bowl. It might help some.

**Uncle Jackie** · 07-01-2012, 07:39 PM

Personally, I like my tobacco with 1% more moisture than dust.

JM · 07-01-2012, 07:48 PM

Yah, leave it out to dry it some before packing your pipe.

**john187** · 07-01-2012, 08:27 PM

That is very common. First expect your tabacco to go out all the time that is very normal. Lighting is part of the joy of pipe smoking. Having said this, you haven't packed the bowl properly. I suggest you read and study online on the many worthwhile sites that attempt to explain. Still it can take several months or years to finally get it.

**COHunter** · 07-02-2012, 08:00 AM

Here's a tip to try. Grab a pinch of the toby and squeeze it between your thumb and index finger. If it sticks together, or flat out just feels wet to the touch let it sit out for a time. Check it ~15 minutes or so using the same trick. Just keep on mind that there are quite a few blends that will have PG in them to maintain moisture, and some blends (heavy aromatics) just tend to be goopy anyway from the flavorings (casings) and toppings in them.
Since you didn't state how you loaded your pipe that may not be the culprit at all, but there are some methods to check out on the web and you may employ several different techinques depending on the type of leaf you're enjoying.
In any case, keep a lighter or matches handy, pipes almost always have to be re-lit at some point during the smoke. Sit back and enjoy!

**PugslyCat** · 07-02-2012, 10:05 AM

The uneven lighting sounds like it may be a packing problem. If you puff the pipe after packing but before lighting is there still good air flow?

As said earlier, re-lighting is a common thing. I normally get my pipe lit, walk a block, and then give it a good torching and tamping again whether it seems to need it or not. I suspect that a little heat and air flow dries out the tobacco and loosens things up a bit. Usually I can then smoke to the end of the bowl.

**Blade Boy** · 07-04-2012, 10:40 AM

It sometimes takes multiply lights to get a good light, the first light or two will dry and char the surface, move your lighter in a circle over the bowl as you light it, try to get the entire surface to light then while drawing GENTLE tamp down the tobacco that may have sprung up during lighting, you could be over packing too, just trickle the tobacco in until you fill the bowl then add another small pinch to the top try not to press your finger down below the rim of the pipe.