Cigarettes haven’t been cool since the 80s. Vaping still isn’t cool, and never will be. There’s a right way to smoke and many wrong ways to smoke.
Those who know what they are doing take the time to smoke tobacco in a pipe. It’s been cool for hundreds of years and will continue to be the only cool-looking way to smoke. You will always make people jealous when you bust out a pipe.
The only issue is that most people don’t know how to smoke a pipe. And to be fair, it’s difficult to figure out if you’ve never done it.
Once you learn how to set up a pipe, buy your own tobacco products, and effectively smoke a pipe, you’ll never go back to the lame stuff.
Read on below for some pipe smoking tips to help you get started today.
Buy the Right Tobacco and Pipe
Before learning how to smoke a pipe, you need to ensure you’re buying the right products. Otherwise, you’ll just waste your time.
First off, a tobacco pipe. There are many different types, styles, shapes, and sizes available. When browsing pipes for sale, consider picking up a billiard pipe. This style is the most popular, especially among new pipe smokers.
And make sure to choose one that you enjoy the look of. If you’re proud of how your pipe looks, you’ll be more likely to reach for it than other types of smokables, which we will no longer mention.
Unlike other products, pipes reflect the personality and character of the person who smokes them. So if you consider yourself to be classy, with old-world charm, make sure to get a pipe that speaks your language.
And don’t be afraid to spend a bit of money. If you buy right, you won’t have to buy another pipe for a very long time, if ever. Spending a little more upfront will be worth the investment for years to come.
Most people find that spending $150 to $300 for a solid pipe is adequate.
As for tobacco, you can buy it online. But unless you have experience, you probably shouldn’t. Find a local tobacco shop near you. You want to be able to ask questions and receive recommendations based on your level of experience and your smoking preferences.
Once you’re familiar with the pipe-smoking lifestyle, you’ll be able to buy tobacco on your own with confidence.
With a pipe and tobacco in hand, the only other things you need are a basic pipe tamping tool and a book of matches.
How to Smoke a Tobacco Pipe
It’s helpful to watch and learn from an experienced pipe smoker when getting started. But you can easily learn on your own, too. Here’s what to do.
Load the Pipe
The chamber is the big opening, opposite where you place your mouth. This is where you’re going to load your tobacco.
But don’t just stuff it down there. How you pack your bowl will have the biggest impact on your smoking experience, as it determines the level of airflow and even burning.
First, gently fill the chamber with tobacco, about 3/4 of the way to the top. Don’t force it in, just let it naturally fill up the bowl.
Once it’s near the top, but not quite touching the top, gently pack it down all at once using your tamp tool. Don’t press too hard, as you want the airflow to make its way through the leaves.
After pressing it down, fill the remainder of the chamber to the top and give it one more gentle tamp.
Light the Pipe
Lighting the pipe is much easier to do with matches than with a standard Bic lighter. The angle at which you can hold a match while you light your pipe will prevent your fingers from burning.
Plus, matches don’t burn quite as hot as a lighter, so it won’t damage the tobacco and affect the taste.
With match lit, move it around in circles along the top of the chamber. You want to give the outer layer of tobacco a nice, even char. Just don’t scorch it.
As you run your match in circles, take light puffs on the pipe, like you would a cigar. Give the tobacco one more gentle tamp, light another match, repeat the circling method again, and voila.
Enjoy the Smoke
Now that your tobacco is evenly lit, you want to enjoy a nice, relaxed cadence as you draw on the pipe. You don’t want to draw too hard or fast, as doing so can increase heat, and burn up the tobacco. This also heats the pipe up, making it uncomfortable for your hands and mouth.
Doing this also ruins the flavor and hastens the experience. Smoking a pipe is all about slowing down, enjoying the process, and relaxing as your stress and worries float away.
Take slow, even draws, as the best flavor comes out when the tobacco is smoldering rather than burning.
Enjoy a slow smoke until all of the tobacco has been burned up. Once you are done, empty out the remaining ash. Use pipe cleaners sized for your pipe to clear out the stem of the pipe, running them through until no more debris can be seen.
It’s best to wait until the pipe is completely cool before disassembling it or giving it a thorough cleaning.
Congratulations, you are now cooler than the 34 million people who smoke cigarettes, and the eight million people who are vaping. And you probably feel pretty relaxed and calm as well.
What if My Pipe Goes Out?
Smoking so slow that your pipe goes out is much better than smoking too fast. Having to relight your pipe is normal, and won’t invite disrespect or judgment.
Just give the tobacco another light tamp and relight it to continue smoking. If you have to do this numerous times during a smoking session, then you’re probably relaxed and having a good time. No shame in that.
You Deserve to Be Unhurried
Now that you know how to smoke a pipe, it’s time to stop doing all that other silly stuff. Pick up a pipe, head to your local tobacconist and get some quality leaves, and enjoy a solid, unhurried smoking session at the end of the day.
Looking for more tips and tricks to help you become a real adult? Head over to our blog now to keep reading.
