For centuries, people have enjoyed the relaxation and satisfaction of pipe smoking. If you want to be one of them, here’s everything you need to know.
Types Of Smoking Pipes
When choosing a pipe, consider the design, colour, finish, and how comfortable it feels to hold.
Some of the most popular smoking pipe shapes include the acorn, pear, and apple, along with the Belge, Billiard, and long-stemmed Churchwarden. Also common are figural pipes with decorative carvings, and deep-bowled, bent Hungarian pipes.
How To Select Pipe Tobacco
There’s an art to selecting pipe tobacco. Selection comes down to personal taste preferences, mouthfeel, and burn rate.
The pipe tobacco available online from The Backy Shop are blends from different parts of the world.
Each blend contains different amounts of tobacco to give it unique characteristics. The various blends fall into one of two categories: aromatics and non-aromatics. Aromatics are characterised by spicy or sweet aromas such as blackberries, cherries, and cream, usually a result of soaking the tobacco in casing syrup during processing. Non-aromatics are made from tobacco with no casing. However, as non-aromatics have a strong taste, they are usually blended with a small amount of aromatic tobacco.
The best way to choose pipe tobacco is to try different blends. The choice can be daunting, so start by considering your mood and preferences. If you prefer a sweeter, fruitier aroma, go for an aromatic blend. If you want a stronger, typical tobacco aroma, choose a non-aromatic blend.
Packing And Lighting A Pipe
There are various ways to pack a pipe. The most popular is the three-layer method. To use this method, gently trickle tobacco into the bowl until the tobacco is above the rim. Then, press it down until the bowl is half full. Repeat this until the bowl is two-thirds to three-quarters full. Lastly, trickle in more tobacco until it is slightly overfull and press the top layer down. The tobacco should still feel springy.
Next, suck some air through the unlit pipe like a cool drink through a straw. If you struggle, unpack and repack the bowl. To light the pipe, use a match or pipe lighter to complete the necessary stages. The first stage is the charring or false light, which ensures the tobacco burns evenly. Move the flame around the surface and take a series of shallow puffs.
Extinguish the flame and tamp the tobacco down to ensure the surface is even. Next, relight the surface, moving in a circular motion, taking several shallow puffs. You’re now ready to enjoy your pipe.
Tips And Tricks
Use the following advice to care for your pipe and enhance the smoking experience:
Use hard and soft pipe cleaners, grain alcohol, and a scraping tool to clean your pipe regularly.
Store your pipe on a pipe rack or in a pipe cabinet, airtight container with humidity control, or acrylic cigar humidor.
Practise your pipe packing technique using a tobacco press or pipe tamper.
Try packing your pipe with a combination of pre-packed cake tobacco and loose tobacco.
Lastly, only use high quality pipe tobacco to ensure you get the best possible experience. The Backy Shop has an excellent selection of tobacco that ensures you find your perfect pipe-smoking companion.
Mastering the art of pipe smoking takes time and practice, but it’s worth the satisfaction that comes from a leisurely smoke.
