How to Light a Pipe

The pipe lighter will have a wide hole in the screen instead of the several small holes characteristic of cigarette lighters. This allows the flame to be drawn into the pipe easily. Ideally, one shouldnt hold the pipe lighter perpendicular to the tobacco but, rather, at a slight angle. The flame can be easily drawn down into the bowl by lightly puffing until the tobacco reaches a temperature sufficient to sustain combustion but which is not so hot that it results in a harsh smoke.

There will be two stages of packing the pipe. After the tobacco is cleaned, making certain there are no clumps or impurities in the tobacco, fill up the bowl halfway and tamp it down. Draw through the unlit pipe to make certain that there's no resistance. Pack the bowl the rest of the way and tamp down the tobacco until it is level with the top of the bowl. Before the final smoking light, the tobacco needs to be properly dried.

Lighting the pipe is much different than is lighting a cigar or a cigarette. First, one must eliminate any moisture from the tobacco. Hold the flame above the tobacco and draw it down by puffing lightly. Get the tobacco smoking but don't light it. The tobacco will puff up and take on a shaggy appearance. Tamp it back into the bowl and level it out again.

The first lighting is to eliminate any moisture. Don't set the tobacco burning, just puff a few times until the tobacco fluffs up. After the bowl is tamped down again and tested for an easy draw, hold the lighter above the tobacco and puff a few times until the tobacco achieves a nice, cool burn. When the pipe is properly-lit, the tobacco can burn for a long time and the smoke will be cool and mellow. Fluid-filled lighters can provide years of service and many of them come with attachments specifically for tamping and cleaning the pipe.