Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Prepare what you need
• Part 2 of 3: How to smoke
• Part 3 of 3: After You Quit Smoking
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Pipe smoking is one of the oldest ways to use tobacco. Nowadays, it is often forgotten that pipe smoking was primarily a ritual to help rest and relax. You can smoke a pipe if you want to try something new and different. However, do not assume that pipe smoking is less harmful than cigarette smoking. The harm to health will be much the same.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Prepare what you need

1. 1 Choose a suitable tube. You can enjoy pipe smoking more if you enjoy it. Take the time to take your time choosing a pipe from a tobacco store that you find aesthetically pleasing. Hold the tube in your hand - a light tube is almost always more comfortable. If you are at a loss with a choice, ask the seller for recommendations.
   • Although wooden pipes are beautiful, they often have subtle defects, especially if they are cheap. If your choice of pipe is primarily based on its price, then buy a corncob pipe.
   • The metal filter in the tube usually absorbs moisture and can affect the taste. The filter is a removable insert that you don't need to use at all if you don't need it.
2. 2 Make sure there are no mechanical defects. If the pipe is working, then nothing should interfere with the passage of smoke. In order not to regret the purchase later, be sure to carefully inspect the tube:
   • You should not buy a tube if its wall thickness is less than 6 mm (approximately like a pencil). The base must be at least the same thickness. To measure it, insert a straight pipe cleaner into the tobacco chamber, clamp it at the top of the chamber, and then compare this height to the outside of the wall.
   • Slide the brush through the tube. It should pass easily through it and appear at the base of the tobacco chamber.
   • If the pipe is used frequently, the high temperature may cause the thick varnish to bubble and flake off.
3. 3 Buy all the accessories you need. It is not enough to buy just a pipe for smoking. When in a tobacco shop, buy everything you need right away so you don't have to go back there again. You will need:
   • Lighter or matches. The easiest way is to buy a cheap plastic butane-based lighter, but some smokers believe that it affects the taste and smell of tobacco. Specialty pipe lighters are sold at a variety of prices, but for starters, it's best to stick with a box of wooden matches. You will always have time to buy a pipe lighter.
   • A set of pipe brushes. They clean the smoke channel with brushes so that nothing interferes with the passage of smoke.
   • Tube tamper. It is designed to seal the tobacco in the cup.
4. 4 Smoking pipe tobacco. Having visited a tobacco shop for the first time, you can be confused by the abundance of varieties of tobacco. Cypriot Latakia? Dutch Cavendish? However, for the first purchase, a cursory acquaintance with its varieties is enough:
   • Flavored blends (or American) contain flavorings. Most often, novice smokers choose this weak, sweet tobacco.
   • Unflavored blends contain pure tobacco with a strong, pungent flavor. "English blends" are blends without aromatic additives, which have a pronounced aroma and taste due to the "latakia" variety included in their composition.
   • "Cavendish" is a special technology for making tobacco.For Cavendish tobacco, various varieties can be used, which are sweeter and lighter as a result.
   • It is better to buy two or three small packs of tobacco samples at once to try different flavors.
5. 5 Choose a way to cut your tobacco. Pipe tobacco comes in many shapes and sizes. There are many ways to cut and process tobacco. Best suited for beginners:
   • Ribbon Slices - Tobacco is sold in long, narrow strips that can be stuffed straight into the bowl of the pipe.
   • Shredded compressed tobacco is sold as thick slabs or irregular broken pieces. It is better to grind and knead the plates with your fingers so that they turn into small crumbs.

Part 2 of 3: How to smoke

1. 1 Take 20-40 minutes to smoke the pipe. Pipe smoking does not tolerate haste. Retire to a cozy place where no one will bother you and where the smoke will not bother anyone.
   • If you bought a briar pipe, keep in mind that there should be no draft in the room where you intend to smoke. Even the slightest vibration in the air will cause the pipe to flare up and deteriorate before you smoke it. This only applies to briar pipes. Other pipes, including corn-cob pipes, are draft-proof.
2. 2 Place a glass of water next to you. It will help moisturize your mouth and throat and relieve discomfort on your tongue. Some people prefer to drink tea or coffee while smoking a pipe, but it is better to postpone this until you become more experienced and can choose what to combine with.
   • It is best not to combine pipe smoking with alcohol, as this increases the risk of cancer from smoking.
3. 3 Clean the tube. Before each use, run a brush along the pipe and shake out any remaining ash and tobacco.
4. 4 Fill the pipe with three pinches of tobacco. The ability to properly fill a pipe comes with practice, but it depends on whether you enjoy smoking. The tobacco should not be filled tightly so that air can be easily drawn in through it, while it should be sufficiently elastic. Ask someone with a lot of experience to teach you how to fill a pipe, or use this method for beginners:
   • Place a small pinch of tobacco in the bowl. Tamp it down a little (or don't tamp it at all) to leave some air between the tobacco leaves.
   • Add a pinch of tobacco a little more and tamp it down a little too so that the bowl is half full.
   • Finish with a third pinch. When tamping, use a little more force to create a clearance of approximately 0.6 mm from the tobacco to the top of the bowl.
   • You may want to note that when fumigating a briar pipe the first few times, many people fill it to ⅓ or ½ of the recommended depth for this method. This forms a protective deposit of coal dust. However, some experienced smokers dispute this advice.
5. 5 Light the pipe with matches or a special lighter. If you are using matches, wait a few seconds for the sulfur to burn out so you don't taste it. Move the fire over the surface of the tobacco while taking long puffs through the mouthpiece. Many smokers prefer to light the pipe once and then tamp the ashes so that the tobacco lies evenly. This is the so-called "false fire". This is not necessary, but this is what allows the tobacco to burn evenly and requires fewer re-ignites. After tamping, light the pipe again as described above. Quite often it happens that the tube goes out. Just fill it up gently and light it up again.
6. 6 Take small, infrequent puffs. Most often, pipe smokers take a puff and gently suck in the smoke or move it with their tongue across the palate. Newbies or those who smoke cigarettes inhale the smoke. However, it is best to keep the smoke in your mouth rather than sinking into your lungs. If you are just learning to smoke a pipe, hold the cup in your hand.Puff so often that the fire in the pipe does not go out, but do not allow the pipe to heat up so much that it cannot be held in your hands.
   • However, some pipe smokers occasionally inhale the smoke to get more pleasure from nicotine. Don't take more than one or two puffs from one bowl. In this case, the smoke must be drawn in carefully, because in the pipe it is much stronger and thicker than in a cigarette.
   • If you don't breathe smoke into your lungs, your risk of lung cancer is much lower. However, the risk of developing oral cancers remains quite high.
7. 7 Tamp the tobacco again and light the pipe if necessary. If the tube goes out, just refill and re-fire it. It is not necessary to pour out the ashes as long as it does not interfere with the disintegration of the tube. This can only happen if there is a lot of ash. In this case, pour out about half of the resulting ash by tapping a tube on a cork, on your hand or other soft object.

Part 3 of 3: After You Quit Smoking

1. 1 Let the tube cool. When you finish smoking, wait for the pipe to cool down. If you haven't smoked the entire bowl, tamp the tobacco to extinguish it.
   • Do not disassemble the tube while it is still hot. The tube may crack.
2. 2 Monitor the condition of the bowl. Depending on the type of pipe, this can be done in two ways:
   • Coal dust ("carbon deposits") should accumulate in the briar tubes, which will protect the wood. Cover the bowl and shake the ash to separate and distribute throughout the bowl. Use your finger to rub the ashes against the sides of the bowl. Pour out the leftovers.
   • Other tubes are best kept clean. Shake out the ashes and scrub the bowl with a paper towel or pipe brush. (Do not allow large carbon deposits to form on the foam pipes.)
3. 3 Clean the barrel and stem. Remove the barrel and, sticking in the brush, dry it and get rid of the sediment. Do the same with the shank leading to the lower part of the tobacco chamber.
4. 4 Clean the stem and barrel with a brush. Remove the barrel. Moisten a brush (you can use saliva) and push it through the shank until you see its end at the bottom of the bowl. Alternate with gently blowing through the barrel to get rid of excess ash. Do the same with the barrel.
5. 5 Do not use the tube for one or two days. During this time, moisture will evaporate in the pipe, which interferes with lighting the pipe and contributes to the appearance of gurgling sounds.
   • If you plan to smoke more often, you will need another pipe.
   • Leave the brush in the pipe while you are not using it to absorb moisture.
6. 6 Clean the tubing with an alcohol wipe after several uses. Dampen a brush or cloth with alcohol and remove deposits that can interfere with air passage or affect taste. If you are using unsuitable alcohol, such as medical alcohol, set the tubing aside for 24 hours to allow the alcohol to evaporate completely. Any liquid with a high alcohol content can be used, but neutral-tasting alcoholic beverages such as grain or regular vodka are best. Then wipe off the remaining moisture with a dry brush. Take care of that. so that alcohol does not get on the tube cover so as not to spoil it. Someone cleans the pipe after each use, while others do not. If you want to keep your pipe clean, ask an experienced smoker to teach you how to tell if your pipe is dirty.

Tips

• Above all, be patient and take your time. In general, pipe smoking will only be truly enjoyable when you fully master the technique of filling, igniting, tamping and smoking itself. It takes time to find your favorite blends and pipes that suit your taste.
• Tobacco is packaged at varying degrees of humidity. If the tobacco is very moist, dry it open to make it easier to smoke.
• Feel free to ask for advice and help.You can find out more about pipe smoking in numerous forums where experienced smokers are happy to share their experiences with you.
• To keep the briar pipe from losing its luster, sometimes polish it with a special briar polishing paste.
• If you find it difficult to hold the tube in your hands, then it is too hot. Set it aside and extinguish the heat, then try again after a few minutes.

Warnings

• In no case should you use a metal pipe for smoking tobacco. Although these tubes look very unusual and impressive, you need to remember that metals conduct heat and you can get burned.
• Pipe smoking can cause tongue burn, a condition in which the tongue is irritated and sore. No one knows exactly why this is happening. Try to keep the temperature lower when smoking (fill less, inhale more slowly). You can also try changing your tobacco. Experienced smokers manage to avoid this as they improve their pipe smoking technique.
• Foam tubes are very sophisticated (and expensive). Check with an experienced smoker who uses such a pipe.
• Pipe smoking can cause cancer of the mouth and throat, just like smoking cigarettes. If you also inhale smoke, then the risk of developing lung cancer increases.

What do you need

• A tube
• Tube rammer
• Tobacco.
• For cleaning:
• Pipe reamer
• Pipe brush
• Polishing paste + cloth
• Clean, lint-free cloth