Help, I need to stay lit!

Londy3

Hey pipe smokers!  I need some help. I don't know what I am doing wrong or if this is just the nature of flakes.  I love the smell and taste of Orlik Strong Dark Kentucky, HH Dark Kentucky and others that are not ribbon or shag cut.  It seems to take forever to catch a burn. I have relight several times just to get it going. I like these kind of non-aromatic tobacco but just can't keep them lit. Why??  

I have tried to rub out, let's sit for 30+ minutes before packing and did a fair amount of reading/YouTube watching, so I am trying to do all the right things here. Just kinda frustrated with these kinda of cuts and would love your help and advice. Thanks 

xDutchx

Londy, you just need to experiment with more drying time. It could possibly take 3 to 5 hours, or even overnight for your tobacco to dry to the level you need, in order to light and smoke it easily. Once you get it to the moisture level you like, don't be disappointed if it still wants to go out in the beginning. This relighting process, can produce some of the best flavor you will experience from the entire bowl.

One trick I learned early on, was to prepare a pipe today, that I plan to smoke tomorrow. That way I don't need to rush my drying time.

Londy3

Hmm, that's an interesting approach. Now that I am finally building up a collection of pipes I can actually rotate, I will try this. 
BTW, I now have 8 and very pleased with my choices. Just need a Churchwarden now and I'm good for a bit.

xDutchx

Londy, 7 or 8 pipes are usually what I keep in regular rotation. Once I finish off a tin, I may substitute a pipe in rotation that is more suitable for the new blend I have cracked open.

Londy3

So you are separating briers, cobs to specific tobaccos?
I am trying to keep my Savinelli and Rossi's to non-aromatic and lower end pipes for aromatics, so far so good. 

xDutchx

Londy, typically only my widest deepest bowled pipes are used for Latakia blends. I might however smoke a crumble cake style tobacco in a short wide bowled pipe, such as a Prince.

I will designate a pipe to a particular genre of tobacco, and then smoke a variety of blends in that pipe. If over time, one blend smokes particularly well in that particular pipe, I may dedicate it to one blend only.

I don't smoke very many aromatics, but when I do, I usually choose a cob or meerschaum.

The thing I find when I dedicate a pipe to a particular blend exclusively, is that the blend and the pipe just seem to get better and better.

Bonanzadriver

I second the recommendation on hours of dry time not minutes.

I've even let it sit out overnight and it was excellent.  The drier the better for my but ymmv.

motie2

And don't overfill/overtamp the bowl. Tobacco too tightly packed will not burn well and will contribute to bite.

judandhispipe

Flakes can be fussy to keep lit.I just don't worry about it.

Londy3

Thanks for all the feedback, much help

thebadgerpiper

I'll second what motie2 said. I found that most of my struggles with lighting my pipe was that I overfilled the pipe or packed the tobacco too much by the draw hole. Try taking a pipe cleaner and pushing it into the bowl to form a bigger air pocket. Keep your tobacco loose and pack more until you get the rhythm for it. Draw on your pipe before its lit. When you draw, the air resistance should be similar to when you drink a milkshake through a straw.

motie2

Concerning Relights

https://www.smokingpipes.com/smokingpipesblog/single.cfm/post/concerning-relights