The mysteries of the char light

JLehman5290

So I have been mastering the breathe method and am getting a nice cool smoke a majority of the time now. However there are times I have to wait longer after my char light to do my final light since my pipe is getting very hot. I am wondering if I’m overdoing it. I have been told/heard in multiple tutorials that you should have white ash after your char. I’m beginning to think that as a result of “chasing white ash” I am “over-charring” and exposing the pipe to heat for far too long.
I smoke a lot outside and use a soft flame lighter or a zippo lighter and take shallow puffs during the char.
Am I overdoing it, do I really need a bed of white before tamping and lighting again?

mapletop

@JLehman5290  In my humble opinion, yes you over doing it, the key word here is char.

vtgrad2003

I personally think you may be watching too many YouTube videos and/or listening to pipe smokers on the "other" site! I'm not sure why the "breathe method" is so important...in fact, it's always amazed me that there are other words out there for simply 'smoking a pipe'. To each his own, but I agree, you may be over doing it; my suggestion would be to simply light the lighter, hold it to the bowl, and smoke the pipe....maybe I'm crazy. 

motie2

I have the same fears about several of our members.

PappyJoe

The breathe method is simply another way of smoking your pipe slowly and at the same cadence you would normally breathe as opposed to puffing hard and fast like an old steam-engine locomotive and produce an constant big cloud of smoke.

IF you want to learn what I would consider a proper char light, use wooden matches. Light one and light the tobacco until the match goes out. Pay attention to how long it took for the match to go out. Don't use a lighter for a char light longer than a match. Oh! Be sure to tamp lightly after the char light. 

mfresa

I second @PappyJoe, tamp after the char, then the second light will work a lot better.

AnantaAndroscoggin

I quite agree.

I've had the experience of an excessively goopy tobacco taking an insanely long time to even begin to catch fire.

Why don't goopy tobaccos dry out even with the humidor jar lid left open for a day at a time?

Balisong

Goopy tobacco has either been treated to propylene glycol or topped with an oil based aroma. I avoid both. 

JLehman5290

Thanks everyone. I seem to have settled into a cadence on my own. I took @PappyJoe advice and used a match for the char. Helped me pay attention to what the tobacco was doing as well as keeping everything cool.

JLehman5290

@vtgrad2003, I completely understand the confusion over the ubiquity of the breathe method. Personally, I don’t have any other pipe smokers in my immediate community. So for me to watch MuttonChop Pipers video on this method gave me language I could easily understand and implement. It drastically changed my enjoyment and allowed me to taste flavors I never knew existed. Believe me, all I wanted to do was “simply smoke a pipe”. Pipe Smoking by nature is a trial and error and since joining this forum with all you fine gentlemen I have been able to avoid both trials and errors.

vtgrad2003

@JLehman5290 Well put. I sometimes forget that none of this sort of jargon and/or methodology was around when I started smoking a pipe, so I've never quite understood the significance of it all. Glad you found something that improves its enjoyment. 

Londy3

Remember, keep it simple.
Soft flame lighter or wooden matches

Light entire surface of tobacco and lightly puff

Tamp

Relight and enjoy. 

My pipe hardly ever goes out.

motie2

The Pipe Nook's How to Smoke a Pipe - Part 7: The Charring Light
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jpf9HkfS_g

You might also enjoy their pipe smoking FAQ - https://www.thepipenook.com/blog/pipe-smoking-101-how-to-smoke-a-pipe