New pipe smokers often find it difficult to keep a bowl lit from start to finish while veteran smokers seem to have no such problems. If you are struggling to master this essential pipe smoking skill and you don’t know where to turn for help, our comprehensive guide is just for you. In it, we have included all of the most common reasons that new smokers find it difficult to keep their pipes lit, along with our top tips on how to solve this problem for good.

Why Your Tobacco Pipes Keep Going Out and What to Do About It

There are a number of reasons that pipes can go out, all of which can be remedied if you know what symptoms to look out for and what steps to take. With our detailed checklist, you should be able to solve all your problems and keep any pipe lit for as long as you want.

• Overly Moist Tobacco – One of the most common reasons that tobacco pipes go out, whether you are a veteran smoker or a complete rookie, is overly moist tobacco. Even the most experienced of pipe smokers may run into this problem on occasion but fortunately, the solution is very simple. Take out a bowl's worth of tobacco from your tin and leave it out until it has dried sufficiently before smoking it. You may need to experiment with levels of dryness and drying times a bit but you will soon find the perfect combination that allows you to enjoy a bowl without puffing furiously in a vain attempt to keep it lit.
• Bowl Packed Too Tightly – This is a classic problem for new pipe smokers but, in common with the above issue, it’s relatively easy to solve. When you pack the tobacco too tightly in your bowl, you will find it harder to draw on the pipe and, as a consequence, it will tend to go out with frustrating regularity. A properly packed bowl should still allow you to draw freely on your pipe, ensuring that plenty of air is available for combustion to take place. The classic way to pack a bowl is to push the first third down gently, the second third a little more firmly and the last third a little more firmly still. This approach usually results in a nicely packed bowl that is neither too loose nor too tight.
• Not Tamping Often Enough – As you smoke your way through a bowl, you will occasionally need to tamp it down, to keep it burning evenly. By pushing the burning tobacco down gently, you bring it into contact with the layers of fresh tobacco below, helping the whole bowl to continue burning without going out at any point. Without any tamping, the moisture that collects on the lower half of the tobacco in your bowl can be enough to prevent an even burn from start to finish. If you don’t have a tamper that you can use for this purpose, please feel free to check out our range of quality tobacco pipe accessories while you’re here.
• Tamping Too Often or Too Firmly – Overenthusiastic tamping can lead to the same problem as a bowl that is packed too tightly to start with. You end up with tobacco that is so tightly compacted, not enough air can get through to keep it burning. If you start to find it more difficult to draw on your pipe as you tamp the tobacco down, either tamp less frequently or try to develop a lighter touch. It will probably take a little practice but you will get there in the end.
• Damp Pipe – Sometimes a pipe will keep going out even if you have packed it perfectly, with tobacco that has the perfect moisture content, and you tamp it with just the right degree of firmness and regularity. This is most often because the pipe is still damp from the last time it was used. When tobacco burns, it releases a considerable amount of moisture, which is absorbed by the walls of your pipe. If you don’t allow the pipe to rest for long enough between bowls, it will become too damp. The recommended rest period is 24 hours, which can be a problem if you only have one or two pipes. If this the case, we suggest taking a look at our collection of wholesale tobacco pipes and ordering a few right now.
• Waiting Too Long in Between Draws – If you wait for longer than a minute between draws, you are likely to find it difficult to keep your pipe lit, although this will depend on the type of tobacco blends that you smoke. With practice, you will find the perfect cadence to keep a bowl of your favorite blend lit from start to finish.
• Brand New Pipe That Needs to Be Broken In – Brand new briar pipes that have yet to develop a layer of cake will absorb more moisture, which can make them more difficult to keep lit. The only solution in this case is time, although some pipe smokers smear a small amount of honey in the bowl of their new pipes, to encourage a layer of cake to form more quickly.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need any more tips and don’t forget you can order all the tobacco pipes and tobacco pipe accessories you need from our online store.