Smoking a pipe only needs to be as complicated as you want to make it. Still, a few things may feel counter-intuitive until you're used to the hobby. The following seven tips should help you enjoy the time you spend smoking your tobacco pipe just a bit more.

Do Keep Your Tobacco Dry

Moisture is the enemy of good tobacco and good tobacco pipes. If the smoke you take into your mouth tends to burn or bite, it may contain too much steam. Even decent packaged tobaccos and tobacco blends may contain more moisture in the package than you want on the first opening.

It's easy to rush the tobacco drying process, but doing so can drastically decrease how pleasant smoking your pipe will be. Allow your tobacco to dry to a level where it doesn't stick together but isn't fully “crunchy”. Aromatics take longer to dry, so plan to give yourself plenty of time when using these.

Don't Inhale the Smoke

Cigarette smokers are the most likely to pull too hard or too often on a tobacco pipe, but anyone can make this mistake. Ideally, you will only take in little sips of smoke, allow them to swirl around in your mouth, and then allow the smoke to escape.

Do Keep Your Pipe Clean and Dry

Tobacco pipes can develop both wanted and unwanted buildup. Remember that tip about keeping your tobacco dry? The same thing applies to pipes. Using your tobacco pipe can allow moisture to accumulate in the bowl of your tobacco pipe. Cleaning the pipe well is key to having a pleasant smoke.

Not only should you do a deep clean of your pipe every few smokes, but it's also important to run a pipe cleaner through the stem and into the bowl a few times during each smoke. This helps clean up excess moisture before it becomes a problem.

Don't Get Too Caught Up in Trends

There is no one perfect or correct way to smoke, clean, or otherwise enjoy your tobacco pipe. By that same token, there is no one perfect type of tobacco or tobacco pipe. Everyone has personal preferences and quirks.

Maybe you enjoy punchier tobaccos or a hotter smoke. Perhaps you could never get the hang of using a meerschaum pipe and prefer a cob pipe or one of the many well-aged briar pipes available. Try new things if you're so inclined, but sticking with what you know and what works for you is part of what differentiates you as a tobacco pipe smoker.

Do Age (or “Cellar”) Your Tobacco

Though this may not be something you're thinking about if you're new to the hobby, it may be worth picking up some tobacco to start aging, if you have the resources. In a few months or even years, you may be glad to have started this process. The sooner you start, the faster you will be able to gain experience with how the aging process changes tobacco.

Tobacco is easy to age. It needs to be kept at about 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit in a place with low humidity and little light. Tobacco can be stored in an original sealed container or any glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Aromatic tobaccos can be aged, but coated aromatics should not be as this coating can make these tobaccos decrease in desirable flavors and qualities with age.

Don't Pack Your Tobacco Too Tightly

Just as tobacco pipes are meant to be smoked gently and slowly, tobacco itself doesn't need to be handled roughly, either. If you feel like you have to pull too hard or if it feels like your pipe just won't stay lit, your pipe may have been packed too tight.

When packing a tobacco pipe, don't fight gravity or the tobacco. Allow a full pinch to settle into the bowl and press down until the tobacco still feels a bit light or “springy”. If you need to add more to the bowl, use less pressure on each addition to avoid compacting the tobacco at the bottom of the bowl

Do Try New Things

Between tobacco pipes, tobaccos, care methods, and smoking techniques you can have a completely different smoking experience daily.

Pipes

Maybe you'll start with a corn cob tobacco pipe or an estate pipe from a relative. Perhaps a briar pipe was the first addition to your collection. Moving on to another type of pipe, especially one of the many excellent meerschaum pipes available, can offer new options. For example, briar pipes can be cared for and "broken in" over time to provide a more personal smoking experience than one of the many cob tobacco pipes.

SHOP BRIAR PIPES

Tobacco

There are thousands of different types and blends of tobacco. Many who have just taken up pipe smoking are drawn to aromatic tobaccos and avoid those without a pleasant smell in the tin. Often you may find that these are some of the best blends for smoking or varieties to add to a personal blend.

Techniques

There are many different packing and tamping techniques to try out until you find one that meets your specific style. If you ever do feel restless and want to try something that builds on your basic pipe smoking skills, learning how to make smoke rings is always an option.