Getting into pipe smoking can be intimidating; any pipe smoker will tell you that mastering the art takes time. Considering there are countless techniques for packing a bowl, lighting said bowl, drawing smoke, and exhaling, it's unsurprising that no one smokes a pipe perfectly the first time. However, learning one's way around a pipe is as rewarding as it is challenging. Discovering new tobacco blends, experimenting with smoking techniques, and buying a new favorite pipe brings a rush of excitement that has captivated countless pipe smokers and demonstrates why so many are deeply dedicated to the hobby.

When I started working at Smokingpipes, I couldn't tell a stem from a stummel. I was the definition of a novice pipe smoker. After getting a crash course on all things pipes and tobacco and experimenting with pipe smoking on a daily basis, I am now entrenched in the hobby. Although I am far from mastering the art of smoking a pipe, I know exactly what it's like to dive headfirst into pipe smoking. For those of you who are beginner pipe smokers like me, here are five tips I wish I knew when I picked up a pipe for the first time.

1. Sample All Kinds Of Tobacco

This is somewhat of a cliché for novice pipe smokers, but it exists for good reason. When I smoked a pipe for the first time, I admit that I did not understand the appeal. Sure, I had plenty of tobacco smoke in my mouth, but what was its purpose? I had sparingly used vapes and cigarettes in the past and their purpose was purely functional: to cause a nicotine buzz. Pipe smoking was different. The next few times I smoked tobacco mixtures out of my pipe, I felt similarly to my first time. It wasn't until I tried an aromatic that I truly understood the appeal of pipe smoking, introducing my palate to unexpected flavors.

I clearly remember the first aromatic I smoked, the Peter Stokebye mixture Optimum. When the smoke hit my palate, I could instantly distinguish the vanilla and cherry flavors of the mixture. It was the straightforward flavors of aromatics like Optimum that showed me that pipe smoking was primarily about taste.

After parsing through the easily discernible flavors of Optimum and other aromatics, I returned to other blends. Now I could distinguish between the smoky mesquite of Latakia and the spiciness of Perique. I find non-aromatic tobaccos are more complex than their flavored counterparts, and when I first started smoking, I found these nuanced flavors to be inaccessible.

It wasn't until I tried an aromatic that I truly understood the appeal of pipe smoking

Once the palate is trained to identify simple flavors, it is much easier to find favorite blends. Currently, Va/Pers are my favorite mixtures. I love how the spicy undertones of Perique mesh with the mellow, earthy flavors of Virginias. However, I am never afraid to try something new. The willingness to sample different mixtures allowed me to not only find my favorite tobaccos, but also deepened my understanding and appreciation of pipe smoking. Hopefully, it will do the same for you.

2. Experiment With Packing A Bowl

Much like testing a variety of pipe tobacco blends, experimenting with smoking techniques is essential, and a good smoke starts with packing a bowl properly . Although the notion of loading a bowl with tobacco seems like a straightforward act, it requires a bit of thought and fine-tuning.

For example, some tobacco blends smoke far better if they are packed in a particular fashion. Tobacco blends that are described as "wet" or "moist" typically smoke best when they are lightly packed. On the opposite end of the spectrum, "dry" blends are ideal for a tighter pack. Appropriately packing a blend based on its moisture level can cause a once disappointing tobacco to abound with piquant flavors.

Furthermore, some complex blends exhibit different qualities depending on how they are packed. Personally, I quite enjoy Virginia tobaccos, which showcase a wide range of flavor profiles. Some are light and sweet, while others are rich and earthy. I have found that packing plays a huge role in bringing out these respective flavors.

The willingness to sample different mixtures allowed me to not only find my favorite tobaccos, but also deepened my understanding and appreciation of pipe smoking

For bright Virginias, I prefer a light pack to the point where I feel like the chamber is barely lit and I take a very light draw. This process creates an ideal burn to bring out the tangy and sweet citrus notes that occasionally go unnoticed with Virginias. For red Virginias I pack the bowl more tightly, or compress it while tamping, until I create a warmer ember inside the chamber. I find that the slightly elevated temperature emphasizes the rich, earthy flavors of the Virginias. Changing the way I pack a Virginia can completely alter how the blend tastes from one bowl to another, which is why I believe experimenting with how tightly to pack a bowl is essential for any novice pipe smoker.

3. Properly Care For Pipes

A pipe smoker's kit is not complete with just a lighter and a tamper. Taking proper care of one's pipe is paramount for a great smoking experience, and it requires plenty of pipe cleaners and a little bit of elbow grease.

After smoking a bowl, one should always wait for it to cool down; this will allow some of the moisture from the tobacco to absorb into the briar and make it possible to remove the stem from the stummel because the tenon expands when hot for a very tight seal. If the pipe is still hot when one removes the stem from the stummel, it risks cracking the shank and ruining a perfectly good pipe.

Once the stem is removed the pipe is "broken down." Then one can run a pipe cleaner through the airway in the stem and the stummel. For more complex pipes like the Peterson System, it might take a little bit more effort. Once the pipe's innards are clean, put the pipe back together and blow hard out of the airway, getting rid of any excess particulates. For day-to-day pipe maintenance, it really is this simple.

However, after smoking a pipe for some time, additional maintenance is required. To clear sticky soot off the rim, rubbing it with spit is an all-natural and cheap way to keep your pipe looking fresh. Cleaning off the end of vulcanite stems after every smoke is important as well, which ensures the smoke is as flavor neutral as possible by reducing sulfur-flavored oxidation. Keeping a pipe in good condition will prevent wear-and-tear, making one's pipe investment go a long way. Furthermore, it facilitates a better smoking experience. Unclean pipes will become wetter faster, introducing excess moisture and heat to the smoke. To ensure a perpetually pure and tasty smoke, a clean pipe is a must.

Reaming a pipe after prolonged use is also essential. If the cake builds too much and becomes overly thick, it can risk the physical integrity of the bowl by expanding faster than the briar and cracking the bowl. Excess cake also restricts the airflow and promotes hotter and more humid smoke. While reaming is infrequently necessary, it is nonetheless essential to the health of a pipe and the quality of the smoke that it produces.

4. Don't Fear Failure

Failure is an important step in perfecting technique. A significant hurdle for beginning pipe smokers is perfecting the art of smoking, which takes trial-and-error, noting what works and what disappoints. In order to accomplish satisfying pipe smoking, several elements must work in concert, which is not an easy task. Don't pack the bowl too tight, but don't pack it too loose either. Char the tobacco and push it down with a tamper, but properly light the tobacco first and don't push down too hard. Draw often enough to keep the bowl lit, but don't draw too much or you will be rewarded with nasty tongue-bite.

... some complex blends exhibit different qualities depending on how they are packed

For any beginner, the numerous aspects of smoking a pipe can be overwhelming. The consistent balancing act required to get the full potential out of a smoke is a challenge, even for veteran pipe smokers. Sometimes it doesn't work out and we end up with a bowl full of disappointment. That's Okay. You will pack plenty of bowls that are too loose, get many bowls too hot, and struggle to keep bowls lit — these mistakes help us perfect our methodology. As you dump the failed tobacco from the bowl to start over, note where the failures registered and modify those elements.

Sure, in the moment a failure can sting, especially when we're ready to unwind with a full pipe, but we learn from it. The only real way to improve as a pipe smoker is through personal trial and error, so embrace mistakes and temporary defeat. Sometimes we make a mistake once and then never again. Other times it will take careful attention to overcome. One of my most consistent mistakes is over-using my tamper, especially when I get to the bottom of the chamber. I try to get a better draw by tamping the tobacco but end up over-compressing, resulting in a clogged airway. I empty the bowl, and as I watch a clump of unused tobacco fall out I think, "Really? I did it again?" I expect this issue to persist, but I hope one day I'll master the art of tamping the bottom of a bowl.

One final disclaimer: don't get discouraged if you're struggling. You might smoke five lackluster bowls in a row and think that pipe smoking just isn't for you. Eventually, it will get easier. Packing a bowl will start to become second nature, and you will become savvy with a tamper and lighter. At the end of the day, pipe smoking isn't rocket science, it just requires a bit of perseverance.

5. Learn About Pipe History

In contrast to our other tips, educating ourselves about pipe history will not provide a better, smoother smoke. However, those who delve into the history of pipes and tobacco will have a greater appreciation for the hobby, and it pens a historical vista in which a pipe is greater than the sum of its parts.

Sometimes it doesn't work out and we end up with a bowl full of disappointment

Few hobbies offer a history as extensive as that of pipe smoking. Once thought of as nothing more than a functional tool, the pipe has been elevated to a piece of art due to the efforts of pipe-making factories, workshops, and artisans over hundreds of years. Different pipe-making styles arose across the world, with French, English, Danish, American, and Japanese cultures all applying their own unique spins on pipe archetypes. Furthermore, the catalogs of legendary pipe-making artisans like Sixten Ivarsson, Former, Hiroyuki Tokutomi, and Todd Johnson are a showcase of how a few great artists changed how the pipe-making world approached crafting pipes. Each newly crafted pipe builds on this essential past, and pipes made years ago are smokable artifacts.

Furthermore, learning about the extensive history of pipe making can catalyze an appreciation for particular pipe-making styles. One might discover an affinity for the simple designs of classic Anglo-French shapes, the creative elegance of the Danish Fancy Freehand style, or perhaps a preference for the style of a specific pipe maker. Once one dives into pipe history, even the simplest pipes are discovered to have a long and fascinating story.

When I started working at Smokingpipes, you could have told me Dunhill was a mountain in England and I would have believed you. After learning about all things pipes and tobacco, the historical aspects of pipe smoking have become the most engrossing part of the hobby for me. Now, each time I light up a bowl it feels a bit more special, knowing that my simple action is connected to such an incredible legacy.

Enjoy Pipe Smoking

I hope those of you who are beginner pipe smokers like me utilize these tips the next time you smoke and, hopefully, have a better smoking experience. If you have any tips of your own that you think others will find useful, make sure to post them in the comments. Finally, enjoy the first steps in your pipe-smoking journey!