I picked up a pipe to try out, and have read several different ways to pack/light it.  Finally got my tobacco and pipe nail the other day, and ended up just getting frustrated.  It would not stay lit for anything.  Do I need to let the tobacco dry out first or something?  Usually I'd take a few pulls while lighting, and soon after that, the fire would go out.  It just would not stay lit.  I tried packing it loose, tight, and every way in between.

tag
I've been thinking about starting pipe smoking
I just stopped getting weird looks from my friends when I pull out the cigars are parties
I can't wait to see their face if I whip out a pipe

There is a good forum at popes.org that will answer just about any question on pipes that you could come up with.  It is a matter of experimenting until you get it down to second nature.  I dip the pipe in the pouch and shake in as much tabacy as I can, tamp it down lightly and then I put pinches in the bowl and tamp lightly again.  After lighting it, it usually needs to be re-tamped and lite again.  You will find the moisture content of the tabcy and how firmly you tamp it, will dictate how it buns.  Once loaded, the pipe should draw with about the same resistance as it was when empty.  Again, I would encourage you to check out pipes.org.  Good bunch of guys with lots of knowledge.  Enjoy a nice brandy and a bowl full of your favorite tobacco.  Lots of experimenting ahead!

Quoted: tag I've been thinking about starting pipe smoking I just stopped getting weird looks from my friends when I pull out the cigars are parties I can't wait to see their face if I whip out a pipe

See who get the most compliments and attention when you light the pipe vs the cigars (and I smoke them both).

the tamping is probably your main problem. you want it a bit tight. it does take some practice.

also, pipe tobacco will go out a lot faster if you aren't puffing on it fairly regularly. yes, you don't want to smoke it to fast and get it too hot, but barely puffing and it will go out.

lastly, the type of tobacco you use will also dictate how much you have to tamp or relight.

i will tell you this, i gave up cigars almost entirely once i went to a pipe. not that i don't enjoy cigars, but i enjoy my pipe tobacco so much more that i find it hard to smoke anything else.

I like to pack mine light to start.  I do a char light and then tamp.  Do another light and that will be my puffing light.  It will last for about 20-30 min.  I will do another tamp and dump the loose ash and relight, this one gets me about 15-20 min and by that time it is pretty much out.  

With all that said, I like a smaller bowl and I like my tobacco on the dry side.

The dryer the tobacco the easier it will be to light and the dryer the smoke will be.  

Also, if you are smoking an aromatic, that may have something to do with it too, they a lot of propylene glycol and that can make it hard for the pipe to stay lit.

Pipes are not like Ronco ovens, you can't just set it and forget it, they are like a woman, they need attention and fussed over to be enjoyable.

Hey guys, first post in the humidor. To the OP: head on over to smokersforums.org and register. I don't think you will find a more generous group of guys. I'm only 18 and when I made my intro post I had about 5 guys offering to send me tobacco samples and had 2 guys offer to send me a briar pipe (I smoke a cob). My name over there is Young_pipester.

Aww hell, looks like on Friday I will have to swing by a tobacconist by my college and pick up a pipe and some tobacco. How much does this stuff cost anyway?

Quoted: Aww hell, looks like on Friday I will have to swing by a tobacconist by my college and pick up a pipe and some tobacco. How much does this stuff cost anyway?

I gave $15 for pipe, $3 for ounce of the leaf, $1 for the tamper tool. I got out for under $20.