Opus X
Puff Daddy
Just a nice little intro to how to smoke a pipe that I found that explains a lot for a new user.
- Break my pipe in: when you buy a new pipe, you have to break it in or build up the carbon cake ("culotter" in french). This step is required to protect the hood from the heat. To build up the cake, you have to fill the chamber increasing the dose of tobacco as you smoke. For example, the first day you will smoke with a little bit of tobacco, then the second day you will smoke with a little bit more of tobacco... And so on during at least the 15 first pipes.
- Pack my pipe: to pack a pipe means fill the chamber with tobacco. To do this step, you have to crumble your tobacco between your fingers, then put it in the chamber, pinches by pinches. Do not compress the tobacco for the moment. When the chamber is full of tobacco, now you can press down using your pipe tamper. You have to do it slowly, without too much firmness, otherwise the pipe will go out.
- Get comfortable: to enjoy your pipe, we advise you to sit in a spot protected from the wind, where you can relax and take your time.
- Light my pipe: to light your pipe, you have to use a pipe lighter or matches. Place your pipe between your lips and get your flame close to the surface of the tobacco, until it begins to burn.
- Smoke my pipe: you won't smoke a pipe as you smoke a cigarette. The smoke must not get into your lungs. To smoke your pipe, you'll have to inhale the smoke through the stem, and exhale through your mouth, without swallowing.
- Empty the ashes: once your pipe is done, you can empty the ashes using your pipe tamper. Do not tap your pipe against a hard surface to empty it, at the risk of breaking it. Instead, use a pipe ashtray, with a cork knocker.
- Let my pipe get cool: It is very important to let your pipe becoming completely cold before you disassemble it. This is required not to damage it.
- Disassemble the stem of my pipe: for this step, your have to hold the shank with one hand, and the stem with the other hand. Place your fingers near the junction, as close as you can. Then, turn the stem on himself while pulling gently.
- Clean or change the filter: if your pipe is equipped with a metallic filter, remove it and put it under water to clean it. If your pipe is equipped with a disposable filter, we recommend you to change it every 3 uses.
- Clean the shank and the stem: we advise to clean the shank and the stem after each pipe. For this step, you have to use a pipe cleaner. Simply pass it inside the shank and the stem to remove the tar.