What is the first thing to know about pipe smoking, and what should I avoid?

Beginners tend to smoke excessively moist tobacco too fast, thereby applying too much flame to the tobacco. This causes a build-up of bad-tasting condensate. Once you accept you are being too hasty, simply give the pipe a few seconds to cool down before continuing with a little more caution. If so much condensate accumulates that the pipe only delivers an acrid taste, let it burn out and give the pipe a whole day to dry out so that the wood can regenerate.

If you carry on smoking the pipe with greater haste and apply even more flame, you will soon burn your tongue and perhaps also notice the aroma of burnt wood.

Important: As soon as you notice the scent or taste of charred wood owing to a hasty approach, you should stop smoking the pipe immediately: smoking a pipe does not mean smoking the wood of the pipe. It is therefore a simple matter to avoid burnouts.

An inexpert approach can give rise to a vicious circle, potentially ending with the destruction of the pipe itself. However, do not be concerned: it is an extreme case in which you experience the taste of charred wood before you burn out a pipe. With just a little caution and consideration for the pipe, burnouts are very unlikely, even over many years.

Our advice is to be sceptical of any reports you may read stating that pipes from quality manufacturers like ourselves can be burnt out because of material defects. This may be theoretically feasible, but in practice it is all but impossible. (For more information on this, see below.) Burnouts are not an issue for the sensible beginner, so please set about your task in a carefree and optimistic spirit.

Remember that pipe smoking requires calm; it is an almost meditative experience.