RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
|
Post by RyanAK on Mar 24, 2023 16:40:21 GMT -7
I’m a pipe smoker and will naturally add tobacco to my 18th century kit. So… what various ways were employed to light ones tobac?
|
|
|
|
Post by paranger on Mar 24, 2023 17:01:38 GMT -7
|
|
|
|
Post by spence on Mar 24, 2023 18:12:53 GMT -7
I'm no longer a smoker, but I always had my pipe with me in my early days in the hobby, usually a reed stem clay pipe. I lighted it in a variety of ways. In camp, the obvious, burning stick from the fire, ember if no flame. At other times, on sunny days, put a small piece of char cloth on the tobacco, catch a spark with your burning glass and give it a few puffs. If you are adept with flint and steel, you can do it the same way, drop a spark on the char cloth and give it a few puffs. That sounds difficult. and I found it to be so, but I assure you it can be done. There was a character around here way back when I first got into the BP game whom I'll never forget because he routinely lighted his pipe with flint and steel. He was apparently a sort of real hermit, lived alone, and I never saw him dressed in anything except moccasins, a full set of greasy buckskins and, when appropriate, a beaver fur hat. Those were his street clothes, not just his camp clothes. Lighting his pipe with flint and steel was his shtick, and you couldn't believe how expert he was at it. He put a small piece of charcloth on top of his tobacco, and with one, occasionally two very casual clicks dropped a spark on it and drew on it to quickly light the tobacco. He did this with the pipe in his mouth, and it was so quick, easy and natural for him you hardly noticed he was doing anything unusual. I learned to do it occasionally, but never with the pipe in my mouth, and I promise you, I didn't make it look easy. A relaxing pipe would be great about now.  Spence |
|
RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
|
Post by RyanAK on Mar 25, 2023 9:06:59 GMT -7
I'm no longer a smoker, but I always had my pipe with me in my early days in the hobby, usually a reed stem clay pipe. I lighted it in a variety of ways. In camp, the obvious, burning stick from the fire, ember if no flame. At other times, on sunny days, put a small piece of char cloth on the tobacco, catch a spark with your burning glass and give it a few puffs. If you are adept with flint and steel, you can do it the same way, drop a spark on the char cloth and give it a few puffs. That sounds difficult. and I found it to be so, but I assure you it can be done. There was a character around here way back when I first got into the BP game whom I'll never forget because he routinely lighted his pipe with flint and steel. He was apparently a sort of real hermit, lived alone, and I never saw him dressed in anything except moccasins, a full set of greasy buckskins and, when appropriate, a beaver fur hat. Those were his street clothes, not just his camp clothes. Lighting his pipe with flint and steel was his shtick, and you couldn't believe how expert he was at it. He put a small piece of charcloth on top of his tobacco, and with one, occasionally two very casual clicks dropped a spark on it and drew on it to quickly light the tobacco. He did this with the pipe in his mouth, and it was so quick, easy and natural for him you hardly noticed he was doing anything unusual. I learned to do it occasionally, but never with the pipe in my mouth, and I promise you, I didn't make it look easy. A relaxing pipe would be great about now. Spence This is wonderful. At camp and around the fire is easy enough, but I don't know why I didn't think of the burning glass and a piece of char cloth. Now, catching a spark from flint and steel while clenching the pipe... I need to become proficient at this. I can't imagine the dexterity needed to accomplish this, but I'm willing to practice. What a nifty trick. I do wish I had time to sit and enjoy a pipe a few times a day. My tobacco cellar is quietly aging my tins in solitude and my briars haven't seen the weed or flame in some time. But oh the enjoyment of sitting by the fire or curled with a good book and perhaps a wee dram... |
|
RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
|
Post by RyanAK on Mar 25, 2023 9:19:57 GMT -7
Well, this is just neat. And enlightening. I need one of these. And some Amadou. I'm smitten with this little contraption! |
|
|
|
Post by brokennock on Mar 25, 2023 15:23:07 GMT -7
I've used a small burning stick, a candle, and an ember.
I've had recommended to me using a smoldering "tinder tube" but as of yet have not tried it.
My favorite way (other than modern matches or a lighter) is an ember from my tinderbox of charred punkwood. I have a sweet little set of ember tongs that Hawkeye forged for me. Strike a spark into my tin of charred punk and pluck out a small glowing piece with the tongs, hold it to the filled pipe and light it up. Punkwood holds its ember a lot longer than cloth or charred rope (sometimes too long) so I can actually put the piece down, tamp my pipe down, and relight it with the same piece most of the time.
Question..... If using a burning glass, why wouldn't one light the tobacco directly with it?
|
|
|
|
Post by artificer on Mar 26, 2023 8:43:38 GMT -7
Spence,
In the late 1970's, Historic Fort Wayne held a War of 1812 weekend and I think I met the same guy (or one very much like him) who was doing KY militia. He had a beard with a fair amount of grey in it. He could light his pipe with flint and steel faster than many guys using a wooden match. I was amazed by him.
Gus
|
|
|
|
Post by hawkeyes on Mar 27, 2023 10:22:35 GMT -7
I'm an avid pipe smoker as well. Very much enjoy it just like my coffee. I've never gone the char cloth route and will certainly give this a whirl. I always use the help of an ember or ye old lighted stick from the fire.
I did make a set of ember tongs awhile back... However I haven't the picture now. Nock may have it?
|
|
|
|
Post by spence on Mar 27, 2023 10:55:07 GMT -7
Spence, In the late 1970's, Historic Fort Wayne held a War of 1812 weekend and I think I met the same guy (or one very much like him) who was doing KY militia. He had a beard with a fair amount of grey in it. He could light his pipe with flint and steel faster than many guys using a wooden match. I was amazed by him. Gus Sounds like the same guy. It seems unlikely there could be two guys from Kentucky with that particular talent. Spence |
|
|
|
Post by spence on Mar 27, 2023 10:57:43 GMT -7
Question..... If using a burning glass, why wouldn't one light the tobacco directly with it? I've never tried that, so I don't know that it wouldn't work, but I doubt the tobacco would hold the ember long enough. If you could do it with the pipe in your mouth so you could puff immediately, maybe..... Spence |
|
|
|
Post by spence on Mar 27, 2023 11:27:22 GMT -7
Gus, back in the 1970s and 80s the states of Pennsylvania and Kentucky had an annual rifle competition to see who got to name the long rifle...was it the Kentucky Rifle or the Pennsylvania Rifle? The official Kentucky team was the Kentucky Longrifles, as I recall, and one of my mentors in my early days in the hobby was a member of that team. It was through him that I met the magic pipe lighter. It's possible he was also a member of the team, but I know nothing about him, only ever saw him in the local black powder specialty store. My mentor, Bill Goldsmith, ran that store. I wonder if that fun competition is still being held.
Spence
|
|
|
|
Post by artificer on Mar 27, 2023 14:25:52 GMT -7
Spence,
In 1980, the World Championships of the International Muzzleloading Committee were held at Quantico, Va. I took a week's leave to help out as a volunteer worker and became the "Official Crisis Control NCOIC." At that time, they were not allowing reproduction weapons to be shot, but they did allow a 10 man Team from KY to put on "demonstration shoot" with repro flintlock rifles while the shooting was going on. Hershel House was on the team, but I don't remember any of the other names. They dressed in period "longhunter" type attire and shot so well, they would have beaten almost any National Team at the shoot. I THINK they were the Kentucky Longrifles you mentioned. They certainly did Kentucky proud and it led to repro weapons being allowed in I think the next World Championship. I've heard about the competition you mentioned, but that's the closest I ever came to being around them.
Gus
|
|
|
|
Post by brokennock on Mar 27, 2023 15:14:02 GMT -7
.....I did make a set of ember tongs awhile back... However I haven't the picture now. Nock may have it? I'll see what I can come up with. |
|
|
|
Post by brokennock on Mar 28, 2023 17:05:51 GMT -7
Okay, took some fresh pics with the ember tongs that Hawkeye made for me,,,  But I have a picture question,  Which exposure is best?  The 1st is just natural light filtering through my blinds, the second is the same but with the camera flash on and the last has the room's overhead light on.... just curious because I can rarely decide. More of Hawkeye's handy little tongs.   Very handy little item. I suppose in a pinch one could use those little cocktail ice tongs if one found some in a thrift store or something. Or, maybe, Hawkeye could make a few more, some turn screws, and firesteels, and breath some life into the classifieds... With this crowd a button-hole chisel would sell well too I bet.... |
|
