Quote Originally Posted by Cool Breeze View Post
...I think that the reason people have that issue with Gawith blends is that they're so wet you have to puff hard and often to keep them lit. A little drying time will probably help with those.
It sucks because to me they taste better when they're on the wet side.
I too prefer my flakes on the moist side. I fold and stuff but I'm careful to fill the bowl loosely at the bottom and I tamp gently to keep the draw easy. On occasion I get tongue irritation from flakes but only if they've dried, probably because I fill the pipe similarly either way.

I'll make a distinction between tongue bite, that I think is a chemical reaction, and tongue irritation that's from heat and continuous smoke arriving on the same spot of the tongue. Either can be caused by excessive smoke (too fast) and for me the key is to forget that I'm smoking at all and get myself into a rhythm. Don't be afraid to let the pipe go out and never fight to keep it lit. When my pipe goes out I 'garden' my ash (removing most), tamp to my preference and relight.

There's always the possibility that certain types of tobacco agree with a person less than others. To anyone who is having these issues, relax, try changing the way that you fill (a bit more resistance or a bit less as needed), and you know how successful you've been as the problem diminishes.