I think it was
@
mooster
who once posted on the old site a good exercise. Get your tobacco properly dried, packed and lit, and instead of puffing, just breathe through your nose with the pipe clenched in your mouth. You will be surprised how well a pipe stays lit with just a slow, steady flow of air. You don't necessarily have to smoke this way all the time, but it at least gives you a good idea how little you need to puff to keep it lit.