Extremely beginner question about lighting bowls

[cmpltnoob]

So i'm very new to smoking and new to these forums, and have only recently (this past summer) started getting my own pipe and weed to smoke on my own. I haven't had many opportunities to get high with people, but I really enjoy it when I do.

Each time I do though I always find one more little thing that I'm doing wrong when I actually try to smoke. I know how to use a pipe in general, but I can never get the hang of taking a proper hit in terms of lighting it and how long is too long.

Here's my main question, what is the proper way to light the weed in a bowl? Before, as I was moving the lighter to the bowl while starting to inhale, the flame would get to a certain point and seem to "snap" on the bowl and just cover the whole thing and the hit would just be total pain. I would take the flame off immediately and struggle to inhale the rest of my breath because I can feel the burn really bad in my throat, lungs, and even behind my ears, and it would keep burning for minutes afterwards. Something seemed not right with that much pain.

Am I supposed to just let the flame barely touch at all times until I get just enough of an ember to keep the smoke coming? How should I properly do that? Do I inhale with enough force that the suction keeps the flame pointing downwards the whole time i'm lighting?

Or is all this just speculation by me and its gonna be that hot everytime? (I have a metal pipe that has a clear plastic chamber about 3 inches long)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[postblue]

You can't really 'get stuff wrong' with smoking weed - it's just learning what suits you best, everyone I know has different ways to spark up, hold the joint/pipe. It's how you feel comfortable.

When I'm smoking a bowl to myself (i've had a lottt of practice however ) I don't bother to corner it, which just means if you don't know, you light a corner of the bowl instead of the middle. It's more useful when you're smoking with other people too. I hold the flame to the bowl and take a hit, take the pipe from my mouth and exhale! When I was new to smoking I was so conscious about everything I was doing, but theres no need. People will teach and help you and soon you won't worry about anything and just enjoy smoking, thats the way it should be

It burns my throat to fuck if I inhale to long, but I've just gotten used to it. If you don't smoke cigarettes or anything before you started smoking weed, the burn in your throat just takes some getting used to. I would just stop taking such big hits or smoke more joints/blunts.

[mong]

I have the same problem with lighting a bowl, It usually fucks me up...

A few hints
- corner the bowl- light the edge so you don't get too much at once
-let a little bit of air in, either through the shotty or at the corners of your mouth
-toughen up- this will help you the most in the long run. Just cop it and your lungs will learn to cope with smoke in there...

[greenbliss]

Are you using the carb correctly?

[Ras Trent]

The harshness is more than likely your being new to smoking as well as the size and material of your pipe. I suggest going to your local smokeshop and picking up a glass piece. 20 bucks will be plenty. The bowl will more than likely be bigger than your metal piece, which may help.

As for how to smoke a bowl, you can corner it, but you don't have too, especially by yourself. Most people I know don't care at all whether you corner or not. Just as the poster above me said, everyone has slight variations on how they smoke. You should just smoke. Smoke with friends. Smoke by yourself. Smoke! Your friends will show you little things and you'll pick up some things on your own. Soon enough you won't think about it at all, I guarantee it!

I remember when I first started I would get a constant tingling in my throat. Not good tingly, more like "little pieces of something are in my esophagus" feeling. Eventually you just won't get it anymore. Well, maybe once in a blue moon, but quite rarely.

[cmpltnoob]

Originally Posted by greenbliss

Are you using the carb correctly?

All I know of using the carb is to hold it as i inhale, and as am finishing my hit, let off to clear the chamber.

[greenbliss]

Thats about it, though you can also, cover the carb and release it several times too, if you wish, or get a super cheap pipe that doesnt have one.

[mong]

You can also let it off a little at a time so you're not getting pure smoke, a good trick for newbies or if you've burnt the back out of your throat...

[cmpltnoob]

Did anyone else ever have problems with their ears burning after a hit? My friends have told me they never had that problem.

[Ras Trent]

Originally Posted by cmpltnoob

Did anyone else ever have problems with their ears burning after a hit? My friends have told me they never had that problem.

Not personally, but you can have some pretty weird sensations when your new to it.

[cmpltnoob]

Oh, um, just thought about something.

When you inhale, i know it should be a deep breath from the diaphragm, but should my nasal passages be open for it? Like, should it be the type you take when you are getting a checkup from a doctor and they are listening to your chest, or should no air be passing into my nose as I'm inhaling.

That could explain my ear canals burning so much, I guess, maybe.

What do you guys think?

[greenbliss]

Originally Posted by cmpltnoob

Did anyone else ever have problems with their ears burning after a hit? My friends have told me they never had that problem.

Ive never heard of that either, but yeah strange sensations when you are high isnt un common when you are as new as you seem to be. I had a thing where I seemed to have to like grind my teeth every time I got high. This urge to grind my teeth lasted like 2 or 3 weeks, and it happenned just this year, and i started in 2002.

[greenbliss]

Originally Posted by cmpltnoob

Oh, um, just thought about something.

When you inhale, i know it should be a deep breath from the diaphragm, but should my nasal passages be open for it? Like, should it be the type you take when you are getting a checkup from a doctor and they are listening to your chest, or should no air be passing into my nose as I'm inhaling.

That could explain my ear canals burning so much, I guess, maybe.

What do you guys think?

Well neither have I nor have I seen any of my friends plug their nose. I think you are over thinking blazing.

[cmpltnoob]

Originally Posted by greenbliss

Well neither have I nor have I seen any of my friends plug their nose. I think you are over thinking blazing.

Yeah, maybe I am. I really just need more opportunities to smoke.

[greenbliss]

Originally Posted by cmpltnoob

Yeah, maybe I am. I really just need more opportunities to smoke.

Its ok. Fuck, I hardly ever had opportunities to blaze from when I started at about 16 until I was like 22. I didnt know any dealers until then, it was shitty. But high schoolers are often stupid and do things that ask them to get caught anyway, so maybe it was all for the best.