...I do a test draw prior to first lighting the pipe, I draw in a bit of the tobacco. It's happened enough, you'd think I'd anticipate it by now, but it always catches me off guard. Am I doing something wrong; maybe drawing to hard? Is there a tip/trick to help avoid this rocketing of tobacco to the back of my throat (and most of the times ending up swallowing it)?

thanks!
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man, I have the same problem.. Just take a lighter draw maybe?
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same happens here, in fact, I do it on purpose to get that one loose little bit before I start lighting. I think it's just the nature of loose cut tobacco
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try placing it in front of your teeth. I often have this happen to me. its just the way of the pipe sometimes.
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I like that idea... create a built in defense... I'll have to give that a try next time.
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So weird. That used to happen to me all the time when I first took up a pipe and now it never (or rarely) does. It can only be one of a few things:

1. tobacco cut
2. fill technique
3. pipe geometry

New pipe smokers often gravitate to shag cut burley/virginia blended tobacco commonly seen in aromatics. It does include lots of little flakes, chips and crumbs that can easily find their way down the stem to your mouth.

If you smoke a lot of shag consider developing a Frank (German) fill or Airpocket fill. Shag and ribbons work really well with these fills and keeps tobacco off the airhole. That, or try a little squished wad in the bottom of the pipe before commencing with a conventional 1-2-3 fill. Should you graduate to flake tobacco that problem will probably vanish (but it'll be replaced by other little problems that come with flake tobacco. :-)) - I mostly smoke flakes and I hardly ever get tobacco shot down my throat.

If your pipe has an airhole that looks like the entrance to the Holland Tunnel that might be a problem. A lot of cobs have gaping airways and that could cause tobacco gulping according to the tobak you smoke and how you fill.

So, this is all very interesting. Whatever you do the problem will go away with time and experience I am sure. In the meantime, don't spit the bits when anyone is watching.
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i've noticed this exclusively with "cake" tobaccos... Briar Fox, Burley Cake, Kajun Kake, etc.
i also have some pipes like 'Moo just mentioned, with airholes the size of the Holland tunnel.

i haven't had that issue in a long while since smoking mostly flake or ready rubbed typed of tobaccos, the cut is too long/thick.

also, something i do now, or found myself doing a couple years ago...
when i get ready to load the bowl, i put the tobacco on the lid of the blend i'm going to have. i then fluff it up a bit with my fingers, this effectively brings the larger bits to the top, which i want to load into the bottom of the bowl for # reasons: they won't clog the airway; the space between each piece of tobacco is greater, ensuring i don't make it too tight and have a bad draw; the smaller pieces will be left for the "kindling" on top.
so, i just fluff up the tobacco, grab from the larger cuts on top and use those first. by the time i get nearly a full pipe load, there are smaller bits for the top that i use for kindling to get it going.
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Also I always make sure to blow all the loose bits out after I'm done smoking, just make sure you are outside or someplace where you don't mind a cloud of ash
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Helpful, helpful, helpful... thanks so much. Later today I'll have to hit up Google and see what you guys are talking about regarding the different types of tobacco (flake, shag, etc). Thanks again.
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or you could click that blue text (link) in mister moo's reply. :-)
takes you to a page that explains what the different cuts are. sometimes it helps to see it visually (<--another link) along with a description.
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Doesn't happen with the bents I smoke...never did like straight pipes...
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I did wonder if this were the case. The pipe i have is not perfectly straight, but only has a slight bend in the stem. Eventually I plan to get myself a nice bent pipe.
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A Nice Bent (article; adjective; noun): the one-pipe-in-12 that you can get a pipe cleaner through without being a safecracker.
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Dont think it is unusual. In fact, expect it! It is why I take a couple solid pulls on my pipe before lighting. Sometimes it is there, sometimes not. I do agree that it might have to do with the type of tobacco cut is packed. I also think it is a greater probability that it has to do with the humidity level of your tobacco. If you are smoking drier tobaccos, it is possible that a bit will get into the draft hole and cause this problem.

Peace of the Lord be with you.
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Tend to pick longer/larger pieces of tobacco when starting to fill the bowl, after sprinkling in enough to about half fill it I don’t pay much attention to the size of the bits. Started doing this because I got tired of tobacco in my mouth. Don’t remember when and don’t much think about it anymore, it’s become habit.
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Exactly. Now that I think about it, I realize I do this without thinking about it.

Peace of the Lord be with you.
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yep... i thought i said that as well... maybe i didn't post it and just thought it. adult ADD is the shizzle.
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I liked what you said about shaking the tobak out in the lid - the crumbs fall to the bottom and the larger, longer stuff stays on top to use for the first wad of the fill.

Dude! Pimp my pack! :-)
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I used to have the same issue, but as has been said, the frank method worked for me.
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ADD or early onset oldtimers?
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