Damn! I just blew a smoke ring, and have no clue how.
I've tried off on on for 20 some years with no success, and I just did it by accident.

Unexpected in the moment happenings like that are fun.

Our coolness is already rubbing off on you.

The universes way of saying "see it is possible for you to do it" just to keep you trying in vain to acheive the illusive ring again.

Round your lips.

Tongue edges curled up (sideways) in the center.

Close throat.

Release one little burp of air using throat opening/closure. You'll hear it when you do it.

Key is gentleness. Not very much air released.

What he said.

Smoking a nice pipe outside is a bad idea unless it's a really still day. Too hard on the pipe. Wind = too forceful & prolonged drawing = overheating/burnout risk.

Extra Credit Question : Why do people have so many pipe-related euphamisms for plain old English "sucking" ?

These guys have apparently figured it out?

Roog, that ani-gif is a good one.

There's a number of ways to blow smoke rings. I don't do it as Yak suggested, but so long as there's a centered puff of air in a chamber (mouth) that's moving slightly faster than the air at the outer edges (and there's smoke mixed in so you can see it) a "ring" can develop with the eddies.

I mindlessly blow chains of tiny smoke rings when I'm with my pipe and find myself being asked for lessons. It's a hard thing to teach.

as I primarily smoke outdoors or in the car - my few attempts have been relatively futile.

I saw a youtube video the other day about students who built an "air vortex gun" out of a cardboard box...

I've wondered if a similar principle wouldn't work with smoke rings, but haven't put much practice time or action into experimentation.

Here it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b2SV3ASUxY&noredirect=1

For me it's kind of like showing your kids how a fish talks. Keep the inside of your mouth wide like you're holding a ball of smoke. Then as you make the fish face and open your mouth you eject the smoke with the middle part of your tongue. I totally agree with how everyone else has described it here too. An absolute must is a very still room. Once you get one down, you'll find you can do two or three in a row very easily.

On a side note: You can also do this in water and make bubble rings. It's way cooler than smoke rings. You basically have to sink to the bottom of the pool, lay on your back and apply the same movement as blowing a smoke ring. A good bubble ring will stay completely circular and keep expanding all the way to the top. Dolphins to this for play. Humans can do it too!


I'm still working on this one: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=UdE0qjbwwWo[/youtube]

And not it's not just hollywood...Gandalf actually can do it!

Right you are.

I'd forgotten the tongue push method.