Here are a couple tricks you can try.
If the tobacco is fairly moist then you can leave it out on a plate or paper towel etc. for a little bit and let it dry, and this will help with re-light issues due to the tobacco being to moist. Depending on how moist the tobacco is will determine how long you'll want to leave it (20 min to a couple hours etc.). Another trick is to pack the bowl that morning or even the day before and let it just sit and then smoke it later on. That's helped me in the past. With that said, don't fret over re-lighting a pipe. Sometimes I can smoke a pipe with 1-2 relights and other times I might have to re-light 15 times. Don't let it take away from your enjoyment of the tobacco. Just because you re-light doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong.
As for drawing on the pipe; its not like a cigar, so just take lite puffs. Kind of like sipping through a straw. Very easy and smooth. The harder you draw and the faster/quicker you draw the hotter the tobacco which will equal a scorched tongue and tobacco that doesn't taste as good as it should. Trust me you don't want a scorched tongue... it sucks!!!
As for you pipes; cobs are an awesome way to go. They don't need any rest (if you believe in that sort of thing) and they won't ghost like briar pipes can. I have 8 cobs that I smoke on a regular basis. They are the best bang for the buck. Also depending on the briar pipe there is a break in period. It helps to build up a small amount of cake, and until then you might get some unusual flavors from the briar. I have briars that have taken as little as 6-8 smokes to break in and smoke well, and I've had others that have taken like 20 or more smokes to get broken in. Just depends on the briar.
If you're hanging out on the Pipes Magazine forum you'll get a lot of helpful information and you can even find me on there, same user name. Good luck with your pipes. Hang in there as its not as easy to pick up as the cigar hobby.