Wow! I just had an incredible AHA! moment

[JCinPA]

I was packing my pipes too tight!

Now I've seen the videos on Youtube and heard the advice. But somehow I got the idea you are supposed to mound up the tobacco with each fill -- squash the first one half way, mound up, squash 3/4 of the way, mound up tamp to even with top.

Too tight! Today, I filled loose--full, but loose and LEVEL, tamp to 1/2, fill loose to LEVEL, tamp to 3/4, fill to JUST over level, tamp just below rim. What a difference! The pipe is cooler, the smoke is easier and drier, the tongue is much happier, the taste is better. Did not even know I was screwing it up!

Hope this helps other noobs!

[joshua1970]

everyone develops their own packing style

keep in mind, it's far easier to tamp and make draw tighter than it is to do the opposite.

if using a blend or ribbon cut (or a flake that I've rubbed out) I loosely fill to about 3/4 to top of bowl and don't press down!!!!!

then grab a nother hefty pinch and fill the rest of the bowl, gently pressing the tobacco down to a spongy consistency. what you want is very loose at bottom growing preogressivly more firm towards top.


now, for many flakes, many times I like to roll them in a circle and pinch off enough to fill 3/4 (+/-) of bowl and then rub the flake out just to top it off in the pipe's bowl.. this also works for discs like escudo. roll the disc and insert, then rub it out and top off and lightly tamp then light and enjoy!!! burns much slower too.


you'd be surprised how much tamping pressed teh tobacco down - so tamp gently!!!

[PugslyCat]

Congratulations, John! It made a big difference in my smokes when I figured out that you don't really want to pack the tobacco in so tight that it prevents the free flow of air into the pipe when you puff. Just as water is the key thing for DE shaving, freely flowing air is the important part of achieving a good, steady smoke in your pipe.

[Tim_McD]

Amen to your discovery, I had gone through that recently as well. The YouTube videos on pipes are no where near as informative as the shaving videos.

Gushing rain outside at the moment, so I am unable to fire up a bowl. The gents on these forums that are able to smoke in the house are lucky men indeed

[oc_in_fw]

When you get it right it is good. I have always been a stuff and puff guy, and when I got my stuff good it was great.