I Feel Like Such a New Guy... How do You Prep Hamborger V?

[Sloppy Joe Hemingway]

Okay, so, until the beginning of this week, I was smoking a bad No-Name briar (if it really IS briar) with a plastic stem that was just bad... I finally picked up a beautiful estate meer at my local B&M and I'm in love. The difference in how the two pipes smoke is amazing. However, in my old pipe, I was crumbling the Veer, putting it in the palm of my hand and filling it with that upside-down, twist-motion fill Kyle posted a Youtube link to. You know, the video with the old Irish guy with the most classy voice in the world? That worked really well for me and kept my tobacco going with minimal re-lights. I digress...

My problem is I can't fill my meer this way. It has a decorative crown that has me spilling more tobacco on the floor than I get into the bowl. I have bad luck with the three-part fill (yeah, new guy) and my smooth as silk, new favorite tobacco required so many re-lights my tongue burns like I just made out with a dragon.

Suggestions? How do you veterans prep and fill when smoking HV?

 

[gandalfpc]

I would suggest giving the three step fill another try. It is likely your problem with that type of fill can be sorted out by simply ignoring the "three" in three step fill.

Try a two part fill - sprinkle in tobacco till full, then tamp down half way, then sprinkle till overflowing about 1/4 inch, tamp to 1/8 inch or so under the bowl rim, and smoke up.

This will provide a slightly looser pack, which will aid the burn, and two steps will keep you from getting the bottom packed too tightly (which is what your upside down pack has been doing for you.

Good luck

 

[kieveryuu]

I would suggest also trying a slight twisting motion when filling the tobacco. Collect the tobacco between your fingers and gently twist it into the bowl, repeat once or twice, a slight tamp - test the draw, tamp again if necessary and then finish filling, testing the draw. I find this works well for pipes that are to large (deep) for the upside down fill method or the spiral scoop method or when the tobacco is a long ribbon cut that does not respond well to either of those filling styles.

And congrats on the new Meer. 8)

 

[J Soshae]

Try a two part fill

I agree with this. Also a tip I heard a long time ago was to press with your pinky finger. It helps prevent the over packing.

The reason the upside down motion is working for you, is that you are leaving an airspace at the bottom of the bowl and your are tighter at the top. Learn to mimic this when you pack.

 

[Sloppy Joe Hemingway]

Thanks for the advice, all! I've been browsing some of the older posts as well, so hopefully I get this figured out.