Packing Style for Large Bowl Pipes

[Godwhacker]

Brothers I have a question.

Just acquired a Nording with a very large bowl. Larger than any of my other 7 pipes. Have smoked about 5 bowls through it and I am wondering if there is a different technique to packing a large bowl.
Seems to not smoke as well as my others and I have a Savinelli Spring 622 KS that has a fairly large bowl and smokes very well.
My Nording is a larger bowl and seems to accumulate a lot of moisture half way thru, is this a packing issue of a larger bowl??

 

[RDPipes]

Improper packing can lead to gurgle and excess moisture at the bottom.
I know because on occasions I'm guilty of it.  :fpalm: 
I trickle pack, meaning I trickle in my tobacco till full and then lightly pack it down about half way leaving it still springy, then trickle more in till full and pack it a little firmer leaving a little space between the tobacco and the top of the bowl but, still springy. When I do this properly it works just fine and when I don't, well you know the answer.

Although, depending on the quality of the Nording, high grade or lower grade the lower grade ones seem to gurgle no matter what you do, that is if it's a freehand we're talking about.
Most won't even pass a cleaner but, that doesn't mean it'll gurgle, just means it's another problem as I see it with them. There are good ones and not so good ones to clarify IMHO.

 

[monbla256]

Brothers I have a question.

Just acquired a Nording with a very large bowl. Larger than any of my other 7 pipes. Have smoked about 5 bowls through it and I am wondering if there is a different technique to packing a large bowl.
Seems to not smoke as well as my others and I have a Savinelli Spring 622 KS that has a fairly large bowl and smokes very well.
My Nording is a larger bowl and seems to accumulate a lot of moisture half way thru, is this a packing issue of a larger bowl??

There really is no one size fits all for packing ANY pipe. It depends more on the TYPE of blend/mixture, it's cut ie. whole flake, broken flake, ribbon cut etc. and you'll have to try several methods by trial and error till you find what works well with each type and that particular pipe for YOU and YOUR smoking style. As an example, I have a Sav Hercules st. bulldog a lrge bowled pipe which I load one way for my Presbyterian, slightly differently when I have a bowl of Royal Yacht and altogether different when I smoke a broken flake such as FM 2000 in it. Keep at it and you'll get how IT want's you to pack it !! :twisted: :twisted: 

 

[Godwhacker]

Cartaphilus
So in your experience is there any difference in technique in packing a larger bowl vs a smaller bowl, my smaller bowls seem to be smoking fine for years but this is my first experience with a very large bowl both depth and circumference

 

[KevinM]

What do you mean by "very large bowl?" I have a pipe with a bowl that's conical but a full inch in diameter at the top. Another is two+ inches deep, much less taper (practically zero), and less than 3/4" at the top. The former requires some care to consistently pack the edges to prevent early gurgles. The latter seems easier to get the density of the pack right, possibly because the walls of the bowl are near vertical, possibly because this design makes it easier to test "springiness" of the packed bowl. Sometimes you just have to experiment a bit to find out what particular pipes like. OTOH your pipe seems prone to the gurgles, judging from what I've heard, which may / may not be reliable. Could also be that the pipe would smoke drier with another kind of pipeweed. Try a nice plain, no-topping Virginia. That's been a good "dryness" test of a pipe for me.

 

[Godwhacker]

Thanks for all the replies, obviously need to do some extended experimenting with this beast getting a little late for me to pack another bowl tonight. So I will take everyone's advice and continue to experiment with tobaccos and packing.

Sound like so much fun is in store for me tomorrow!

Thanks.

 

[cigarsarge]

I usually gravity pack my pipes, do a charring light, tamp lightly, relight if needed. Works for me. I usually fold and stuff flakes.

 

[RDPipes]

Cartaphilus
So in your experience is there any difference in technique in packing a larger bowl vs a smaller bowl, my smaller bowls seem to be smoking fine for years but this is my first experience with a very large bowl both depth and circumference

I pack mine all the same, small or large but, I mainly smoke flake with a few exceptions.
But, as Monbla pointed out is it does depend on how you smoke too. I know you been pipeing for awhile now but, if your a puffer you might want to try slowing down a bit because that also leads to extra moisture specially if your like me and like your tobacco moist and don't dry it.

 

[Godwhacker]

Thanks so much for all the suggestions.

Woke up today and decided to try to tackle the beast again. Reached for my nemesis MB 7 Seas regular blend my wife enjoys the room note I like the flavor occasionally but it bites me and dribbles worst than any other jar I have. So it was the perfect candidate to try to tame this Nording beast. I took few pinches and let them dry longer than usual, packed the first and second gravity feed very lightly, the third I got a little rough with and packed hard. I let it sit in the bowl while we had dinner. After dinner I set it aflame and wow from the first light thru the hour long bowl it landed on the tongue as soft as a butterfly with sunburn feet! (yep I said MB 7 Seas regular).

Thanks to all for the suggestions of experimentation with different blends, pipes, drying time and packing made all the difference.

Now I need to figure out a labeling scheme on the back of my jars denoting Pipe, packing, drying time and pace.

Am I over thinking this???? (smoked pipes for years without a care in the world just figured the tobacco was the problem)

This pipe has made me rethink this, maybe I am missing out on blends I did not do justice due improper technique?

 

[Northern Neil]

Godwacker, I think you nailed it when you said you have to keep experimenting. Unfortunately, all the advise in the world will not answer your question, but it will hopefully put you on the right path to discover it for yourself.

My experience with deep bowls, 2" deep or more, it the the tobacco must be very loosely packed at the bottom. As you're discovering, that tobacco gathers a lot of moisture during the smoke, and if it is packed too tightly it will never stay lit.

Keep experimenting, you'll find the sweet spot soon enough!

 

[KevinM]

Maybe a Smoker's Diary  would be helpful. Just jot down a few comments on pipe, blend and anything notadble re packing, cut or whatever. Pretty soon you'll notice patterns developing.

 

[Godwhacker]

Excellent idea I have started a Journal! Handwritten for now maybe one day I will post it online if it works out.

Thanks for the idea!

 

[surlysoul]

I pack my flakes the same in small and large pipes. Usually some sort of fold and stuff.

Other tobaccos I do pack differently in large pipes. Either loosely packed on the bottom and packed tighter on top, or I make a ball and shove it in trying to leave a small air pocket at the bottom. I usually use the second one.

 

[idbowman]

My experience with deep bowls, 2" deep or more, it the the tobacco must be very loosely packed at the bottom. As you're discovering, that tobacco gathers a lot of moisture during the smoke, and if it is packed too tightly it will never stay lit.

Yep. I have an S&R freehand with a mighty sizable bowl and this was the key to get it to smoke cool and without major lighting issues in the bottom quarter or so of the bowl.