packing

[dpramsey]

i feel like i load this forum up with questions that should not be asked but someone once told me that if you ever want to be successful in life, ask the question you have. I assume that the premise of the wisdom was based on an efficient use of time above all else. But let me get to the point. I find that when i pack my pipe, I often can hear the air being drawn through when i take a pre-light draw. is this what a good pack should be like, or can i go ahead and pack it tighter?

 

[Ocelot55]

This is going to sound awkward, but it depends on how hard you suck.

....


Yeah...I find that my pipes smoke best when I draw air through the pipe as if I were breathing naturally. In that case you shouldn't hear any air at all. Start practicing your breathing/smoking technique on an unpacked pipe. Try to make no whistling or any other type of air noise. When you load the tobacco the draw should feel only slightly less constricted than an empty pipe. Of course YMMV, but this has always improved my smoking experience.

 

[kaiser83]

Drop tobacco into the bowl loosely until it is full without pushing it in as you go. Once it is full push it down until it fills about half the bowl.
Repeat and push down until it is 3/4 full.
Repeat with just a little mound and push down even with the rim.

Light it..smoke it.

Once you get down a good pack in the bowl you will be able to tell what the pack should feel like and can differ and pack however you feel best. I started with the 3 part pack and it got me going until I figured it out on my own. There are videos on youtube of packing methods...I watched one by OldToby when I learned. Unless you have a brother nearby you can meet up with and learn, it is all trial and error...which is how quite a few of us figured it out. There are a bunch of different methods but I am guessing you are rocking ribbon cut, and the method above is simple and gets you going. If I feel too much air I will tamp it down a little. Always better to pack too loose than too tight. Too tight and you will be relighting all the time and not enjoying the smoke. I like the have it a little springy when I push down on it, but that's just my preference for ribbon cut; and what works for me. YMMV. Good luck and ask as many questions as you need. Also click search up top and I am sure there are answers to most any question you might have somewhere here, but if not holler at us anytime.

 

[Briar Spirit]

This is going to sound awkward, but it depends on how hard you suck.

:lol!: I swear I almost bust a gut reading that :lol!:

Perhaps a safer comment could be "depends on how hard you draw on the pipe", that could have lead to many odd comments too I guess but yours had awesome humour value, I so badly needed a good chuckle. :heart:

 

[Anonymous]

The Danish makers (at least used to) call a pipe with a poorly executed airway "a clarinet."

Compare the suck sound/resistance with an empty bowl with the sound when it's packed.

If it's about the same, you're probably at optimum.

Different people do it different ways and it works for them.

FWIW

:face:

 

[Hawker]

Give the Frank (or German) method a try. Goggle it & there are 3 video's to watch. I found this method works great but i don't use the butane torch just a regular pipe lighter and changed the lighting portion accordingly. Untill i tried this method i didn't even realize i was packing my pipes to tight.

 

[monbla256]

This is going to sound awkward, but it depends on how hard you suck.

....


Yeah...I find that my pipes smoke best when I draw air through the pipe as if I were breathing naturally. In that case you shouldn't hear any air at all. Start practicing your breathing/smoking technique on an unpacked pipe. Try to make no whistling or any other type of air noise. When you load the tobacco the draw should feel only slightly less constricted than an empty pipe. Of course YMMV, but this has always improved my smoking experience.

my experience would concurr with this. But alot depends on WHAT type of blend you are smoking and HOW IT has smoked for you. Some blends for some folks like loose, other's tighter packing. It really breaks down to what works and is enjoyable for you :twisted:

 

[kieveryuu]

As the others have said, just be careful, try a couple different methods, settle on the one that works for you, and use that method for a bit. Especially if you different pipes with varying bowl sizes/shapes. Finding something that works will give you a feel for the tobacco density, actual tactile feel and that other sense *feel*. At that point you will likely be packing your tobacco in a slightly different manner than when you started and you will also find that you can adjust your packing method to meet the needs of different pipes and tobacco types.

Be conscientious about it, practice, and enjoy each bowl for what it is.

 

[somedumbjerk]

swirl method always works out well for me as long as it's ribbon cut or close to it:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0XHYPso7TXs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

 

[kieveryuu]

swirl method always works out well for me as long as it's ribbon cut or close to it:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0XHYPso7TXs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

Something similar to this is what I generally use, a swirling scoop followed with a light tamping and then an additional swirling scoop. Works really well when filling your pipe from a bag and can also work well straight from the tin.

 

[kingcobradude]

to answer your original question, it really depends on a lot of things. the pipe construction, tobacco, personal preference, etc. some pipes are like train whistles no matter what(my cheap basket pipe) while others will not make any sound no mattwer what. (my pete and growley) and as far as how tight to pack, it depends on what works for you. what gives a great smoke for me may very well give you the suckiest smoke you ever had.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I tried that guy's swirlie-technique...meh. One thing that did work well was the twisting action in the palm seemed to straighten out ribbon cut a little more, allowing a more even pack, but I can twist in tobacco by just as easily.

Gravity feed, tap on the side to settle, top off, press down a little, done. Everyone has their own kung fu.

 

[somedumbjerk]

I tried that guy's swirlie-technique...meh. One thing that did work well was the twisting action in the palm seemed to straighten out ribbon cut a little more, allowing a more even pack, but I can twist in tobacco by just as easily.

Gravity feed, tap on the side to settle, top off, press down a little, done. Everyone has their own kung fu.

the nice thing about the swirl technique (for ME anyway) is it showed me how to not overpack the pipe. a tendency i had and didn't know/realize until i tried that method.wish i had someone in person to show me these kind of things when i started out (not that i'm not still a wet behind the ears smoker)

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

the nice thing about the swirl technique (for ME anyway) is it showed me how to not overpack the pipe. a tendency i had and didn't know/realize until i tried that method.wish i had someone in person to show me these kind of things when i started out (not that i'm not still a wet behind the ears smoker)

I have found that the swirl technique works wonders with longer ribbon cuts like McClelland VA Woods or shag cut mixtures like Margate or CC Elizabethan. I use a two step fill technique much like Kyle for confetti cut, course, cube or short ribbon cut mixes.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I like a little more "pack" than the swirlie-technique can give me. Did that with some EMP once, and holy wow, almost melted my tongue. ale: I may have been a bit ginger with the last step in the technique, but then again, I've never gone overboard with packing. So when I heard about tiltJP's father's advice "...pack looser than you think you need to..." I, again, about melted my tongue off...the heat intensifies mighty quick when stuff's too loose. :lol:



Meh, I'll offer a Pipester's Blessing: "May you find your true method to your smoke."

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

I like a little more "pack" than the swirlie-technique can give me. Did that with some EMP once, and holy wow, almost melted my tongue. ale: I may have been a bit ginger with the last step in the technique, but then again, I've never gone overboard with packing. So when I heard about tiltJP's father's advice "...pack looser than you think you need to..." I, again, about melted my tongue off...the heat intensifies mighty quick when stuff's too loose. :lol:



Meh, I'll offer a Pipester's Blessing: "May you find your true method to your smoke."

Good Point. The swirl technique does require a bit more tamping as the bowl progresses especially at the beginning of the smoke. Of course this goes against tiltJP's father's advice regarding "tamping less" as well. It 's a good technique for longer cuts and has always done me right. It's not my choice of packing method for cuts like Billy Budd, and I definitely wouldn't use it for mixes with shorter strands like Storm Front or Cumberland. Speaking of Storm Front, drier mixes don't like the swirling action too much and tend to get mulched up during the process.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

Gravity feed only and a 1/4" heap on top; lightly press down until the heap is unheaped (level with top of bowl) and remove 1/8" to protect rim. When I press down I am very aware of doing so gently to avoid over-packing.

I once read advice about never pushing down when packing. Except for the final slight push I follow this. The goal is to have a loose pack at the bottom so that the draw remains unimpeded, and a tighter pack at the top. I could never use a method like this in the past because it seemed to offer a shorter smoke. I've changed, valuing a problem-free airflow over more smoking time.

 

[bosun1]

A lot of good advice. You'll have to try them all and see what works for you. I've never smoked flakes so I'm no help there. Wetter tobacs (like some aromatics) I'll pack loosely otherwise you'll get hardly air through the bowl and have a generally miserable time. Drier shredded tobacs and granulated tobacs (like a lot of OTCs) I'll put a healthy pinch in and give it a light finger tamp. Next pinch slightly harder. Last pinches are tamped quite hard, keeping the tobac level below the top of the bowl. Give a draw to the pipe and see how things feel. If good I use a paper match for the light. If too hard a draw empty and try again. No big deal. Another trick is to run a pipe cleaner into the bottom of the bowl, pack the pipe, remove the pipe cleaner and see how that woks for you.

 

[Northern Neil]

The Danish makers (at least used to) call a pipe with a poorly executed airway "a clarinet."

Compare the suck sound/resistance with an empty bowl with the sound when it's packed.

If it's about the same, you're probably at optimum.

Different people do it different ways and it works for them.

FWIW

:face:

I have to say, all the times I have heard people try to describe a perfect pack and draw technique (which, mind you, has not been that often), they were never able to put it into words that made sense. Yak, you have described it simply and comprehensively. Looks like will will be experimenting with some virginia smoking tonight.
THX

 

[Anonymous]

I butchered the syntax up, but am glad the basic idea got across in spite of me

Pipes with proper airways aren't briar whistles.

:face: