The Strangest Thing You Ever Used as a Tamper pt.2

[Max1a]

I like to post this from time to time just to see what sort of crazy stuff pipesters are doing. Post some of your good ideas for pipes, storage, cleaning, etc. I recently used a AA battery as a tamper, a small phillips screwdriver as pipe tool and of course the inevitable woodscrew.

Any of you guys ever use compressed air to clean and dry your pipes? It is an excellent way, along with regular cleaning with alcohol (I like Baccardi 151) to keep that favorite pipe fresh. I blow mine out in the shop before I go to lunch, when I get back it is as dry and clean as it was in the morning.

I have an old GBD Canadian from about 1910-19, that developed a crack in the back of the bowl. I have continued to use it in my regular rotation for the last 2 years and the crack has not enlarged and the pipe smokes as good as ever. Anybody else have any "old Soldiers" they smoke regularly?

I always remember the old man that introduced me to pipes when i was about 12. He told me there was two places for your pipe, "In your mouth, or in your hand. Never in your pocket". Pretty hard advice but I have heeded it pretty strictly for the last 35 years and have never broken a pipe (in my pocket).

 

[Yooper]

I've used a spent 45/70 cartridge case as a tamper. Worked pretty good, covered darn near the whole bowl at one time. Probably not a good idea to use live ammo, though!

 

[kilted1]

I've used a spent 45/70 cartridge case as a tamper. Worked pretty good, covered darn near the whole bowl at one time. Probably not a good idea to use live ammo, though!

That is unless you want more bang for your buck in tobacco ipe:

 

[Carlos]

I've used a spent 45/70 cartridge case as a tamper. Worked pretty good, covered darn near the whole bowl at one time. Probably not a good idea to use live ammo, though!

Works better than a .45 Long Colt. It's a bit short. But works in a pinch.

 

[Midnight Blues]

Strangest tamper? When I smoke at work its usually a 3/8-16 SHCS or a 1/2 dowel pin.
As for using compressed air, absolutely. I have a 314 Peterson I smoke most of the day and between smokes I use the air to dry it out. Works great....

 

[Wet Dottle]

I'm sitting outside, smoking a pipe and doing some work on the laptop. I forgot to bring a tamper and just used the top of a pencil (after removing the eraser).

 

[Cruiser]

Have used a slim, long gravel or rock a few times when nothing else was available.

 

[nyed001]

When I first started smoking the pipe,I was once drunk and dumb enough to try using my finger.Trust me I'll never try that again.

 

[Yooper]

I know what you mean, using my tongue was a poor choice, too!

 

[the macdonald]

I have my trusty pipe stick. A piece of a branch about the width of my little finger, broker off where it met the trunk the other end cut level. It fits in the hand nicely, and after 8 years it has been worn smooth and shiny from use. The broken off end is a great pick and the other end has been charred and never leaves a bad taste.

I can't see spending a dime on some fancy tamper. Although, I have a Navy friend working on getting a nail from the USS Constitution for me, but that won't cost any money.

 

[Benjamin Button]

One time out of sheer and utter laziness, I was on the couch and needed a re-light but left my matches in the kitchen (which was probably a matter of 20 feet away. I told you I was being lazy). I remembered there was a Bic plastic lighter in the coffee table drawer in front of me that we use for candles. So I used that to re-light, and then noticed I needed a bit of a tamp. Yeah, no tamper in sight either. Once again, I grabbed for the Bic and used the bottom end to tamp a bit.

That next draw was so nauseating, I thought I was going to vomit. The bottom of the lighter had melted a bit from some embers and I was inhaling burning plastic.

Never. Again. Ever.

 

[Buck]

When I first started smoking the pipe,I was once drunk and dumb enough to try using my finger.Trust me I'll never try that again.

Nah, no problems, mate. Just wet the tip of your finger and tamp away! 8)

 

[Dock]

I've used my cell phone antenna, a car cigarette lighters knob side, a sharpie marker cap, spent shell casings and my index finger in a pinch....

 

[Anonymous]

Roofing nails work great, also my finger when the pipe cools down a bit. ipe:

 

[Justpipes]

Roofing nails work great, also my finger when the pipe cools down a bit. ipe:

What is ole Lee Van Cleef getting ready to tamp that old Peterson Meer with? I like to see him smoking the old Wellingtons in some of his other movies also like "For a Few Dollars More"! He most always had a pipe in his hand.

 

[Anonymous]

Roofing nails work great, also my finger when the pipe cools down a bit. ipe:

What is ole Lee Van Cleef getting ready to tamp that old Peterson Meer with? I like to see him smoking the old Wellingtons in some of his other movies also like "For a Few Dollars More"! He most always had a pipe in his hand.

In the scene on my avatar now (From "For a Few Dollar More") he is actually relighting with one of the bad dudes cigarillos that he just took away, before this he struck a match on the dudes hunchback (needless to say he was trying to intimidate them). Actually, later in the movie he tamps with his finger.

 

[mark]

An Allen wrench, a clothes pin, .44 mag case, carbide hole gauge, 16 penny nail, bronze drift, large square cut nail, finger(ouch), cleaning jag from my bp rifle, someone threw in a pipe nail with a pipe I bought,,,saw a gentleman one day use his wifes lipstick case,,,,handed it back to her with ashes on it and got hit,,,,