What am I doing wrong? A pipe-packing lament.

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Oxymoron_RU

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Ok, new guy here. I have tried two pipe packing methods to date, multiple times each. I'll describe each, and the results that I get, below.

Method the First: The packing in three parts - Ribbon cut tobacco gets sprinkled into the bowl until full, then lightly pressed until uniformly spongy. A second load is added to the rim of the bowl and packed somewhat more firmly, and a third load tops it off packed firmly enough that I can feel a bit of resistance on the draw. After an initial char, I tamp it lightly and relight. So far this method does not yield good results for me. I end up with multiple relights, and a fairly hot smoke from puffing so much to keep it going.

Method the Second: The . . . sit and spin? - Saw a George Bruno video on the intertubes in which he demonstrates a method where you place most of your tobacco in your hand, invert the pipe bowl over the mound of tobacco, press the bowl to the tobacco and work the bowl in a circular motion until most of the tobacco is loaded. Then you turn the pipe proper side up, add a little more tobacco and lightly press with the pad of your thumb in a twisting motion to create a layer on top. Again, char, tamp, light. This has yielded much better results, with some pipes requiring only a single relight, and very little dottle remaining.

Since the former method seems to be most prevalent, I'd like to get better at it. If I lived near a proper pipe shop, I'd happily pop in and let one of the old-timers smack me about the head as he explains all the ways I'm screwing up, but I don't have such a shop within driving distance. What are some good resources to help me figure this out, or should I just stick with the second method as that seems to work well?

Thanks, again.
 
Have fun with the learning curve. This is supposed to be fun. There are no absolutes. This is a hobby you can sculpt to your likings. Screw the rules. Even screw your own rules. Oh, and whenever possible, "Keep it simple, stupid." Complicated and rule-driven does not make it better. Secondly, and almost as importantly, don't compare yourself to anyone. You're probably reading the experiences and processes of professionals, and you are not a professional (yet). What works for them, might not work for you right away...or ever. Make your own path.

I don't use either method you described. I sprinkle tobacco into the bowl and push down with my index finger. I don't squash it in there tight, but I also don't leave it too springy. I guess sort of how you describe in method #1, but I sense that I go a wee bit firmer than "spongy". I like to get the bottom 3rd of the bowl or so like that. Then the upper 2/3s is all the same pack, which is slightly looser than that bottom third. There's not a whole lot of difference between the two sections, but there IS a difference. Your two light system is also my system. That's also a common system, as even in smoking contests, you get two matches for this very reason. I know I have a good pack when I lose a good 1/4"+/- on that first tamp. If the tobacco isn't dropping down that much after the first tamp, I probably packed the top 2/3 too tightly. If you're losing half a bowl in height to that first tamp, you know you packed it too loosely. Trial and error.

There could be all kinds of other things happening here, too. If you're having to constantly re-light and puff a lot, the tobacco could be too moist. Or the pack is "wrong" for that particular tobacco. Or the tobacco isn't rubbed out enough (in the case of cakes).
 
Zeno Marx said:
Have fun with the learning curve. This is supposed to be fun. There are no absolutes. This is a hobby you can sculpt to your likings. Screw the rules. Even screw your own rules. Oh, and whenever possible, "Keep it simple, stupid." Complicated and rule-driven does not make it better. Secondly, and almost as importantly, don't compare yourself to anyone. You're probably reading the experiences and processes of professionals, and you are not a professional (yet). What works for them, might not work for you right away...or ever. Make your own path.

I don't use either method you described. I sprinkle tobacco into the bowl and push down with my index finger. I don't squash it in there tight, but I also don't leave it too springy. I guess sort of how you describe in method #1, but I sense that I go a wee bit firmer than "spongy". I like to get the bottom 3rd of the bowl or so like that. Then the upper 2/3s is all the same pack, which is slightly looser than that bottom third. There's not a whole lot of difference between the two sections, but there IS a difference. Your two light system is also my system. That's also a common system, as even in smoking contests, you get two matches for this very reason. I know I have a good pack when I lose a good 1/4"+/- on that first tamp. If the tobacco isn't dropping down that much after the first tamp, I probably packed the top 2/3 too tightly. If you're losing half a bowl in height to that first tamp, you know you packed it too loosely. Trial and error.

There could be all kinds of other things happening here, too. If you're having to constantly re-light and puff a lot, the tobacco could be too moist. Or the pack is "wrong" for that particular tobacco. Or the tobacco isn't rubbed out enough (in the case of cakes).
Click to expand...
Zeno,

Thank you; that's a long list of variables to consider. And you're quite right that I need to relax and enjoy the ride more as I begin to learn this passtime. I'll probably dive into this in my typically obsessive manner and make a list of variables to alter one after another.

Regards,
George
 
Go ahead and pack your next pipe the way you are doing it except take the tobacco back out of the pipe and remove 20 percent from the pile. Repack the pipe again the same way and smoke it. One of my problems was overpacking pipe with too much tobacco in the beginning. Keep doing this for a while and before long you will not have to.

Remember packing to lightly can be overcome by you tamping once the pipe is lit. Drying tobacco does give different burn rates and taste profiles. Some blends I prefer on the wetter side compared to the dryer side and this will be up to you to decide. You'll be codger loading the pipe before you know it.
 
Niblick said:
Go ahead and pack your next pipe the way you are doing it except take the tobacco back out of the pipe and remove 20 percent from the pile. Repack the pipe again the same way and smoke it. One of my problems was overpacking pipe with too much tobacco in the beginning. Keep doing this for a while and before long you will not have to.

Remember packing to lightly can be overcome by you tamping once the pipe is lit. Drying tobacco does give different burn rates and taste profiles. Some blends I prefer on the wetter side compared to the dryer side and this will be up to you to decide. You'll be codger loading the pipe before you know it.
Click to expand...
That's a great idea, thank you. I can always pack the tobacco tighter, but if I've overfilled it I can't solve that problem with more tamping and packing.
 
When I started I tried both methods you mentioned. They wished just ok for me, resulting in dinner of the issues you have. Now I just grab some tobacco and shove it in packing it until the draw is to my liking then adding more if necessary to fill the bowl. Depending on the tobacco I'll do anywhere from two to four or even five pinches trying to fill the bowl. Sometimes I do the two light method sometimes I can get a good burn from one match. Like others have said no real rules or it wouldn't be as enjoyable. Trial and error and see what works for you. Enjoy the learning!
 
I like to use the baby, woman, man method, i.e. drop a couple pinches of tobacco in, press down lightly with a finger, or baby touch, 2/3 more pinches, press slightly firmer, womans touch, top off, press firmly, add enough to fill the pipe, press down with thumb or finger. Light, tamp, light again. Also, some tobaccos take more than one relight. Nothing wrong with that. Keep experimenting. As others have said you will figure it out on your own with time.
 
Two hard and fast rules - Pack it lighter than you think you need and DRY your tobacco dryer than you think you need. When pinched tobacco should have some "flex" but not clump and stay clumped when you pinch it. I agree with the others above. First - relights are part of pipe smoking, so dont be concerned with that, we ALL relight, sometimes several times, sometimes once or twice. But no one lights a pipe once then smokes it to the bottom every time, thats a rarity just so you know.

For filling the pipe ill echo, just gravity fill it, tamp a little, then gravity fill again. thats it! Over time youll get it. The MOST important thing is to not worry about relights, it happens. Just enjoy.
 
Depends on the pipe as well as the tobacco. E.g. I tried the second method you mentioned but I prefer bent pipes: that was a laugh Ha Ha.
A tangle of shag is so different than a just dribble it in cube cut. I a lot of my tobacco is in slices - but the fold and stuff as per the video doesn't work for me. I fold it then roll it to loosen and often twist it as well. Ropes and plugs I'll cut finely and rub it finer grinding it with thumb in palm. I'll rub out most flake/ ribbon cuts between palms over a sheet of paper. I've read recommendations to chop some tobaccos in a food processor, but I've only done that with whole/broken leaf. All this is heresy for a bouchon. Just because I prefer a light and fluffy bowl of not too dry leaf doesn't mean that is your best style. But I can put a burning bowl in my pocket while popping into a store for a purchase and resume smoking without relighting on exit (once or twice in a blue moon.)
Once you've chosen your bowl and have the tobacco at your chosen texture for that bowl the fun begins. Practice Practice Prac. . .
Another trick is to watch the "eveness" of your lighting a bowl in a mirror to evaluate your packing and lighting techniques.
 
Scallywag said:
Pack it lighter than you think you need and DRY your tobacco dryer than you think you need
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I read something like that by John Patton in the Corn Cob Primer, pipedia.org. He likes Burley, I find my choice, Virginia and it's derivatives need a bit more moisture.
Gusto said:
I'll rub out most flake/ ribbon cuts between palms over a sheet of paper
Click to expand...
That's basically how I prepare flake tobacco but I stop when I get a small loose ball between my palms and put that in the bottom of the bowl and load the rest starting with the larger pieces and topping the pipe with the dust. I rub out over a steep lipped tray that when tilted and shaked sorts the contents from coarse to fine in a corner.
 
Gusto said:
Depends on the pipe as well as the tobacco. E.g. I tried the second method you mentioned but I prefer bent pipes: that was a laugh Ha Ha.
A tangle of shag is so different than a just dribble it in cube cut. I a lot of my tobacco is in slices - but the fold and stuff as per the video doesn't work for me. I fold it then roll it to loosen and often twist it as well. Ropes and plugs I'll cut finely and rub it finer grinding it with thumb in palm. I'll rub out most flake/ ribbon cuts between palms over a sheet of paper. I've read recommendations to chop some tobaccos in a food processor, but I've only done that with whole/broken leaf. All this is heresy for a bouchon. Just because I prefer a light and fluffy bowl of not too dry leaf doesn't mean that is your best style. But I can put a burning bowl in my pocket while popping into a store for a purchase and resume smoking without relighting on exit (once or twice in a blue moon.)
Once you've chosen your bowl and have the tobacco at your chosen texture for that bowl the fun begins. Practice Practice Prac. . .
Another trick is to watch the "eveness" of your lighting a bowl in a mirror to evaluate your packing and lighting techniques.
Click to expand...
That's a good idea - watching the light in a mirror. Hadn't considered that, but it would reveal uneven packing and lighting very quickly.
 
I run a pipe cleaner through the stem into pipe's smoke hole, drop a couple of Denicool crystals into the bottom of the bowl and then shove some tobacco into the bowl. Remove the pipe cleaner and the light the pipe.
 
RSteve said:
I run a pipe cleaner through the stem into pipe's smoke hole, drop a couple of Denicool crystals into the bottom of the bowl and then shove some tobacco into the bowl. Remove the pipe cleaner and the light the pipe.
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Steve, I see Smoking Pipes have them on sale for 3.99 a box. Is that the usual price to get them at and how many pipe smokes can you get from 1 box?
 
Niblick said:
Steve, I see Smoking Pipes have them on sale for 3.99 a box. Is that the usual price to get them at and how many pipe smokes can you get from 1 box?
Click to expand...
I really don't know how many smokes. I usually drop in two crystals. I bought a four pack at Amazon.
They are about $4.00 a box.
 
Niblick said:
Go ahead and pack your next pipe the way you are doing it except take the tobacco back out of the pipe and remove 20 percent from the pile. Repack the pipe again the same way and smoke it. One of my problems was overpacking pipe with too much tobacco in the beginning. Keep doing this for a while and before long you will not have to.

Remember packing to lightly can be overcome by you tamping once the pipe is lit. Drying tobacco does give different burn rates and taste profiles. Some blends I prefer on the wetter side compared to the dryer side and this will be up to you to decide. You'll be codger loading the pipe before you know it.
Click to expand...
Niblick, I've been following your advice regarding slightly less tobacco and less pressure - works like a charm. Usually no more than one relight needed, sometimes none at all, and no dottle to speak of. Thank you.
 
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