Tamping whilst smoking

[frank13]

As the tobacco "pluffs up" whilst smoking, I give it a tamp, but I don't press down. I let the weight of the tamper do that. In this way, the ember is kept in good contact with the tobacco in the bottom of the bowl, but I'm not mashing ashes into the tobacco.
I also use this tamper/pipe tool, and it has a nice heft to it:

 

[cobguy]

That's a neat shape ... sorta old arabic sword(ish)

 

[frank13]

Thanks... Never really thought about it, I guess. It's flat in my pocket, so it never looks uncouth, and it has a nice feel to it. I never use the reamer; only the scraper and the tamper, but I like it. I've had it forever.

 

[newbroom]

Eureka! I've been using a variety of readily available gadgets to tamp with, including half a clothespin, a golf tee, and an eyeglass size screwdriver....all very light...then it hit me...there's gotta be something in my tool box that will be even better. I think I've got it....it's a center punch. It's about perfect. Nice heft, a useful pointed end to open the odd mis packed bowl of flake, and ergonomic knurled grips.

 

[newbroom]

Oh darn...here I am using this 'new' tamper and I realize I've misstated what it is...it's a counter sink for nails, not a center punch....a big difference.

 

[literaryworkshop]

I'm going to have to go make myself a tamper now. Might just find an extra-large nail at the hardware store and cut it off to the right length to begin with.

 

[brownpeter335]

Tamping whilst smoking, I never experience. I have gathered knowledge from here. Now I am going to try this.

 

[markus]

I recently started using a "cut nail" for concrete, as a tamper. I just use the head to lightly tamp the tobacco around the interior sides of the bowl, which seems to work pretty well for me.

 

[menuhin]

I always wonder about this rule "...the pipe must be in the mouth when the tamper is used." in the pipe smoking championship in this UK pipe club, as they posted it online.
Pipe Smoking Championship Rules

 

[jmmize]

Just all kinds of Tampers like pipes have their own character but the function is simple if and when applied!

 

[lordofthepiperings]

It's also good to lightly puff on the pipe when you're tamping. This can help to stoke the embers a bit and keep the bowl going.