Tamping?

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bogfire

Might Stick Around
Apr 9, 2019
62
60
I am just wondering what is tamping? I see great pictures of members with brass tampers, what are they used for?

I am a simple man and just put the tobacco in the pipe bowl,push it down with my finger, light it and smoke it.

Is there some other way I could be doing it?

 

bogfire

Might Stick Around
Apr 9, 2019
62
60
Sorry, no sarcasm intended. I honestly have no idea what a tamper is used for. I love the Thoreau quote by the way.

 

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
9,894
31,608
34
Burlington WI
Tamper, finger, stick, big toe, it's all the same. Some cost more than others.
As you smoke, push it down occasionally. Sposed ta keep er going er something.

 

npod

Lifer
Jun 11, 2017
2,942
1,024
Tamping may (or may not) be important to an individual pipe smoker.
Tamping Important: FLAKE TOBACCO, slow smoke competitions, for those who want to smoke to the bottom, for long smokes, for mixing tobacco.
Tamping Not Important: SHAG/AROMATIC TOBACCO, smoking without considering the experience or timing, walking the dogs, in the car, etc. For example, my Grandpa never used a tamper, always his finger or a nail. He didn't care at all.
Also, never underestimate the ability of a pipe smoker to over think minuscule details like tamping. Many even collect tampers and care very much about the quality it adds to the smoking experience.

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,346
I only use the weight of the tamper to bring the ember back down to the tobacco as it expands.

 

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
I have a few nice tampers I have gotten over the years but basically just use the one that is part of my lighter. I tamp after the charring light. I use the pick end of my tamper to gently stir ash before dumping it. I use a tamper to scrap the edges of my bowl when smoking folded and stuffed flakes. If my bowl begins to fade I will tamp to get the embers going again.
A tamper is a very useful tool when smoking. I have also seen old timers who never use one, but codgers are not what we are here. We are the mavens of the pipe world and accoutrements are part of who we are. :puffy:

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Tamping is an art. You can use the tamper before your first light to even up the bowl and break down pieces that might not have settled in place. You can use the tamper as you smoke to bring the ember closer to the unlit tobacco below it. Before a relight, you use the tamper to settle leaf and ash in place for more even burning. You can even use a tamper to detect when the ember has burnt so low it is unlikely there is any more tobacco down there. As you learn this very gentle art, its subtlety and nuance will occur to you and you will enjoy your growing expertise. It's better learned through experience than taught, but there's a first lesson.

 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,699
16,206
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
If, I sayIsay, if I'm at a "dressy" occasion I have a "Cosmic", custom made, tamper I break out. (I'm quite proud of it. I owe him and the crowd here a photo. I've only had that obligation for a couple of years now. Sorry Cosmic!) Otherwise, usually a finger and with either I usually tilt it a little and give it a quarter turn while pressing gently. "Why?" some of you ask. "Dunno. Just seems to get results with fewer relights."
There is also "aingiseoir" but, only an Irish speaker could begin to explain the subtleties of that word. I am a third degree black belt Aingiseoir. Should be some "fadas" in the spelling but, I'm too lazy to switch the keyboard to Irish.

 

bogfire

Might Stick Around
Apr 9, 2019
62
60
Thank you all for taking the time to explain. Much clearer now. I also understand the joy of acquiring. My wife asks why I need more pipes or more then one guitar.

 

admiral

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 15, 2017
272
5
Interesting for me is just the opposite. The light usually gets off because of tamping.

If my bowl begins to fade I will tamp to get the embers going again.

 
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