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6

64alex

Part of the Furniture Now
May 10, 2016
566
339
I found that tamping with the fingernail (obviously when there is some ash in the bowl otherwise you would burn the finger) is way better than using the tamper. From the tactile feedback I can understand right away where and how much to tamp in the bowl and I am much more successful in bringing back to life a nearly dead bowl without the need to relight.

Are others experiencing the same?

 
M

murica

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 4, 2017
176
0
Ive always used my finger. Never could keep up with the tampers.
Plus, you always know when its enough, as it starts to burn.

 
madox07

madox07

Lifer
Dec 12, 2016
1,823
1,690
Interesting ... personally I find using the finger a tad too messy, not to mention that I am a pretty clumsy person so 9/10 cases I would get burned ...

 
aimlesswanderer

aimlesswanderer

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 25, 2016
211
2
Czech tool for me, or a simple c/sink woodscrew on slimmer bowls. I easily get enough feedback, and it's less painful if using as a choke to fire back up a dying ember.

 
toobfreak

toobfreak

Lifer
Dec 19, 2016
1,365
7
For me, the finger is the only way to go! With your finger you can feel the charred tobacco, pull it away from the wall, move it around and reorganize things without crushing the now-brittle half-charred leaf into dust. And dirt? I don't know what you are smoking in there, but I get very little dirt on my finger---- a simple wipe with my other fingers and it is clean.
With my tamper, all you can really do is crush everything flat to one level again. Of course, before I tamp, I stir the ashes loose and dump them out.

 
cosmicfolklore

cosmicfolklore

Lifer
Aug 9, 2013
34,000
75,783
Between the Heart of Alabama and Hot Springs NC
I don't know... Toobfreak, I use a couple of different types of tampers. I never push down hard on the tamp, I just let the weight of the tamp do the work. But, I mostly use a concave shaped tamp, similar to the end of a golf tee. Sometimes I actually use golf tees. But, it allows for a mounding up of the ash, and since I only want the cherry to stay in the center, so that more flavor is pushed out from the tobacco on the sides, this works best for me.
Then I have one that is like a rounded spatula that I pull the edges down, especially when smoking a flake, of which I hate, because I have to constantly pull the edges down, ha ha. Flakes require too much fiddling, but sometimes I will smoke one folded just to remind myself... The rest of the time, I rub out all of my flakes.

 
madox07

madox07

Lifer
Dec 12, 2016
1,823
1,690
Like I said, this whole finger thing ... not for me, regardless of how well somebody argues that it works. I have used a variety of stuff to tamp my ashes, even an empty case of .30-06 ... but never crossed my mind to stick my finger in there, in my books that just defies common sense. Obviously if it doesn't work for me, it doesn't mean that it's wrong or no good ...

 
mso489

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
For information from tamping, I find a pipe nail more useful than my fingers/thumbs. Also, you can get the edge of the nail head against the side of the bowl to even out the ash, and have fairly precise control of the pressure on the center of the fire. I use my fingers fairly regularly, but for me, the pipe nail does a better job. The light weight of the nail (as opposed to heavier tamper tools) gives you good feedback.

 
mayfair70

mayfair70

Lifer
Sep 14, 2015
1,968
2
I use my finger. I have enough callouses to basically render my finger fireproof. I only use Chzech tool for extended tamping operations. I've been fingering bowls for thirty years. :rofl:

 
toobfreak

toobfreak

Lifer
Dec 19, 2016
1,365
7
Just tried my tamper again. Nope, Nothing beats the finger for tactile feel and control of the top tobacco plus the ability to tamp either selective small areas or the whole top itself as needed. And wherever I go, I always have my tamper. :puffy:
But I like the idea of a concave surface. Might have to dig out a golf tee just for the hell of it.

 
jpmcwjr

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,745
27,345
Carmel Valley, CA
I have dozens of tampers, most are ones I've made from prunings of my orchard or wood findings around the property. But I generally use my finger when picking up a cool bowl, or at least one that's just warm, not hot with an ember going. In my car, I always use a tamper when driving can't risk a burn at highway speeds.
So, it's all good!

 
toobfreak

toobfreak

Lifer
Dec 19, 2016
1,365
7
I never tamp when the bowl is still lit. That means it is still smoking! I only tamp if the bowl has gone out and I need to reorganize the house before another relight.

 
A

aldecaker

Lifer
Feb 13, 2015
4,407
42
@Mayfair- I've never been involved in any extended tamping operations, but I sure do like the sound of it!

 
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