Packing Methods
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Hey Bob , great post !! i Just got around to reading it and tried the "Bob Method". It works wonders. Im still a novice smoker and its helping with my wet/hot smokes a bunch . Hopefully this will help me get a good cake throughout and then maybe try some more advanced methods .. Highly recommended to new smoker ,Because it helps it breathe and more room to adjust your tamping , less wet dottle and not as much baccy for those learning patience and technique . Thanks a Million !
i cannot really say how i pack my flakes, other than to say that im more of a folder and stuffer than rubbing it out... in saying that, i have been blessed with even burns from pretty much the get go...
in terms of my mixture packing, im a trickler to the top, then tap on the side of the bowl, to settle, trickle a bit more to the top again and then tamp gently till about 5 mm below the rim. after the charring light it swells to fill the bowl - i tamp again, and im good to go.
With fear of sounding conceited, i have been lucky enough to have figured out packing without any fear of burn problems, however, i prefer to let my pipe go out nowadays instead of smoking the whole bowl in one go... im somewhat of a relaxed smoker lol
smoke in peace gentlemen... and ladies :D
in terms of my mixture packing, im a trickler to the top, then tap on the side of the bowl, to settle, trickle a bit more to the top again and then tamp gently till about 5 mm below the rim. after the charring light it swells to fill the bowl - i tamp again, and im good to go.
With fear of sounding conceited, i have been lucky enough to have figured out packing without any fear of burn problems, however, i prefer to let my pipe go out nowadays instead of smoking the whole bowl in one go... im somewhat of a relaxed smoker lol
smoke in peace gentlemen... and ladies :D
I'm glad that my article helped you out some Circuitjerker!
That sounds like a good technique Mrsmokeyman!
That sounds like a good technique Mrsmokeyman!
I revisited The Book of Pipes and Tobacco, by Carl Ehwa, wherein he addresses about 20 or so common pipe problems. Nearly a third of those problems are due to improper packing. This includes everything from tongue bite to flakey cake build-up and bowl burnout. I think we should all be more attentive to this aspect of the pastime/obsession.
Finally got the time to sit down and watch Bob's videos. Oddly enough, not a month ago, I stumbled upon the two step method on my own. Works like a charm so far. Rubbed out a few flakes and finally got a decent smoke out one doing this. First time in years. I find that I pack much lighter now. Far lighter than I ever thought that I should, and like Bob, I too use my tamper during the light to add a bit more pressure if needed.
All of that to say, great post / vids, Bob!
All of that to say, great post / vids, Bob!
I'm sorry if I'm committing a horrible sin by resurrecting this thread or not, I've been on some forums where it is wrong and some where its just fine.
I was just going to say that I tried the "harry method" and it worked so much better than the 3 pack method for me. I only smoke about half a bowl though, so i'm not sure how well it will have worked if I had to add another half bowl or if I kept twisting that it would have packed more in initially.
It was a relief to not have to relight so much, for I am not a good tobacco packer. I've been fiddling with pipes for a few years and can never get it quite right. I've had some successful bowls but more often than not I find myself relighting quite a number of times.
I was just going to say that I tried the "harry method" and it worked so much better than the 3 pack method for me. I only smoke about half a bowl though, so i'm not sure how well it will have worked if I had to add another half bowl or if I kept twisting that it would have packed more in initially.
It was a relief to not have to relight so much, for I am not a good tobacco packer. I've been fiddling with pipes for a few years and can never get it quite right. I've had some successful bowls but more often than not I find myself relighting quite a number of times.
Can someone explain the pinch test? I've never dried my tobacco before smoking, though ironically today I tried it. I had about a bowl or bowl and a half of tobacco left in my jar so I left the jar open for probably 15 minutes or so, i'm not even sure. Maybe that had a more to do with it as well (by it I mean my minimally lit bowl today using the harry method). I'm gonna be honest, it was the first pipe smoke i've ever had where I didn't get tongue bight. This is because I realize now that i've always smoked way too fast (I've smoked entire bowls in 15-20 minutes many times) and probably packed incorrectly or too tight. It was literally the most enjoyable smoke i've ever had.
For my ribbon stuff I've started doing the "putting in the palm of your hand and rubbing the bowl in a circle till it is filled" for my flake and other its gravity fill. But one thing I've started doing different is using my finger instead of a tamper to pack my pipe.. I find that I can tell much better with my finger how tight it is packed..
I've always used my finger, actually I only bought a tamp a few months ago for the first time. I would just wait till my pipe went out then tamp it with my finger, sometimes when it was still going, haha, did that for 3 years (though I didn't smoke very often in that 3 years).
I think the best way to learn packing methods is trial and error. Some blends smoke better when packed more tightly, and some more loosely. Luckily I found a good tobacconist when I bought my first pipe and showed me some tips, and approximately how tight/loose the average tobacco should be packed. After that I just tried different consistencies to see what works best with which blend.
Everyone is different, though.
Everyone is different, though.
Nice article,
I use a very simple method that helps me to not pack too tight.
Gravity fill to the top, then pinch an amount of toby about the same diameter of the bore (no pressure, just enough to pick up the toby) , amd stuff it into the bowl.
I use a very simple method that helps me to not pack too tight.
Gravity fill to the top, then pinch an amount of toby about the same diameter of the bore (no pressure, just enough to pick up the toby) , amd stuff it into the bowl.
After I have cube cut my flakes and the tobacco is properly dried, I use the 3 step method with a twist. I will fill the bowl to the top and pack it down lightly, then fill it again and pack it a little tighter, fill it again and put some real pressure on it, fill it again with even more pressure. I also make sure to pack it in around the sides at each level. I check the draw after the third and fourth fillings because I have had practice doing this, but for someone new you should check after all all of the levels. I like a really tight pack because I have found my flakes smoke better this way. When I am done it feels like sipping through a straw but there is noticeable resistance. Some times if there is a little tobacco left, I will even load it a 5th time and really stand on it. You have to be careful with a 5th, sometimes I get a little greedy and then I have to start all over again.
Packing a pipe is really not a simple thing, but it is so important to being able to really enjoy a bowl. Once you find what works best with different pipes and different blends, it will become second nature. Patience is important so do not get frustrated. You can always dump it out and start over.
Packing a pipe is really not a simple thing, but it is so important to being able to really enjoy a bowl. Once you find what works best with different pipes and different blends, it will become second nature. Patience is important so do not get frustrated. You can always dump it out and start over.
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