Tamping method inadequate? When do you tamp?

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pipenscotch

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 19, 2012
116
0
So I was smoking my favourite tobacco a couple of hours ago (1Q), and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. On the other hand however, I was finding myself having too relight the pipe after EACH tamp attempt.
I don't know if I'm tamping too soon or too late, or what. How do you guys know when to tamp? I know for you experienced smokers out there it's become almost a muscle reflex, but for noobs like me it's a little tough to keep a pipe lit when my tamping skills aren't quite up to snuff.
pipenscotch

 

assaad

Can't Leave
Apr 4, 2011
340
2
You can either tamp when you want it to smoke more, draw through the pipe as you tamp. Or tamp when it goes out, before you relight. I relight about 4 or 5 times a bowl usually so that`s the amount I tamp.

 

barkar

Lifer
Apr 17, 2012
1,104
1
Tamping is a bit of an art....after many years I still am lousy at tamping as well.

 

ohin3

Lifer
Jun 2, 2010
2,454
26
Tamp often and very lightly as you puff. Do not push the tamper but rather, let gravity do the work. Just hold the tamper over the ember and let it go. Let gravity and the weight of the tamper do the job.

 

pstlpkr

Lifer
Dec 14, 2009
9,694
31
Birmingham, AL
I almost always tamp while puffing.

Some will think that I tamp too much.

But, it helps me to control the size of the ember and extend the smoke.

I tamp very lightly, but almost continually.

That being said; I think the tamping after the "Char Light" is probably the most important.

If done well (I'm not going to say properly or correctly) it will facilitate the "True Light" and will get your smoke off to a solid start.

IMHO... YMMV

:puffy:

 

nsfisher

Lifer
Nov 26, 2011
3,566
20
Nova Scotia, Canada
I use finger only to tamp. Usually after char light, then it depends on the pipe and baccy I am using. Different baccys and pipes require more than others. Usually no more than thrice to a bowl though, not counting the char tamp

 

bentmike

Lifer
Jan 25, 2012
2,422
37
Great Thread, Thanks for posting the question pipenscotch!
My tamping is dependent upon a couple factors. If I'm smoking some flake tobacco I only use the edge of the tamper's face to knock down the outer row of flakes closest to the bowl's inner walls which are the last ones to burn. Otherwise I go easy with the tamping with flakes.
For loose cut I'll tamp a little more always very light just using the weight of the tamper for pressure as the other's note. I periodically flip the ash from the top of my bowl as I smoke so I can see the state of the ember. This allows fresh oxygen to the fire and I seem to get longer smokes with less relights. Again my main use for the tamper is just to push down the unburnt leaf clinging to the wall of the bowl.
Because I'm an outdoor smoker in Ohio I'm used to smoking a pipe in all sorts of conditions. I actually like a light to moderate breeze for smoking. Tilting the rim just right into the breeze between puffs is often enough to keep an ember lit the entire smoke and a tamp is not even needed.
In the end it's gonna be up to you so try some different methods -alot of good ideas are posted here, just try them out and see what works for you.

 

tiltjlp

Can't Leave
Apr 9, 2011
396
0
Cheviot Ohio
One important factor in tamping is to use a metal tamper, since most other materials aren’t heat conductive. Placing the tamper lightly on the tobacco/ash and puffing slowly will usually keep the ember alive. And yes, you’re right that it takes experience to know when and how best to tamp.

 

patriotfirst

Lurker
Feb 8, 2010
14
0
I generally tamp when my bowl is about to go out, or when I think it needs it. Then again, I'm a newbie, but that is how I do it. You gotta find what works for you. Over time you will develop a sense of when you need to tamp.

 

wagnon85

Might Stick Around
Apr 25, 2010
72
0
I came across this thread a few days ago, and it sparked a thought...a mental note for the next time I sat down with pipe in hand.
After reading the feedback and hints of my fellow pipe smokers, I realized that my tamping method bordered on amateur level mainly because I never really thought about applying any kind of "method" to it. Charring light aside, I would smoke until the fire went out, jam it down, and re-light. I would probably have to re-light 7+ times through the bowl, not counting the char. There wasn't much finesse to it.
As a result, I noticed that instead of leisurely smoking, I was often "chasing the smoke", puffing away in a vain attempt to keep it lit, which as everyone knows results in hot smoke, a hot mouth, a hot pipe, and a generally unsatisfying smoke. Sometimes I would get a real nice one mixed in there which would remind me as to why I started with pipes in the first place. Or the first half of the bowl would be good, but would end off bad, or the reverse...but rarely was it good the whole way through.
It always left me wondering if that's just the way it was, or more likely, what I was doing wrong. I kept coming back to the initial packing of the bowl or the tobacco type, flavor, and/or condition, wondering if I was keeping it too wet or too dry. No matter how much I kept fiddling with variables, the result always seemed to be about the same.
Then I saw this thread, two things in particular stood out: drawing in while you tamp, and ONLY letting the weight of the tamp push down the tobacco and the ash, do NOT push it down. Those are two things I NEVER did, tamping was strictly for a re-light.
So full pipe in hand, packed as I have always done so, after the charring light and initial tamp, I set about to try out the principles above. I made an attempt to puff slowly, waiting at least 3-5 seconds in between, not panicking when I saw the volume of smoke decrease. But when it did start to, and sometimes even when it wasn't decreasing, but just felt like "the time", I put in my Peterson Sherlock Holmes crystal tamp, and let only its weight push the baccy down, while drawing in air...and I would usually move the tamp around to different areas of the bowl. And low and behold I would see the smoke increase.
And damned if I didn't make it through a WHOLE bowl without ever having to re-light. Not to mention, the smoke and my mouth was much cooler since I wasn't "chasing the smoke" since I realized that even if it looked like it was going out because of the decreased smoke, I'd more than likely be able to recover it with the new tamping method...and every once in a while, blowing a little air into the stem to loosen the baccy plug and get some air directly to the embers.
So in the end, it was a much more enjoyable smoke, ALL THE WAY THROUGH the bowl, with limited bite and more flavor. Thank you everyone, and this is why I sought out such a forum in the first place!

 

steyrshrek

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 1, 2012
252
1
I always just pay attention to the amount of smoke, when the amount of smoke starts to taper off I tamp.

 

baronsamedi

Lifer
May 4, 2011
5,688
5
Dallas
Me too. And if a tamp doesn't work, I may give it a "pick" (getting under the ember and shifting it a bit) and that will work. This is usually toward the end of the bowl, though.

 

pstlpkr

Lifer
Dec 14, 2009
9,694
31
Birmingham, AL
atsymbol.gif
Wagnon85

Tamping is an underrated and definitely important part of the whole pipe-smoking experience.

As I think you have discovered; puffing and tamping takes some practice and well worth the effort to make tamping a part of your kinesthetic memory/technique.
I wrote a blog post or three about my personal endeavoring to extend my smoking time per bowl.

They are not particularly fact based, but rather based on my personal experimentation.

There are more blog posts than what I have list below.

I hope you enjoy them.
Dottle Diggers, Ember Chasing, And Slow Smoking
Setting the Benchmark
Practice Pipe Selection, Preparation, and Competition Rules

 

profpar

Can't Leave
Dec 8, 2011
317
0
Buford, Georgia
This exemplifies what I love about this forum, I learn so much. I realize now that I like some of you had stated that I had been tamping wrong. I will endeavor to gravity tamp will drawing from hence forward. Invaluable information :)

 

spartan

Lifer
Aug 14, 2011
2,963
7
Let gravity and the weight of the tamper do the job.
Even If I have one of the china made nails that are like 3 cents and are so light they actually float into the atmosphere if I let one go??

 
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