My Epiphany About the Importance of Packing

[lithicus]

The size of the final pinch (plug) depends on the size of the chamber. For a group 3 all I need is a small pinch while a big #55 castello needs a much bigger one.

I def agree about the pinch size. But, I do think this is an easy thing for new smokers to screw up. Again, I know I did. I think I was using a far larger pinch than was needed. And, youtube might even be to blame for this. I couldn't remember what the frank method was so I looked up a video. The pinch they used was maybe 5 times larger than what I use today. Maybe even 10x larger. And, this was a youtube video from PipesMagazine...

So, either the video above is a poor demonstration of the frank method or I am simply not using it. Based on the video just mentioned, my packing technique is far closer to a pure gravity fill than franks method. Just a clarification for future readers.

There were times when a small group 3 bowl lasted me too long say 1.5 hours but that happened only with slow burning flakes.

See, this is where I find my experiences interesting. Because I think most would agree (there will always be naysayers) that a 1.5hr smoke out of a Group 3 pipe is on the longer side. Two to two and half hours is unusually long. And so, I am either sipping way slower than most experienced pipe smokers (which seems unlikely), or I was smoking way more tobacco (and likely smoking it with a faster cadence as well being new). I think many newcomers might fall into the latter category and would benefit from truly experimenting with using less tobacco in their pipes.

I can even admit that I often would break up all of the tobacco I thought I needed all at once. And, I didn't like leaving a broken up flake on my plate. So, I'd try to make it fit. Or, I wouldn't break up enough; wanting to fill it past the 3/4 mark. So, I would break up more. Inevitably too much... And, I'd be right back to packing in more tobacco than is customary for a pleasurable smoke.

All of these are just my experiences. And, I guess I'm trying to shine some light on just how subjective packing, tamping, and tobacco prep actually is. I don't know if others will find my journey interesting or helpful. But, I wanted to put it out there. I also expected some to bring their own experiences to the table. And, I felt an opportunity to question those who are experienced might help provide clarifications to myself and other newcomers as well. This is to say, thank you for participating in this discussion! I always encourage open communication about these topics.

 

[Waning Embers]

What the OP describes is quite similar to the Frank method.

Gravity filling is just dropping tobacco into the chamber and tapping the pipe against your palm to settle the contents.

 

[lithicus]

Gravity filling is just dropping tobacco into the chamber and tapping the pipe against your palm to settle the contents.

Yup! And that is 95% of my packing technique. I do find, in my own experience, that a true and pure gravity fill leaves a lot of empty space near the top. So, the last 5% of my packing technique is grabbing a pinch, maybe the size of a small blueberry, and setting it on top. I'll work that in to level the top of the pipe. And, I'm good to go! Again, far less of a pinch than the frank method in the video posted above would lead you to believe.

I know everyone has their own techniques. But, this is what has worked best for me. And, when I'm interacting with other new pipe smokers online, those who are struggling to keep pipes lit and keep them cool, I'll often recommend they use far less tobacco. Suggesting they at least experiment with something like a true gravity fill.

I tried a gravity fill 2 years ago when starting as well. But, I don't think I experimented with it long enough and did not do enough research to do it well. I feel, now, that I have developed a pretty solid technique for gravity filling a pipe. It has led to a far more pleasurable smoking experience, which isn't to say I haven't enjoyed pipes for the last 2 years. Due to what I perceived as a lack of solid information around this packing technique, I decided to make a post about it. I hadn't considered this when making this post, but maybe I can now point people here for more detailed information instead of re-explaining myself every time

 

[BingBong]

I wouldn't disagree with this statement. I even tried the Frank method 2 years ago when first starting. What I think is subjective about this method is how big that last pinch is. I would argue most use too large of a "final pinch". I know I certainly did. The result was loose tobacco underneath and overly packed tobacco on top. If I do a final pinch at all in the method I described above, it is very very small. I would argue that my new method for packing a pipe is loose / lightly packed tobacco the whole way through.



I guess my question to people like yourself would be... If you are smoking out of a typical Group 3 pipe, how long are your smokes when you load a pipe like that? I assume you are getting expected flavors and not ending up with excessive moisture in the pipe. 45mins? 1hr? 2hrs??

A huge part of my epiphany and confusion about my prior experiences was a Group 3 pipe was lasting me 2+ hours consistently. I was not setting the pipe down for extended periods of time, nor do I believe my cadence was far different than your own (but I could be wrong here). If anything, my inexperience would lead me to believe I have a faster cadence than most experienced smokers; not a slower one.

So, this begs the question... You may say you are jamming it in hard, jackhammer like even. But, that is subjective. Surely you're still able to draw on the pipe easily and not trying to suck a Wendy's frosty through a small straw. And since this jam hard packing is subjective, perhaps, I was packing my pipe even tighter than you without either of us realizing it. You might even say it was likely I was packing my pipe even tighter than you guys. I simply have no other explanations as to how a Group 3 pipe could last me 2-3 hours; which based on my research is not the norm (as well as any norm can be defined). Either everyone else is smoking way faster than me (unlikely), or I am smoking way more tobacco than everyone else (most likely?). I deduced that, perhaps, if I wanted more flavor and less moisture, experimenting with less tobacco was worthwhile. This has worked for me and I'm not sure I'll change it in the near future until I perfect it. To be clear, I'm also not criticizing anyone for packing their pipe however best works for them.

I know a lot of that may seem rhetorical. But, it is a genuine question. Are there people that cram so much tobacco into the Group 3 pipe that they are able to achieve 2-3 hour smokes? If you are able to get flavor and little moisture in this scenario, is it because you are sipping slower than me? If so, then that would imply that because I'm smoking faster but getting similar 2-3 hour smoke times, I must be using more tobacco than you.

Folded and stuffed flakes of any humidity. Ready rubbed packed hard - so long as the airway is clear at the bottom of the bowl, we're in business. I don't particularly time the duration; oft times, I'll put a pipe down and pick it up later but if I smoke start to finish, group 3 is 45 minutes? There's huge variability in group sizes, say 50% for each group.

I believe tobacco density means flavour intensity and go down that route. Maybe the environmental conditions here mean there is seldom too much moisture; if it does build, I do the "flick". Light tamp before relights, enjoy.

These days, I don't pay too much conscious attention to the process, to be honest.

 

[InWithBothFeet]

In my newb thought pattern, gravity filling cube cut and gravity filling shag would result in a completely different density of tobacco in the bowl.

 

[bersekero]

The pinch or the video you posted is huge.
I follow the instructions of the video below and it really works.

 

[bersekero]

Gravity filling is just dropping tobacco into the chamber and tapping the pipe against your palm to settle the contents.

I think that sometimes this is difficult. Long and thick cut ribbons come to mind. Or a narrow 18mm chamber.

 

[bersekero]

For me there is a teqnique that is superior to any other and greatly improved my pipe smoking:
Stop overthinking.

 

[Waning Embers]

I think that sometimes this is difficult. Long and thick cut ribbons come to mind. Or a narrow 18mm chamber.

Probably just issues with chamber diameter. It's the only way I fill pipes but the majority of mine had at least 25mm diameter chambers.

 

[Sig]

When I started smoking a pipe, there were no rules. There was no internet. There were no pipe gurus....unless you knew one personally.
We just learned by trial and error.
In the late 1990s when I started with the online message boards, I believe my most often thought was, "well duh".
It must have been 2008 or so that I first heard of the "Frank Method". After hearing about it, I thought, "well duh, how else would you pack a pipe." When I started in 1987 it probably took me 3-4 bowls to learn to gravity feed the bowl, then a light push on top. My first pipe was WAY too tight and burned and tasted horrible. My thought was, "pack it lighter dummy". Thats how everyone I knew packed a pipe. Think about it. The old timers back then would dip their pipe in the pouch of tobacco. Lightly guide the tobacco in the pipe, then give it just enough of a tamp to keep the tobacco in the pipe. Thats the Frank Method, just not so god awful pretentious like they invented the wheel.
As for tamping, im a finger guy. If you burn your fingy, you're tamping too hard!! Just enough to smoosh the top ash to the ember. Otherwise I dump the ash and do not tamp. Its all kinda muscle memory now.
And NO, im not an old curmudgeon. I started piping at 17 years old, so im eccentric!!

 

[Waning Embers]

When I started smoking a pipe, there were no rules. There was no internet. There were no pipe gurus....unless you knew one personally.
We just learned by trial and error.

Exactly the same. I just worked it out.

 

[Waning Embers]

I started piping at 17 years old

I started at the same age. Easier to stash a lit pipe in your pocket than a cigarette when a teacher walked in.

 

[HeadMisfit]

welcome to life, nothing is as expected.

But seriously, my fav pipe is .75 by 1.8 deep. I can put a single flake of orlik in via fold an stuff, and it takes about 20 minutes to burn about 1/8" of flake.

I fill fill it loose with old gowrie fully rubbed, and it takes me an hour to smoke 2/3 of it.

I used to have a tiny pipe. .6 by 1.2. Fully loaded with gravity filled prince albert, i could smoke it down to the heel in 20 minutes. But loaded with half and half, i was looking at 40 minutes.

Now I have a peterson army filter 80s, its a .85 by 1.1 deep hole, I fill it with jocks mixture, and it last me an hour.

 

[Sig]

I started at the same age. Easier to stash a lit pipe in your pocket than a cigarette when a teacher walked in.

We had a "Smokers corner" in our school. In the morning before classes, between classes, and at lunch you could go outside to smoke. There were picnic tables to sit at.
Ive never heard of another high school that did this. Rural schools are built different I guess.
You need to remember that the "legal" age to smoke here in NYS was 18 years old. But kids as young as 14 hung out at the "corner".
I very rarely went out there. My dad taught at the school, and I would not have disrespected him like that. Sometimes I snuck a few ciggie puffs when none of the teachers were looking. They would narc me out immediately!

 

[Sig]

welcome to life, nothing is as expected.

But seriously, my fav pipe is .75 by 1.8 deep. I can put a single flake of orlik in via fold an stuff, and it takes about 20 minutes to burn about 1/8" of flake.

I fill fill it loose with old gowrie fully rubbed, and it takes me an hour to smoke 2/3 of it.

I used to have a tiny pipe. .6 by 1.2. Fully loaded with gravity filled prince albert, i could smoke it down to the heel in 20 minutes. But loaded with half and half, i was looking at 40 minutes.

Now I have a peterson army filter 80s, its a .85 by 1.1 deep hole, I fill it with jocks mixture, and it last me an hour.

I will not buy a pipe smaller than .80" x 1.5".....if at all possible.
I only smoke one pipe a day usually and I want it to last. I do have smaller pipes I smoke regularly, but I won't buy a small pipe.
When I bought my Peterson Sherlock Watson this Spring, it took me 2 hours to choose.
They were all between .76 and .81 wide. I searched and compared dozens of pipes to find the best looking pipe, with the widest bowl. They were all the same depth within .10 or so.

 

[Waning Embers]

We had a "Smokers corner" in our school. In the morning before classes, between classes, and at lunch you could go outside to smoke. There were picnic tables to sit at.
Ive never heard of another high school that did this. Rural schools are built different I guess.

We had a smoking gazebo for freshman and sophomore year but student smoking was banned prior to junior year.

 

[InWithBothFeet]

The entire back walkway where the buses pulled up was the designated smoking area in my high school. That was early 80s.

 

[HeadMisfit]

I will not buy a pipe smaller than .80" x 1.5".....if at all possible.
I only smoke one pipe a day usually and I want it to last. I do have smaller pipes I smoke regularly, but I won't buy a small pipe.
When I bought my Peterson Sherlock Watson this Spring, it took me 2 hours to choose.
They were all between .76 and .81 wide. I searched and compared dozens of pipes to find the best looking pipe, with the widest bowl. They were all the same depth within .10 or so.

that wee pipe was awful fond of smoking wet. I mean, soak a tissue level of wet on cooler days. But still, i smoked ti many years with simple burley blends.

I like the peterson army filter for jocks mixtuers, i get actual flavors no other pipe has given with a balkan or english blend. And it may not be deep, but its surprisingly long lasting.

 

[ThermionicScott]

For what it's worth, here's a video of Achim Frank himself demonstrating the method:

I've tried it (one should try different methods to see what works for them), but the only part I do regularly anymore is to press the mound of tobacco from side to side with my thumbs. If it sinks into the pipe, great, if it doesn't seem to go anywhere, I figure the tobacco is about as dense as it should be and I'll pick some of it off.

 

[HeadMisfit]

For what it's worth, here's a video of Achim Frank himself demonstrating the method:

I've tried it (one should try different methods to see what works for them), but the only part I do regularly anymore is to press the mound of tobacco from side to side with my thumbs. If it sinks into the pipe, great, if it doesn't seem to go anywhere, I figure the tobacco is about as dense as it should be and I'll pick some of it off.

I almost peed my pants watching that video. I dont even think that guy is taking himself seriously.

Its like directions to fry fish:

1. get fish
2. fry fish
3. eat fried fish