A New Affliction, P-TAD

[mso489]

Most Forums members are familiar with Pipe Acquisition Disorder and Tobacco Acquisition Disorder, and no one seems to be seeking treatment. Now consider P-TAD, generally Pipe Tool Acquisition Disorder, with the subset with the same acronym, Pipe Tamper Acquisition Disorder. Take a look at the online pages of tampers with multi-colored and swirled handles, unscrew picks and scoops, and holes in the tamper head to allow the ember to breathe as it is tamped. We all need eight or ten of those, to go with the dozen or more Czech tools and pipe nails and folding tools we already have. It's an emergency. We can't live without these. Time is short. Heave, wheeze, sigh, whimper.

 

[lawdawg]

Most Forums members are familiar with Pipe Acquisition Disorder and Tobacco Acquisition Disorder, and no one seems to be seeking treatment. Now consider P-TAD, generally Pipe Tool Acquisition Disorder, with the subset with the same acronym, Pipe Tamper Acquisition Disorder. Take a look at the online pages of tampers with multi-colored and swirled handles, unscrew picks and scoops, and holes in the tamper head to allow the ember to breathe as it is tamped. We all need eight or ten of those, to go with the dozen or more Czech tools and pipe nails and folding tools we already have. It's an emergency. We can't live without these. Time is short. Heave, wheeze, sigh, whimper.

I had a minor case of PTAD a year or so ago when I picked up a deer antler tamper as well as a hand-carved wooden tamper. Luckily it was only a fleeting case and I recovered quickly.

 

[mso489]

I received what I think is a nice willow tamper with a non-flammable tip as a freebie when I used my gift certificate to commission a pipe and tobacco rack from my wife. I admit I use a pipe nail a lot, for simplicity and all-in-one function. lawdawg, you have a good immune system.

 

[BROBS]

I WAS GOING TO MAKE A WITTY POST BUT INSTEAD WENT AND BOUGHT ANOTHER TAMPER OFF EBAY

 

[donjgiles]

I really like these...

Nice wide base for a gentle, effective tamp.

 

[solideogloria86]

So far I've avoided being infected. Probably all of the extra hand washing and face masks. Wonder if they sell a face mask with Czech tools embroidered on?

 

[BROBS]

YOU GUYS THINK I'M KIDDING?

 

[solideogloria86]

YOU GUYS THINK I'M KIDDING?
View attachment 41007

This is serious.

 

[BROBS]

I caught it from MSO

 

[solideogloria86]

I'm going to leave now. I don't think it's wise to stay in a confined space with two confirmed cases. Plus, it's guaranteed that more will show up.

 

[solideogloria86]

All joking aside, I have a basic model Rodgers pipe knife and so far, it's kept me satisfied. I could definitely see myself falling down the rabbit hole of collecting them in different handle scale styles.

 

[BROBS]

All joking aside, I have a basic model Rodgers pipe knife and so far, it's kept me satisfied. I could definitely see myself falling down the rabbit hole of collecting them in different handle scale styles.

I don't like folding pipe tools because it's really easy to ding the inside edges of the chamber.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Dunhill /White Spot Taper $ 100,
but in all seriousness,,next time I'm considering having a tamper I probably will consider buying either one of those Savinelli tampers seen above or one from Rattarys Classic line(I still wonder what took me to buy that Rogers pipe knife,since I smoke very seldom ropes or plug tobaccies)

 

[Casual]

After I recovered from an acute case of PTAD, I found that I just needed my 3.5” aluminum golf tee. The rest gather dust.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Never had “P-TAD,” though I don’t begrudge anyone that has. There are lots of very attractive tampers and pipe tools out there. A horseshoe nail is what I use most of the time. If I lose it, I grab another. I just look at the cost of fancy tampers as money I could spend on more tobacco (assuming I want to spend it on something smoking-related). Honestly I kind of do the same with pipes, too. I only have about ten or so, and I’ve been smoking pipes long enough to warrant having a much bigger collection. I guess it’s always been the TAD for me. ?‍
An added plus for the horseshoe nail is that it’s small enough to keep with me. I just tuck it into the case I made for my Zippo. No wondering where I set my tamper.


Of course, fingers work too.

 

[scloyd]

I have six tampers. My favorite being a Zebrawood tamper that carolinachurchwarden (Matt) made and gifted to me. The rest are nothing special, a bamboo, a SeaWolf Pipes tamper that I got for free at the Chicago Pipe Show last year and a couple of Czech tools. Six tampers is enough...for now anyway.

 

[solideogloria86]

Never had “P-TAD,” though I don’t begrudge anyone that has. There are lots of very attractive tampers and pipe tools out there. A horseshoe nail is what I use most of the time. If I lose it, I grab another. I just look at the cost of fancy tampers as money I could spend on more tobacco (assuming I want to spend it on something smoking-related). Honestly I kind of do the same with pipes, too. I only have about ten or so, and I’ve been smoking pipes long enough to warrant having a much bigger collection. I guess it’s always been the TAD for me. ?‍
An added plus for the horseshoe nail is that it’s small enough to keep with me. I just tuck it into the case I made for my Zippo. No wondering where I set my tamper.
View attachment 41024
View attachment 41023
Of course, fingers work too.

I definitely think I have TAD and that cancels out the rest of the disorders. A pound or two of Tobacco almost always seems like a better buy than a pipe. That is until the rare occasion arises where I absolutely have to have a certain pipe and cant shake it. That hasn't happened this year though.

 

[solideogloria86]

I don't like folding pipe tools because it's really easy to ding the inside edges of the chamber.

Valid point. I do make every effort to keep the tamper as vertical as possible when using. I definitely don't have to pay the same amount of attention when using the briar tamper that came with my Dragon Briars commission. For my taste, the pipe knife suits me well enough that i find it worth the extra caution.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I knew Mso was about to start buying shit.. I guess P-TAD is the lesser of the pipe smoking evils.

 

[BROBS]

Never had “P-TAD,” though I don’t begrudge anyone that has. There are lots of very attractive tampers and pipe tools out there. A horseshoe nail is what I use most of the time. If I lose it, I grab another. I just look at the cost of fancy tampers as money I could spend on more tobacco (assuming I want to spend it on something smoking-related). Honestly I kind of do the same with pipes, too. I only have about ten or so, and I’ve been smoking pipes long enough to warrant having a much bigger collection. I guess it’s always been the TAD for me. ?‍
An added plus for the horseshoe nail is that it’s small enough to keep with me. I just tuck it into the case I made for my Zippo. No wondering where I set my tamper.
View attachment 41024
View attachment 41023
Of course, fingers work too.

my main problem with this is catching the horses...