Air Pocket Method.....A Testamonial

[dd50]

So even with my limited number of posts, I had found time to criticize what I had called my worst smoker in a thread asking for recommendations about a new pipe.....a Savanelli Varese I picked up on sale for $45. I had only used the three step method to fill any pipe I've ever owned, and never had a problem execpt with this damn pipe.....no matter how long I'd let the tobacco dry, I still couldn't smoke much more then half the bowl without several re-lights and a ton of dottle leftover....a shame because it's a beautiful pipe.
Then while reading Fred Hanna's book "The Perfect Smoke" over the holidays, I decided to try out the air pocket method of packing he describes on that pesky Savinelli.....simply amazing. Three re-lights with no drying method with a freshly packed aromatic and no dottle. I now pack all my pipes this way and amazed with the consistency of each smoke. Best of all, there's no mess that comes with other methods like the palm.
So if you have a pipe that just isn't smoking like you expected it too....publicly blast it on the internet and try this method, you may end up with a new gem.

 

[lazydog]

just tried it, like it

 

[cobguy]

+1 ... Worked great on my morning smoke, Scottish Cake.

 

[jah76]

Funny you mention this. I was having a smoke at work today and was noting that I always get a "good" smoke out of using this method in a cob. I think this is the same reasoning why my Falcon always gives me a good smoke.

 

[sjfine]

My trial-and-error period ended with a modified air pocket method. I fill the bowl by drizzling in the tobacco and without tamping at all. Then I pinch-and-stuff (as in the air-pocket method). Works for me every time.

 

[pylorns]

I've got to give it a try and see what happens.

 

[escioe]

I've found that this works really well with the Pease broken flakes like Fillmore and Embarcadero.

 

[algenib]

Add another testimonial to that list. I just read this thread and decided to try it out. It worked brilliantly. It's faster and easier than my usual three pack method. I expected to have to try it out a few times to get it right, but it's so simple that even I got a good smoke the first time around. I tend to smoke flakes and use the fold and stuff method, but I regularly smoke a couple bowls of Royal Yacht and an aro a day, and I think this will be my primary packing method.
Hadn't heard of this one before, so thanks for the heads up!
A link for the similarly uninitiated http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6M1KXnd73w

 

[dd50]

Glad to hear that others have had success, and great post of the video. That's exactly how I did it based on the way Fred Hanna described, the only videos I found had people rolling the tobacco in a ball and pushing it in, but then you would have to guess correctly on the size of the ball......I think it's much easier to grab a clump with your fingers and twist. I too was very surprised that this worked from the first time I tried it. I believe the book also mentions that this method works better on a pipe with some cake, but I don't let cake accumulate in any of my pipes and I have used this method on two brand new pipes from the first bowl and it still works great.
I will mention one consequence of packing my pipe this way.....I love that Savinelli Varese so much now that I am browsing more Savinellis, which I never considered before, so I can already feel my wallet getting lighter.

 

[redbeard]

I will try this one today with one of my favorite lat smokers that has seem to take a poop on me. No matter what I do I can not keep the damn thing lit!!! It really pisses me off sometimes when that's the only pipe I have on me and it's not working with me. I don't know why but I continue to give it one more chance, than one more chance, knowing it will not preform.
So... Today guess what I'm gunna do 8O give it one more chance but with this new method. Fingers crossed!! :crazy:

 

[lyle]

I too use this method, especially in pipes that smoke wet at the bottom and/or have a conical chamber. It's amazing how tight you can pack a bowl and still get an easy draw.
Fred's a smart, nice guy, and his book is a lot of fun to read.

 

[shutterbugg]

I have tried that method. It gives me consistent results about the same percentage of the time as the Frank method, which is to say maybe 75%, but unlike the Frank which doesn't have a preference for bowl size or shape, the air pocket method seems to work best with deep, narrow conical inner bowl shapes. I find that the swirl method gives me near 100% consistency regardless of pipe bowl shape, albeit it is a little messy. And all of the forementioned seem to work best with ribbon cuts like the Dunhills I smoke (RY and NC), and least well with my coarse-cut cavendish.