Nope. Don't worry about packing/loading the pipe. It's like north compass bearing.. elevator pass.. It's just to make newbies feel inadequate.
Codger scoop and GO!
Codger scoop and GO!
Didn't Worry About Packing and Guess What?
- Thread starter mikethompson
- Start date
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
I never got into the packing methods that seem to run rampant. My grandfather always did two pinches, tamp with his thumb, and light up. If he was in a rush, it was stuff and puff. I’ve inherited both methods, regardless of whatever tobacco I’m smoking.
Why over complicate something you’re just going to set fire to anyway?
Why over complicate something you’re just going to set fire to anyway?
Without all the joke, you just have to know why rocket stove works. The idea is, there has to be an airflow for pipe to work. Not a huge gapping hole, but enough for air to freely move from top of the tobacco to stem to your pie hole.
This is why Frank method, codger scoop, and other methods works so great. Way these methods work, there's huge air pocket at the bottom of the chamber creating easy airflow.
It's not luck or freak of a nature that codger scoop works. It's physics.
This is why Frank method, codger scoop, and other methods works so great. Way these methods work, there's huge air pocket at the bottom of the chamber creating easy airflow.
It's not luck or freak of a nature that codger scoop works. It's physics.
I've said it before the advice on packing a pipe is for newbs. And they should try several methods just to get an idea of what they're doing what smokes best for them and then just start packing it after that. And the thing that always gets forgoten though is what blend are you smoking?
Yeah I’ve tried a few methods, Frank and others, but settled on pinch push finger or thumb or tamp lightly till it’s firm but not tight and repeat, I’m guessing 4-6 packs per bowl, but do it subconsciously now, until it’s 3/4 full and take a dry puff for airflow…. No thought happens anymore, unfortunately in all areas of my life too
Master many various methods to handle variety of cut, ambient humidity & temperature, breeze, chamber sizes, etc.
Yeah, I pretty much gave up on trying to follow packing methods a couple months ago, and I haven't really looked back since. There are so many variables to each smoke. No doubt there are wrong ways to pack a pipe, but in my opinion it seems packing gets too much credit for bad smoking experiences.
When I first got into pipes in the 70-80’s, there was no internet.
I must have worked something out, because I persisted for 15 years.
Fast forward to resuming with pipes a few years ago - this online community is a godsend.
I’m enjoying my pipes so much more because of the knowledge gained from this Forums
The downside is the induced rampant PAD
As soon as I stopped asking for advice and listening to all the advice and just smoked and packed how I felt I enjoyed it then guess what? I enjoyed it!
Of course no disrespect to those who have more experience.
Of course no disrespect to those who have more experience.
I think a lot of newbie problems is overthinking and missing the forest for the trees. Too worried about getting everything perfect and the details that they miss the point.
Air needs to travel through. To me, it seems like every method that's been come up with is just some "trick" or "hack" to try to help prevent newbies from over-packing (which I think is their biggest problem, and I wouldn't doubt it if smoking too fast or too hot or too many relights was ultimately related to being over-packed more than any other reason). Too much emphasis is put on the process and not nearly enough on the purpose/goal of said process.
They treat them like some magic bullet that'll solve their problems so that they don't have to actually get a feel for and learn how something actually works. It's like when people have trouble with their vehicle and just break out the parts cannon and start blasting instead of actually doing any diagnostic work.
Having tried some of the techniques for the hell of it, I can see how they can still easily result in over-packing if you're just focused on the wrong thing. Technique is meaningless if it's not executed correctly.
And I'm not poo-poo-ing loading techniques. If they work for someone, they work. But there's no right way of doing it... just some wrong ways—and any way can be the wrong way if you don't do it right or don't understand why the way is the way that it is.
Air needs to travel through. To me, it seems like every method that's been come up with is just some "trick" or "hack" to try to help prevent newbies from over-packing (which I think is their biggest problem, and I wouldn't doubt it if smoking too fast or too hot or too many relights was ultimately related to being over-packed more than any other reason). Too much emphasis is put on the process and not nearly enough on the purpose/goal of said process.
They treat them like some magic bullet that'll solve their problems so that they don't have to actually get a feel for and learn how something actually works. It's like when people have trouble with their vehicle and just break out the parts cannon and start blasting instead of actually doing any diagnostic work.
Having tried some of the techniques for the hell of it, I can see how they can still easily result in over-packing if you're just focused on the wrong thing. Technique is meaningless if it's not executed correctly.
And I'm not poo-poo-ing loading techniques. If they work for someone, they work. But there's no right way of doing it... just some wrong ways—and any way can be the wrong way if you don't do it right or don't understand why the way is the way that it is.
Last edited:
Yeah, there are oodles of codgers out there that simply dip their pipe into their pouch and smoke away and don’t even think about it. Experience is definitely the best teacher. I’ve found that I don’t think too much about it now. To me the main factor is how the tobacco is cut and processed. I probably pack a ribbon cut tobacco tighter than I do a dense flake. Seems to work out for me.
Yep. We had a customer who smoked 1LB of Lane HGL every 10 days or so, and he one-handedly packed his bowls out of his pouch in seconds while inevitably doing something else with the other hand. There was no technique. Repetition and feel. I can remember a particular instance when he was carrying his 1LB bag in his left hand, opening/closing the door with his right, then grabbing the pipe from his mouth with the right hand, knocking it out on the brick wall outside the store, the pipe disappearing in his vest pocket as he walked across the street, the pipe reappearing with a full bowl, his index finger pushing it down, putting it back in his mouth, lighting up, opening his work truck's door, and starting the engine. The bag never left his left hand. From the time he closed our door until him opening up his truck door was maybe 15 seconds. As they say, "keep it simple, stupid."
Obviously, with experience comes knowledge and with knowledge comes smoother sailing, no matter what the activity. I won't pretend that advice from experienced smokers is without value.
That said, my approach to 99% of my piping activity is to ignore the idea of "proper method" and instead just experiment while taking careful observation.
"What happens if pack this tobacco in this way today? What about if I do it in that bowl over there instead?"
I play around with it. See what happens. Pay attention. It helps place me in the present. A lot of times it delivers "Eureka!" moments. A lot of times it creates shit.
I don't worry about it. I overthink too much as it is. Pipe smoking is my playground where I don't have to do that.
That said, my approach to 99% of my piping activity is to ignore the idea of "proper method" and instead just experiment while taking careful observation.
"What happens if pack this tobacco in this way today? What about if I do it in that bowl over there instead?"
I play around with it. See what happens. Pay attention. It helps place me in the present. A lot of times it delivers "Eureka!" moments. A lot of times it creates shit.
I don't worry about it. I overthink too much as it is. Pipe smoking is my playground where I don't have to do that.
Loved this story.....
Closest thing to this I can recall was when I worked for the local Electric Utility company cutting right-of-way to keep the lines clear. Chainsaws, chipper machines, axes, ropes, bucket trucks, etc. This was my summer job during college a million years ago. Our job foreman rolled his own cigarettes.
He got us to the job site and then got in the shade, squatted down and rolled cigarettes. He could pour the tobacco out of his pouch onto the paper and never spill a shred. He would hold the string of the pouch in his mouth and in less than 10 seconds, the cigarette was rolled, licked and stuck in the corner of his mouth. It was so perfectly round that it was hard to tell it wasn't a store bought Camel, ha.
He lit it with a match that he would strike with his thumb nail. This went on all day long......
Nice.
nice. I’ve heard this called the codger scoop. Experience. You’re getting it.
nice. I’ve heard this called the codger scoop. Experience. You’re getting it.
Overthinking and overdoing everything ruins the fun...for anything..hobby, daily errands, mood swing etc. Acting natural and common sense, and experience that comes with exposure..solves most of my problems and nuisances of life 
Some people can't enjoy simple pleasures simply. They require rules, mystical rituals, secret handshakes and such. It's their nature, poor things. There is no great learning curve to smoking a pipe. No arcane secrets at all.
Now training a palate to discern the makeup of blends? That takes some discipline and dedication. Serious collecting? That requires research, reading, asking numerous questions and such.
But, the actual act of loading and smoking is paying a bit of attention to what you are doing at first and then it becomes second nature.
Now training a palate to discern the makeup of blends? That takes some discipline and dedication. Serious collecting? That requires research, reading, asking numerous questions and such.
But, the actual act of loading and smoking is paying a bit of attention to what you are doing at first and then it becomes second nature.
Last edited:
All the posts on this thread inspired me to try the "codger scoop" method (or non-method), and I have to say: what a game changer.
It's the simple things..
It's the simple things..
