Draw Resistance...Whats Right?

[Jimmy_Jack]

Hello all. A quick brief. I come from a cigar world. I am used to what I call "a tug draw". You're familiar, the resistance from the cigar while drawing.

I've played around with my pipes and packing, still very much a novice. I think though, that without an understanding of what is desired I am doing this all for not.

With a properly packed pipe (and I recognize this is all subjective...mostly), should the airflow while drawing be free and smooth, should there be a little 'tug' or resistance?

When I do pack for some resistance, I find that I just pack more tobacco...and that's okay for a while but after tamping and towards mid bowl, the draw can almost be non existent and its just a fowled up bowl.

And on that note...regarding more tobacco for a tighter draw...does anyone weigh there tobacco for their bowl? As in 'Pipe A' requires 4 grams of tobacco for a proper packing.

So many questions...

 

[STP]

You’re right, it’s “subjective”. I prefer “free and smooth” as it not only maintains the amber, it also helps to keep the bowl cool. Some resistance is OK as long as the tobacco stays lit and the bowl does not overheat. There is a fine line that varies based on tobacco, moisture, packing, draw, etc., that you’ll have to navigate to find your own sweet spot ?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I like to think of it like a soda straw. I want it to be like sipping a drink, not an empty cup, nor a milkshake.

 

[paulfg]

When I do pack for some resistance, I find that I just pack more tobacco...and that's okay for a while but after tamping and towards mid bowl, the draw can almost be non existent and its just a fowled up bowl.

it sounds like you are getting it right and then over tamping or tamping too hard causing the draw to tighten too much

you only need about the weight of the tamper when you tamp not a hard push

 

[STP]

I like to think of it like a soda straw. I want it to be like sipping a drink, not an empty cup, nor a milkshake.

^^^ This ?

 

[MARC52]

A cigar smoker myself, I like a little 'tug' in my pipe draw, sip the smoke.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

If you want to avoid excessive dottle then try to learn to Air Pocket Pack.
Generally, it's the same as the Frank Method, but don't bother putting any tobacco in the very bottom, you just want to learn to make a plug in the top of your pipe.

 

[Alex.Jr]

If you’re smoking like this, it’s wrong.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I like Cosmic's analogy. No more than that.

 

[kcghost]

Yeah, that works for me too.

 

[Chasing Embers]

No resistance here and the pipe nearly smokes itself.

 

[cigrmaster]

I used to be a long time cigar smoker and I prefer a certain amount of resistance for lighting up my pipe. If it is too tight I just take a pipe cleaner and push it through to the bottom and that loosens it up just fine. No resistance is no good for how I enjoy my pipes.

 

[bullet08]

No resistance is a good resistance.

 

[mso489]

Draw is one part, and some openness seems good, but it also depends on how much smoke and flavor you're getting. A wide open draw without much smoke is probably too loose, and you sure don't want to be fighting the smoke through the airway. So it's a balance, to your own liking. I want it to feel pretty open, but with plenty of smoke and flavor.

 

[renfield]

Just enough resistance to tell it’s there.

If the draw changes markedly throughout the smoke try filling the bowl in smaller increments, getting each addition correct before adding the next.

 

[Jimmy_Jack]

Thank you all for the replies and suggestions. I’ll be trying these things over the weekend.

 

[stevecourtright]

In my experience, if the tobacco is too loose (little draw) it tends to go out easily (not close enough to light adjacent bits of tobacco) and if its too tight (harder draw) it tends to go out often (not enough oxygen). So, if you can keep your pipe lit without a lot of relights, you are packing it correctly and at some point you will intuitively correlate the draw to the packing. Voila

 

[telescopes]

Smoke your pipe the way the Borg smoked the Federation at Wolf 359.

You know the next line….

 

[Kal]

Honestly it depends a lot on your tobacco. Is it a wet aromatic, did you dry it to your liking. Fresh out of bag let it breath, and dry some if needed.

 

[Grangerous]

My tightest drawing pipe is a Chacom 110. My easiest is an MM Cob.

After the open draw (filterless) cob, the Chacom felt like work.

Btw All of my pipes are filterless design aside from the Grabows.