Well, you would use a wood tamp with a clay pipe. Someone in this thread actually suggested buying a bag of golf tees for a lifetime supply of tamps.Just watched the latest episode of "The Curse of Oak Island". This time they dug up what they think is an old pipe tamper. Kind of looks like a ancient golf tee to me. They have found one or two broken stems from clay pipes, so maybe it is a tamper. Wish they would find the treasure and get it over with! Ten years is enough already!