How Often Do You Tamp?

[Frozenoak]

Towards the end of the year I began to wonder if I use my tamper to often. So, at the beginning of the January I decided to perform an experiment. After a successful light I’d put the tamper down and wait until I needed a relight before picking it back up. Then tamp and relight.

I found it surprising how often all I had left was ash. I’ve probably finished more bowls with no dottle last month than I have in the whole of 10 years before that.

I guess I’ve still got stuff to learn.

 

[Casual]

I have tried to restrict tamping to when the ember is failing, but it is an awfully nice fidget toy…

 

[augiebd]

I have had a similar experience, I decided not to tamp unless the ember was close to going out. I have discovered that much of my previous tamping was unnecessary. Perhaps I will go as far as not tamping until a relight.

 

[mso489]

I occasionally tamp packing a pipe, since sometimes a tamper provides more uniform packing than my finger or thumb. I may tamp after a charring light, or when no charring light is needed after a first light, to settle to ember and center it better. I often tamp if a pipe goes out and needs relighting. But in fact, I usually only tamp two or three times, as needed. As needed is the key phrase. Tamp too much and the bowl gets packed down too tightly.

 

[Sonorisis]

You guys are blowing my mind with this conversation. I tamp constantly. Now, I've got some new things to try.

 

[Drew72]

When I begin to feel the draw getting too loose, I tamp.

 

[python]

After the initial light, I only tamp if the pipe goes out and will not re-light. Then I will tamp and re-light. You should always try relighting without tamping first. Doing this will prevent a tightly packed smoke.

You shouldn't need to tamp much at all while smoking.

 

[mikefu]

I probably tamp an average of a dozen times through a bowl. Two or three times at the beginning when lighting, then a couple through the main duration of the bowl, then another 6-8 at the end as I’m keeping the ember going to the end of the tobacco. I probably would tamp more if I wasn’t reading or writing while smoking, but the contemplative nature of the pipe leads me to be more creative and/or focused than allows for frequent tamps.

 

[Frozenoak]

As needed is the key phrase.

I agree. I’ll have some fun trying to nail down “needed”

 

[ray47]

I only tamp on relights and it's important to only use the weight of the tamper tool to push down the ash. Sometimes I'll remove some of the ash before relighting. A lot has to do with the cut of the blend I'm smoking.

 

[bullet08]

not sure what people are doing with tamper to cause tobacco to pack down. usually use tamper to push down only the ash and bring ember to top of tobacco. haven't had problem with tobacco packing down.

i tamp when ember is about to die so i don't have to relight. some times, i still need to relight. also use other end of pipe nail to clean out the ash if the taste is off.

 

[gervais]

I tamp on the charing lights, then lightly before each relight

 

[blackpowderpiper]

I only tamp when I need too!!!!! Just kidding. I tend to pack my pipes on the loose side. As a result, if i feel the draw getting a little too loose, I'll tamp very gently just basically using the weight of the tamp. The number of times I need to tamp vary based on the pipe, the tobacco, the mood, atmospheric conditions, etc.

 

[whsergent]

Once or twice after the first light and tamp, sometimes poking first.

 

[sandollars]

I tamp when the pipe starts to go out. 9 out of 10 times it gets revived just by tamping the coals down a tiny bit to make contact with untouched tobacco. I will tamp 5 or 6 times and have to relight once or twice if I pay attention. Several times if not.

Very rarely do I end up with an over-packed situation toward the end. I always start with a very loose lower third to begin with.

 

[Mis Pipas]

When relight is a must, I often get a different flavor, not the same taste as at the beginning. I don't get the real, the original taste of tobacco.
How much and how often removing ash is desired ?

 

[Mis Pipas]

I only tamp on relights and it's important to only use the weight of the tamper tool to push down the ash. Sometimes I'll remove some of the ash before relighting. A lot has to do with the cut of the blend I'm smoking.

A lot has to do with the cut of the blend I'm smoking. Absolute RIGHT ?

 

[Epip Oc'Cabot]

For me, I would say 99% of the time, the only tamp I did was after the first lighting (charring light). After that, I was fine with exploring however the rest of the bowlful decided to behave.

 

[seanv]

When relight is a must, I often get a different flavor, not the same taste as at the beginning. I don't get the real, the original taste of tobacco.
How much and how often removing ash is desired ?

I might dump the ash once or not at all. It depends how the bowl is smoking. The ash insulates the ember but can also suffocate I've found at times

 

[Mis Pipas]

Towards the end of the year I began to wonder if I use my tamper to often. So, at the beginning of the January I decided to perform an experiment. After a successful light I’d put the tamper down and wait until I needed a relight before picking it back up. Then tamp and relight.

I found it surprising how often all I had left was ash. I’ve probably finished more bowls with no dottle last month than I have in the whole of 10 years before that.

I guess I’ve still got stuff to learn.

Thanks for uploading this topic. It was very useful. Huge !!!! ? ?