The Frank Method

[protestantpiper]

Huh...interesting I prefer a 2 step method:
1. Loosely fill pipe, do not compress
2. Make a ball of tobacco and shove it in the top
Done. Works like a charm for me. I call it the "Cork in the bottle". When the cork is done, tamp it down and finish it up.

 

[4dotsasieni]

The Frank Method: the Tai Chi exercise of pipe smoking.
Frankly, since I'm all thumbs anyway, if I tried to use the Frank method, my pipe would be in pieces on the table, and the tobacco would be on the floor, mixing with ready-rubbed cat fur.
No thanks, I'll stick with the tried-and-true scoop, grab, and push method.

 

[ciderguy]

I use a modified 3 pinch method, that I call the 3 scoop method. Instead of sprinkling the tobacco into the bowl, I just gently scoop it in, shake until its settled, and tamp it down with my finger. I then repeat two more times getting a little bit more forceful with each tamp. Finally, I always check the draw before lighting.

 

[werdna]

I use the Frank method occasionally. It's not difficult, gives an almost foolproof pack, and I can load nearly as quickly as the stuff and puff. The videos are way too complex, it's not as hard as it looks. But my hands are pretty arthritic and I need to make it easy on myself, so the 3 step works.

 

[tennsmoker]

I'm with 4Dot. I do the Frank method and everything will wind up on the floor. Me included.
I use the Tennessee Method: Put pipe inside pipe pouch. Fill pipe. Light match. Smoke.

 

[papipeguy]

Too fussy. It's loading a pipe, not open heart surgery. Pinch, stuff, light, tamp, relight. 20 seconds is all it takes.

 

[kris]

I think every now & again we all tend to overthink / romantictize everything about this habit we have.
Essentially it boils down to: Put baccy in big hole. Set on fire.
If you enjoy it, you're"doing it right".

 

[lordwolf]

Stuff and Puff.

Unless its a flake.

Then its rub, stuff, and puff.

Or fold, stuff and puff.

Or cut into squares, stuff, and puff.....
Just do whatever works for you. I starting smoking a pipe when I was 17 and I didn't have anyone to show me how to pack a pipe and keep it lit. It all came down to experimentation.
Just keep smoking!!

 

[zekest]

There are some things you can try to teach.

There are some things that you just have to learn for yourself.
No one can tell you how to load your pipe keeping the tobacco "springy". How springy? In which pipe? Using which tobacco?
There is little springyness in my Stokkebye Bullseye Flake, lots more spring in my Stokkebye Proper English, a little more spring in my Paladin Black Cherry, and my Lane Ltd BCA is a sticky mess that sticks to my fingers and leaves sticky tobacco on the table top that sticks to my cats paws as they walk back and forth in front of me wondering what I am doing.
Its all part of the fun of the pipe smoking hobby.

 

[allan]

What's amazing to me is that this thread is two years old! Some folks I haven't seen on the forum since then
Stuff and puff for me