Packing too tight/loose.

[rlucas]

I was told once that a properly packed piped should be like sipping through a straw. Is this correct?
My plan to learn how to pack my pipe:
1: pipe and ch and favorite cold beverage with straw
2: pack pipe and test draw
3: sip beverage and compare if equal or close
4: light pipe and enjoy if close
5: dump and try again if not.
Is this a good or bad plan?

[Wildcat]

I codger scoop/fill. For me, I don't over think things. For me your process above would take the enjoyment out of it. Again, that's me. Hopefully @Fr_Tom and @Kevin Keith will chime in. I think I've followed their advice and tastes over the years more than anyone here. Be patient and enjoy the ride.

[Fr_Tom]

I would not overthink it either. You get a feel for it, but that is a matter of practice. A really thin cut that is dry like Picayune or Kendal Kentucky, I pack pretty firmly. A garden variety chopped ribbon gets the codger scoop and a "good" thumb at the end. A blend that is too moist is REALLY easy to pack too tightly. I think the springiness is not there or something. When in doubt, looser is better. Right now I would guess this cob I am smoking has less draw resistance than sipping on a straw, but I don't have the side-by-side comparison. I am right at the end of a pound back of Double Down though, and it is fairly dry and chunky.

When in doubt my counsel is that looser is better than too tight.

[Lostdog5152]

You do get a feel for it. Like Fr=Tom said, looser is usually better. You can always tamp it down if too loose. A hard pack is difficult to deal with unless you stir it up with a pipe tool or something similar.

[Middle Earth]

I do not like to restrict the draft
But that is my opinion for me
What@Lostdog5152
Said

[Ruffinogold]

I don't know if I jive with the straw thing .

You mention Carter hall . It's a great no brainer blend and just all around damn good . I think the thing I'd recommend is go both ways to find what's right ( that sounded odd) . But what I mean is , fill loose ... super quick bowl , probably kinda warm to hot .. but without any issue to light and keep lit . Too tight ... just a total drag , gurgle maybe , sour , won't stay lit etc ...

Play with a blend and find it's middle ground , I mean especially a favorite . But I assume a blend is a favorite because it's one that's been figured .

There's a " general " filling for most blends to a point . I haven't given much thought to filling in decades until someone mentioned cannon ball method or some other method I never usec

[rlucas]

I don't know if I jive with the straw thing .

You mention Carter hall . It's a great no brainer blend and just all around damn good . I think the thing I'd recommend is go both ways to find what's right ( that sounded odd) . But what I mean is , fill loose ... super quick bowl , probably kinda warm to hot .. but without any issue to light and keep lit . Too tight ... just a total drag , gurgle maybe , sour , won't stay lit etc ...

Play with a blend and find it's middle ground , I mean especially a favorite . But I assume a blend is a favorite because it's one that's been figured .

There's a " general " filling for most blends to a point . I haven't given much thought to filling in decades until someone mentioned cannon ball method or some other method I never usec

Yea, I played around with it this past weekend a little. Think I figured it out. We shall see. Ordered some tobacco as well. Hopefully I can stay away from from the tongue bite.

[CoreyR]

Different tobaccos = different packing. I cannot really describe how I do it, I ust work off of the "feel" of the tobacco I am loading. I reckon it, kinda, grew on me, the ability to know the tobaccos that is.