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?
Packing too tight/loose.
- Wildcat
- Codger in Training
- Posts: 4173
- Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2018 8:14 am
- Location: South Glens Falls NY
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.
I wonder if "blame Wildcat" will become a theme here? - Fr_Tom
- Fr_Tom
- Chaplain
- Posts: 29098
- Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2018 2:44 pm
- Location: Diocese of Southern Virginia
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.
When in doubt my counsel is that looser is better than too tight.
"Prov'dence don't fire no blank ca'tridges, boys" Roughing It, Mark Twain
Old Ted Award - 2017
Old Ted Award - 2017
-
- Member in Good Standing
- Posts: 860
- Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2021 2:39 am
- Location: Kentucky
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
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2081
- Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2018 6:03 pm
- Location: Middle Earth
I do not like to restrict the draft
But that is my opinion for me
What@Lostdog5152
Said
But that is my opinion for me
What@Lostdog5152
Said
- Ruffinogold
- The Mayor
- Posts: 9055
- Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2018 4:48 pm
- Location: Mineral Bluff , Georgia
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
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
" I believe adventure is nothing but a romantic name for trouble " L.L.
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.Ruffinogold wrote: ↑Mon May 17, 2021 6:01 pm 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
"That's mighty bold talk for a one eyed fat man!" -Lucky Ned Pepper.
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.