New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by chaase321

...Ok, maybe "packing" was the wrong word to use; however, now...maybe I was lying, and maybe I am packing it too tightly......

Thanks Moo, very much appreciated!

Of course you were lying and, now, here you are - trapped in your own web of deceit and self delusion.

Fortunately for you there are Old Farts at the ready! All new pipesmokers believe tobacco should be mashed into a bowl with a hydraulic-assist ram. It is the way of things. Not to worry. Start your bowl with just enough compression to slightly resist a sip. After the initial charring light you can tamp things down a bit more - but not much tighter than that easy sip. Go gradually and you'll find the sweet spot where optimal compression actually does produces big clouds with small sips.

Carbonized bowl vs. raw wood with a new pipe? Personal preference. I like raw wood - it can't conceal defects in the chamber of a new pipe. As is often advised, start a new pipe with half-filled bowls for a dozen or so smokes to keep the pipe's heel dry and get cake forming in the bottom half of the chamber. Or not. It's pretty hard to burn out a decent pipe if you're not outdoors smoking in a breeze.

Carbon or not? Pipe too tightly filled or not? It is a game of patient experimentation until it all comes together.