New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart

12-22-2008, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

O M ... somebody else, please, save him from the "P" word!

Shall I use Load? Ive figured out by mistake that you dont load it in there and mash down, but I havent figured out what exactly im supposed to do I suppose.

Mister Moo · 12-23-2008, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darb85

Shall I use Load? Ive figured out by mistake that you dont load it in there and mash down, but I havent figured out what exactly im supposed to do I suppose.

Anything but "pack".

Three stage, or child/woman/man method works for most people. There are other filling methods that smokers employ but the 3-stage is pretty much foolproof

1. let loose tobak fall in under gravity until full - push down halfway;
2. evenly/gently wad up some tobak, enough to half-fill the bowl, and push it atop the gravity fill;
3. firmly wad a smaller clod of tobak and push it atop the previous fill.

Pipe should end up not quite full to the brim and draw should be easy - lightly restricted at most. New briar should be only half-filled for a couple of dozen smokes. Light evenly, puff and char the top. Tamp smooth and relight if needed. Burn should be even and nothing is supposed to end up in your mouth except smoke.

Mister Moo · 12-23-2008, 08:27 AM

Yet another word on the "P" word. New pipe smokers think they should "pack" a pipe. I eschew the use of the word pack relative to pipes. It's the wrong message. Pack is not what you should do with a pipe. Everything about "packing" a pipe ends up with a pipe that is improperly filled and won't smoke properly. Fill a pipe. Load a pipe. Prime a pipe. Prepare a pipe. Caress a bowl with tobacco if you must, but never PACK a pipe. A packed pipe by implication is a carelessly prepared and, ultimately, PLUGGED UP pipe.

And while we're on the subject. A befouled packed pipe will not suddenly get made right by using that pointy poker-thingie on the multi-tool, either. That pointy poker thingie has a couple of uses but it isn't much good for correcting a pipe that is overstuffed and rapidly expanding into a rock-solid blockage of the airhole. Fergettabowdit. It is VERY good for getting the squirter thingie on the Zippo fluid can lifted open, though.

Pack a bag.
Pack a punch.
Pack a bearing.
Pack a lunch.

Don't pack a pipe.

This post is my Christmas present to all the new pipe smokers who are wandering these halls. Happy day.

12-23-2008, 08:27 AM	#3
Mister Moo I barely grok the obvious Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Dan Location: Lizard Lick, NC Posts: 1,417 Trading: (3)	Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fa Yet another word on the "P" word. New pipe smokers think they should "pack" a pipe. I eschew the use of the word pack relative to pipes. It's the wrong message. Pack is not what you should do with a pipe. Everything about "packing" a pipe ends up with a pipe that is improperly filled and won't smoke properly. Fill a pipe. Load a pipe. Prime a pipe. Prepare a pipe. Caress a bowl with tobacco if you must, but never PACK a pipe. A packed pipe by implication is a carelessly prepared and, ultimately, PLUGGED UP pipe. And while we're on the subject. A befouled packed pipe will not suddenly get made right by using that pointy poker-thingie on the multi-tool, either. That pointy poker thingie has a couple of uses but it isn't much good for correcting a pipe that is overstuffed and rapidly expanding into a rock-solid blockage of the airhole. Fergettabowdit. It is VERY good for getting the squirter thingie on the Zippo fluid can lifted open, though. Pack a bag. Pack a punch. Pack a bearing. Pack a lunch. Don't pack a pipe. This post is my Christmas present to all the new pipe smokers who are wandering these halls. Happy day. __________________ "I hope you had the time of your life."