This will be a short overview on how to pack your tobacco into your pipe.
Overall goal: A packed pipe of correct moisture tobacco that does not have any airflow restriction. If you must exert energy into sucking then it's too tight. If it is too loose or too wet it will burn quickly and go out every ten seconds and drive you nuts. If it is too dry you will lose some flavour profile.
Please read http://rumproject.com/rumforum//viewtopic.php?t=1128 if there are any questions on the forms I mention in this thread.
Ribbon/ready Rubbed prep & packing
First check your tobacco and feel how moist it is 99% of tobaccos will be tinned a bit moist. Take a good pinch out of tin (try and judge a bowl full or however much you wish to smoke) and set it down on a surface to air for a little while. You are looking for a moisture content that when you pinch it and let it fall it springs apart and doesn't clump too much together. If you let it dry too much you will lose flavour.
Once desired moisture level has been reached pinch a small amount (about a third) and put it in your pipe. Only as lightly as possible push it to the bottom of the bowl, DO NOT TAMP. Take the next pinch third and place in bowl push lightly and tamp lightly (with finger is fine) Lastly take the last third and place in bowl and push down firmly and tamp down firmly. As a beginner the mistake is more often than not that one does NOT pack tight enough as opposed to too tight. A good analogy is, first third like you were shaking a baby's hand, second third like you were shaking a lady's hand and last third like you were shaking a mans hand. You are now ready for your Char Light
FLAKE PLUG AND ROPE TOBACCO
Cube cut
Take your pre cut cubes and if moist let them air for a while again using the stick together test.
Once satisfied take the cubes and let them fall into your pipe occasionally tapping the side of the pipe to help them settle do this until all cubes are packed and then push down firmly with you finger. You are now ready for your Char Light.
Fold and Stuff
Let your Flake or Plug Sliver or Navy roll air until you have the right moisture level (this varies, Dunhill delux Navy rolls can almost be smoked right from the tin but Erinmore flake will need some airing time and anything from Samuel Gawith will need A LOT of airing time.
Once satisfied take the piece of flake and fold lengthways in half the widthways. Give it a twist in your finger and it should start to come apart in sections but stay whole in others. Just stuff that in your pipe with the bent end down and shaggy end up. This is trial and error to pack strength but be prepared for a couple of failures. No big deal. Tip it out and start again. If it falls apart so much that it is unmanageable as a fold and stuff method then treat it as a ready rubbed. Fold and stuff method can take a little effort to get lit and going but once it is smoking well it usually requires very little maintenance.
If you pack your pipe using any form of tobacco and the draw is like sucking mud through a garden hose, do not hesitate to tip it out and start again. Nothing will be lost except a small amount of time.
Minor Repairs
What I have done with my pipes except one is free up the draw. I find that many pipes are made with slightly restricted draw holes in the shank so I take a small round file and just file out the hole a little bit. When I say a little bit that is exactly what I mean a smidgeon, poofteenth, pinch, speck, klein stück very small. This helps immensely with controlling you smoke and sipping your pipe. If you over file your pipe is dead. So proceed with caution and perhaps wait until you've smoked a few bowls to check your own preferences.
Fixing a low bowl with cigar ash.
Sometimes due to smoking your pipe too hot or heavy use or poor manufacture you may end up with the situation that the bottom of the bowl is significantly lower than the draw hole a fix for this is to buy a cigar. Smoke it. Keep the ash. Add a tiny amount of water and mix to a putty then take a very small amount and fill the bottom of the bowl to your desired height and let dry. It will harden like wood glue and is non toxic and will last a long time before you must repeat the process. A good way to keep you pipe in the game.
Packing, Preparing and Minor Repairs
Packing, Preparing and Minor Repairs
Last edited by da'rum on Sun Mar 23, 2014 8:45 pm, edited 3 times in total.
in goes your eye out
-
Capn Jimbo
- Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
- Posts: 3550
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:53 pm
- Location: Paradise: Fort Lauderdale of course...
- Contact:
Split from a duplicate thread, apologies to da'Rum...
Hey d'... after my first try at the 1-Q and my straight cob, and 20 matches later, well what can I say? How bout...
HELP!
So far I'm making all mistakes expected of even an ordinary idiot. It's like the time I gave my buddy a good shot of MGXO and encouraged him to taste it. He tossed it back all at once, and simply said "Smooth, real smooth!"- the horrors! The horrors! Poor guy, he just didn't know better.
da'Rum will remedy this, I know.
An Idiot's Tail, er Tale...
Equipment: smaller bowl cob pipe, tamper, wooden matches, Lanes 1-Q loose, moist, aromatic tobacco.
Education: watched Cal's video on "Frank's Method". This is where you drop in loose tobacco to the top, no tamping. Then take a large pinch, rest it on top and gently manipulate it down. No tamping down into the bowl, but only to the top edge. Maybe some loose tobacco on top for lighting.
Cal's Goal: loose on the bottom, moderately packed through the middle, little loose on very top. He lights to get an ash, tamps (always lightly), smokes, relights as necessary, repeat light tamp.
Experience: I was very and tentatively gentle (Cal warns about overpacking) with the packing, and even more gentle with tamping when the pipe went out. Which was often, went through god knows how many matches. This couldn't stand, so for the second bowl I still followed the method, but less tentatively. This was notably better, but still didn't seem ideal, which brings up these questions:
1. What is the da'Rum method?
2. WTF is "ideal" anyway? I know about smoking slowly - "sips" as you put it, and that Cal expects some relighting. But what does that mean - five relights or fifty? Or in my case five hundred, lol...
Enquiring minds...
***********
To which da'Rum replied...
And...
Flat ass bottom line
da'Rum's OP (here) - had I actually noticed and read it - answered 90% of my questions. See above. Now that I have corrected my grievous error of duplication by moving my mistaken post here, let's just carry on as if I'd never stumbled against it in the first place...
Note: most of the questions that follow were already answered above. If you heard the sound of fine china breaking, I have everything to do with it...
Hey d'... after my first try at the 1-Q and my straight cob, and 20 matches later, well what can I say? How bout...
HELP!
So far I'm making all mistakes expected of even an ordinary idiot. It's like the time I gave my buddy a good shot of MGXO and encouraged him to taste it. He tossed it back all at once, and simply said "Smooth, real smooth!"- the horrors! The horrors! Poor guy, he just didn't know better.
da'Rum will remedy this, I know.
An Idiot's Tail, er Tale...
Equipment: smaller bowl cob pipe, tamper, wooden matches, Lanes 1-Q loose, moist, aromatic tobacco.
Education: watched Cal's video on "Frank's Method". This is where you drop in loose tobacco to the top, no tamping. Then take a large pinch, rest it on top and gently manipulate it down. No tamping down into the bowl, but only to the top edge. Maybe some loose tobacco on top for lighting.
Cal's Goal: loose on the bottom, moderately packed through the middle, little loose on very top. He lights to get an ash, tamps (always lightly), smokes, relights as necessary, repeat light tamp.
Experience: I was very and tentatively gentle (Cal warns about overpacking) with the packing, and even more gentle with tamping when the pipe went out. Which was often, went through god knows how many matches. This couldn't stand, so for the second bowl I still followed the method, but less tentatively. This was notably better, but still didn't seem ideal, which brings up these questions:
1. What is the da'Rum method?
2. WTF is "ideal" anyway? I know about smoking slowly - "sips" as you put it, and that Cal expects some relighting. But what does that mean - five relights or fifty? Or in my case five hundred, lol...
Enquiring minds...
***********
To which da'Rum replied...
d... thanks. I'd asked for a Navy Flake, and when the Plum Cake was so expensive, he led me to this one which I now know is about as far removed as possible from it. I'll look around for your NF.da'rum wrote:http://rumproject.com/rumforum/viewtopic.php?t=1147
Now as for Lane 1Q it's famously wet and loaded with humectant. You'll need to give it time to dry. Follow the preparing instructions of the linked thread. Even then it may be you'll need to buy better tobacco if the humectant heavy 1Q drives you nuts. It's cheap for a reason Jimbo :/
And...
And referenced from that thread...da'rum wrote:Another thread you may want to re read is the one you created about your pipes as I answered that as well.
You may take a couple of bowls of trial and error before you get it right. Don't get disheartened just practice. If you light your pipe and it constantly goes out but you can freely suck through it with out airway hindrance then the problem is either to loose or too wet. I'm betting in this case on the too wet problem.
da'rum wrote:PS, stick your opened tobacco in a jar (ball jar/ mason jar) so the tobacco doesn't dry out. All my tobacco is in jars.
Flat ass bottom line
da'Rum's OP (here) - had I actually noticed and read it - answered 90% of my questions. See above. Now that I have corrected my grievous error of duplication by moving my mistaken post here, let's just carry on as if I'd never stumbled against it in the first place...
Been enjoying a trip down memory lane with all this pipe smocking stuff. Not a smoker my self but the old man used to smoke a pipe now and again. I think I've spotted the pipe style I like in a pipe Bulldog or Rhodesian type pipe (Peterson Aran, Savinelli 320) I think that's as far as I go though, just looking and enjoying my memories of the old man.
Can you explain what aromatics are as a tobacco, I think I know what's meant but not sure.
Can you explain what aromatics are as a tobacco, I think I know what's meant but not sure.
Sure Dai,
Aromatic: Flavoured tobacco normally heavily cased and heavily topped with all sorts of types of flavouring. Another usual heavily used additive to aromatics is humectant. Some long time pipe smokers love their aromatics.
Non Aromatic: The Pipe tobacco snobs tobacco of choice. Cased and sometimes lightly flavoured tobacco. I've yet to find a completely unmolested pipe tobacco.
Aromatic: Flavoured tobacco normally heavily cased and heavily topped with all sorts of types of flavouring. Another usual heavily used additive to aromatics is humectant. Some long time pipe smokers love their aromatics.
Non Aromatic: The Pipe tobacco snobs tobacco of choice. Cased and sometimes lightly flavoured tobacco. I've yet to find a completely unmolested pipe tobacco.
in goes your eye out
-
Capn Jimbo
- Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
- Posts: 3550
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:53 pm
- Location: Paradise: Fort Lauderdale of course...
- Contact:
Ran across some flake packing methods...
1. MacBaren's Official Guide:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9tzmB0JInY
This method makes sense in that loose tobacco will be at the bottom of the bowl, tighter in the middle, and tightest at the top. Highly recommended by MacBaren's and I'm not arguing with them. My current method.
2. A "Z" Pack:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlx3T-isujQ
This is a sort of accordian fold (triple) that (a) leaves shredded tobacco at both top and bottom (loose as proper at the bottom, and broken up on top for lighting). Plus it fits very well into a standard bowl. Very nice, I must try this one.
3. Fold and stuff with a twist:
A more or less standard fold and stuff, but with the tobacco "rolled" into more a cylinder, and the use of a pipe cleaner to prevent blocking of the shank. No link needed.
4, Fold and twist with a top rub:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlx3T-isujQ
This guy does the usual lengthwise folds and fold in half, but then twists the plug to break it up some more. He inserts with the final fold up, then finishes by rubbing the top to break up the tobacco to facilitate the light. This method is similar to the results of the "Z" method above, but with a bit more manipulation.
Summary
1. Most of the methods start with one or two lengthwise folds - with the grain, followed up by folding in half against the grain.
2. Some then roll the plug to a lesser or greater degree into a rough cylinder.
3. Most stuff the plug, broken end in first, to the bottom of the bowl. The pack itself is not overdone as flake tobacco is already pretty compressed.
4. Some then add some rubbed loose scraps to the top for lighting, or rub the exposed top to create a lighting layer.
One packer has a pipe cleaner in place to keep the shank clear, a good idea. All feel that there is no need to achieve the kind of tighter, three level pack used with cut tobacco, but rely on the flake plug naturally expanding on its own after lighting.
The problem with other tobacco can be too much air; with flakes just the opposite. The tobacco is already compressed. Of all the methods I found the "Z" pack the most interesting and logical.
But what the fack do I know...
1. MacBaren's Official Guide:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9tzmB0JInY
This method makes sense in that loose tobacco will be at the bottom of the bowl, tighter in the middle, and tightest at the top. Highly recommended by MacBaren's and I'm not arguing with them. My current method.
2. A "Z" Pack:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlx3T-isujQ
This is a sort of accordian fold (triple) that (a) leaves shredded tobacco at both top and bottom (loose as proper at the bottom, and broken up on top for lighting). Plus it fits very well into a standard bowl. Very nice, I must try this one.
3. Fold and stuff with a twist:
A more or less standard fold and stuff, but with the tobacco "rolled" into more a cylinder, and the use of a pipe cleaner to prevent blocking of the shank. No link needed.
4, Fold and twist with a top rub:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlx3T-isujQ
This guy does the usual lengthwise folds and fold in half, but then twists the plug to break it up some more. He inserts with the final fold up, then finishes by rubbing the top to break up the tobacco to facilitate the light. This method is similar to the results of the "Z" method above, but with a bit more manipulation.
Summary
1. Most of the methods start with one or two lengthwise folds - with the grain, followed up by folding in half against the grain.
2. Some then roll the plug to a lesser or greater degree into a rough cylinder.
3. Most stuff the plug, broken end in first, to the bottom of the bowl. The pack itself is not overdone as flake tobacco is already pretty compressed.
4. Some then add some rubbed loose scraps to the top for lighting, or rub the exposed top to create a lighting layer.
One packer has a pipe cleaner in place to keep the shank clear, a good idea. All feel that there is no need to achieve the kind of tighter, three level pack used with cut tobacco, but rely on the flake plug naturally expanding on its own after lighting.
The problem with other tobacco can be too much air; with flakes just the opposite. The tobacco is already compressed. Of all the methods I found the "Z" pack the most interesting and logical.
But what the fack do I know...
You know not long ago I agonised over packing methods and what was going to deliver me the best flavour out of a consistent non pain in the arse 1000 re-light bowl. After much trial and error I've come to this conclusion. There is one goal to packing the bowl and that is consistent density of the pack throughout the entire bowl. The techniques of ensuring a light touch to start the pack is often fallaciously taken as a sign that it smokes better looser at the bottom. It doesn't. It is used because as you pack tighter on the second push and tighter still on the third the bottom looser third is now compacted to be consistent with the density of the top. If the tobacco is looser at the bottom then welcom yo relight city. That is why I pack only two ways now. Firstly cube cut where I cut the flake or plug into squares and sprinkle them into the bowl periodically tapping the bowl to settle them into each other, I then give only the lightest of pushes when the bowl is full. Secondly I take the flake fold it any which way and twist it and stuff it I to the bowl, voila, job done. With ribbon I just follow the three tier rule and alles ist hunky dory.
in goes your eye out
I use the swirl method and let the pipe fill it self. Seems to work great, even with flakes that are rubbed out. It's a messy method so have some paper to let the waste baccy fall on but, apart from that I haven't had any problems apart from th emoisture of the baccy it self The Rich Dark Flake needed quite a bit of drying.da'rum wrote:You know not long ago I agonised over packing methods and what was going to deliver me the best flavour out of a consistent non pain in the arse 1000 re-light bowl. After much trial and error I've come to this conclusion. There is one goal to packing the bowl and that is consistent density of the pack throughout the entire bowl. The techniques of ensuring a light touch to start the pack is often fallaciously taken as a sign that it smokes better looser at the bottom. It doesn't. It is used because as you pack tighter on the second push and tighter still on the third the bottom looser third is now compacted to be consistent with the density of the top. If the tobacco is looser at the bottom then welcom yo relight city. That is why I pack only two ways now. Firstly cube cut where I cut the flake or plug into squares and sprinkle them into the bowl periodically tapping the bowl to settle them into each other, I then give only the lightest of pushes when the bowl is full. Secondly I take the flake fold it any which way and twist it and stuff it I to the bowl, voila, job done. With ribbon I just follow the three tier rule and alles ist hunky dory.
Other filling methods I use is just fill it best you can tamp down a bit with my finger then fill it again to the desired level. I have more trouble getting it to lite than keeping it lit once it's going.