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Post by Legend Lover on May 17, 2018 9:49:08 GMT -5
So when I smoke, the first half of the bowl is great - the pipe stays lit and everything is as it should be...
However, come half way it's a chore. The tobacco appears crunchy and seems to resist the tamp and keeping it lit is difficult.
Is there anything you can suggest to me to overcome this? I'm assuming it's my packing technique. I find the Franke or the swirling on your palm method works best and alleviates this somewhat.
My thoughts are that the tobacco is too loose in the bottom of the bowl. At the top of the bowl, the tobacco is closer together and can take the flame and transfer the heat better, but half way down I wonder if the tobacco is too loose. That said, tamping it down should compact it more and fix it, but that doesn't seem to work - but again, the crunchy stuff makes it hard to compact.
What the heck am I doing wrong?
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Post by danno44 on May 17, 2018 10:01:23 GMT -5
By no means an expert, but tamp more frequently. I found if I don’t tamp enough I have same issue. So by trial and error (for me) I start tamping sooner. This also helps with fewer relights and also I picked this up from slow smoke competitions.
I’m sure someone with more than my few years of experience can get into a more detailed explaination. But for me this was my answer.
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Post by Darin on May 17, 2018 10:22:13 GMT -5
Tamping more lightly and from an angle at the sides rather than straight down may help as well. It's hard to say without seeing it and we'll need a video of you smoking!  |
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Post by Deleted on May 17, 2018 10:32:16 GMT -5
Try running the poker on your pipe tool down the backside by the draft hole. I do this when this happens.
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Post by Dramatwist on May 17, 2018 10:44:28 GMT -5
...for whatever reason, over the last 40 years, this hasn't been an issue for me. I well remember struggling with the problem. When I began to introduce Falcons and Cobs into my rotation, things started to change... or perhaps my own smoking style adapted... either way, best of luck...
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Post by Legend Lover on May 17, 2018 11:29:48 GMT -5
Cheers for the advice. I do tamp but maybe not enough. I know the first couple are great. The tobacco feels spongy and it stays lit after I tamp,but maybe after that I need to tamp some more.
I'll try a video next time it happens.
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Post by Baboo on May 17, 2018 12:42:40 GMT -5
In addition to tamping very lightly, I habitually use a "carbing" method whereby I semi-cover the bowl with a finger or two while puffing in order to concentrate the oxygen flow more directly into the load. Carbing, along with tamping, and an occasional knuckle-knock against the sides of the bowl all help to move things along uninterruptedly.
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Post by Deleted on May 17, 2018 13:15:00 GMT -5
One thing I have noticed is that cobs have that issue a little more. They eventually burn down nicely, but the rough sides seem to hold onto the border tobacco
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Post by Legend Lover on May 17, 2018 13:22:48 GMT -5
One thing I have noticed is that cobs have that issue a little more. They eventually burn down nicely, but the rough sides seem to hold onto the border tobacco That's interesting. I mainly smoke cobs so that would make sense. |
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Post by Deleted on May 17, 2018 13:30:14 GMT -5
To miss the pleasure of the smoke at mid-bowl (often the best) is a shame. Keep working on your technique and don't ignore your Briar's.
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Post by zambini on May 17, 2018 14:11:46 GMT -5
Have you tried using the pick on a czech tool to swirl the ash before tamping? I find it helpful.
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Post by trailboss on May 17, 2018 14:56:20 GMT -5
Have you tried using the pick on a czech tool to swirl the ash before tamping? I find it helpful. Kind of where I am at, but I dredge up the ash periodically, dump it out, tamp and relight. After doing that, the draw resistance should be the same as you experience when it is smoking good.... captain obvious here. Having said all that, some blends/ pipe combos don’t taste as good when getting near the bottom, then I dump it out.... no valor medals given for powering through a less than good smoke. |
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Post by peteguy on May 17, 2018 15:08:49 GMT -5
I only smoke to about 2/3 down then dump and reload. I find the tobacco taste changes in the last 3rd, it starts to get wet and is difficult to keep lit. I load all my pipes with an air pocket (if this is the correct term) in the last 1/3 of the bowl. Tamping drops it down some but usually not all the way. My only fear over the years is half of my pipes, the ones I bought new, have no cake at the bottom. Probably no big deal but it is different than most.
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Post by zambini on May 17, 2018 15:10:24 GMT -5
Have you tried using the pick on a czech tool to swirl the ash before tamping? I find it helpful. Kind of where I am at, but I dredge up the ash periodically, dump it out, tamp and relight. After doing that, the draw resistance should be the same as you experience when it is smoking good.... captain obvious here. Having said all that, some blends/ pipe combos don’t taste as good when getting near the bottom, then I dump it out.... no valor medals given for powering through a less than good smoke. I absolutely stole the trick from you. |
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Post by Legend Lover on May 17, 2018 16:53:45 GMT -5
I found it happens worst with flakes. Prob cos I'm new to them and I'm not packing them in the same way.
Cheers peeps.
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Post by beardedmi on May 18, 2018 18:47:13 GMT -5
I've found with flakes that if they are too tightly packed to start with then I end up with a blob of tobacco at the halfway to two thirds mark. Ive been running with the less is more philosophy over the past few months and a lighter pack gives me a more complete and easier burn. I do this with flakes that fold and stuff well by not filling the bowl completely and leaving room for expansion.
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Post by kb7get on May 18, 2018 20:17:47 GMT -5
To analyze this we first need to know if your a half-full or half-empty bowl type thinking smoker.
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Post by nedwrecks on May 18, 2018 22:51:36 GMT -5
Have you tried using the pick on a czech tool to swirl the ash before tamping? I find it helpful. I also find that works, only problem is when disturbing the ash like that I often end up with ash in my mouth. Is there a fix for that? |
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Post by Legend Lover on May 19, 2018 2:55:53 GMT -5
Have you tried using the pick on a czech tool to swirl the ash before tamping? I find it helpful. I also find that works, only problem is when disturbing the ash like that I often end up with ash in my mouth. Is there a fix for that? Filtered pipe? |
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Post by haebar on May 19, 2018 5:12:35 GMT -5
Have you tried using the pick on a czech tool to swirl the ash before tamping? I find it helpful. I also find that works, only problem is when disturbing the ash like that I often end up with ash in my mouth. Is there a fix for that? Before you stir the remaining tobacco in the bowl, gently loosen the layer of ash on the top of the bowl and carefully dump this out into the ashtray. Then stir the remaining tobacco, tamp down gently and relight. |
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Post by haebar on May 19, 2018 5:19:35 GMT -5
It's already been said, but there's no shame in not finishing all the tobacco in the bowl. If it tastes bad or starts burning hot, then dump it. You are more likely to burn your tongue or perhaps scorch the briar trying to smoke the last bit. After all, most of us don't smoke all the tobacco in a cigar; that last portion of tobacco gets laden with tars from the smoke passing through it and tends not to taste or burn as well.
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Post by Legend Lover on May 19, 2018 7:18:26 GMT -5
Cheers again everyone.
When I thought more, I realised that at this point, I would dump some ash and tamp a little (which, as I said earlier, is tough), but what I've noticed also is that the relight doesn't take well at all. It goes out as quick as its lit.
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Post by nedwrecks on May 19, 2018 19:54:07 GMT -5
It's already been said, but there's no shame in not finishing all the tobacco in the bowl. If it tastes bad or starts burning hot, then dump it. You are more likely to burn your tongue or perhaps scorch the briar trying to smoke the last bit. After all, most of us don't smoke all the tobacco in a cigar; that last portion of tobacco gets laden with tars from the smoke passing through it and tends not to taste or burn as well. That makes sense. I only smoke to the heel because I'm a noob and am trying to create a cake at the bottom since all my pipes are new(ish). |
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Post by Wolfman on May 23, 2018 11:52:42 GMT -5
—->What happens half way down the bowl? If you’re lucky, you will find a prize.  |
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Post by Legend Lover on May 23, 2018 12:40:19 GMT -5
—->What happens half way down the bowl? If you’re lucky, you will find a prize. Lol |
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Post by cigrmaster on May 23, 2018 14:12:22 GMT -5
If after you dump ash at the halfway point and then the tobacco won't stay lit it sounds like you are starting with tobacco which is too moist to begin with. Try drying it some before smoking.
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Post by Legend Lover on May 23, 2018 15:56:06 GMT -5
If after you dump ash at the halfway point and then the tobacco won't stay lit it sounds like you are starting with tobacco which is too moist to begin with. Try drying it some before smoking. You would think that, but it's kinda crunchy... As if it's too dry rather than too wet. Today I gave it a stir and tramped. That worked well. |
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2018 18:16:13 GMT -5
I get some unruly bowls whether I tamp or not. MM's have a pro and a con: The con is the tobacco can stick to the chamber wall if still rough. The pro is I can almost always smoke through the dottle and the ashes just fall out when done. That is a reason I put almost all my cobs in rotation
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Post by Legend Lover on May 24, 2018 2:53:01 GMT -5
I get some unruly bowls whether I tamp or not. MM's have a pro and a con: The con is the tobacco can stick to the chamber wall if still rough. The pro is I can almost always smoke through the dottle and the ashes just fall out when done. That is a reason I put almost all my cobs in rotation I thinking, with a thin layer of cake on a cob or on a briar, there'll be no difference between the cob and the briar with respect to the roughness of the wall. |
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Post by nedwrecks on May 24, 2018 3:35:49 GMT -5
Not to change subjects but is it necessary to smoke to the heel if you want to build cake at the bottom?
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