Every single day we have a few customers walk into our shop and ask for tips on keeping their pipe lit. We tell each of them the same thing: Work on your packing technique. This first step is the most crucial for mastering the art of pipe smoking.
We use a three-step packing routine, which is pretty standard for most pipe smokers. You will need a pipe, tobacco, some sort of tamper, and a flame (lighter or match, whatever strikes your fancy.)
Step 1: Make sure your tobacco is loose and non-clumpy (break it up with your fingers if needed.) Loosely sprinkle tobacco into the bowl until it reaches the top. Do not push it in – just sprinkle. Now, using your tamper, lightly pack the tobacco down until the bowl is half full. Try taking a draw on the pipe at this point. If there’s any resistance, dump it out and start over.
Step 2: Once again, loosely sprinkle tobacco until it fills the bowl. Tamp it down to about 3/4 of a full bowl. Test the draw again. There should still be very little resistance – less than drawing on a cigarette.
Step 3: Sprinkle tobacco into the bowl until it is full, and forms a little mound over the top of the bowl. Said mound should be less than half an inch. Pack it down so that the tobacco is flat and even with the brim of the bowl. There should still be very little draw-resistance at this point. If it feels more difficult than sucking on a straw, dump that bad boy out.
Done! Almost. I mean, your perfectly-packed pipe will be of little use if you don’t light it properly. This is a two step process:
Step 1: Make fire. “Walk the flame” evenly around the bowl while you take 5-6 slow, even puffs. Try to char the entire surface layer of tobacco evenly. The tobacco will puff up as you light it.
Step 2: LIGHTLY tamp the burnt layer down until it is once again even with the top of the bowl. The most important thing to remember at this point is the following: Do not tamp too hard. You only need to tamp the ashes flat and even, nothing more. Now, again, walk the flame around your bowl as you take 5-6 good puffs.
That’s it, for real this time.
You probably noticed that I used the words “even,” “lightly,” and “loosely” profusely in this post. Those three words are very important, so don’t forget them.
Any questions?
