subject: Advice For Packing A Tobacco Pipe [print this page] Correctly packing your pipe is the first step to enjoying that wonderful taste and aroma. However, most first time smokers have great difficulty when it comes to packing that pipe. How do you pack a pipe without making the draw unbearably hard? How do you ensure that you do not wind up with a hot smoke and tongue bite? What are the secrets to packing that bowl full of wonderful tobacco, without encountering any of the beginner's pitfalls? Before you use a cigar lighter or match to light that pipe, you will need to know the basic steps to packing a pipe.
Clean It
The first step is to clean your pipe. If the pipe has not been smoked, you can omit this step, obviously. However, if you've previously attempted to fire it up, you will need to remove the debris (called dottle) from the bowl, as well as removing the buildup from within the stem. Tap your pipe out over an ashtray or trashcan and then run a pipe cleaner down the stem (toward the bowl) to remove debris and buildup. Keep the bowl turned down in order to eliminate debris getting on you.
Pack It
Now, it's time to pack that pipe. Once again, put down the cigar lighter and follow a few simple steps. Pull out a bit of pipe tobacco from the pouch and lay it out. Remove any clumps, stems, or knots and make sure you have only strands remaining. These strands should be packed into the bowl until it is about three quarters full. Now, use a pipe tool to tamp the tobacco down, stopping when the bowl is filled halfway.
Use your cigar lighter or a match to light the half of the bowl. Do not allow the flame to touch the tobacco; simply draw on the stem to heat the tobacco. Once done, tamp the tobacco again. Now you should fill the bowl to just a bit over full, leaving a small mound extruding from the pipe bowl. Tamp this down with your pipe tool and take another draw. If there is any resistance, you will need to start over again.
Once the pipe is filled, take your cigar lighter or match and place the stem of the pipe in your mouth. Draw slowly, allowing the flame to lick the tobacco in the bowl. You should be smoking in no time.
