ssg nick psaki

This is indirectly a post about Art and Ming-Kahuna, but actually about a
skill I have gratefully acquired in part due to the pleasure of using my
Mings. I am fortunate to have acquired three of these lovely accessories
throughout the past year, and my appreciation of them as objets d'art, and
their simple utility has been responsible for my developing an appreciation
for the art of tamping as well as the art of the tamper.<g>

Tamping seems to be the most underappreciated skill a pipe smoker can
develop. It seems very simple: you light, you tamp, and periodically tamp
throughout the course of a bowl. But when to tamp and why are two things I
have come to understand only through much pratcice, and some study (IIRC,


greatly improved my enjoyment of my pipes and weeds:

Of course the first tamp is the post-char tamp. This contributes greatly to
an even relight, which, for me, sets the tone for the rest of the smoke. I
tamp the crown of the tobacco lightly (using basically just the weight of
the tamper itself) to make an even surface, and wait a few minutes before
relighting.

If I find my pipe smoking too hot, a quick tamp (lightly, again using not
much more pressure than the weight of the tamper itself), and the ember
cools.

If my pipe draws too freely, as it will throughout the course of a smoke as
the tobacco expands or is consumed, I tamp to improve the draw. This results
in far fewer relights for me than previously.

Toward the bottom of the bowl, I tamp more frequently, as the tobacco seems
to require it to keep a good, cool, even burn.

My advice for novice smokers is, in addition to learning how to pack and
light your bowl, concentrate on your tamping as well as your pace, and you
should (hopefully) observe a dramatic increase in the quality and enjoyment
of your smokes. Art's tampers are extraordinary, and the price might be a
bit daunting for a new smoker. In that case, I might recommend looking at
Ron Aldridge's http://www.woodfan.com site, or Smokin' Trav's site. I am eager to
acquire and try tampers from several other artisans whose work I have come
to appreciate, though my humble collection is satisfactory for the nonce.

I hope these tips are a help to those of you who are baffled (as was I) by
the whole tamping thing.

Best,

<<<) P

Squadron Leader in a Charatan Perfection Brandy

Not affiliated but through friendship with any of the aforementioned makers.

mingkahuna

BTW, why do you suppose those wood dowel tampers became so popular in Europe?
The answer is that they were used in smoking contests so that everyone had the
same equipment. If the shape or type of tamper makes no difference, why did
they control that as a variable in providing contest equipment?

Art

buddy springman

There's that lawyer's logic coming out in you, Art. <g>

Good point.

Buddy

ipad

Art,

Again, I'm not making any declarations regarding the why's or wherefore's,
nor do I pass judgement on what anyone else chooses. I was only providing my
thoughts on the matter as it relates to my own personal choices. I was
interested in opinions from others that I am, subsequently, finding to be
very interesting.

Nizo

bill burney

<Ahem> So ah says to tha' judge, I says "Yo honna, I never promised tha'
young lady I'd take her ta Florida...I only said I was gonna Tampa with
her."

Bill "nossuh, I gots no shame" Burney

mingkahuna

Hey Niz, believe me, i understand that. I was also offering my perspective as
a tamper collector and as someone who uses a tamper the vast majority of the
time.

BTW, it was that European preference for wood tampers that led to me creating
briar tamped tamps.

The whys and wherefores are my stock and trade.

Art

mingkahuna

And, that is an absolutely huge part of the allure. Well stated.


To each his own! For others it is otherwise. It can be that much more. That is
the fun of it. Hell, some don't even care about the pipe.

Art