To Tamp or Not to Tamp - that is the question

[Bach6032]

Whatever brings you enjoyment from your pipe is the answer. If it works for you, then you’re good to go.

I think many people start off over tamping their pipes. It makes the draw too tight, you start puffing harder, and you get tongue bite. Also, the tobacco is too tightly packed from over tamping and goes out. I find it better to tamp using just the body weight of the tamper and not applying any force. It’s better for your pipe to be packed too loose and under tamped then the other way around.

@Thepipehunter Absolutely agree with every last detail. My initial foray into the hobby was nearly derailed from tamping too hard. The "...just the body weight of the tamper..." probably is the best advice ever, and that discovery probably was the most helpful one of the last (nearly) 50 years.

 

[jpberg]

Completely depends on the tobacco. Putting a hunk of Dark Plug in a bowl is different than ramming a bunch of 5 Bros. in.
You should tamp to maintain a desired draw. That’s it.

 

[Seelife]

Thanks Redscot. That was helpful .... now to remember or put it to practice