The "Lump" Packing Method

[alfredo_buscatti]

The following method works for both flake and loose tobacco. It is in no way claimed to be original. Key to this/these techniques is the idea that pushing tobacco into the bottom of the bowl is always a bad idea. I had had such a hard time with an occluded draw previously.

Loose Tobacco: Pour a big bunch of tobacco onto a flat surface. Form a highly compressed lump of tobacco and twist into the bowl that upon decompression pushes against the sides of the bowl, leaving the bottom of the chamber free. As the tobacco burns it falls into the bottom. An hour and more smoke.

Flake: Rub out matchsticks or gather pieces of flake. Form an elongate plug and slide it into the bowl, to the bottom. This goes against the key idea above but the plug is seated, only. I spent years trying variations of smoking flake intact, but in the end found that relights defeated me. I rub out matchsticks into 3 or 4 pieces.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

The packing method I've fallen into naturally takes hints from about four other methods, and this is one of them. I think something similar was the "Twain" method wherein he balled up tobacco and dropped in two or three "layers," or something to that order. The idea was for there to be space for the tobacco to expand (be it at the bottom or the sides) yet still have enough "staying power" to burn evenly and regulate the draw.

What I do now is put a single "lump" at the bottom, especially with loose flakes or ribbon cut, so it prevents pieces from getting sucked into the airway, yet burns nicely by the time the rest of the gravity-fed, slightly packed-down bowl burns to that point. Yak makes mention of his "brillow pad" buffer in a pipe, and it's similar in approach. At least that's what I've concluded. <img class="emojione" alt="?" title=":shrug:" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/emojione/assets/png/1f937.png?v=2.2.7"/> It's so simple and automatic putting it into words makes it seem regimented and anal. :lol:

Meh.

8)