Did you ever wonder how the pipe tamper came into being? We give a lot of credit to Sir Walter Raleigh for introducing the smoking of tobacco (in a pipe of course) to the Elizabethan court in 1585. Up until 1881 the pipe was king, but then the cigarette machine was invented. From English sailors to philosophers, to professors, to tavern keepers to generals to your ordinary citizen – everybody had a pipe within reach.
Nothing has changed to ensure a good smoke. Tobacco leaves burning in a pipe bowl, even back then, required special care. To achieve a smooth and even draw of smoke you needed to push or “tamp” the stuff down. It is said that Sir Isaac Newton once used a lady’s finger (still attached to its owner, it seems) to “tamp” his pipe with fiery results. There had to be a better way.
Japan had miniature sculpted figurines, called netsukes that would hang from their purse-strings (basically, these were medicine pouches). Europe came up with figural pipe tampers. Like the netsukes and medicine pouches, tampers or “stoppers” as they were referred to in British English, were small, portable, useful and superbly decorative.
“In the tobacco-stopper alone was anything like taste or fancy displayed. This was the only article on which the English smoker prided himself. It was made of various materials – wood, bone, ivory, mother-of-pearl, brass, and silver: and the forms which it assured were exceedingly diversified.” Joseph Fume 1839
The tamper in a pipe smoker’s hand became a conversational piece. Within these little sculptures every aspect of contemporary life could be depicted, glorified, satirized.
By the 1800’s manufacturing had replaced this craft to a large extent. Pipe smoking, the activity of a slower time, gave way to the faster, disposable cigarette. And tampers? They went the way of crafts people from the workshop to the factory. Nearly all of today’s mass produced tampers are functional – they are not meant to also tell a story, they are only meant to serve a purpose.
More often than not you can’t tell what it really is – something from the garage or perhaps it’s some cooking tool. And while these serve the primary purpose, we have lost what they were also intended to do; yes, be functional but also brought color, thought and humor to the day. It added glorification to the smoker who had this priceless piece in his possession.
I do possess several different pipe tampers that are unique and have a special story behind them. Two are representative of Sherlock Holmes – one being the SHPC tamper of several years back. I have a brass hand tamper that I got at David P. Ehrlichs over forty years ago. And as I write this piece I can’t help but think of the story each one has - where I got them and how I have used them over the years.How many of you have one of those special tampers that you put in the drawer and now use “the nail.” Maybe it’s time to get the special tampers out.
Happy Tamping.
A Thesis on Tamping........... by Ernie Whitenack
I have come to a conclusion, after all these years of pipe smoking, that tamping is not only necessary to keeping a pipe lit but, also in controlling the burning quality and pleasure of the tobacco.
Now, I realize many will think I’m full of it and am splitting hairs on a subject that just doesn’t need discussing. In any event, bear with me for a bit as I think I can make your smoking a tad bit more enjoyable.
First off there is the tamper. We all recognize the popular Czech Pipe Tool – the humble but noble Pipe Nail – the Brebbia Horse Shoe Nail with its square tamping surface. Other shapes, sizes and price are uncountable.
And, then there are what I think are the most useless of all, the strange little things that pop out of the sides and bottoms of various pipe lighters. Some are square and quite small; which makes it easy if one wanted to put a square peg in a round hole and completely miss the edges of the hole. Others I've seen were just too short. I personally don't care to juggle a tamper with a comparatively heavy lighter topping it off while performing a task that should be done with precision.
Remember that you are working to keep bits of tobacco in contact so that as a layer burns it will ignite the layer below it. Your tobacco should be at the proper compression before lighting; or at least after the first tamping and relight. Take a few seconds when filling to tamp to a level surface. After that it will be a breeze. Cube and rough cuts require a bit more compression then a shag or ribbon cut.
Keeping the top layer of tobacco and ash level will allow it to burn consistently and slowly while avoiding hot spots at the center or edge of the chamber. The trick here is to use the proper tamper – a round one. After all, you are working within a circular area. Start tamping around the perimeter of the chamber and work to the center. Keep a soft hand to avoid too much compression and a hard draw. Check visually to assure you have a level surface.
When using the Czech Pipe Tool, or others that have one flat side, rotate it as you go around the perimeter of the chamber keeping the rounded part against the edge of the chamber and the flat section facing center.
So, here’s to a cooler more flavorful smoke. It will take a little practice but is well worth
I make basic tampers using various species of wood, stained and urethaned with .45 cal. casings.....they look great and hold up forever. Right now it is almost impossible to find .45 casings without primers to purchase and i have not been able to go shoot my 1911, to both keep up my shooting skills and to supply my tamper bottoms.
@Hiker007 I have an 8-Deco tamper that @PhilosoPiper mentioned that is very nice and it didn’t break the bank. I use it often. There is a CREDO tamper that folds flat, I like it too, again, it was not crazy expensive. (At SP.com.). My favorite go-to tamper however is the built-in one on my Honest brand soft flame pipe lighter.
Some of these tampers make me wonder if one could modify pieces from a small chess set. You know, sets with missing pieces that could be picked up for nothing, or next to nothing... Just a thought...
The Blast Key fire tamper marries the conventional warfare shell with an
antique vice screw key to become your new favorite pipe tamper. The
heft and look of this piece make it as tough as it is unique. Only one
available. The shell casing is a .45/70 Govt.
As a reminder that death is ahead, a memento mori serves to remind us to
truly live each day to it’s fullest. This memento mori pipe tamper is
made from a white victorian casket thumb screw, and a piece of Italian
briar
that has been painted using the blackest black pigment currently
available: Black 3.0.
This metal claw pipe tamper comes complete with 9mm shell tamp end and
crimson blood adhesive connection fluid (that’s the technical term). At
about 2.5 inches long, it’s a great little oddity for your collection.
All Monstrosity products have an “Ashes to Ashes” lifetime guarantee.
A traditional souvenir from the underworld, this demon mouth ashtray
sports a handsome set of chompers perched at the edge of a teak bowl.
The perfect receptacle for a wide range of ashes, to be sure. One tooth
has a hint of gold. Very few demons were harmed in the making of this
responsibly sourced, one of a kind item. Specifics for this Monstrosity
are below Length: 5 inches, Height: 2.5 inches, Weight: 4.1 ounces
But how many tampers does one need though? I think I only purchased 5 and used other things like a golf tee, nail, ect... I guess people will collect anything.
Make them if you like wooden tampers.......a personal effort each time you use your tampers.I have also made some with brass rifle ammo casings for that brass look.
I use the good old cheap pipe nails, one for each ashtray and one for the pocket. In my younger days when style mattered I carried a stainless steel one with a diamond shaped head, it's in some draw.
I swear to god my eyesight is going on me...I could have sworn, at first, that this thread was titled "best place to find tampons" ...I need to get my prescription checked.
Comments
History and Thoughts About the Pipe Tamper
by Richard Frederics and Ernie Whitenack
The Story of the Pipe Tamper by Richard Frederics
Did you ever wonder how the pipe tamper came into being? We give a lot of credit to Sir Walter Raleigh for introducing the smoking of tobacco (in a pipe of course) to the Elizabethan court in 1585. Up until 1881 the pipe was king, but then the cigarette machine was invented. From English sailors to philosophers, to professors, to tavern keepers to generals to your ordinary citizen – everybody had a pipe within reach.
Nothing has changed to ensure a good smoke. Tobacco leaves burning in a pipe bowl, even back then, required special care. To achieve a smooth and even draw of smoke you needed to push or “tamp” the stuff down. It is said that Sir Isaac Newton once used a lady’s finger (still attached to its owner, it seems) to “tamp” his pipe with fiery results. There had to be a better way.
Japan had miniature sculpted figurines, called netsukes that would hang from their purse-strings (basically, these were medicine pouches). Europe came up with figural pipe tampers. Like the netsukes and medicine pouches, tampers or “stoppers” as they were referred to in British English, were small, portable, useful and superbly decorative.
“In the tobacco-stopper alone was anything like taste or fancy displayed. This was the only article on which the English smoker prided himself. It was made of various materials – wood, bone, ivory, mother-of-pearl, brass, and silver: and the forms which it assured were exceedingly diversified.” Joseph Fume 1839
The tamper in a pipe smoker’s hand became a conversational piece. Within these little sculptures every aspect of contemporary life could be depicted, glorified, satirized.
By the 1800’s manufacturing had replaced this craft to a large extent. Pipe smoking, the activity of a slower time, gave way to the faster, disposable cigarette. And tampers? They went the way of crafts people from the workshop to the factory. Nearly all of today’s mass produced tampers are functional – they are not meant to also tell a story, they are only meant to serve a purpose.
More often than not you can’t tell what it really is – something from the garage or perhaps it’s some cooking tool. And while these serve the primary purpose, we have lost what they were also intended to do; yes, be functional but also brought color, thought and humor to the day. It added glorification to the smoker who had this priceless piece in his possession.
I do possess several different pipe tampers that are unique and have a special story behind them. Two are representative of Sherlock Holmes – one being the SHPC tamper of several years back. I have a brass hand tamper that I got at David P. Ehrlichs over forty years ago. And as I write this piece I can’t help but think of the story each one has - where I got them and how I have used them over the years.How many of you have one of those special tampers that you put in the drawer and now use “the nail.” Maybe it’s time to get the special tampers out.
Happy Tamping.
A Thesis on Tamping........... by Ernie Whitenack
I have come to a conclusion, after all these years of pipe smoking, that tamping is not only necessary to keeping a pipe lit but, also in controlling the burning quality and pleasure of the tobacco.
Now, I realize many will think I’m full of it and am splitting hairs on a subject that just doesn’t need discussing. In any event, bear with me for a bit as I think I can make your smoking a tad bit more enjoyable.
First off there is the tamper. We all recognize the popular Czech Pipe Tool – the humble but noble Pipe Nail – the Brebbia Horse Shoe Nail with its square tamping surface. Other shapes, sizes and price are uncountable.
And, then there are what I think are the most useless of all, the strange little things that pop out of the sides and bottoms of various pipe lighters. Some are square and quite small; which makes it easy if one wanted to put a square peg in a round hole and completely miss the edges of the hole. Others I've seen were just too short. I personally don't care to juggle a tamper with a comparatively heavy lighter topping it off while performing a task that should be done with precision.
Remember that you are working to keep bits of tobacco in contact so that as a layer burns it will ignite the layer below it. Your tobacco should be at the proper compression before lighting; or at least after the first tamping and relight. Take a few seconds when filling to tamp to a level surface. After that it will be a breeze. Cube and rough cuts require a bit more compression then a shag or ribbon cut.
Keeping the top layer of tobacco and ash level will allow it to burn consistently and slowly while avoiding hot spots at the center or edge of the chamber. The trick here is to use the proper tamper – a round one. After all, you are working within a circular area. Start tamping around the perimeter of the chamber and work to the center. Keep a soft hand to avoid too much compression and a hard draw. Check visually to assure you have a level surface.
When using the Czech Pipe Tool, or others that have one flat side, rotate it as you go around the perimeter of the chamber keeping the rounded part against the edge of the chamber and the flat section facing center.
So, here’s to a cooler more flavorful smoke. It will take a little practice but is well worth
https://www.thepipenook.com/store/p920/accessories/tampers-and-tools/peterson-pewter-tamper.html
I have an 8-Deco tamper that @PhilosoPiper mentioned that is very nice and it didn’t break the bank. I use it often. There is a CREDO tamper that folds flat, I like it too, again, it was not crazy expensive. (At SP.com.). My favorite go-to tamper however is the built-in one on my Honest brand soft flame pipe lighter.
My eldest works for MLB.
Not buying it?
https://www.smokingpipes.com/smokingpipesblog/single.cfm/post/the-art-tamping
You know, sets with missing pieces that could be picked up for nothing, or next to nothing...
Just a thought...
Memento Mori Casket Screw Pipe Tamper
Metal claw pipe tamper #1
Demon mouth ashtray 1
A traditional souvenir from the underworld, this demon mouth ashtray sports a handsome set of chompers perched at the edge of a teak bowl. The perfect receptacle for a wide range of ashes, to be sure. One tooth has a hint of gold. Very few demons were harmed in the making of this responsibly sourced, one of a kind item. Specifics for this Monstrosity are below Length: 5 inches, Height: 2.5 inches, Weight: 4.1 ounceshttps://www.cupojoes.com/treat-yourself/
buttons4yourbritches
Seven.
One for each day of the week.
……one for each pipe.
You still looking for tampons? 🤣😂