The superman, mom, dad packing method.

[hyper_dermic]

So what sort of pipes are well suited for the frank pack method?
Ive seen the videos, and even tried it a handful of times... but i just havnt been smoking much ribbon tobacco lately.

-hyp

[Óðibjörn]

I've always used the Frank method, I tried this three layered method before and it didn't do anything for me. Half way through the bowl I was struggling to keep my tobacco lit and it started to make wheezing noises. I figured the bottom layer wasn't packed tight enough, I might try it again right now to see how she goes the second time.

[tfar]

Funny, this should come up. I am still a total newbie in both methods. But from my first impressions it seems that the Frank method actually works better for flakes and aromatics because those allow you to form a nice plug. Yet he shows it with a ribbon cut, if I am not mistaken.

Today I packed a Canadian medium size bowl with a ribbon cut English in the three-step method. Exactly the same combo that I used as my first pipe and found very disappointing then. This time it was much better. Probably the combination of letting the tobacco dry a bit before smoking it, having already smoked three bowls in the pipe and a better packing technique.

Why am I saying all this? Just to confirm that it is a fickle process and that small changes can make a rather big difference. This is what connoisseurship is all about and what indeed turns it into a hobby with all its ups and downs.

Till