Re-purposed things as tamps

[tomdavis]

Years ago I made a tamp from the tapered end of a stainless steel Hilti concrete insert bolt. Cut off the threads, ground a nice edge, drilled a hole and looped through a leather thong. Still rides in my console and used regularly. What made me think of this topic was yesterday when looking in my late father's junk drawer and there was a spent, brass 308 casing. A perfect tamp even though quickly his finger prints will be replaced with mine and the primer will be ringed with ash.
What neat tamps do you use?

 

[docrx]

No repurposed tamps but i did save the cork last night from our champagne for a cork knocker :wink:

 

[olderthandirt]

I've a couple of 16d galvanized nails that see regular use.

The head on these nails is the perfect size for use on my smaller bowled pipes.

 

[puffy]

I guess you could use a lot of things.I've used golf tees before.

 

[tomdavis]

@OTD - Be careful with anything galvanized as a heat releases the zinc that is the primary part of "galvanizing". There are great nails, called spikes, at Home Depot and not galvanized, that I often thought of shortening to use as tamps--a true "pipe nail". My foggy memory seems to recall that term but not sure ...

 

[kennerth]

My favorites! I am not worried about the heat, as many of us use our fingers to tamp. I fear the gasses released by my fellow pipers more than that from my nail tampers!

 

[kennerth]

Just because I could, but it works!

 

[ejames]

My favorite thing to re-purpose for tampers are pipes-- chop off the bowl,make a pick for it and attached a brass tip. The one on the left though was made from a can opener.

 

[kennerth]

Very nice work, ejames!