Where to Buy Unique Tampers

[brut666]

Thanks guys. I just had a mad rush on my tamps last week... sold both of them, ha ha. And, I just finished making these two custom one for a fellow forum member.
View attachment 54930
The one on the left, I was asked to make a gothic tamp. The coil at the bottom is a snake, and you can't see it from this angle, but it is crawling up the vine up to the garnet. There is also a femur bone holding up the scraper.
The one on the right is fashioned after a whaling harpoon. I had to modify the shape of the point, so that it could still be used to clear out a chamber full of ashes, and the aquamarines are droplets of water.
The video that I have shows them better, but I couldn't figure out how to load a video on here.

Nice, very nice, in fact, they are mustard! ?.
I definitely need one or two in my life!
Next customer right here ??‍

 

[jvnshr]

Please sir a maybe naive question and I can see you say it makes a difference but what does the bottom not being flat do? And why do I feel like I neeeeed one now ?

When the bottom of a tamper is flat, the top of the burned tobacco ashes also becomes flat after tamping. What I like doing however is creating a cone-line shape (or like the head of a parejo cigar to be precise) out of the ashes. IMHO this provides even burn, because tobacco inside a pipe tends to burn from the center thus leaving the sides unburnt (especially the flake tobacco). Hope that makes sense. I remember discussing it with member @tmb152 many years ago, unfortunately I couldn't find the thread.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yep, just create a hill by pushing down on the sides. That is why my tamps all have a concave bottom.

 

[jerseysam]

Double+plus thumbs up for Cosmic. He made the one above in the pic, as well as the two he showed earlier in this thread (for me). He took my half-baked ideas and knocked it out of the park. Highly recommended!

 

[jvnshr]

concave

That was the word I was looking for, thanks Michael.

 

[brut666]

When the bottom of a tamper is flat, the top of the burned tobacco ashes also becomes flat after tamping. What I like doing however is creating a cone-line shape (or like the head of a parejo cigar to be precise) out of the ashes. IMHO this provides even burn, because tobacco inside a pipe tends to burn from the center thus leaving the sides unburnt (especially the flake tobacco). Hope that makes sense. I remember discussing it with member @tmb152 many years ago, unfortunately I couldn't find the thread.

Perfect sense, bit like a golf tee in shape, wonder if I could test it with one. Thank you. Definitely need one now!

 

[brut666]

Yep, just create a hill by pushing down on the sides. That is why my tamps all have a concave bottom.

@cosmicfolklore I neeeeeeeeed one ?

 

[brut666]

View attachment 55005

Double+plus thumbs up for Cosmic. He made the one above in the pic, as well as the two he showed earlier in this thread (for me). He took my half-baked ideas and knocked it out of the park. Highly recommended!

Taken the recommendation, just need him to take my custom!

 

[jvnshr]

bit like a golf tee in shape

Exactly, back then I was using a wooden golf tee, I still find myself reaching for them more than my other tampers if I don't have the Cosmic tamper around.

 

[saltedplug]

The Ming Kahuna tampers are very, very beautiful. But I have to say the day I spend $100 on a tamper will be a cold day in hell! I always preferred a finger, and fingers are free.

 

[warren]

I always preferred a finger, and fingers are free.

My thoughts exactly. And, a finger tamper means you are never caught needing one and not having one.

 

[warren]

I should add, my "coz" sits in an honored position next to a meerschaum my wife, rest her soul, gifted me forty plus years ago. I treasure the pipe. I've used the tamper a few times and value it as a unique gift. Fingers are still my preferred tamper though. I learned to prefer the finger when in the Air Force and learned to travel as light as possible. My bailout bag had a couple of tins and two "basket" pipes and matches stashed carefully inside.

 

[olkofri]

I'd be afraid of stabbing myself with those cosmical tampers.

 

[jvnshr]

My thoughts exactly. And, a finger tamper means you are never caught needing one and not having one.

Doesn't the finger get burned? I have seen some old-timers doing it, especially you @warren. I just can't bring myself to put my finger into a bowl of tobacco that is burning, particularly after the charring light.

 

[saltedplug]

Doesn't the finger get burned? I have seen some old-timers doing it, especially you @warren. I just can't bring myself to put my finger into a bowl of tobacco that is burning, particularly after the charring light.

You would think you would get burned, but I didn't. Obviously you don't need to tamp after a light but some time later when ash is present, an active insulator. You keep the possibility of a burn in the back of your mind and cease and desist when needed.

 

[saltedplug]

The charring plumes the tobacco, and though it needs a tamp, I don't recall any special issues using a finger. But the charring light is by nature incomplete, and if the tobacco is alight, it is so incompletely, especially as regards the true light. Thus the charring light tamp is very soft, only firm enough to restore the very top ash. The tamp is slight and the tobacco is either out or close to it, thus not conducive to a burnt finger.

The true light however produces a steady burn, at least for awhile. Tamping this light is done through the ash of the charring light.

I really don't remember how the finger negotiates these lights; the above is my best explanation 2.5 years after my last pipe.

 

[jvnshr]

The charring plumes the tobacco, and though it needs a tamp, I don't recall any special issues using a finger. But the charring light is by nature incomplete, and if the tobacco is alight, it is so incompletely, especially as regards the true light. Thus the charring light tamp is very soft, only firm enough to restore the very top ash. The tamp is slight and the tobacco is either out or close to it, thus not conducive to a burnt finger.

The true light however produces a steady burn, at least for awhile. Tamping this light is done through the ash of the charring light.

I really don't remember how the finger negotiates these lights; the above is my best explanation 2.5 years after my last pipe.

Thanks for the thorough explanation @saltedplug, that's how I do it, too; at least most of the time. The only difference is sometimes my bowl is ready to smoke after the charring light, I just use the tamper to expand the ember. Even after the true light I take few puffs while tamping. I don't think I can do that with my finger.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Perfect sense, bit like a golf tee in shape, wonder if I could test it with one. Thank you. Definitely need one now!

Golf tees are the most available and cheapest decent tampers. I have several hundred, but only because I play golf. I also like about a 30º slant to push down the sides and gently curve the top.

But they aren't slick! One of these days, I hope to get a Cosmic®.

 

[Birddog66]

I have several pipe tools but one of my favourite tampers is a Candlestick from a game of Clue, it’s tied onto a Opinel knife. However I came across this early 19th Century Swaggerstick with a silver pommel that’s the perfect size for a tamper. The silver tip is missing and I’m contemplating cutting it down to about thee inches. I’m not sure what wood it is, maybe Beech or Poplar. Any opinions?

 

[anotherbob]

Perfect sense, bit like a golf tee in shape, wonder if I could test it with one. Thank you. Definitely need one now!

I know several pipers that insist golf tees make the best tampers.