Pipe Noob... A Million Questions Pt. 2

[Curly Cut]

and concerning tamping... i prefer a tamper with a big round tamping area, and something i can hold and "twist/rotate" between my fingers as i tamp. the twisting helps gently break up the tougher chunks of tobacco ash, forming a better layer of insulation... a "pipe nail" is about as small as i go... actually, if you have a couple bucks and a cheap ass miter box, you can make some kick ass tampers in minutes. just buy the solid ash dowel rods from a home depot/lowes, cut one end at a 45* angle, then the next one about 4" down straight across... that's 2 tampers with 45* edges to help tamp away from the edge of the bowl, and they're easy to hold and twist, and a lot more surface area than a czech tool.

edit: what size dowel is up to you. you don't want something bigger than the chamber... i think i went with 5/8", as i don't have any bowls thinner than 3/4", and if i do, then a nail works fine.