Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Step1
Use the probe to loosen the tobacco in the pipe bowl if you have packed it too tightly. The probe is the straight rod with a rounded point on the end. Insert the probe down into the packed bowl and gently pry the tobacco upward to loosen the pack. You can also use the probe to clear small bits of tobacco that may become stuck in the air hole and reduce or block the draw. To do this, allow the pipe to cool. Then, remove the pipe stem and run the probe down through the shank into the air hole until it bottoms out in the bowl.
Step2
Tamp the tobacco in the pipe bowl with the tamper. This is the tool with the round flat foot on end of the shaft. When you first light a pipe, the tobacco swells up above the rim as it begins to burn. Press the tamper straight down onto the surface of the burning tobacco and gently push it back down below the rim to flatten the surface. Continue to use the tamper occasionally as the tobacco burns down into the bowl. Gentle tamping keeps the burning surface in contact with the unburned tobacco below it to provide a consistent and uniform smoking experience.
Step3
Remove the remains of the ash and any unburned tobacco, called the dottle, with the scoop. This tool is shaped like a small elongated spoon on the end. The scoop scrapes the rounded bottom of the bowl so you can empty the pipe when you finish smoking. The scoop can also be used to scrape the inside walls of the bowl to keep the burned carbonized coating, called the cake, from becoming too thick. After scraping and loosening the contents of the bowl, turn the pipe upside down and tap the rim in the palm of your hand or on a soft surface, such as cork, to knock out all the remaining residue.
Novice 
