Harsh Smoke -- Is My Pico Overpacked?

[MiniMo]

Hello, everybody!

 

I've tried to find the answer inside other topics, but nothing there yet concerning my issue. So, excuse me if I missed some answers.

 

So, the problem: trying to smoke Tangiers Lucid Blue Gumball out of Tangiers Pico. And I get all these symptoms: weak and harsh smoke and almost no taste. AFAIK all it points to underpacked bowl. Also I've tried to use less coal -- for example, my last session I've used 3x1/4 pieces of Coconara cubes -- didn't help either.

Acclimating process was as usual, 4/20. Smells good, though I don't know how blue gumballs have to smell. =)Anyway, I don't think it's particular taste problem: I had the same issues with Birquq Schnozzberry.

 

But -- my scales say that there's almost 20 grams of shisha, and I can see the juice on the outer side of the bowl when I take the foil off. So it looks like overpacked.

 

Main question -- is it right way to pack even more tobacco, or there's too much already and I can put less? Which way? =)

 

Thanks in advance.

[dizzbizz]

Is the tobacco really dense in the bowl? I would try two halves of coals instead. Juices on the side of the bowl happened to me a lot when I smoked Tangiers.

[cenlakoke]

juice boiling over is normally consistent with too much tobacco packed in the bowl. You want it to be slightly under the spire of the bowl. I found that the Pico is a touch finicky on heat management. I had luck with 2 halves and with a windcover. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4

[joytron]

How is the airflow? Depends on the amount, but some juice overflow is normal. I think density of the pack is more important than the tobacco level. 

[joytron]

Also keep in mind, I think the BGB is one of the most difficult flavors to smoke right. It is just very heat sensitive, which is just compounded by the pico bowl.

[mattarios2]

I agree with what Jess said, I could never really get BGB to taste very good. And I do feel the density of the tobacco is more important than the height. As long as it isn't way over packed because then too high can become a problem.

[MiniMo]

Thanks for answers! =)

 

First of all, didn't know that BGB is so sensitive, I'm not heat-managenemt master at all. =) If so, which tastes do you recommend to pick up on the next order? I prefer stronger series, so Lucid is not my case, I think. Birquq line has more nicotine, but there's have to be another heat management technique... so I'm lost a bit, please, help with it. =)

 

Next, it is problem for me to compare tobacco density in the unpacked tube and in the bowl: you can touch the tube by both sides but only can press it over in the bowl... I understand that it sounds noob, but it the way it is for me now. I need more unpacked tubes to level up. =)

 

Now I think that it was too much tobacco in the bowl. Next time tried to pack less and make bigger holes in the foil with a fork and made two really big holes -- again there's might be the problem too.

[mustang67n]

Try using the Noir line and just ignoring the birquq and lucid lines for now. The cut of Noir is much easier to manage now than before, so packing is much easier with it than it was last year.

 

It's definitely a trial and error thing unless you have someone there showing you the do's and dont's. The video's do help a lot, so check those out for sure and just keep working with it :D

[MiniMo]

Try using the Noir line and just ignoring the birquq and lucid lines for now. The cut of Noir is much easier to manage now than before, so packing is much easier with it than it was last year.

 

It's definitely a trial and error thing unless you have someone there showing you the do's and dont's. The video's do help a lot, so check those out for sure and just keep working with it :D

 

Thanks for the supporting to all of you! =)

 

Hm-m, Noir -- it's good news about packing with less efforts. I thought that it's more "complicated" line to go with -- will try it, definitely.

 

Then, I think there are no guys to help me -- Tangiers tobacco is not the common thing that you can get there easely, in Ukraine (I have to pay near $30 for one tube). No official suppliers, representatives, shows and master-classes. Everybody tries to get well on his own. So -- only videos and forums. But there're too many videos, and everybody tells slightly different. I think it's definitely possible to get needed experience by "try and error", and I will continue my Tangiers journey! =) I'm only afraid that I've spend two 250g tubes for my experiments and still I have only occassional success... But I will survive! =)

[cenlakoke]

I find the birquq line, while tasty, is a lot more temperamental most of the time. You might have more luck with noir, and I hope you do. Tang is a good tobacco. I don't personally care for the "new" cut. I thought the last, larger cut worked better. But that's me. Good luck. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4

[mustang67n]

Try using the Noir line and just ignoring the birquq and lucid lines for now. The cut of Noir is much easier to manage now than before, so packing is much easier with it than it was last year.

 

It's definitely a trial and error thing unless you have someone there showing you the do's and dont's. The video's do help a lot, so check those out for sure and just keep working with it :D

 

Thanks for the supporting to all of you! =)

 

Hm-m, Noir -- it's good news about packing with less efforts. I thought that it's more "complicated" line to go with -- will try it, definitely.

 

Then, I think there are no guys to help me -- Tangiers tobacco is not the common thing that you can get there easely, in Ukraine (I have to pay near $30 for one tube). No official suppliers, representatives, shows and master-classes. Everybody tries to get well on his own. So -- only videos and forums. But there're too many videos, and everybody tells slightly different. I think it's definitely possible to get needed experience by "try and error", and I will continue my Tangiers journey! =) I'm only afraid that I've spend two 250g tubes for my experiments and still I have only occassional success... But I will survive! =)

 

Honestly, the newer stuff in the noir line is just as easy if not easier to smoke than any of the other lines IMO.

 

Definitely a bummer about how hard it is to get tangiers in other countries, I'm honestly suprised you were able to get some to begin with!

[Dram04]

Try using the Noir line and just ignoring the birquq and lucid lines for now. The cut of Noir is much easier to manage now than before, so packing is much easier with it than it was last year.

 

It's definitely a trial and error thing unless you have someone there showing you the do's and dont's. The video's do help a lot, so check those out for sure and just keep working with it :D

 

Thanks for the supporting to all of you! =)

 

Hm-m, Noir -- it's good news about packing with less efforts. I thought that it's more "complicated" line to go with -- will try it, definitely.

 

Then, I think there are no guys to help me -- Tangiers tobacco is not the common thing that you can get there easely, in Ukraine (I have to pay near $30 for one tube). No official suppliers, representatives, shows and master-classes. Everybody tries to get well on his own. So -- only videos and forums. But there're too many videos, and everybody tells slightly different. I think it's definitely possible to get needed experience by "try and error", and I will continue my Tangiers journey! =) I'm only afraid that I've spend two 250g tubes for my experiments and still I have only occassional success... But I will survive! =)

 

I m from Bosnia and I get 1.5kgs for around 100$ (shipped) depending on lines i order that is much cheaper then you pay, you ordering from US or?

[Sonthert]

You can be underpacking and overpacking at  the same time. 

 

Try mashing the tobacco up against the outer edges of the bowl and pack the tobacco without worrying about the weight of the tobacco going into the bowl. A poor heat conduction from the side will affect how it smokes. 

 

You can, quite possibly, have too much or too little coal since coconut coals are too large to begin with. Try moving them around towards the center and towards the outer edge. 

 

It sounds like underpacking. A little juice running down the sides might be normal, especially with blue gum ball. It can be underpacked around the outer edge but OVERALL overpacked too.