Just plug it with a little caulk or silicone and forget it was there.

That kind of hole is useful on a bong for clearing it, but on a small pipe where the 'stale' smoke volume is tiny ... it's not actually useful for anything. More a tradition than anything.

MHO

I've smoked from that kind of pipe for 35 years and have never felt heat at the carb hole. No worries!

I have never burned my thumb.

I don't use my thumb.

I use my finger.

The hole is called a carburetor.

You release your thumb, or finger, when you want to release the smoke.

It is similar to shot gunning.

Also tapping the hole, while drawing on the pipe, will help to ignite the weed in the bowl.

Hope that answers your question.

Enjoy.

I have found if I use a piece of wire and shove it down into the weed to the hole below, so the smoke can be drawn in better...when my bowl is clogged...that's when i get back flame... and it hurts like hell!!

Is it a glass pipe ???

All of my pipes are glass.

I have never had any trouble no matter the size of the pipe. (44 years and counting)

Best of luck.

Its probably the way i pack a bowl..is probably the reason i keep getting back flame.

Time for a new pipe man!

Seriously, never had a pipe with a carb.

It happened outside when the lighter went with the wind. Idk how to stop it from happening because I am a clutz.
But response number one was enlightening. Maybe I will twist up a little toilet paper plug and see how that works! Damn

I put electrical tape on it But then went back to a normal sized pipe.