How To Prevent Rim Charring?

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.

JohnMosesBrowning

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 5, 2018
244
301
Southeast Michigan
I love my pipes and I hate that I char the rims. No matter how careful I am, lighter or matches, the draft, breeze, or wind always seems to push the flame and chars the edge of the rim nearest me.
All help, tips, pointers, advice, and commiserations are welcome and appreciated.

 

donjgiles

Lifer
Apr 14, 2018
1,571
2,522
The key is to keep the bowl level and to keep the fire above the rim and use your drawl to suck the flame into the bowl.
Don

 

scloyd

Lifer
May 23, 2018
5,941
12,036
Don't touch the flame to the tobacco. Like Don said...hold the flame above the tobacco and draw the flame down.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,570
27,077
Carmel Valley, CA
What all the guys said above.
I bet- I hope- that the rims are not actually charred, but coated only with lava/cake/carbon. That can be removed and a drop of mineral oil or a spot of wax will fix it right up.

 

irishearl

Lifer
Aug 2, 2016
2,146
3,762
Kansas
With your talk of breezes, it sounds like you smoke outside. I never have charring problems because I only smoke indoors and only use matches whose flame is easy to direct carefully.

 

brooklynpiper

Part of the Furniture Now
May 8, 2018
633
1,362
Proper light source.
Don't pack the bowl so high I've heard.
Rim spit helps but is unnecessary (title of another book I'm writing)
Even when I have to smoke inside, I often light inside to not have to deal with the wind.

 

timelord

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 30, 2017
949
1,966
Gallifrey
Avoid Thai food. That stuff will char a rim every time.
:rofl:
For lovers of Indian food Vindaloo's have a similar effect. My local Indian does a couple of special curries (one chicken and the other goat) which are way off the scale; they will tone them down if asked but even then they make a normal Vindaloo seem fairly tame (writing this is making me hungry!).

 
Jul 28, 2016
7,565
36,060
Finland-Scandinavia-EU
As the member Irishearl I'm smoking indoors /cars mainly and for the charring light I tend to use matches only,for the relights,depending on the width of the bowl I use either soft flame lighter or matches again,I'm noticing tall-narrower bowl rims tend to darken more

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
The finish on some pipes seem to do much better than others. Spit is what I've always heard, and sometimes do. Like baseball pitchers with a spit ball, you can do it in polite company without anyone noticing. I tolerate a little char as the sign of a well-loved pipe.

 

npod

Lifer
Jun 11, 2017
2,942
1,024
And remember, charring is bad. But a slight darkening over time is very natural, expected, and not a bad thing.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,570
27,077
Carmel Valley, CA
No bleach, ever, on my briars. After scrubbing off the lava, drying, I apply a very slight bit of mineral oil, and it looks just right to me.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.