Maple wood pipes

[ember]

I am currently looking at a pipe maker that works with maple wood for his poker pipes. They are a hefty pipe with a bowl that's 3inch wide 2 inch tall and 7/8 bore .. I was wondering if anyone has a maple wood pipe and how you like or dislike it

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I have one that I need to break in. It's by Don Warren an artisan carver out of New Mexico.
I've had two or three bowls in it already. I HIGHLY recommend dampening the bowl a bit (put your finger under the faucet and then wipe the bowl with it) and use a light coating of honey in the bowl too. It will help from turning the pipe into firewood.
Overall the pipe smokes very well. The drilling on it is stellar and the stem work is top notch. I'll probably smoke it a lot more in the coming months, because I've reserved it for Va/Vapers and warmer weather is now upon us.

 

[newbroom]

I've got a great smoking old MM Maplewood with a pot shaped bowl that has 3/8" thick walls. I never did anything to its insides before I smoked it. It was new, old stock, or unsmoked when I got it.

I upgraded the stem, so that too makes it a pipe I reach for often. (I've only got two pot shaped pipes)

 

[papipeguy]

Good points here. You may want to experiment with a MM maple wood pipe beforehand just to see how the wood behaves.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

Dampen it before every smoke ? Or only its maiden voyage

I was told by the carver to do it during the break in, so the first 8-10 bowls. Once you have a decent cake going it should be safe.
I would also recommend using matches to light while breaking in. I've found, personally, that matches tend to provide a cooler burn, which is what you're looking for even more when breaking in a maple wood pipe.