I have often used Obsidian oil on my stems to keep them shiny. As per the directions you leave it on for 30 minutes then buff off with a soft cloth. This was my first mistake. I was having trouble with some of my stems discoloring after I had taken the oxidation off. Some are part of my collection of Custom-Bilts and I don't smoke them that often. I thought what the heck, I'll just wipe some on and leave it, for a week or so. Well I forgot and started selling down my other pipes and I was left with what smoked the best. However some of them had obsidian oil on the stem I had not wiped it off.
I smoked a few of these and after lighting and smoking, I would hold my pipe in my mouth. Clenching. I figured out later that my tounge when then touch the stem, still with oil on it and BAM, taste freezes up, nothing, nada cant taste anything after the oil hits my tounge. I did this a few times and then finally figure out what was going on. I went back and wiped all my stems off with a microfiber cloth and the problem became more infrequent.
Now I haven't washed that cloth in a while and I still was using it to clean up my pipes if they need a little buffing here and there. The problem crept up and has happened a few more times. I have stopped using that cloth on my stem and now just use T-Shirt scraps instead. If I get just a little on my tounge, I can recognize it and wipe the stem off while smoking before it desensatizes my tounge. So I guess if you are having trouble tasting all at once then perhaps look at how recently you used this oil and if you wiped your stem off with a clean cloth.
Back to olive oil for me, yeah it doesnt taste great but doesnt stop me from tasting a smoke.
I smoked a few of these and after lighting and smoking, I would hold my pipe in my mouth. Clenching. I figured out later that my tounge when then touch the stem, still with oil on it and BAM, taste freezes up, nothing, nada cant taste anything after the oil hits my tounge. I did this a few times and then finally figure out what was going on. I went back and wiped all my stems off with a microfiber cloth and the problem became more infrequent.
Now I haven't washed that cloth in a while and I still was using it to clean up my pipes if they need a little buffing here and there. The problem crept up and has happened a few more times. I have stopped using that cloth on my stem and now just use T-Shirt scraps instead. If I get just a little on my tounge, I can recognize it and wipe the stem off while smoking before it desensatizes my tounge. So I guess if you are having trouble tasting all at once then perhaps look at how recently you used this oil and if you wiped your stem off with a clean cloth.
Back to olive oil for me, yeah it doesnt taste great but doesnt stop me from tasting a smoke.