"What is Spiderwebbing?"

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jah76

Lifer
Jun 27, 2012
1,611
35
I saw an estate on a sponsor's site that mentioned the pipe having "spider webbing" in terms of damage. They just had one pic so I couldn't really see what they we're talking about. I've seen a few older pipes with hairline cracks in the inner bowl, is that what they are referring to?
Thanks in advance.

 

ejames

Lifer
Oct 6, 2009
3,916
22
Did he say if the spider webbing was on the inside or outside of the bowl? I don't recall ever seeing any in the inside of a bowl. Cracks sure,but not spider webbing. The term is generally used to indicate cracks in the finish, and usually that means a lacquered finish. It will sometimes crack from the heat and age and the bowl will look as if it has spider webs on it.

 

jah76

Lifer
Jun 27, 2012
1,611
35
Thanks.
No they did not specify where the spider webbing was. The following is the quote from their description.
Rim darkening and the chamber was over reamed, plus has some spiderwebbing.
The pipe itself is rusticated pretty heavily. I'm not interested in purchasing it (not that it's a bad pipe, just not what I'm looking for) but I was curious what they were referring too.
I appreciate the info.

 

assaad

Can't Leave
Apr 4, 2011
340
2
It seems like they're referring to fine lines formed on the inside of the bowl. If you ream an estate down to the bare wood and look closely you can see thin lines in the form of a loose web around the chamber walls. They are caused by heat and if you see them in reamed estates smoke very softly. First step towards burnout, if you see them on the finish, I would imagine you should smoke even slower.

 

topd

Lifer
Mar 23, 2012
1,745
10
Emerson, Arkansas
No.... I'm with james.... it has to be on the outside finish. Most likely the finish has

cracked with age from leaving it on the dash of an old truck. If it was in the bowl, the

'descendants' that inherited the pipe would never know, care or mention it if they did know

enough, more than likely...
jah76, what kinda pipe? May be worth fixin' up

 

mluyckx

Lifer
Dec 5, 2011
1,958
3
Texas
You're all wrong...
It's what happens to a pipe when Spiderman gets a hold of it. He's now in service of the anti-smoking police. :nana:
Sorry... couldn't resist..

 

jah76

Lifer
Jun 27, 2012
1,611
35
004-006-7204.jpg

Here's the image. Doesn't help much I'm afraid. It's from Smoking Pipes and when combined with the earlier quote from Roth taken from SP.com I'm guessing in this context its referring to the inside of the bowl. Or that's SP.com's understanding of the term.
And Mick, if anyone's going to be webbing anything of mine I'd rather it be SpiderWOMAN.

 

ejames

Lifer
Oct 6, 2009
3,916
22
From Smokingpipes.com:
"Soft spots in the bowl, which char faster and are noted as spider webbing, are often the cause of uneven reaming if done by hand. If using a knife, these softer areas could concave and cause a bigger problem in the future, so great care must be taken to ream the chamber evenly."
Also this:
"Spider webbing is from a 'hot-spot' where the coals were well on their way to a burn thru in the bowl. It's a weak area now and can be mudded over or filled in but best is to smoke cool (as cool as you can, so even char, gentle even light and easy does it sippin') may render a cake forming over the area. Usually can be found at the bottom around and just above the draft hole."
I wouldn't call this spider webbing,sounds more like beginning burnout which never looked like spider webbing to me.
It seems like they're referring to fine lines formed on the inside of the bowl. If you ream an estate down to the bare wood and look closely you can see thin lines in the form of a loose web around the chamber walls. They are caused by heat and if you see them in reamed estates smoke very softly. First step towards burnout, if you see them on the finish, I would imagine you should smoke even slower.

That I can see being called spider webbing,although I usually just think of it as heat stress cracks.

Spider webbing as I am familiar with the term has always referred to the cracks that develop in a lacquers,varnishes and sometimes paint finishes.

 

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
rothnh is correct that spider webbing is on the inside of the bowl. I would never go near a pipe that has it. I think that people selling these things are doing a disservice by not explaining exactly what it is and how the integrity of the pipe has been compromised. I would also stay away from any pipe that is described as over reamed, that can mean so many things and again the pipes integrity is questionable. There are so many estate pipes that are in great shape, there is never a reason to take a chance with one that has those kind of issues.

 

jah76

Lifer
Jun 27, 2012
1,611
35
Trailboss. I've always had really good interactions with their customer service. I'm almost positive they'll just have you mail it back.
Two side notes.
1. I seem to be seeing a LOT more pipes on their site with spider webbing and soft spots then I used to. That's just a feeling. No data. Which most likely means they are obviously selling.
2. I own about 3-4 pipes that have spider webbing. I just took honey mixed with tobacco and coated the bad spot. After a few weeks I just lightly reamed down the cake to make it even. But to be fair these were all restos I got off ebay. They smoke just fine.

 

pipestud

Lifer
Dec 6, 2012
2,010
1,749
Robinson, TX.
I think "spiderwebbing" has different meanings, depending on who you talk to. I always thought it to mean a pipe that had not been smoked in many years showing little cracks in the cake all over the interior of the pipe due to climate changes that caused a lot of expansion and then contraction of the bowl. This can cause the cake to show cracks much like dirt in the ground that had dried considerably. It does sort of make the interior of the bowl look like a spiderweb.
Pipestud

 

condorlover1

Lifer
Dec 22, 2013
7,994
26,610
New York
Spider Webbing is not unique to briar pipes. I have a heavy old chunky meerschaum that has suffered that followed by burn out in the bottom front of the bowl. Someone then routered out the base of the bowl and filled the burnt hole with god knows what leaving a bowl that is wider at the base than the top. I use this one as a 'knock around' pipe as I wanted the case for another one of my children that was missing a bed to sleep in at night. It has a very heavy amber stem and silver band but has been subject to the weirdest minded home surgery I have ever seen.

 

joshuaburgess

Lurker
Jun 30, 2014
31
46

owen

Part of the Furniture Now
May 28, 2014
560
2
p10109391-600x450.jpg
Is it not this cracking out from the bowl of my Charatan :(

 

hawke

Lifer
Feb 1, 2014
1,346
4
Augusta, Ga
Great pic owen, Thats definitely what is meant by spiderwebbing Id say. I can see that some eBay sellers might use the term referring to the condition of the finish. I actually thought that first myself. You picture sums it up nicely.

 
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