I just received a Savinelli Leonardo Da Vinci. I noticed that the bowl is bare wood without the layer of carbon. Since I'm a noob to the hobby and I dont want to destroy this nice pipe, are there any tips to breaking in the pipe in this state? Or should i just do the 1/3 bowl thing and smoke away? Thanks all...
Bare Bowl Break In...
- Thread starter gnatjulio
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First congrats on an awesome pipe, really a fan of those. On your question you are going to get tons of answers. My vote is always load and smoke. Dont pack to tight. Dont smoke to fast. Don't worry to much the cake will come on its own.
I just start with half bowls for 4-5 smokes then just slowly increase the bowl level til I'm smoking full bowls
I have to say I'm with Barkar..1/2,1/2,full and repeat for the first few.It has worked for me on several pipes,and like dervis said you're gonna get tons of suggestions but try what works for your smoking style
I rubbed a thin layer of black strap molasses in and all over the inside of the bowl. I know this is a no no for some pipe smokers, but I have always had no adverse effects, the idea being that burned tobacco sticks to the bowl inside and builds up a cake faster. Anyone consider this verbotten?
No. I don't use it myself, but it is a preculottage as valid as the carbon one that comes from some pipemakers.
The carbon layer, is not a cake; it is a primer for the cake to develop faster...
Alfred Dunhill recommended honey for starting the pipe, and Mastro de Paja even sells some pipes with dried honey as primer.
The half bowls-half fulls, and the 1/3-2/3 methods don't work for me (yes for the pipe). They make me taste wood in my pipe for a longer time than other methods (like the honey, the burnt brandy, or ash coating). The first smokes are not only to develop the cake, but also to introduce the pipe to heat and to ash. I smoke only 1/3 of loosely packed tobacco, and smoke it very, very slowly. If the pipe gets even warm in the hand, I let it rest, and light again when it's cold. Once the pipe is finished, I let the ashes cool inside the pipe; after that, I cover the bowl with the hand and shake the ashes inside the bowl... They are your natural "primer". Then I empty it and let it breath. I don't go to the 1/2 bowl, not to think of the 2/3 bowl, until I see it properly darkened beyond cleaning, by the heat and the ashes of the 1/3 smokes. That's usually 5-8 smokes.
I've had two Savinellis that were bare bowls. Just loaded em up and smoked them slow and the cake is forming nicely on them both. It's all a matter of preference.
+1 what herbinedave said. From my limited experience it's also a good idea to smoke some Englishes/Balkans first as they smoke cool and leave behind a nice cake. Some advise burley blends but I personally don't care for their taste, although they do build up cake fast as well and smoke slow.
Welcome to the hobby and welcome to the forum, gnatjulio.
Put some tobacco in and smoke it slowly. Don't be concerned if it goes out a few times. When breaking in, it's good to smoke right to the bottom of the bowl. If that is difficult, loading half a bowl helps.
If you want to read the whole range of confusing answers, there is a lot more in this thread:
Breaking In My Pipe
Put some tobacco in and smoke it slowly. Don't be concerned if it goes out a few times. When breaking in, it's good to smoke right to the bottom of the bowl. If that is difficult, loading half a bowl helps.
If you want to read the whole range of confusing answers, there is a lot more in this thread:
Breaking In My Pipe
Just load it an smoke it. The only thing you really have to do is make sure it doesn't get hot. If it does, just set it down for a few minutes. All this 1/4, 1/3 bla bla etc. really means very little if you make the pipe run hot. I have never let a cake form on any pipe in my life and I had only one burnout in 16yrs. Just smoke er cool and enjoy
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I've been breaking in a Brebbia with a bare chamber. No coatings just loading it up go. As mentioned I think taking it slow and cool is most important. My Peterson's all come with a carbon coating so I've not had a chance to watch the bare wood season with consectutive smokes so I am enjoying the process with my Brebbia. :puffpipe:
Smoke as slow as you can. You can do the 1/2 and 1/3 bowl thing if you want, its up to you. I have found that starting with bare wood will actually take to cake much faster so long as you smoke it very slow. After you smoke run a pipe cleaner through it and wipe the inside of the bowl with a paper towel. Also it helps to thumb the bowl when you get to the last 1/3 to 1/4 of the bowl and give it a good shake. This will put ash evenly on the inside of the bowl and then let it sit to cool before wiping it out with a paper towel.
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