Breaking In A New Pipe

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.

choch

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 10, 2011
128
0
Cincinnati, Ohio USA
Gents,
I'm in the market for a couple of new pipes, one of which is a Savenelli Bing's Favorite, but it's been over a dozen years since I have broken in a new pipe (I've bought estate pipes for many years). I was hoping for some advice on how to break in a new pipe. I seem to recall some people advising lining the bowl with a thin layer of honey, or water (or a combination of both) to promote carbon build up, to smoke half bowls for a while, etc.
I would greatly appreciate any advice that fellow members might be able to offer.
Cheers,
Craig

 
Jul 12, 2011
4,135
4,205
Don't put anything in the bowl...just smoke it...some pipes have been treated already (don't worry about it, just fill and smoke it, carbon will build-up over time, others still like the 1/2 bowl factor by x-number of bowls on raw chambers, etc..Burley bacci builds fast, Vs, English, Aros... :puffy:

 

nathaniel

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 4, 2011
788
484
just load up, and smoke slow for awhile. If the bowl gets too hot to touch your cheek comfortably, put it down for awhile to cool. Don't obsess over it, just be careful at first. You'll tell when your pipe starts to set in for the long haul.

 

pstlpkr

Lifer
Dec 14, 2009
9,694
31
Birmingham, AL
Hi Craig, the best advice I can offer up, is to simply pack it carefully and smoke.

It takes a little time to build up a good cake, and with a little care you can build one that is smooth and hard.

Some will say that in the early stages of building a good cake you shouldn't (screw in a paper-towel). I do.

As the carbon begins to build it will tend to be rough and composed of incompletely burned tobacco, carbon, and oils. If you don't tend to the cake it can flake off later.

I prefer to fill the bowl and smoke it to the bottom and while it is still warm screw in a paper-towel to remove some of the moisture, oils, and incompletely burned tobacco. What will be left is just carbon. Then let the pipe rest and dry. Then "lather-rinse-repeat" until your cake is the thickness that you prefer. After that, just smoke it and perform some cake maintenance as needed.

A good solid cake takes some time, but worth the effort.

YMMV....

 

mlaug

Part of the Furniture Now
May 23, 2010
908
2
Iowa
Smoke it. The first smokes may not be the best, but it'll get better with time.

 

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,637
Chicago, IL
I just broke-in a new, uncarbonized pipe using ½-bowl packing for the first 10 or 20 smokes.

I have been using only straight Virginia flake tobaccos because I feel they have more sugars.

Further, I follow Lawrence's advice on the use of paper towels to scrub the bowl walls clean.

Works like a charm! Produces a very hard carbon coating that I'm happy with. :puffy:

 

shaintiques

Lifer
Jul 13, 2011
3,615
227
Georgia
Sure craig. You can line your bowl with honey, but I prefer to build the cake naturally. It is best to smoke a light load in the pipe for the first few smokes some folks say as many as ten but i normally do about five before i load it up all the way. Cake will build up plenty fast without honey. Also its best if you can smoke inside for the first few as wind can cause the tobacco to burn too hot and could cause the bowl to crack, I have however smoked new pipes outside (as I dont have a lot of indoor options) and I haven't had any problems.

 

cyndi

Lifer
Nov 14, 2009
1,049
0
Flowery Branch, GA
Speak gently to it using love words and let it know it is treasured. Wait until it has more experience before talking dirty to it or try more demanding tones...
Hey, that advice works on just about everything!

 

unclearthur

Lifer
Mar 9, 2010
6,875
5
Speak gently to it using love words and let it know it is treasured. Wait until it has more experience before talking dirty to it or try more demanding tones...

I SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ain't going there!

 

cyndi

Lifer
Nov 14, 2009
1,049
0
Flowery Branch, GA
You'd like Nola. She's completely free spirited and happy NO MATTER WHAT. She's a bad dog but so lovable we have no choice but to rant about her eating the siding off the house and then let her sleep beside my side of the bed. (dog won't even sleep in her dog bed so we had to move it to where she slept.)
Our German Shepherd and our Collie are both perfectly trained. Nola just won't conform.

 

choch

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 10, 2011
128
0
Cincinnati, Ohio USA
Thanks for all the kind replies everyone. I thought that the honey coating might be an cheap shortcut. TLC it will be with the new briar, whenever I actually get it at least. I have to deal with She Who Must Be Obeyed on the account.....
Craig

 

hauntedmyst

Lifer
Feb 1, 2010
4,006
20,750
Chicago
Breaking in a new pipe is easy. Plug the stem with a pipe cleaner and fill the bowl with milk and leave it outside for a few hot days until it's evaporated and leaves a thin hard film, fill with your favorite tobacco and enjoy.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.