Cold Weather & Your Pipes

mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast · Jan 13, 2016

I'm interested to hear how others feel about taking pipes out in cold weather. My daily weekday pipe routine is to smoke a bowl on the way to work, leave it in my car all day, and then finish smoking it on the way home. I will normally smoke a bowl, maybe two, later in the evening as well.
I have been smoking only cobs as of late during the day because the weather has been so cold and I haven't wanted to leave one of my briars in the car for 8 hours. I really wanted to smoke one of my briars on the way to work today, but didn't for this reason.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?

cosmicfolklore · Jan 13, 2016

This comes up every year. I wouldn't think that the cold would have any effect at all on the pipe, but I don't live in sub-arctic temperatures. The coldest it ever gets here is just to freezing and only for short periods of time. So, this topic intrigues me, and I don't know if I have ever seen it resolved. It seems that ones side is guessing and the other side is myth based.

I'm getting some popcorn to watch this.

didimauw · Jan 13, 2016

I was wondering the same thing last night at work. It was 0 deg. I've had cob stems become loose from leaving them in my jeep. So if it gets below like 15 deg F, I will bring my Briar inside with me.
But talk about a COOL smoke! Literally

demetrakopoulos · Jan 13, 2016

I would think that leaving a pipe in the cold car for eight hours and then lighting it without giving it time to warm up could potentially crack the briar. I've never tried doing that, so my guess is pretty baseless.

cosmicfolklore · Jan 13, 2016

The tobacco burns at about 500F (give or take). If the pipe is fully rested at my house it is probably about 60F in my smoking room. And, if it is outside on the coldest night, it may only get to be 32F, because of the natural properties of wood to insulate. The thermal shock going from 60 to 500 is really about the same as 32F. Is that really enough of a difference to make it shock the pipe? This would make more of a difference on a fragile stone, such as meerschaum, but briar?
Even if the temperatures outside become about -10F, does the briar get that cold? Does the inside of your car get that cold? Damn, why do people live in these uninhabitable regions? Ha ha!!

lestrout · Jan 13, 2016

I wonder if the important factor would be that water freezes below 32 degreesF, and that moisture embedded into the cake and wood might cause microcracks?
hp

les

cosmicfolklore · Jan 13, 2016

That very well could be the answer, Les. And, it would explain why we get some many reports of meerschaums breaking in the winter, by just walking outside with them lit. But, have we ever heard of a report of briar breaking in the cold?
It definitely would be wise to let the pipe warm up, maybe by just putting it in your shirt pocket.

fordm60 · Jan 13, 2016

I did 4 years with the 1/501 Parachute Infantry Regiment in Alaska. If I had anything I might need to use it had better be on me and in a interior pocket. Things outside had all kinds of malfunctions, breakage, and a multitude of other issues. From my experience I say keep it with you in a jacket pocket or something. Cold simply causes everything to not work as you would think. It is merciless and patient and when you need something to work, BAM cold steps in and breaks it for you. Ask warren though, I did not smoke a pipe in AK, he has for many years and would have damn straight advice on this.

hiplainsdrifter · Jan 13, 2016

When I try to smoke in cold weather, I get a rapid buildup of condensation in my bowl from the greater temperature gradient. This makes for a less pleasant smoke, so I try to just smoke on warmer winter days. I don't like to leave a recently smoked pipe out in the cold on the off chance that there is enough moisture in the stem to freeze and cause problems.

Chasing Embers · Jan 13, 2016

Was 10°F here Sunday night. Had one of my Weavers on the front porch watching it snow with no ill effect.

michaelmirza · Jan 13, 2016

How cold are we talking about? I live in Chicago and yesterday the wind chill was -16F. I'd say that for those of us without the luxury of being able to smoke indoors, piping in the winter is only as enjoyable as the weather outside is comfortable (which depends on the quality of your coat). I've found that walks are better than sitting when it's cold. But I've also just had to come to terms with smoking a lot less during this off-season.

bentbob · Jan 13, 2016

I have smoked a pipe in most conditions (including the Alps during winter, where the pipe was in a bergen pocket all day, not on my person) and not had any problems. However, I have not left a pipe in a car in sub zero temperatures for extended periods of time and then tried to smoke it. Neither do we usually get the extremes of temperature in most of Europe that some of you guys do up near the Arctic Circle.
Why not buy a cheap basket pipe and run an experiment? I would love to hear about the results.
Just regarding temperature. The bowl of my pipe rarely gets hot. Sometimes (especially when outside in winter!) it doesn't even get warm. I would have thought that any trapped water would have time to evaporate before damaging the briar as the pipe will heat up from the rim downwards. Depends on how you smoke of course. Providing that the briar isn't damaged by the freezing water expanding in the first place.

lochinvar · Jan 13, 2016

I don't change in winter, I still smoke inside, in the car and outside, but I'm only outside while active, so no sitting. I also don't leave any pipe (save my no name $10 car pipe) in the car. Doing so will loosen the mouthpiece. I had Ashton that accidentally got left in the car overnight in winter, and ever after the stem would just spin, unless the tenon was caked in beeswax.

erichbaumer · Jan 13, 2016

I don't worry about smoking my pipes while walking in sub-zero weather, but I personally would not leave one out in a car when it's that cold. I carry mine on my person anyway. The idea of any kind of wood in that sort of cold is a red light for me. I would never leave one of my guitars or firearms in such temperatures, so I wouldn't do so with pipes either.

prairiedruid · Jan 13, 2016

The other issue with leaving a pipe out in the cold is bringing it into a warm house. Lots of condensation on a below 0 temperature pipe in a 65 degree room.

mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast · Jan 13, 2016

I'll take @bentbobs suggestion and try the cold test over the next few weeks with a basket to see how it holds up. A lot of food for thought offered up here... thanks.

okiescout · Jan 14, 2016

Gee, if it gets that cold I am worried about my pipe, not a pipe. :lol:

cosmicfolklore · Jan 14, 2016

Just jab the pipe down into some pipe insulation and run a few layers of duct tap around it. Good to go.

jpmcwjr · Jan 14, 2016

Why not put it in a bag (leather pipe sleeve would be perfect) and take it inside?

cosmicfolklore · Jan 14, 2016

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