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Do Pipes Really Get Better With Time?

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onestrangeone

onestrangeone

Lifer
Sep 18, 2015
3,253
41,958
So I was reading a post where someone stated that, "our pipes get better the more we smoke them" I don't disagree with this statement, however it got me to thinking about it, is it that the pipe itself is improving? It seems more likely that the more I smoke a particular pipe the more I get used to that pipes quirks and characteristic's, so it's not so much the pipe that is changing as it is me.

P.S. I am not referring to the break-in process but the time after that transformation.

 
A

aldecaker

Lifer
Feb 13, 2015
4,407
42
I don't know if every pipe gets better with time, but every one I own certainly has. (This excludes stinkers and duds that will never become a decent smoking implement, no matter what.) Breaking in, seasoning, getting to know its quirks, whatever it is. All of my pipes improve with use.

 
Chasing Embers

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,411
109,208
My pipes that are several years old imply a sweet nuttiness to whatever I'm smoking, and they smoke much drier and cooler than they did when new. So I would say that they have improved with use.

 
pipestud

pipestud

Lifer
Dec 6, 2012
2,010
1,750
Robinson, TX.
My pipes that are several years old imply a sweet nuttiness to whatever I'm smoking, and they smoke much drier and cooler than they did when new. So I would say that they have improved with use. chasingembers
Click to expand...
Ditto. A quality pipe usually, but not always, GREATLY improves the more it is smoked for several reasons. First and foremost is the fact that smoking dries out the wood further. Additionally, the cake formed around the chamber interior absorbs heat and moisture, thus, a cooler and drier smoke.

 
rfernand

rfernand

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 2, 2015
669
39
In general, yes. Eventually, like all things, they start decaying.
Many pipes have outlived the long, happy lives of their original owners, and have found a restoration bringing them back to life.

 
mso489

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,455
I don't build cake. I scoop out and wipe out a pipe after every smoke, every bowl (I have lots of pipes so I change pipes every bowl). I still find pipes improve. I think briar dries out and loses a little weight and become better, perhaps in ways that are not well understood. I think regular pipe cleaner cleaning clears but also develops the airway a little, dubious as that may sound. Since I have quite a few pipes, I'm not sure I am practiced in each pipe, although that may also be true. I've bought several of my pipes more than, or nearly, forty years ago, and they are definitely some of the best smokers.

 
hawky454

hawky454

Lifer
Feb 11, 2016
5,338
10,221
Austin, TX
Yes, I believe that they do. It's like a seasoned grill vs. a brand new grill, I find that the latter will cook a better steak and give it more flavor. I like to think of it like I'm curing the briar with each smoke, flavoring the wood, so to speak. I've also smoked some estates that just sing upon first light and this is with the pipe fully restored and the cake reamed down to the wood! Maybe as we smoke the pipe, we also burn out all the saps and impurities that we, as pipe smokers don't want in the wood? I don't know. However I'm a firm believer that a pipe most definitely gets better with time and with each new bowl.

 
fordm60

fordm60

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 19, 2014
598
5
I think the pipe improves with time and smoke. My basis for this is three old pipes I found in a flea market. I bought all three, spent a long time cleaning and restoring them. 2 Savory's and 1 Commadore, the 2 Savory's I cannot guess how many bowls were smoked, the Commadore was smoked much less. All three smoke like a dream and they did so from bowl one for me. I am not great at flowery descriptions, there is a smoothness that they have which is wonderful. I do not know why, but I firmly believe pipes get better with time and smoke.

 
cigrmaster

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
In my experience pipes do get noticely better over time. All of my pipes that are not being broken in have a dimes worth of cake in them. Having a nice hard cake makes my pipes smoke cooler with more flavor. I dedicate my pipes to certain categories of tobacco and even dedicate a single blend to single pipe. I honestly do not understand why people wipe their bowls and never build a cake. There are many that do but I believe if they took one pipe, build a cake to a dimes worth, then see how the pipe smoked compared to a pipe with no cake, they may be very surpised about how it smokes with the cake.
It is certainly not going to ruin your pipe with the cake and you can always ream it if you don't like it.

 
cosmicfolklore

cosmicfolklore

Lifer
Aug 9, 2013
33,977
75,660
Between the Heart of Alabama and Hot Springs NC
I have pipes with cake, Harris. And, I wipe my pipes after each smoke with a paper towel. Personally, I don't see why you like to have a thick layer of crap in your pipes. Actually, keeping it wiped out doesn't stop the caking process. It still builds cake, especially if you smoke slow. It just slows the stuff down a little. I still have to ream my pipes back every deep cleaning, and sometimes more often. I have some pipes with a thick layer of cake, especially my burley pipes. But, cake does nothing for my enjoyment of Virginias and VaPers, so I just keep a very very thin cake, maybe credit card thickness.

Now if that just blows your mind, then I apologize. I really don't smoke to appease anyone but myself. :puffy:

 
cigrmaster

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
Cosmic, a dimes worth of cake is pretty thin. Now if you are talking a nickels worth that is very different. I trim cake as needed with a pipe knife, like you when I do a deep cleaning I will look to trim cake if need be.
If you do not agree with everyone of my posts, you are missing out on the true pipe smoking experience. :clap:

 
cigrmaster

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
I was not comparing a dime to a credit card, just saying a dime is pretty thin.
Neither, Bowie knives. I want to be covered in your blood when I gut you. lol

 
A

aldecaker

Lifer
Feb 13, 2015
4,407
42
I also do the "wipe it out with a twisted paper towel" method. For me it is less about cake control than about the ashy taste I get when I light a fresh bowl. I hate that, so I wipe the chamber after every smoke.

 
halfy

halfy

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 6, 2014
245
6
It takes time to get the shits out of the briar. My experience is, the first couple of bowls may taste ok. But as soon as the resins or other residues in the briar are activated and start to separate out, the following bowls may be very harsh, sour or whatever shitty... Then it depends on how well the briar has been cured or aged. On average I think at least 50 or so bowls have to be endured ... Master carvers all have their own tricks in further curing the briar which may greatly reduce the pain and time of breaking in.
Some carvers taught me some tricks about a quicker break-in. But i would prefer to smoke the heck out of a pipe.

 
cigrmaster

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
I use a couple of fluffy pipe cleaners doubled over to clean out the ash and any stuck tobacco remaining. I do it after every bowl when I clean the pipe the next day. I let the cake harden overnight so I don't remove any of that when I wipe out the bowl.

 
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