Gurgling ?

fredo · Feb 24, 2018

I smoked a bowl this morning, whereby I was finishing a tin (so yes, the tobacco was dry). Yet, I got a gurgling pipe about half way through. I finished the bowl without effect on the taste, just by slowing down.
This in using my first pipe: the one that I first smoked over 15 years ago, that gurgled when I smoked whisky-flavored tobacco that gave me tongue bite. I no longer get tongue bite, but could the gurgling [bet you never saw the word "gurgle" as often in as short a time, ever] be because of the pipe ? Or maybe I smoked too fast? The taste was great and, as I said, the tobacco was dry.
Are some pipes more prone to produce moisture, or are there other factors at play?

cortezattic · Feb 24, 2018

Welcome to the forums!
Important to describe the pipe: bent, metal parts, does it pass a pipe cleaner?

Consider the relative humidity of the air too.

Avoid lighting up too aggressively.

Tight packing/tamping almost always an issue.

"Search Forums" box at the top of this thread for "gurgle". Lots of discussion.

sasquatch · Feb 24, 2018

Some pipes are prone to condensation problems, but almost any pipe will gurgle a bit if you are smoking too fast. One of the main products of combustion is water, and ... it has to go somewhere. Done just right, and assuming the pipe is good enough, then lots of water evaporates (I contend very little is absorbed by the pipe) or stays as a gas in the smoke. But if you smoke fast/hot, all bets are off.

jazz · Feb 24, 2018

There are many factors that either cause or contribute to this in my experience. Pipe shape, drilling, drilling diameter, pipe material, tobacco type, tobacco moisture, ambient air temperature, smoking habits which include clenching, how many smokes through the pipe before resting, cadence etc. There really are a lot of factors.
Some pipes seem more susceptible to this annoyance than others. Most of my straight pipes hardly ever do this where my bents and most certainly full bents with interesting drilling can be a pain in the arse.
As I have smoked my pipes I have got to know them. What they like and what they dislike and always have a cleaner handy to jam down the stem and suck that gurgle out of there. I won't buy a pipe anymore if I can't get a cleaner down to the bowl without taking it apart.

thomasw · Feb 24, 2018

I won't buy a pipe anymore if I can't get a cleaner down to the bowl without taking it apart.

This aspect needs to be stressed. Even when an experienced piper takes into consideration all of the factors Jazz articulates, some pipers just smoke outside or seem to produce more saliva; as such, the best remedy for a drier smoke is to deal with the gurgle by removing it while smoking. Few things in pipe smoking are lamer than a pipe which won't easily allow one to remove the moisture with an absorbent cleaner.
No matter how I like a pipe, if it won't pass a cleaner with ease, it is a deal breaker. For me, moisture should be easily absorbed. Otherwise the joy of puffing is significantly impeded.

fredo · Feb 24, 2018

Thanks for your input guys. I guess the speed of smoking might be the issue in this case.
To answer Cortez' question, it's pretty much like the image in my avatar, but with a tapered "mouth piece". It does pass a cleaner without a problem.

mawnansmiff · Feb 25, 2018

"as I said, the tobacco was dry."
There is dry then there is dry! Tobacco that feels dry to the touch still holds moisture and this is more pronounced in thick pieces of broken flake.
On top of what others have suggested I would add dry your tobacco a little more.
Welcome to the forum by the way : puffy

:
Regards,
Jay.

midwestpipesmoker70 · Feb 25, 2018

Many times if I am getting some gurgling during the smoking of a bowl I just pass a pipe cleaner through...as long as that particular pipe will pass a pipe cleaner, to soak up the moisture. Also I found that if I have a pipe that is prone to gurgling I will smoke a 1/3 of a bowl of tobacco in it a hand full of times to try to get the bottom of the pipe broke in better, get some cake built up near the bottom. That has worked on a couple of pipes but some are just gurglers.

btp79 · Feb 25, 2018

All of my pipes gurgled until I was able to develop a better smoking cadence. I'd just pass a cleaner through them mid smoke as mentioned previously. Peterson "system" pipes were the worst for a fast puffer.

sumusfumus · Feb 25, 2018

No longer an issue for me. My pipes, from the best, to the cheapest, gurgle no matter how hard I try to avoid it, and I no longer will stress over the natural steam and moisture problems from smoldering tobaccos.
I just periodically, run a pipe-cleaner down the stem of my pipes as I smoke, even before any gurgling begins. All my pipes can pass a PC down to the bowl without taking out the stem. This is, a must.
I also learned how to smoke slower, but a pipe cleaner passed down the stem.... is your guaranty.
Frank

NYC

sumusfumus · Feb 25, 2018

<br />

jpmcwjr · Feb 25, 2018

Not at all! Yes, sometimes a swab is needed mid smoke. But if you are consistently having to remove moisture, Frank, your tobacco is too wet.

sumusfumus · Feb 26, 2018

jpmcwjr....
Tobacco is air-dried, and you helpful gents on the forum told me to smoke slowly, so I do. I still get gurgles. Why?...I have no idea....unless.... the tobacco is NOT as dry as I think it is. Just what is DRY-ish tobacco? How do I know if the tobacco is dry enough to smoke. I run a pipe cleaner down the stem 2-3 times p/bowl. The white tip of the pipe-cleaners turn a light-brownish color, so I know they are absorbing "something". Ten minutes later....the stem gets another wipe.
I am not, at least I think I am not, a "wet" smoker, nor, am I a clencher, and never allow saliva to run down into my pipe stem. But yet, usually around mid-bowl...gurgles. Other than trying to smoke dusty, bone-dry tobacco, I have no idea what I need to do to eliminate moisture. ALL my pipes will gurgle, so it's not any one, particular, pipe. They all sing to me.
I've become used to the idea that moisture/steam is a natural by-product of the smoldering tobacco, and I learned to live with it. Since I can't seem to get into the same "gurgle-free zone" that other pipe smokers frequent, I just run pipe-cleaners down the stem to absorb any annoying moisture that collects.
Wish it was different. Thanks for the interest.
Frank

NYC

jpmcwjr · Feb 26, 2018

You've hit on a seminal issue: How dry is dry? Almost no one has quantified it except the blenders and a few who've spent a few bucks on a hygrometer.
But if you dry it a bunch more, smoke a tad slower, your gurgling will greatly diminish.

sumusfumus · Feb 26, 2018

Thank-you for the good advice. Will dry it and try it.
Frank

NYC

fredo · Mar 1, 2018

New factors to consider: I tried another pipe, which is also a bent pipe, and also a briar, and it gurgled, too. My corn cobs have not yet gurgled. They aren't as bent either.
Perhaps the tobacco comes into play also: the gurgling occurred with PS English Oriental Supreme. The Bright CR Flake hasn't caused gurgling...
Next up: Bright CR Flake in one of my two gurgling briars.

cigrmaster · Mar 1, 2018

Pipes that gurgle generally have bad internals and stems that are poorly designed. No matter how dry you smoke or how dry your tobacco is the pipe will gurgle. Not sure what pipes you have but I recommend buying your self a good Savinelli or a Briar Works pipe. Both can be had for under 100.00.

jpmcwjr · Mar 1, 2018

Perhaps the tobacco comes into play also: the gurgling occurred with PS English Oriental Supreme. The Bright CR Flake hasn't caused gurgling...

Then it's the tobacco in this case. If the pipe gurgles with all or most tobaccos, it's the pipe, if not, it's too moist tobacco, too fast smoking, or ambient humidity (rarely).

panamacharlie · Mar 1, 2018

My worst gurgling pipes are my pair of Preben Holmes. My pipes that never gurgle are my full bent Savinelli Dry Systems, no matter how wet the tobacco is. I hate pipes that I need to use a pipe cleaner on mid smoke. My P-lips also seem to save me from drooling down the stems.

jpmcwjr · Mar 1, 2018

I don't know anyone who drools back into his stem. Really? Is it a thing with some folks? Seems like you'd have to try to do it, but well, what do I know about saliva in a stem?

Gurgling ?

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