I taste air out of a brand new Paycok

rfernand

Part of the Furniture Now

Oct 2, 2015

669

39

• Oct 2, 2015

• #1

I recently acquired a Paycok. I've never owned a calabash with meerschaum. Looks a lot like this:

After two bowls, it tastes like air. The meerschaum is starting to color, which is nice. But the taste I get out of a brand new briar I dedicated to G.L. Pease Westminster is ten times more present than when smoked in this pipe.
I must be doing something wrong. Perhaps it takes a while for this style of pipe to develop? Perhaps I should smoke much faster? Pack much tighter?

 

hakchuma

Part of the Furniture Now

Jan 13, 2014

798

93

52

Michigan, USA

• Oct 2, 2015

• #2

May people would beat me up just for smoking that pipe.

 

rfernand

Part of the Furniture Now

Oct 2, 2015

669

39

• Oct 3, 2015

• #3

Curiosity killed the cat, I suppose.

 

hakchuma

Part of the Furniture Now

Jan 13, 2014

798

93

52

Michigan, USA

• Oct 3, 2015

• #4

Lol rfernand. I was just being playful.
The only thing I can think of is maybe you haven't packed the tobacco tight enough ant it is not burning well?
I say don't get discouraged. If it's clearly not a problem of craftsmanship then experiment with the tobacco. Grind it up in a blender idpf ya have to. Cheers!

 

warren

Lifer

Sep 13, 2013

11,733

16,332

Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK

• Oct 3, 2015

• #5

Is the gasket intact? Is the bowl fully seated?

 

rfernand

Part of the Furniture Now

Oct 2, 2015

669

39

• Oct 3, 2015

• #6

The bowl is fully seated, and I see no damage in the gasket. It didn't seem to be drawing air from other sources either.
I'm starting to think I will dedicate this for Halloween costumes only.

 

warren

Lifer

Sep 13, 2013

11,733

16,332

Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK

• Oct 3, 2015

• #7

My old calabash was tricky to load when I first got it. It did need a tighter, quite a lot tighter, packing at the start that any other pipe I had or have had. I'd give it a couple more goes, packing tighter until you get the draw you want.
I enjoyed the smoking attributes of mine, it felt good in the mouth and rested on my chest while reading. A lovely smoker and kind of a kick to use.

 

rfernand

Part of the Furniture Now

Oct 2, 2015

669

39

• Oct 3, 2015

• #8

I'll try a tighter pack. Thanks!

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate

Nov 12, 2014

43,449

109,373

• Oct 3, 2015

• #9

Calabash pipes tend to mute flavors of tobacco. I usually only smoke very strong or harsh blends in my Pioneer.

 

rfernand

Part of the Furniture Now

Oct 2, 2015

669

39

• Oct 3, 2015

• #10

I did not know that - thanks!

 

clickklick

Lifer

May 5, 2014

1,700

212

• Oct 4, 2015

• #11

Chasing embers nailed it. With all of the extra room in the gourd it dilutes the flavor. Some love them but I taste very muted flavors. This is the same reason I'm hesitant to buy a reverse calabash. I like to taste my blends fully.

 

F

frozenchurchwarden

Lifer

Mar 1, 2014

3,647

4,917

• Oct 4, 2015

• #12

I think this is the first mention I've seen of an expansion chamber negatively affecting flavor. I guess "cool" is usually the adjective used to describe that design.
Oppositely, does that mean nosewarmers give the best flavor?

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate

Nov 12, 2014

43,449

109,373

• Oct 4, 2015

• #13

an expansion chamber negatively affecting flavor

Click to expand...

As the walls of the cooling chamber fill with tars from the smoke, more flavor can be detected. Alot of the flavor loss is due to the large absorbant surface area, and even more so in a true gourd. After several smokes, this will remedy itself, but still give you the cooling properties of the large air chamber. Even still, the flavors will not be as strong as in a single chambered pipe.

 

rfernand

Part of the Furniture Now

Oct 2, 2015

669

39

• Oct 12, 2015

• #14

It seems to be performing better after a few tightly packed bowls of Dunhill Flake. It's still muting the flavor, but definitely a cooler smoke than I'm used to.
I may reserve it for blends such as Peterson's Irish Flake.

 

warren

Lifer

Sep 13, 2013

11,733

16,332

Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK

• Oct 12, 2015

• #15

It'll only get better. You're gonna love it at certain times. For some reason I smoked mine most often in the winter, in front of the fire with good book. Oh! And a bit of Madeira or other fortified wine.

 

rfernand

Part of the Furniture Now

Oct 2, 2015

669

39

• Oct 12, 2015

• #16

Fall is here and Winter is coming. I'll get some Amontillado Sherry ready

 

warren

Lifer

Sep 13, 2013

11,733

16,332

Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK

• Oct 12, 2015

• #17

There you go! May you have many pleasant evenings with the gourd and a favored blend.

 

okiescout

Lifer

Jan 27, 2013

1,530

6

• Oct 12, 2015

• #18

I have several gourd calabash pipes and they are great smokers. Embers and Warren are right on for my money. My pipes are not the larger ones but I much enjoy reading and smoking them. The one in your pic looks to be briar?

 

rfernand

Part of the Furniture Now

Oct 2, 2015

669

39

• Oct 12, 2015

• #19

Definitely not briar - it looks like mahogany to me.

 

okiescout

Lifer

Jan 27, 2013

1,530

6

• Oct 13, 2015

• #20

Some kind of grain anyway. Not Gourd. I am not sure that would effect anything but weight however. The concept is the large area for the smoke to cool in, I believe.