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bprivateaerdric

Might Stick Around
Jun 16, 2017
69
0
Lexington, KY
Hi, I'm a retired guy who stopped smoking cigarettes 35 years ago, but I recently decided to smoke a pipe because I have such a nice back porch for it. I started with a corncob on the advice of Fayette Cigar Store, then bought a more expensive pipe after a week, during which I really enjoyed smoking the corncob.
I have a couple of questions, the first one may not have an answer I like. If you notice my username, it is my actual screen name "baerdric" (that I have used for over 20 years on dozens of forums) with the word "private" stuck in the middle. I didn't do that. It just showed up when the email got to me. I see that "it can't be changed", but maybe a moderator will show pity on me.
The other question is more on topic. My new pipe seems to be a second, or defective. It's a rigoletti bent churchwarden, and the draught hole is not centered in the bottom of the chamber nor in the mortice. It's near the edge of the mortice and ~1/4 of an inch up the side of the bowl.
It still draws well, but has to be disassembled to be cleaned. It also cannot be smoked to the bottom, of course. I have been moving the tobacco around near the end to get some of it to smoke, but that's not a solution. So I was thinking of a screen, or actually a pipe mesh ball for tobacco I found on amazon, to keep all the tobacco above the draught hole.
I guess I got a bad pipe, but will this make it more smokable?

 

philobeddoe

Lifer
Oct 31, 2011
7,404
11,578
East Indiana
Welcome to the forum Baerdric. Several of the members on the forum use Nording Keystones in the bottom of the bowl to absorb moisture, but I bet they would help you as well.

 

bprivateaerdric

Might Stick Around
Jun 16, 2017
69
0
Lexington, KY
Thanks @philobeddo!
Yes, I was just reading some discussion on that. The image I saw showed them in a chamber, but they can just be loose in the bottom of the pipe? I guess you knock them out with the ashes? Are they reusable? I kind of like the idea of stone instead of metal.

 

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,637
Chicago, IL
If I had these problems I would stop using the pipe. With time its problems would become increasingly annoying to me.

Besides, a churchwarden is not a good beginner's shape. It does nothing to discourage fast puffing that leads to blistering and burnouts.

(The long stem cools the smoke stream to the point that one can lose track of how hot the bowl is getting.)

 

tschiraldi

Lifer
Dec 14, 2015
1,813
3,555
55
Ohio
Welcome to the group. When buying a pipe from an unknown maker, it really is best to buy one you can see, feel, and inspect personally. Of course, there are many makers with stellar reputations for quality I would (and do) buy from with nothing but internet photos to go by, but its a real risk buying this way from a maker without such a reputation. Who made the pipe in question? Most reputable companies / carvers will allow you to return a pipe with these issues. Have you contacted the seller?
Tim

 

bprivateaerdric

Might Stick Around
Jun 16, 2017
69
0
Lexington, KY
Hi Tim, yes, he's a local retail guy and I will go talk to him on Monday when I usually go into town. I did buy it over the counter, but the owner was not in at the time. Perhaps he would have steered me away from it.
I would rather fix it than bring it back. In every other way it suits me. I ordered the mesh things, hopefully that will fix half of the problem.
Of course I know nothing about name brands but my searches for Rigoletto have been a little discouraging. I'll be more careful with my third pipe.

 
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