New Pipe, Old Pipe, Seasoning, Flavour, Sitting for too long, Renovating House

will346 · May 3, 2019

A bit random. Firstly, during some home renovations quite a few of my pipes ended up full of dust and debris. It's given them a bit of a funky flavor. Just wondering will this wear off? I'm hope the burning tobacco might burn the dust off them after a couple of smokes. Sorry, I know it's an odd one. I did blow through them in an effort to dislodge the offending particles! Anyone ever have this problem? And yes, yes, I do come up with some absolute random crap sometimes, but I'm sure other posters here will appreciate, I do love my pipes!
Secondly and completely unrelated. I have that many pipes that smoking them all is very difficult! Some of them are more seasoned than others. Occasionally one of them will suddenly start giving great flavor, much more rich and deep than usual. And then, puff! That wonderful flavor is gone and it's business as usual. Forgetting about break-in for a moment, does anyone have any idea how long it might take for the oils of the tobacco to embed themselves well enough in the briar for every smoke to be a real treat to the senses? This seasoning lark is taking forever and I am eager to get to the point where my pipes are well and truly seasoned.
Thanks for any help or advice. Maybe in twenty years my pipes will be seasoned well enough. That or I'll have died trying!

workman · May 3, 2019

About a week ago, for a couple of days everything I smoked was exploding with flavors. It was wonderful. Then it stopped. Sometimes the opposite happens. Flavor is gone and I'm stuck in Limbo. Whether it's the weather, my body, my mind or some combination of those I don't know, but there's more to it than just pipes and tobacco.

will346 · May 3, 2019

Thanks for the reply. I suppose it's all part of what makes smoking pipes so interesting as a hobby.it is annoying when they tease you with amazing flavor and then go back to being so boring.

workman · May 3, 2019

Btw I think the break-in and seasoning of pipes has as many variables as everything else in pipe smoking. Some of my pipes have smoked consistently good from first light, and some needed up to 50 bowls to be reliable.

cigrmaster · May 3, 2019

I have systems in place to assure me of getting a really nice smoke almost every time. The first thing I do is make sure my pipe is very clean. I clean each pipe after every bowl smoked. I don't ever not clean my pipe before putting it away. Next I make sure my pipes have a nice amount of hard cake. Usually it is at a dimes thickness. Next I dedicate all of my pipes to either a certain genre of tobacco or a specific blend.
I then make sure that before I smoke something the tobacco is at the moisture I prefer. I like my flakes and plugs to have a little moisture as they smoke cooler and more flavorful for me. I don't like dry tobacco as it burns too hot and I lose flavor. I then make sure I pack my pipe the same every time. I normally just fold and stuff a flake and I am good to go.
All of my pipes smoke dry and cool. I don't own pipes that gurgle or need pipe cleaners during the smoke to get rid of excess moisture. All my pipes have similar characteristics in shank size and stem design. I smoke pipes that have very specific sized bowls, have a certain thickness to the walls and weigh certain amounts. Most of my pipes are for smoking flakes and plugs and were bought specifically to do so.
This may seem like a lot of work to some, but it really isn't. If you find something that works for you, just remember the things you did so you can get that consistent smoke you are looking for.

will346 · May 3, 2019

Likewise and some are still improving. It's the seasoning that seems to be taking the most time. I have a few Petersons that are still breaking in hundreds of bowls later. They're dogs to get going. One though smokes sweet and rich sometimes just to remind me my efforts will be worthwhile it one day

workman · May 3, 2019

That's Hefner's routine with women that Harris has converted to pipes.

workman · May 3, 2019

On a more serious note, where I live, the weather changes all the time. Several times a day actually. I'm convinced that this affects the characteristics of the smoke.

panamacharlie · May 3, 2019

A quick water wash would remove all the dust and debris.

jpmcwjr · May 3, 2019

To the dust and debris in and on the pipes: Wash the suckers inside and out with hot tap water. Flush down the chamber and out the stem. Paper towel dry the chamber, Q-tip in the mortise, and pipe cleaner for the airway. You can smoke immediately, but you can certainly rack them up to dry overnight.
Enjoy!

odobenus · May 3, 2019

On a more serious note, where I live, the weather changes all the time. Several times a day actually. I'm convinced that this affects the characteristics of the smoke.

Echoing this, and the general mutability of the flavor/smoking experience. I am trying to quit blaming (and shelving or selling) the pipe or the tobacco that falls victim to the vagaries.

will346 · May 3, 2019

Thanks for all the replies. Just in terms of tap water through a pipe. I've heard it mentioned before. It sounds a bit dubious. Are we sure my babies will be safe? Hmmm. Maybe I'll try it with one of my unloved work pipes and see first!

will346 · May 3, 2019

Also I agree Re weather. Pipe smoking is different every time

jpmcwjr · May 4, 2019

Yes, pipes will be fine- better than before the dust storm. We've done torture tests over the last few months, and pipes all survived. A hot water flush doesn't come close to what the soaking test, dishwasher, swimming pool and other forms of abuse did to test briar's resistance to water.

newbroom · May 4, 2019

I just had a MM Pride 2nd that is 4 yrs old, pass the: leave out on a patio table overnight when the east wind blows the sprinkler system's output through the screen, test. We're tawkin nekked cob here. Very absorbent.

She dried out and smokes as great as ever!

Since I started 'piping' in earnest, I have YET to smoke a pipe with an unsmoked bowl, despite owning more than a dozen.

('cept for cobs, a'course)

mikethompson · May 4, 2019

So much with pipe smoking is dependant on multiple variables. I've yet to master all of them, I've yet to master any of them really! I try not to worry about 'getting it right' anymore. If I am not burning my tongue and I'm getting some flavours than that's good enough for me.

seanv · May 4, 2019

We are starting reno's here that will take over two months. All of my pipes will be packed away in boxes carefully. I will keep 6 in my pipe cases for use but that will be all.

Breaking in pipes can be challenging but rewarding. Some pipes as much as I loved them, had to go. Maybe they can be good to someone else, I just couldn't get them to smoke my way

will346 · May 4, 2019

Thanks for all the useful tips and hints peoples. I reamed one of my pipes I use for work when I came home this morning. I did a rinse under the hot tap and wiped her out with a paper towel. I have her airing and will see tomorrow evening what the end result is. Fingers crossed!

bnichols23 · May 4, 2019

Some people swear blind by the "clean after every smoke" rule, but that just doesn't work for me. I guess if any of mine ever go whack, I might, but ....

John, I freely admit it's my fault. Like Embers I'm on my phone right now & the frist two words I saw of yours were "Flush down...."
Scared the ever-loving dog mess out of me for a second!
Bill

New Pipe, Old Pipe, Seasoning, Flavour, Sitting for too long, Renovating House

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