"Opening Up" a Pipe's Airway

I have a 3/4 bent Ser Jacopo that used to smoke darker Virginias like gangbusters. It really brought out the low notes and deep sweetness. Three years ago, or so, I thought I would make it even better by sending it off to a reputable pipe repair business to open the airway. Additionally, I dropped the pipe and broke the stem tenon but, sent it off to the U.S. Ser Jacopo rep and had a new stem made-- this occurring well after the opening. The pipe doesn't smoke the same anymore and, as a matter of fact, is horrible. It no longer has the sensitivity it once had and any tobacco I now put in it is rather bland. It was this way before the stem broke so I think I can eliminate the new stem as any part of the problem. Has anyone else had a pipe opened up and it made it a bad smoker?

Never thought of that, aldecaker. I'll give it a try.

Russ, good point. I checked the new stem's draw and it's the same as my three other unopened Ser Jacops and by sight has the same airway diameter. My memory of this opened pipe could be faulty. I do remember some good smokes though. I bought a bunch of Briar Fox due to a couple of smokes from the pipe and after it was opened that tobacco no longer excited me in this pipe. I have a new suspicion-- I have four See Jacops and three were obtained from eBay including the pipe in question. All three of these pipes are under performing. The one I bought new is stellar. I have several other pipes from eBay, including some GDBs that are very poor performing. I'M going to sort all my pipes according to purchasing source and compare. From a WAG I'm gonna say most of the eBay pipes are substandard smokers. I never gave it much thought but, I wonder if eBay is a dumping ground for "dead" pipes-- or maybe I'm just unlucky. This new theory undermines my memory of the "gangbuster" performance I originally assigned to this pipe but, I concede my memory could be in error.

philobeddoe, yes I packed with salt/everclear, reamed and sometime after this, packed with activated charcoal and baked in a low temp oven for several hours, ala Greg Pease method. I did that with the GBDs, too-- no improvement. I've been smoking a pipe for ten years now, and while I'm far from being an expert, I've learned over time proper cadence, packing and the like. I rotate tobaccos and try to find a good match for the pipe... I think I've tried everything. As an aside, I have a Castello Canadian, bought new, 1999 Pipe of the Year, that I almost got rid of because any tobacco I put in it was so toned down you could hardly taste it. I consulted Greg Pease, who said his experience was that Castellos smoked very bright when new-- just the opposite of my experience. Anyway, I happed to put some Gawith Hoggarth Brown Irish X it and wham! it came alive. That's the only tobacco I smoke in that pipe to this day because it's the only thing it will smoke well. Not all pipes smoke good and I'm just wondering what proportion of these end up on ebay. I've gotten some very good pipes on eBay and some that seem dead-- I don't know, I'm just fishin'.

Rigmetic, another good suggestion. I tried a tight pack and that didn't do much. I once read somewhere where an old codger opined that if a pipe didn't smoke well then smoke the sh_t out of it till it comes around. That may become my new mission. Thanks to all for your comments.