So I've been using my Tinsky pipe for a while now and had to ream my bowl 2-3 times already. What's concerning me is that since the beginning the cake always looked oily/wet and it seems really fragile. Some pieces of cake always break at some point. I smoke the pipe like once a week and only va blends and no aros. I smoked a lot of VaBur in it like ODF. I always dry my baccy too. Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong?
Pipe cake not dry
- Thread starter vink
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I see dry very hard cake only in the old pipes I work on. They have lain dormant for a loooong time.
The pipes I smoke regularly have that softer cake like yours. The cake always retains a little moisture because of that regular use. When reaming a pipe like this, it's normal to break off/out some softer pieces. You can either ream it back close to the chamber wall, or you can just smoke the pipe as it is. The gaps will cake over and fill in. You aren't hurting anything.
That's my opinion based on my experience.
The pipes I smoke regularly have that softer cake like yours. The cake always retains a little moisture because of that regular use. When reaming a pipe like this, it's normal to break off/out some softer pieces. You can either ream it back close to the chamber wall, or you can just smoke the pipe as it is. The gaps will cake over and fill in. You aren't hurting anything.
That's my opinion based on my experience.
:
This oily cake may be due to the ODF itself. I have not dedicated a pipe to ODF but have had other oily strong tobaccos have the same effect. I wouldn't worry about it. I don't like too much cake buildup.
Are you enjoying the smokes you get in this pipe? If so, then probably not! maybe just over thinking it a bit, you are cleaning and resting your pipe, that's generally enough.
Isaac
I think some of the wetness you are seeing is not just H2o but also the oils from the tobacco; this is a natural occurrence. Seems to me you are going to be just fine! 
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