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Smoking Tip from Mountain Man “Stan”

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claypipesarchaeologist

claypipesarchaeologist

Can't Leave
Mar 31, 2014
385
1
As a Californian, this story may tickle me more than those of you who are well acquainted with snow. I’m using a false name, “Stan,” just to be careful of his privacy.
Stan was one of the pioneers of rock climbing in this country. How he ended up in the LA area to tell me his stories, is a question even he can’t answer. Stan had many reasons to be out in the snow, even during blizzards. As a climber, rescuer, backpacker, and a young male with lord knows what to prove, it was common for Stan to be on the move in the middle of nowhere during even the worst weather.
Stan did not let the elements stand between him and his pipe. When snow began to fall while he was cross-country skiing, Stan would simply turn his pipe upside down and keep pumping his arms away to get to wherever he was going. Stan says that this trick works almost just as well in the rain and does not inhibit the pipe’s ability to smoke, as long as you’ve packed the bowl well.
He let me try a smoke out of his old pipe, my first taste of a vintage briar. Wow! His pipe, which he had used since the 60s, gave me a deep appreciation for a seasoned pipe.

 
samanden

samanden

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 11, 2013
247
48
Alexandria, VA
Great story. I too have heard of pipes being smoked upside/down. I've never tried it myself, but after hearing this tale I will certainly give it a go during the next snow/rain storm. And thanks for the additional tip about a well seasoned pipe. With only 9 pipes myself, I've always been an advocate of having fewer, well-smoked pipes. I know PAD is part of the culture and I'm not knocking it. However, I'm convinced (without having any real proof, to be sure) that the more use my pipes get over the years, the better I'll be for it.

 
condorlover1

condorlover1

Lifer
Dec 22, 2013
8,051
27,176
New York
People used to do it will clay pipes and smoke them upside down. It will work but the dottle at the bottom has a nasty habit of falling out with predictable consequences.

 
claypipesarchaeologist

claypipesarchaeologist

Can't Leave
Mar 31, 2014
385
1
Another funny thing Stan does is he'll rub the exterior of his warm pipe bowl on his nose so the briar will absorb the oils. He says he's never done anything else to his 1960-something pipe and, surprisingly, it looks very clean and shiny.

 
topd

topd

Lifer
Mar 23, 2012
1,745
10
Emerson, Arkansas
My grandfather was outdoors 99% of daylight hours and smoked his pipe up-side-down as much as right-side-up... That kept the dust from settling in the bowl from walking behind a mule. He also did the nose-oil trick on his one and only brier all the time, but he smoked a cob most of the time. He always kept a fire going beside the field to walk over and get a burning coal to place on top of his tobacco, he didn't own a lighter and matches weren't to be wasted. He also didn't have any pipe cleaners that I ever saw, but would soak his stem in whiskey over night and then blow it out in the morning. (I think he sucked on it first)...

On one occasion when I was about 10, we were fishing and an insect landed on my head. I swatted at it and it turned out to be one of those yellow wasps! I was stung right in the middle of my palm. I don't think any sting I've ever had since hurt as much as that one! He calmly emptied his pipe, scraped out some residue from the bowl with a pocket knife and spread it on the sting. It stopped hurting almost immediately...

 
cortezattic

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,638
Chicago, IL
There was a series of pipes, Bianchi, designed to burn upside down on the theory that heat travels upward.

I think they had a screen on the bottom, and a removable cap on top. You might still find it on the Web, archived.

bianchinopipes.jpg


 
settersbrace

settersbrace

Lifer
Mar 20, 2014
1,565
5
I do remember once reading or hearing about the 'nose oil' treatment but it was many years ago. I do apply it to the ferrules on my fly rod sections when I assemble them to fish. It allows for the easy disassembly of the pieces when it's time to head out. It's no fun trying to pull apart a rod with stuck ferrules. I'll give it a shot on my briar.

 
irish

irish

Lifer
Aug 12, 2011
1,121
6
Texas
In a book about Chesty Puller USMC, he talks of smoking is pipe upside down alot to keep rain and snow out of it in Korea.
When I first started smoking a pipe the old pipe maker whose shop I visited quite often would always use "nose" oil to shine up whatever briar he was smoking and when I asked him later on about what oil to use on my briars his answer was your skin oil is the best. So I have been doing it ever since! 25 years now, I catch myself smoking and I will reach up and use nose oil, ear oil,forehead oil, cheek oil, hell my skin is so oily I can just about rub it anywhere , ON MY FACE, and I am good to go.

 
foggymountain

foggymountain

Lifer
Aug 14, 2012
2,872
123
I did that as a messenger boy 55 years ago. It works. There is a Norman Rockwell picture illustrating it.

 
cuchulain

cuchulain

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 28, 2014
215
0
Massachusetts
I had to buy a few more straight cobs for when I am at work simply so I can do this. Back in March we had our last little snow squall. Wind was whipping, and a lovely mix of snow, sleet and rain was coming down "like a bastihd". I'm out there throwing chains with my bent Legend awkwardly bobbing up and down in front of my face.
As far as the dottle falling out, folded flakes rarely have that problem. Half the time I have to dig it out with my czech tool.

 
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