Do You Believe In The Cake? Yes or No

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64alex

Part of the Furniture Now
May 10, 2016
566
339
No.
There is confusion between cake which I see as detrimental as it alters negatively the taste and the carbon layer buildup which is a necessary protection layer on briar.
I always wipe and water flush the pipe immediately after each smoke. I have a cake free pipe (but with a protective carbon layer) which smell fresh and return a perfect smoke each time.
Again do not confound the necessary carbon buildup with the unnecessary and detrimental cake.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,624
44,836
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Okay, I believe you. I think you meant, when the pure hard layer you described, grows thicker and thicker it can cause a bowl crack by expanding under heat.
Nevertheless I saw many fat cakes (cause this was comon in the mid 60s/early 70s) which don't do any harm to the bowl. And as I said, somtimes parts of the cake flaked off. That seemed logical to me. When it comes to tensions in the cake layer the resulting pressure goes in all directions but affects most the inner bowl because there is no resistance.

Few days ago I got two Charatan estates with bowls both full of cake. The one cake could be easily removed with a tooth pick, the other one took me several hours with a reamer and sanding paper. Reminds me of your two described layers. But I think there will be mixed forms too.
Keep in mind that I don't say "will" I say "may", because it's about the percentages, always about the percentages.

Just as I've seen plenty of cracked bowls stuffed with thick cakes, I seen bowls equally stuffed that weren't cracked. I've cleaned up a number of them with cakes that removed quite easily and some whose cake had hardened to rock and practically needed blasting caps to remove.

Like I said, I prefer the thin hard carbon layer to the soft flaky cake.
 

64alex

Part of the Furniture Now
May 10, 2016
566
339
In addition to what I previously said (my vote was for no) it is an absolute NO for meer, morta or clay as the cake is the assured pathway to a cracked bowl.
 
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wayneteipen

Can't Leave
May 7, 2012
473
221
No. I clean my pipes in the dishwasher after every smoke.

Just kidding!

Yes.

I'm not particularly finicky with my pipes. I let the cake build up if it wants to and scrape it out with a pipe nail every now and then and ream a pipe if it gets too thick before I realize it. I like the added flavor the cake holds, it helps protect the briar, and aids a bit in managing moisture. I find that the Va's that I typically smoke leave a nice thin hard cake as long as I smoke them dry and use good technique. The occasional aromatic I smoke sometimes leaves a "soggy" cake which I scrape out. Of course, I never allow cake to build up in my meers but I don't reach for them all that often.

One thing that surprises me in this thread is that folks rinse their bowls with water. Is this as common a practice as it seems in this thread? How long do you let the pipe dry afterwards? It seems to me, this could potentially sour a pipe. I've always believed moisture/water is the enemy of pipesmoking.
 

highwaycobbery

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 14, 2015
532
1,209
North cacallaky
No. I clean my pipes in the dishwasher after every smoke.

Just kidding!

Yes.

I'm not particularly finicky with my pipes. I let the cake build up if it wants to and scrape it out with a pipe nail every now and then and ream a pipe if it gets too thick before I realize it. I like the added flavor the cake holds, it helps protect the briar, and aids a bit in managing moisture. I find that the Va's that I typically smoke leave a nice thin hard cake as long as I smoke them dry and use good technique. The occasional aromatic I smoke sometimes leaves a "soggy" cake which I scrape out. Of course, I never allow cake to build up in my meers but I don't reach for them all that often.

One thing that surprises me in this thread is that folks rinse their bowls with water. Is this as common a practice as it seems in this thread? How long do you let the pipe dry afterwards? It seems to me, this could potentially sour a pipe. I've always believed moisture/water is the enemy of pipesmoking.
Ya, I’m with you on that. First time hearing this water rinse technique but can’t bear the thought of hand washing my pipes. Different strokes.
 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,568
27,074
Carmel Valley, CA
One thing that surprises me in this thread is that folks rinse their bowls with water. Is this as common a practice as it seems in this thread? How long do you let the pipe dry afterwards? It seems to me, this could potentially sour a pipe. I've always believed moisture/water is the enemy of pipesmoking.

Wayne- A lot has been written about this, and there are a number of adherents. An equal number of "Never!" And points in between.

Two points: Rather than sour a pipe, it often sweetens them; and
A 20 second hot water flush introduces far less moisture than 45 minutes of smoking, where the moisture is constant, and at high temperatures.

I've written at length on this—some will say ad nauseam— and it's been successful here for five years.
 
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