Are These Fissures Common and/or What Do They Signify?

[anotherbob]

I must admit sadly, I never dry my tobacco. I am usuallly too excited to get to my pipe in my short window of time that the thought of choosing which blend(s) I am going to smoke that evening from which pipe already eats up enough of my smoking time. I am however going to make a concerted effort to remember to think about this earlier and put some out to dry beforehand. I suppose drying time can be blend dependent or real time moisture content specific. Is 2-3 hours prior satisfactory (generally speaking)?

I've been popping the tins open about a week before smoking them. That seems to work pretty well.

 

[BROBS]

I usually set it out to dry overnight, or a couple of days.

Same here

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

I never really examined my bowls under strong light until recently when began to notice these fissures or "imperfections" in several of my newer pipes. Is it normal or is this something I should be concerned about? Just for point of reference this is a Rattrays 2000 year Morta pipe, though I have noticed this on some of my newer Savinelli's as well.View attachment 40529

I had 2 of those 2000 year old Rattray's morta pipes, and both suffered the same fissures as in your picture. I returned the first and got a replacement. The second pipe failed in the exact same way.
When I returned the second pipe the guy at the shop said they'd had loads of them returned for the same reason. Small fissures that turn into large cracks. My guess is they didn't dry the morta properly, but who knows?
It was a shame as they looked lovely, were fitted for a 9mm and had a great looking stem. They were a fair price as well.

 

[BROBS]

I had 2 of those 2000 year old Rattray's morta pipes, and both suffered the same fissures as in your picture. I returned the first and got a replacement. The second pipe failed in the exact same way.
When I returned the second pipe the guy at the shop said they'd had loads of them returned for the same reason. Small fissures that turn into large cracks. My guess is they didn't dry the morta properly, but who knows?
It was a shame as they looked lovely, were fitted for a 9mm and had a great looking stem. They were a fair price as well.

My guess is it hadn’t fully formed into morta but is rather just some very old oak. Lol
It seems light in color.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I must admit sadly, I never dry my tobacco. I am usuallly too excited to get to my pipe in my short window of time that the thought of choosing which blend(s) I am going to smoke that evening from which pipe already eats up enough of my smoking time. I am however going to make a concerted effort to remember to think about this earlier and put some out to dry beforehand. I suppose drying time can be blend dependent or real time moisture content specific. Is 2-3 hours prior satisfactory (generally speaking)?

There's not much to be had from a generality: That's too long in the desert, and too short in Alabama—or the Gulf Coast!— in the Summer (unless highly a/c'ed).

Try drying a couple of ounces at a time so you don't load wet—and keep ahead of the game by having plenty ready to go.

 

[Spavilla]

I had 2 of those 2000 year old Rattray's morta pipes, and both suffered the same fissures as in your picture. I returned the first and got a replacement. The second pipe failed in the exact same way.
When I returned the second pipe the guy at the shop said they'd had loads of them returned for the same reason. Small fissures that turn into large cracks. My guess is they didn't dry the morta properly, but who knows?
It was a shame as they looked lovely, were fitted for a 9mm and had a great looking stem. They were a fair price as well.

Thanks A LOT for that info! Maybe it wasn't all me after all! Whatever the case, I have contacted TP about a refund.

 

[fishingandpipes]

Yeah, drying has nothing to do with burnout. I never dry my tobacco and don't get spiderwebbing or anything in my bowls. Heat matters, which can be influenced by cadence.

Those are salvagable, but I'd reach out to the place you bought 'em from and see if they'll take them back. Since they're smoked I'd say typically they wouldn't/shouldn't, but it sounds like it's a known issue with these pipes so who knows.

 

[BROBS]

Yeah, drying has nothing to do with burnout. I never dry my tobacco and don't get spiderwebbing or anything in my bowls. Heat matters, which can be influenced by cadence.

Those are salvagable, but I'd reach out to the place you bought 'em from and see if they'll take them back. Since they're smoked I'd say typically they wouldn't/shouldn't, but it sounds like it's a known issue with these pipes so who knows.

Actually it can. If your tobacco is overly moist and you’re trying to keep it lit it makes you smoke hot.

 

[condorlover1]

I like my tobacco a tad on the moist side but not so much that your tongue gets steamed like you have been attacked by the 'Stanley Steamer' carpet cleaning service. As to that pipe all I can say is Wow!

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

My guess is it hadn’t fully formed into morta but is rather just some very old oak. Lol
It seems light in color.

Some info from Davorin's website.

"Morta is a material which is very difficult a) to find, b) especially good quality morta, c) to extract from the water, and d) to dry in a proper manner as well as to process. We in Croatia are definitely lucky to abound in very high quality material, which is the result of exceptionally good quality oak. Owing to the years-long hard work of my associates and the professional help of the Zagreb University Faculty of Forestry, the technology of dessication and processing of such wood has been developed. This is no job for amateurs. The basic challenge is how to dry the wood, which is completely soaked with water, and at the same time avoid the splitting of the wood structure. My associate possesses special premises with controlled ventilation and moisture removal systems ensuring that the block is processed sucessfully. The drying process takes at least three to five years; however, the rate of discarded material is very high. The best blocks only are selected for the creation of a pipe, for it is going to be an object exposed to extreme temperatures. Of the quantity of wood extracted and processed, the blocks suitable for carving pipes amount to only a one percent."

 

[fishingandpipes]

Actually it can. If your tobacco is overly moist and you’re trying to keep it lit it makes you smoke hot.

eh. i don't dry my SG flakes and I'm good to go. If you jam it in there and rip on it like a freight train then yeah, definitely. as with every other variable in pipe smoking moisture level is a preference. i don't like crispy tobacco at all, some folks seem to think it's the best.

 

[BROBS]

eh. i don't dry my SG flakes and I'm good to go. If you jam it in there and rip on it like a freight train then yeah, definitely. as with every other variable in pipe smoking moisture level is a preference. i don't like crispy tobacco at all, some folks seem to think it's the best.

It is. Tobacco that isn’t all the way dried tastes like a wet dog.

 

[fishingandpipes]

see, dry tastes like a rotten hay fire to me, so, there you go. Always more flavor in the moister flakes.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Always more flavor in the moister flakes.

The most unique statement I've ever heard about flakes.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

The most unique statement I've ever heard about flakes.

I smoke 5 bowls of flake per day, I find the flavors to be sharper if it's more on the dry side. Not to mention it's much easier to smoke.

 

[fishingandpipes]

The most unique statement I've ever heard about flakes.

mmmmmmoist.

 

[BROBS]

The most unique statement I've ever heard about flakes.

I knew embers wasn’t gonna let that statement go ?

 

[BROBS]

see, dry tastes like a rotten hay fire to me, so, there you go. Always more flavor in the moister flakes.

Or sometimes damp cardboard. Depends on the tobacco.

 

[fishingandpipes]

I bet this guy's tobacco was too dry so it burned too fast and got too hot

ok ok ok, ribbing aside I do prefer moist tobacco and I've been doing it long enough to know what I like. Different strokes for different folks.

anyways I'm off to go lick a wet dog and eat some damp cardboard for dinner.

 

[Chasing Embers]

mmmmmmoist.

Okaaaaaaaaay.