Bitter briar

[asteroid1]

I have an old un-smoked pipe that is 50 years old and when I attempted to break it in I find that it imparts a bitter taste to the smoke. Is this due to the age of the briar and is there anything I can do to remove it?

 

[uberam3rica]

im no expert but i think it will go away as you smoke it i have an unsmoked pipe that isnt very old. the first bowl was horrible, but ive been smoking it every other day and its getting better. hopefully thats all thats wrong with your pipe

 

[olderthandirt]

Clean the shank and the stem for starters.

I use Everclear and as many cotton swabs and pipe cleaners as needed to get it to the point where a pipe cleaner comes out clean.
That's just for starters mind you.

 

[asteroid1]

With it being a "new" pipe I didn't think to clean the shank and inside of stem. I have some Rum so will give it a clean now and see if that works.

 

[olderthandirt]

Oho, I missed the unsmoked bit in that 1st post! Still couldn't hurt to give it a good swabbing I s'pose.

 

[asteroid1]

After a clean of the shank and stem with some pipe cleaners soaked in rum, I 1/2 filled the pipe with some St. Bruno flake and from first light to end of smoke there was no more bitter taste.

 

[olderthandirt]

Of course you are now required to post a pic of the thing!

Good to hear it's smokin' for ya now.

 

[asteroid1]

 

[pipetrucker]

Nice looking pipe. I have a Savinelli that looks very much like it. Amazing to have a 50 year old unsmoked pipe, I am jealous.

 

[olderthandirt]

That is indeed a smart looking briar asteroid. Thanks for sharing the pic!