Breaking In A New Pipe

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TheHellYeah

Might Stick Around
Aug 2, 2023
71
835
Porto, Portugal
instagram.com
New pipe, same old problem!

A new pipe has arrived home today and I have some doubts about the ideal way to break in this pipe! Not much doubts about if I choose to use honey around the bowl, but if should I experiment letting it rest in salt and alcohol/vodka for a day before I go with the honey.

1)Will this help if there’s any aromatic residue left from production process?
2)Is it worth the wait?
3)Shall I go for it and smoke it right away?

Can you help from your knowledge/personal experience?

Thanks!
 

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Scottmi

Lifer
Oct 15, 2022
3,940
57,584
Orcas, WA
I always run a pipe cleaner dipped in alcohol (of your choice) through the stem and around the shank mortise to make sure no dust or maybe surplus stain lurking in the draft. then load up with whatever I care to smoke and have at it. I don't subscribe to "this is my break-in tobacco" fetish. :LOL:
 

Auxsender

Lifer
Jul 17, 2022
1,111
5,732
Nashville
Directions for breaking in a pipe:

1) Load your tobacco of choice into chamber of pipe. Don’t overthink this step.
2) Light tobacco in chamber with a heat source so that a gently burning ember forms.
3) Puff without making the ember too hot.
4) Kick the fuck back.
5) Repeat when the mood strikes
 

AroEnglish

Rehabilitant
Jan 7, 2020
5,153
15,149
#62
New pipe, same old problem!

A new pipe has arrived home today and I have some doubts about the ideal way to break in this pipe! Not much doubts about if I choose to use honey around the bowl, but if should I experiment letting it rest in salt and alcohol/vodka for a day before I go with the honey.

1)Will this help if there’s any aromatic residue left from production process?
2)Is it worth the wait?
3)Shall I go for it and smoke it right away?

Can you help from your knowledge/personal experience?

Thanks!
What pipe is this? And so you have any other pics of it?
 
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Reactions: JohnnyBeach
Apr 2, 2018
3,364
40,362
Idong,South Korea.
New pipe, same old problem!

A new pipe has arrived home today and I have some doubts about the ideal way to break in this pipe! Not much doubts about if I choose to use honey around the bowl, but if should I experiment letting it rest in salt and alcohol/vodka for a day before I go with the honey.

1)Will this help if there’s any aromatic residue left from production process?
2)Is it worth the wait?
3)Shall I go for it and smoke it right away?

Can you help from your knowledge/personal experience?

Thanks!
Smoke the hell out of it.It will come around,just don't over heat and char the chamber.
 
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ParkitoATL

Can't Leave
Mar 11, 2023
405
1,475
Atlanta, GA
I think the break in is really just the bowl getting hot, then cold, then hot, then cold, etc.

One of my favorite break-in loads is burley mixed with black cavendish. The sweetness of the cavendish helps mitigate any sharp notes in the first few bowls.

The Peterson Pipe Notes All Purpose Bowl Coating was a big help as well. My 303 was aggressively sharp for several bowls. I was thinking I'd bought a lemon. Once it was coated with the APBC it started smoking much sweeter right away and is now one of my favorites. Just finished an exquisite bowl of Embarcadero in it.
 

TheHellYeah

Might Stick Around
Aug 2, 2023
71
835
Porto, Portugal
instagram.com
I think the break in is really just the bowl getting hot, then cold, then hot, then cold, etc.

One of my favorite break-in loads is burley mixed with black cavendish. The sweetness of the cavendish helps mitigate any sharp notes in the first few bowls.

The Peterson Pipe Notes All Purpose Bowl Coating was a big help as well. My 303 was aggressively sharp for several bowls. I was thinking I'd bought a lemon. Once it was coated with the APBC it started smoking much sweeter right away and is now one of my favorites. Just finished an exquisite bowl of Embarcadero in it.
Unfortunately I don’t have much of a choice in terms of tobacco brands over here.
I guess I’ll go with the Presbyterian mixture for this one!
My first ever unsmoked pipe was a Savinelli 321 and I started with aromatics on it and never switched flavors! Still is my dedicated pipe to smoke Holland House.
I would like to this same with this new one… but I’ll be alternating the Presbyterian with some HH Vintage Latakia in the future I guess.
 
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G

Gimlet

Guest
I always run a pipe cleaner dipped in alcohol (of your choice) through the stem and around the shank mortise to make sure no dust or maybe surplus stain lurking in the draft. then load up with whatever I care to smoke and have at it. I don't subscribe to "this is my break-in tobacco" fetish. :LOL:
Sounds like how I shoot in a new rifle: clean it, shoot it, keep repeating steps one and two.
 
G

Gimlet

Guest
I think the break in is really just the bowl getting hot, then cold, then hot, then cold, etc.

One of my favorite break-in loads is burley mixed with black cavendish. The sweetness of the cavendish helps mitigate any sharp notes in the first few bowls.

The Peterson Pipe Notes All Purpose Bowl Coating was a big help as well. My 303 was aggressively sharp for several bowls. I was thinking I'd bought a lemon. Once it was coated with the APBC it started smoking much sweeter right away and is now one of my favorites. Just finished an exquisite bowl of Embarcadero in it.
I didn't like the coating in my two Peterson Arklows. They smoke fine now but there was a distinctly chemical taint until the cake formed. My bare briars smoked sweet from the outset. Just go easy, as others have said, so you don't scorch the bowl before a protective carbon layer has had a chance to built up.
 
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Reactions: mpjetset

Sigmund

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
3,027
29,008
France
Ive had some coatings that were terrible tasting...some not so terrible. But anytime I have one it really ruins the first smoke (at best). Its always a bummer becasue its exciting to get a new pipe and fire it up. Coatings tale the fun out of the maiden voyage.

Ive had a couple of coatings that were so bad that I did resort to the honey trick to cover it up asap.