My break in method is simple. Fill em’, smoke em’, doing this one right now.
Breaking in an Uncoated New Pipe
- Thread starter t1m3kn1ght
- Start date
Back to cleaning the 2 bent stem pipes from EBay. Mire black gunk on the brush type cleaners with alcohol. Did about 8 cleaners this way and got the greatest part of the gunk out. I forgot to mention that when I pulled the stems off these pipes there was an aluminum filter system in each one. After using pliers I was able to remove them. Apparently they were designed to prevent condensation from reaching the public maker's mouth. It was also impossible to get a pipe cleaner through them into the bowl, so condenaation kept building up. It ruined the pipes and probably the smoker gave up on them. I revived them. All these filter contraptions that some pipemakers offered were not fixes at all, but exacerbated problems that plagued smokers. A good pipe cleaner is all that is required to keep a pipe doing what it was designed for.
Somehow I missed the auto correct that came out "the public maker's" mouth. THE SMOKER'S MOUTH is what I meant to say.
I have had such a bad time breaking in two pipes that I have begun using a honey coating, which at first seemed to work. But then the bottom half on a newer pipe stopped caking and now appears to be bare wood. What am I doing wrong?
So stop with the honey already. The honey flows quicker when heated.
Smoke 1/4 bowls for a dozen times.
Smoke 1/4 bowls for a dozen times.
Wow....... 106 replies to the thread of How to break in an uncoated pipe.
Makes you wonder how the old timers 100 years ago got their pipes broken in without the internet.....
Dripping with sarcasm..............
Makes you wonder how the old timers 100 years ago got their pipes broken in without the internet.....
Dripping with sarcasm..............
OK, I must seem like a slow learner, but I am having trouble breaking in two pipes that remain bare wood in the bottom 1/3. I tried the honey and got blah results except for a terrific tongue bite. So, yes, I'll stop with the honey.
I tried honey also with blau results. I then washed out the honey and resanded. I have four pipes break in a after setting for about 15 years. I myself had better result with out anything.
Bare wood makes me think the chamber is getting too wet at the bottom. As John suggests, try smoking some partial bowls for a while. I find that it helps to tamp the ash inward and expose fresh tobacco at the edges and focus on relighting that.
I have noticed that when I tamp the ash, the tobacco starts to burn better. I use pipe cleaners frequently to remove excess condensation, so maybe I should try drying the tobacco more and maybe slow down smoking.
I am still wondering about using honey as an aid to building cake. I have an estate briar with a bent stem that has a fairly large bowl. I may try honey on the lower half with that one, trying to get the ash and bits of tobacco to cling to the bowl and start a cake. We'll see.
I usually start with a VA blend or a VAPER and go very slow and just make sure I finish the bowl. Improvement occurs by the 3rd use and significantly after the 5th bowl and is almost fully blackened at that point. Make sure to clean off the ash between uses as it creates a temporary protective layer that prevents new carbon to adhere to the bowl. I will start with a VA even on pipes dedicated for burleys as I find it to create cake just a bit faster, but its not that important at the end of the day. For dedicated English blend pipes, I just go with a solid middle of the road blend.
I've noticed on this forum there are questions galore on how to break in, how to pack, how to smoke, how to prevent tongue bite, how to this, that and another. In follow up to those questions are many lengthy, drawn-out and complex answers.
That said, in almost every single example, it is the simplest and most elementary approaches and answers that seem to be the best. This is a simple and relaxing hobby and if ever the phrase, "Less is more" is applicable.... pipe smoking is that case.
Of course, that is my opinion and it, along with two bucks, will get you a cup of coffee. Which, by the way, pairs wonderfully with a pipe.
This hits the nail on the head. The whole point of pipe smoking is to be mindful of yourself and your surroundings in the present moment. Take a break from all the stressful nonsense of the day.
When you approach each bowl like a relaxing experiment, just playing around with the effects you get from doing various things, it all just kind of comes together. Every single bowl I smoke is an experiment that hopefully leads to a fantastic moment with me, myself, and I. Sometimes I get there and sometimes I don't. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.
I tried one more pipe with a honey coat on the bottom third and it seemed to work. But I am avoiding it, generally, because of tongue bite. One pipe that was stubbornly resisting break in seems to be building cake from the top of a 1/3 bowl down to the bottom. I can't say I'm thrilled with this but it appears to be working.
Many moons ago, it was honey or grape jelly. Done them both 5+ decades ago, now I don't,
Load & smoke em.
If you want a soft crumbly cake, above is the way to go. I remove all ash before a the next bowl, and the cake I've build is solid, but not thick.
So far, I have not built up a crumbly cake. I did have t=ouble keeping my pipe lit today with a aromatic blend, so I zapped 3 pipefuls in the microwave for 30 seconds. Made it a bit crispy but it stayed lit. Still not much action on the cake.
Why would you want to build cake? Cake just happens.
Would you Please put your location in your Profile!
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How: Under your avatar, (top right, left most of three symbols) you choose "Account Details", which brings up "My Account". "My Location" is halfway down.
Would you Please put your location in your Profile!
.
How: Under your avatar, (top right, left most of three symbols) you choose "Account Details", which brings up "My Account". "My Location" is halfway down.
The last Radice I bought was uncoated and it had a "terrible" taste for two smokes. Now...it is wonderful. The pipe was uncoated inside and out - no finish.