Cake - Heat
- Thread starter Buzzard
- Start date
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Cake is an insulator, if you can hold the bowl and count to about 8 it's not over 150 degs, that what 31 yrs of feeling bearing houseing taught me at Exxon
Not by very much, because when heated the cake becomes a sort of liquid that can transfer heat better than the briar alone. Cake also is a nasty ghost trap. I keep mine trimmed way back, about a credit card thickness at best.
Try slowing way down. Just when you think you are smoking as slow as possible, slow down more. You should just barely see a trickle of smoke. Of course, this is just a suggestion. Many like to choo choo their pipes, and that is ok for them. No rules, really. Just suggestion for improved flavor and smokability.
Try slowing way down. Just when you think you are smoking as slow as possible, slow down more. You should just barely see a trickle of smoke. Of course, this is just a suggestion. Many like to choo choo their pipes, and that is ok for them. No rules, really. Just suggestion for improved flavor and smokability.
I should mention that there are different cakes. A burley/latakia cake is more crumbly and less liquid/tarry. A Virginia cake is more liquidy and tar-like. I was talking about Virginia cake. A burley/latakia cake may have more insulating properties, but both really need to be kept cut back. There really isn't much benefit from a thick cake. But, smoking slow, also builds cake faster. The better you get at smoking, the more often you will find that you need to cut back the cake.
In the beginning, it does feel like you will never get a cake built up, but be patient, soon you will be fighting it.
It's funny how some pipes will build up cake fast right out of the box, but some seem to take forever.
In the beginning, it does feel like you will never get a cake built up, but be patient, soon you will be fighting it.
It's funny how some pipes will build up cake fast right out of the box, but some seem to take forever.
Last edited:
Didi, that's a nasty hole.
To each their own, but I prefer minimal cake. I've never been one to have large cake build up. Thankfully most of my pipes are slow at building cake, but when they do get more than I like, I'll give them a light reeming.
I can tell you exactly what I was told by a very respected professional pipe carver;
You only need a 1 millimeter carbon layer, for protection.
More than a 1 millimeter is counter productive, because the main point is about protection, anything beyond this is not providing any additional help.
Of course a lot of people consider the build up on a new pipe in the beginning, when you’ve reached this stage, as a sign of break in. It’s not that the 1 millimeter layer means you’ve actually broken in the pipe, but rather, by reaching this level, the briar has settled in somewhat.
The interior of the chamber has been charred, any residual oils from the wood burned out, and more of like, a curing process has taken place.
So seeing the 1 millimeter thickness, is a sign of simply reaching a stage, where it’s hopefully improved. But some pipes might even take years beyond this stage too, and get better with age.
There is also no need for a reamer, if you wipe the chamber out after smoking, with like a paper towel/napkin. By doing so, the carbon build up will never get thick, especially if you wipe it while slightly warm, you can wipe out excess, as to always maintain the thickness.
To answer the question; No
You only need a 1 millimeter carbon layer, for protection.
More than a 1 millimeter is counter productive, because the main point is about protection, anything beyond this is not providing any additional help.
Of course a lot of people consider the build up on a new pipe in the beginning, when you’ve reached this stage, as a sign of break in. It’s not that the 1 millimeter layer means you’ve actually broken in the pipe, but rather, by reaching this level, the briar has settled in somewhat.
The interior of the chamber has been charred, any residual oils from the wood burned out, and more of like, a curing process has taken place.
So seeing the 1 millimeter thickness, is a sign of simply reaching a stage, where it’s hopefully improved. But some pipes might even take years beyond this stage too, and get better with age.
There is also no need for a reamer, if you wipe the chamber out after smoking, with like a paper towel/napkin. By doing so, the carbon build up will never get thick, especially if you wipe it while slightly warm, you can wipe out excess, as to always maintain the thickness.
To answer the question; No
All of this talk about cake is making me… want a pipe!
