Cake Questions

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Thanks Jay. I have a pretty much similar one of a chinese copy, though it lacks of quality, as I was already expecting

 

[B18]

What i would advice is to keep it simple and have 3 pipes. 1 for aromatics (preferably a corncob), 1 for latakia blends and 1 for the VA/Bur/Per/etc.

When i started smoking I had 1 pipe for all tobaccos and in the beginning it was ok, but after a while i found that the pipe was starting to taste bitter no matter how many times i cleaned. When i got multiple pipes for multiple blend types i could better taste the tobacco. Because the juices in the cake of the aromatics tainted the taste of VA blends.
For me the cake doesn't really matter, as long as it isn't to thick and it's from the same components of different blends.

Currently the only corncob i have is for Aromatics, as it doesn't get ghosted so i can enjoy multiple aromatics without it becoming sour or bitter.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"I have a pretty much similar one of a chinese copy, though it lacks of quality, as I was already expecting."
Paul, sadly the Chinese haven't quite got the knack of copying products made in the West that the Japanese managed to master so the best option is to avoid anything from there until they get the hang of things.
"What i would advice[sic] is to keep it simple and have 3 pipes. 1 for aromatics (preferably a corncob), 1 for latakia blends and 1 for the VA/Bur/Per/etc."
Brendan, with all due respect I find that to be very poor advice indeed. I have smoked a particular blend in say six different pipes and experienced six uniquely different smokes every time varying from the 'acceptable' to the 'stunning'.
Sometimes a particular blend favours a particular pipe in your collection, I don't know why but it just does. Therefore I think the three pipe idea is a pretty misinformed one.
No offense intended ::
Regards,
Jay.

 

[mackeson]

I'm a big fan of the Senior Reamer. It seems pretty unpopular around here due to the danger of over-reaming, but you can very easily be gentle with it. When my pipes build up a little too much carbon, for my preference, I use it (pretty gently). It's also magic for estate pipes IMHO.

 

[ophiuchus]

When needed, I just use the reamer blade on one of my Swiss Army knives ... but old pipe tools like the British Buttner gives me a warm, happy feeling.
I like to keep my pipes pretty cake-free, and I'm one of those oddballs who enjoys a little ghost. Makes life a little easier. As long as you're smoking what you like, alternating tobaccos during break-in is fine, and if it turns out you don't like ghosting, a couple bowls of a good burley can usually "deghost" a pipe pretty well, cake or not.

 

[madox07]

ophiuchus can you post a picture of the tool you use on your swiss army knife? It may be a good alternative for me, as the a british buttner is not readily available for purchase in my location.
Thank you !

 

[ophiuchus]

Not my knife (too lazy at this hour to get up, take a picture, log into my computer, etc. :wink: ). I've heard this blade described as an awl or punch, but it's a reamer, and with a light hand works very well.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"I'm a big fan of the Senior Reamer. It seems pretty unpopular around here..."
Mackeson, I too have a Senior reamer and it's a wonderful tool for removing excess cake on estate pipes but for everyday use I stick to my Buttner.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[B18]

mawnansmiff I know that my advice is bad, but i take it that he is just starting with pipes. The 3 pipe thing is for beginners and as he knows what type of blend that he likes and primarily gonna stick with, he can start expanding his pipe collection. Because it would be a shame if he starts with a very nice pipe and it gets ruined due to ghosting.

 

[aldecaker]

The Buttner style is ideal for my purposes. I am a cake minimalist, so I ream often to try and keep cake thin. If I were rehabbing used estates or something, I would probably need something more stout, but for routine maintenance, the Buttner works wonderfully.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Beat you to it. :mrgreen:

Beat you to it. :mrgreen: Beat you to it. :mrgreen:
Well, that tiny overexposed photo where you can't read the inscription did need some improvin'.....
::

 

[madox07]

ophiuchus, the only good use I have had of the tool you posted of the swiss knife was sewing a ripped blanked one night when I was boar hunting :P I didn't think I could employ it in my pipe hobby, but given the fact that I have no other viable alternative I will give it a shot. Do you have a specific technique or, should I be more blunt, how exactly do you use it to remove cake?

 

[mawnansmiff]

"Because it would be a shame if he starts with a very nice pipe and it gets ruined due to ghosting."
Brendan, a ghosted pipe is certainly not a ruined pipe.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Not my knife (too lazy at this hour to get up, take a picture, log into my computer, etc. ). I've heard this blade described as an awl or punch, but it's a reamer, and with a light hand works very well.

It is a leather punch, even has an eye for threading, but it does make a great reamer. Have also found the short blades of clam knives to work good as well.

 

[Chasing Embers]

The pill cutting blade of a Case XX Doctor's Knife works well too.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Anyway,this little knive of yours looks and presumably does work much better than my 'British Buttner Chinese crap copy stuff, I shall check this your knife out on the web, I have one like but once again its a chinese crap-Nevertheless I do have two China taampers and they performs pretty satisfactory taken the price,

 

[B18]

mawnansmiff I know. A little bit of ghosting is no problem to clean, but if ghosted like a haunted house you can't save it.

My first pipe was ghosted to such an extent that removing the cake and giving it 3 salt bathes with 90% alcohol didn't remove it. But the main point, try keep separate pipes for separate blend types (for beginners 3 should do it).

 

[mawnansmiff]

"Nevertheless I do have two China taampers and they performs pretty satisfactory taken the price,"
Paul, it would be difficult even for the Chinese to cock up a tamper. It is after all just a flat piece of metal.
"My first pipe was ghosted to such an extent that removing the cake and giving it 3 salt bathes[sic] with 90% alcohol didn't remove it."
Brendan [sigh] there are many refurbishers/restorers on this site that would confirm that a ghosted pipe is not necessarily a dead pipe...there are ways to remove ghosts, honestly!
Regards,
Jay.

 

[Chasing Embers]

My first pipe was ghosted to such an extent that removing the cake and giving it 3 salt bathes with 90% alcohol didn't remove it. But the main point, try keep separate pipes for separate blend types (for beginners 3 should do it).

An ozone treatment could have cleared that up.

 

[jpmcwjr]

My first pipe was ghosted to such an extent that removing the cake and giving it 3 salt bathes with 90% alcohol didn't remove it. But the main point, try keep separate pipes for separate blend types (for beginners 3 should do it).

With what and for how long did you ghost it? Bad briar is worse, but can be overcome by building some cake.
FWIW, I've never had a bad ghosting problem, but then I smoke English blends with the occasional VA or VaPers.