Change the tobacco you smoke out of a pipe?

[jchaplick]

So i have this pipe, and ive only ever smoked cheap aromatics out of it, and i dont really smoke them anymore, is there a way i can start smoking VA's out of it without a permanent background of flavor

 

[judcole]

Probably - you just may get ghosting for awhile. Just keep smoking. ::

 

[thesmokindragon]

+1 w/baskerville on this one...easy to do for me since I really love

Burley blends: Solani's Aged Burley flake should donthe trick ;-)

 

[lordofthepiperings]

Other than that I'd say maybe give it one or two good alcohol/salt cleanings. Might aid in the speed of removing the ghosting.

 

[philobeddoe]

I also agree with Baskerville, give it thorough cleaning and smoke several bowls of straight Burley and you should be fine.

 

[smokey422]

If I am converting a pipe over, the first thing I do is ream the cake out, this gets rid of a lot of ghosts. Then you can try smoking burley blends in it. If it's really bad, the alcohol/salt or alcohol/cotton ball treatment should work. Greg Pease has an article on his site about a pipe that was ghosted so bad that it didn't respond to any of those methods. He finally used charcoal in the bowl and heated it in his oven and cleaned it out. You can read more about it on his website. I never let a lot of cake build up in my pipes and I think that helps hold down on the ghosting problem.
Smokey

 

[cajunplume]

is it weird that i like the ghosting effect?? i think it adds character to the pipe and the tobacco. i have one that used to smoke only aromatics out of so now every now and then I try a VA in it. its good to me. I also have one dedicated to VA and burleys

 

[nsfisher]

i have no pipe dedicated to nothin, smoke whatever in whatever, whenever, Now aint that a grand system hahahah

 

[iowamike]

I would ream it, then smoke that baby alot.

 

[kennerth]

I'm with Fisher. If you only smoke tobacco you like, then ghosting isn't a problem.

 

[rhogg]

I only have one pipe that is dedicated to specific blends. In that big knarly chunk of briar with a smallish bowl I smoke virginias and vapers. All my other pipes just get smoked. I don't find ghosts obtrusive but also don't think most tobacs leave much of a ghost. Having said that, if your pipe was used strictly for cheap aros then you may have a little issue. You should give it a smoke first to see if there is an actual problem.

 

[pipedisciple]

I agree with the comment above, I smoke what I want when I want. Not worried about ghosting. I have about 20 pipes so it's hard to remember what I smoke in what. I simplfied by not worrying about it. :puffpipe:

 

[withnail]

I think there is a lot more made about ghosting than needed. As others have said - within 5 or 6 bowls you shouldn't notice any of the old taste. If you are bothered by the mixture of tastes, reaming speeds up the process, but I don't think it is necessary. One thought about ghosting - I think it was invented by someone who wanted to justify their PAD to their other half! "..but I NEED another pipe so I can try this new blend!"

 

[bigvan]

I totally agree with withnail and others... far too much is made of ghosting.
If ones palate is so sensitive that it can not abide a "ghost", I doubt it would have abided cheap aromatics in the first place.

 

[bambam]

I agree with nsfisher I smoke whatever pipe strikes my fancy at the time, I only smoke what I like so it doesn't really matter to me!!!!!!! ::