Charred bowls

[thomasmartin]

I sometimes see seasoned pipe smokers puffing on pipes that have completely charred bowl rims, typically on the side where they light up the pipe. I'd hate to see that happen to one of my pretty Dunnies. Is there a sure way to avoid this or is this the unavoidable fate of every pipe?

 

[stickframer]

Just be careful to keep the flame from the bowl edge when lighting, and don't use a torch lighter. A bic/match/zippo has a cooler burning flame.

You can clean the black goo off of rims by moistening a q-tip with saliva and rubbing it on the rim. You can also dip a q-tip in coffee and rub that on the rim.

 

[cobguy]

You can also put a little spit on the rim before lighting it up. ::

 

[Chasing Embers]

It's all about care when lighting. I have a few of my first pipes from over two decades ago with little to no char on the rim.

 

[sablebrush52]

You can also put a little spit on the rim before lighting it up.

BINGO!
All the suggestions above are good. Moistening the rim before smoking helps protect against charring as long as you don't hold a flame to the pipe for more than a couple of seconds. I always moisten the rim before lighting up. I'm also very careful to keep the flame away from the rim. Use a soft flame, a BIC, or wooden match. If you're going to use a lighter hat is not a disposable, use a pipe lighter.
Whatever you do, light carefully. I have pipes that I've owned for 25 years that have zero char on them.

 

[thomasmartin]

Great suggestions! Thanks!

 

[condorlover1]

Charred bowls are also caused by lighting your intestinal gases whilst taking ......... never mind. :rofl:

 

[aldecaker]

My preferred method is beeswax on the rim. But, if you forget to freshen up the beeswax, the good old spit trick works fine. Some people may think the coating of beeswax is overkill, but I am an outside smoker, and Southern Arizona seems to get windier every year. I can use all the help I can get avoiding char.

 

[pipebuddy]

Sometimes what seems like charring is an overbuild of tar on the top on the tobacco chamber because of a lack of maintenance and care.

 

[sablebrush52]

My preferred method is beeswax on the rim. But, if you forget to freshen up the beeswax, the good old spit trick works fine. Some people may think the coating of beeswax is overkill, but I am an outside smoker, and Southern Arizona seems to get windier every year. I can use all the help I can get avoiding char.

I'm an outdoor smoker as well. I also wax the rim. And I also use a bit o spit as a precaution. I don't think that any of it is overkill.
It surprises me that some collectors will commission a piece, ask for beautiful birdseye around the rim, and then proceed to scorch the hell out of it.

 

[rcstan]

More common with smooth tops, but as the others said, be careful, don't pack all the way to the top, don't use a glowing charcoal as an ignition source etc etc etc

 

[disinformatique]

I love my pipes more than my fiancee (now ex-fiancee). None of my pipes have charred rims.

 

[jpmcwjr]

But does the ex-financée have a charred rim? Uh, so to speak! Unlike humans, pipes just wait for your return, silently, and if one doesn't please you that day, you're onto another.....

 

[stickframer]

I haven't thought of waxing the rim or the spit trick. The best ideas are often the simplest.
Btw I am using all the restraint I can muster regarding waxing/spitting on rims. On to the next thread ASAP.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Well done! I can't believe I missed the possibilities herein. Would that be a complete Brazilian??