Clay Pipe Patina

[tdehart]

I've looked and looked and I don't see very many good examples of clay pipe patina. What I've often found are antiques that show their age but not very many are well smoked, well taken care of clays. So, I figured I'd share mine in the hopes that some of you out there are willing to do the same.
I bought my Dutch Gouda clay from Penn Valley Pipe Shoppe June 2016 and I thoroughly enjoy smoking my clay from time to time. I've only smoked virgina, english, an oriental blends thru it. I've applied regular old yellow beeswax a couple times. Other than that, I clean it out after every smoke and keep the cake from building up as much as possible.
This is what it looked like when I bought it:

...and this is what it looks like after 3 months:

...any thoughts, suggestions??? I think she's pretty...

 

[pagan]

That's really nice for 3 months, keep up with the bee's wax

 

[cosmicfolklore]

That does look really good!

 

[aldecaker]

Wow, that's pretty cool. Taken on a great look! How many bowls would you estimate you've put through it?
Also, I'm a bit ignorant when it comes to clays. Is it recommended to avoid cake, like with meers?

 

[pipesmokingtom]

Wow, that looks fantastic. It just LOOKS like history.
Time to get some clays.

 

[tdehart]

aldecaker

How many bowls would you estimate you've put through it?

...not sure, but I have 5 pipes that I rotate thru; 2 briar; 2 corn cobs; 1 clay. I don't rotate as often as I probably should but when I pick up a pipe, I use that pipe for about a week before I put it down to rest. During the weekdays I smoke on the ride to work and on the ride home. During the weekends I smoke 3-4 times a day. ...so, long answer to say - not sure.

Is it recommended to avoid cake, like with meers?

There's some good advice in these here forums on it - not alot out there but what is out there is pretty good. Funny thing is some people say to not wax it but hey, I have a problem following the crowd sometimes and maybe this is one of those times that has paid off. As for avoiding cake - Yes, its recommended to avoid cake, like with meers. One of the reasons why I like smoking my clay is it REALLY lets the full flavor of the tobacco I choose to smoke come thru. I'm no expert by any stretch but I think I once read that cake build up will diminish that clarity from coming thru - I think that's similar to what I've read about meers. (Don't have one of those yet but I'm waiting for just the right one.)

 

[fitzy]

I've got a Williamsburg clay pipe from Old Dominion Pipe Company but haven't smoked it yet. Still sitting in a bag on my pipe table.
If I ever get around to smoking it regularly I'll post a picture of it.
Old Dominion Pipe Company

 

[sthbkr77]

Are you able to get a cleaner through it or do you bake it every so often to burn off residue?

 

[tdehart]

sthbkr77

Are you able to get a cleaner through it or do you bake it every so often to burn off residue?

can't get a pipe cleaner thru the mouthpiece hole.

even tho i've read you can't and that you'll break your pipe, i've tried and a pipe cleaner just won't fit thru that hole. however, i've put a pipe cleaner in thru the chamber and into the shank with no problems at all. since that hole is so big, what i've found is that tobacco will eventually get sucked into the shank and maybe stick to the inside walls of the shank and cause a blockage - but the old "pipe cleaner thru chamber trick" seems to work just fine loosening that kind of mess up enough to blow it out.
i haven't baked it yet and i don't know that i ever will. i read somewhere that baking it burns off all that residue but it also burns off any patina. i figure i'll save that as a last resort if i can't keep it clean for some reason. every once and a while i do use a small knife of mine and scrape the inside of the chamber to get any build up off - seems to work just fine.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

Could flush the insides with water every so often as well, I would imagine.
Just stick the chamber up to the faucet and let it run.

 

[jpberg]

Was the waxing simply for looks, or is there another reason?

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

That's one fine looking clay. I have a clay tavern pipe but never thought to use beeswax.

 

[dottiewarden]

That's one fine looking clay.

I'll have to agree.

 

[andvary]

OK, that settles it, I'm getting a clay pipe. The Old Dominion No. 456 looks soooo cool. Reminds me of old Cossack pipes.

Wonder if it will survive the shipment though.

 

[jvnshr]

Wow, you have actually convinced me to smoke my clay pipe more. I can get a pipe cleaner through it though.

 

[mortonbriar]

Must be the beeswax has a hand in getting that patina? 3 months is not much smoking...looks amazing, nice photos too!
Isaac

 

[tdehart]

jpberg

Was the waxing simply for looks, or is there another reason?

...well, it was basically an experiment. I read in the forums where people said "beeswax - never on a clay!!" and I thought well if you put beeswax on a meerschaum why CAN'T you put it on a clay? ...the idea being if beeswax helps draw out the patina on something porous like a meerschaum, (yes a clay is not nearly as beautiful as a meer, but its still porous) why not see if it works on my $15 clay? If its disastrous then what the hell - I'll toss it and start over.

 

[crashthegrey]

I love that look. I haven't used beeswax on any of mine. I may have to give it a shot after seeing this. I just like the references to Sherlock's clay being black and greasy from use. To some, that's gross. To me, that's a well loved pipe. I have a real short tasting pipe I use when I don't have long to smoke, or for, you know, tasting new tobaccos. It's pretty grungy, just as I like it. I clean the inside but I let the outside get tar and oil from my hands on purpose.

 

[blueeyedogre]

Just pulled the trigger on two of DawnMist's clay cutty pipes. I have a few of the glazed Zeinth clay pipes that I enjoy quite often.

 

[tdehart]

So I'll share my experience with this little clay/beeswax experiment:
What I applied was a homemade concoction. I originally set out to make my own beardwax with the simple forumula: 1 portion of yellow beeswax to 1 portion of coconut oil. I eyeballed it (no science there). Boiled a pot of water and melted my beeswax in the coconut oil in a floating blue enameled metal camping bowl. (Homemade double boiler) Once it was melted I poured the mixture into one of those really small mason jars and let it cool. ...all stuff I have at my house on a regular basis.
When I started using the beard wax I realized, "Hey dummy, this is beeswax but it's soft and spreadable!" ..and coconut oil can be used for frying b/c it's highly resistant to oxidation. So what I did was spread it on my clay with my finger when it was cool and wiped off the excess. I'd smoke it and I could see the wax getting absorbed into the clay as my pipe heated up. (Wish I took pictures for show and tell.) In some spots, the tar would bubble thru and that's where these spot came from. I couldn't control it but I thought it was cool looking anyway so I didn't really care.

After I was done smoking, I'd wipe down the outside of my clay; clean out the inside with a paper towel or cleanex; then spread some more on like I did before. I seriously only did that 2-3 maybe 4 times. After I stopped applying the wax I obviously kept smoking it in my rotation - the tars would come thru occasionally but less and less over time. But now, like this morning when I smoked it on the way to work; the outside stays pretty much dry. It's just gotten more uniformly darker with age.
So there you have it. Probably goes against all conventional pipe care and maintenance techniques but I'm pretty happy with the result. The coconut oil by the way, never affected the flavor of any tobacco I've put thru my clay - never.