Did I break my pipe?

[tucson]

While lighting my pipe, I inhaled too strongly. I began to get this obnoxious taste which may mean I burnt the briar. I was using a Zippo lighter. Did I permanently damage the pipe? This is the first time that this has happened to me.

 

[newbroom]

Try the Bill Clinton method of pipe lighting. Did the flame leave a stain? Hardly.

 

[av8scuba]

I would doubt that you ruined your pipe. The taste could be from the Zippo fluid (usually only lasts for the first puff or two for me), or a pipe that hasn't rested enough and/or been cleaned enough. Or it could be you got the tobacco too hot and the oils/casings burned off at once for those puffs and that will also give you a bad taste for a while.
I use a Zippo with a pipe insert exclusively. If you let the flame burn for a second or two, the fluid taste should be minimal or non-existent. And I have yet to char my rim with the Zippo. You just have to pay attention to what you are doing.
Just my two cents! ::

 

[tucson]

I fixed the pipe using a pipe repair solution that contains alcohol. Now I am treating the lighting of the pipe more carefully. And yes, the Zippo chars the rim of the bowl.

 

[ravkesef]

Av is right on target. If you charred the rim, I'm guessing that you used a regular Zippo. If you use a Zippo with the pipe insert, that won't happen. Also, allow a second or two for the smell of the zippo fuel to burn off. Also, I'd like to recommend the zippo black fuel – it has a relatively low odor component. The Zippo is a great pipe later, because it burns at a fairly low temperature, only slightly higher than that of a wooden match, and about 1000° C lower than a butane lighter.