Today I received an almost new Mastercraft meerschaum in the mail and I’ve smoked it three times, and one smoke each for about four other different pipes.
Years ago I decided the best amount of cake for a briar was not “the thickness of dime” as I was taught, but just enough cake to see that it’s caked.
There is moisture in tobacco, and I think most of it goes into the briar of a pipe.
Smoke the pipe once, and ideally don’t smoke that one again until it’s fully dried out. As many pipes as I have that might be weeks, months, even years.
Many years ago my pipes would gurgle, get hot, and either bite my tongue or burn my mouth, and now they never, ever do.
A lot of that is learned technique.
And I no longer own (except a few to remember) a hot, bad smoking pipe.
Good, hard, well flavored, well grained, well cured, well maintained and rested briar gives delicious smokes.
My pipes are all kept clean using 190 proof Everlear, most of them cleaned after one smoke, and rested. They sure look nice, because I use olive oil to keep them new looking.
I think I like messing with my pipes as much as smoking them.
The vast majority of my pipe accumulation are now standard sized standard shaped higher quality factory smoker Ward Cleaver style used eBay purchases at maybe twenty some dollars average each. I have some Danish pipes, meerschaums, cobs, some novelties, and one calabash.
I am just the custodian of my pipes, during my time enjoying them.
When I no longer can, every one would sell for what I paid, if my kids don’t want them.
The Good Lord never subtracts from your net worth the amount you spend on pikes and tobacco.
You’d just blow that on something else.
Years ago I decided the best amount of cake for a briar was not “the thickness of dime” as I was taught, but just enough cake to see that it’s caked.
There is moisture in tobacco, and I think most of it goes into the briar of a pipe.
Smoke the pipe once, and ideally don’t smoke that one again until it’s fully dried out. As many pipes as I have that might be weeks, months, even years.
Many years ago my pipes would gurgle, get hot, and either bite my tongue or burn my mouth, and now they never, ever do.
A lot of that is learned technique.
And I no longer own (except a few to remember) a hot, bad smoking pipe.
Good, hard, well flavored, well grained, well cured, well maintained and rested briar gives delicious smokes.
My pipes are all kept clean using 190 proof Everlear, most of them cleaned after one smoke, and rested. They sure look nice, because I use olive oil to keep them new looking.
I think I like messing with my pipes as much as smoking them.
The vast majority of my pipe accumulation are now standard sized standard shaped higher quality factory smoker Ward Cleaver style used eBay purchases at maybe twenty some dollars average each. I have some Danish pipes, meerschaums, cobs, some novelties, and one calabash.
I am just the custodian of my pipes, during my time enjoying them.
When I no longer can, every one would sell for what I paid, if my kids don’t want them.
The Good Lord never subtracts from your net worth the amount you spend on pikes and tobacco.
You’d just blow that on something else.