flaking cake

[jimbo]

While I have been smoking pipes for years, there is still a "bone of contention" that I haven't mastered yet. Namely, how to get and keep a nice, even cake in my briars.
I think I have started a nice cake in a pipe when, to my consternation, I notice a big flake of the cake has slaughed off, down to bare wood. What is causing this?
Years ago, I used to gently "scrape" my tamper down the walls of the pipe when tamping. I have been told this causes the flake offs. So I switched to not touching the inside wall with the tamper... tamping the tobac only in the middle... to build a cake quickly. But, I'm still getting flakes of cake letting go of the side walls.
I read the suggestions in the "cake thickness" thread, many saying to "corkscrew" a dry paper towel in the bowl after smoking. I have done this only on my meers to prevent any cake starting. Does this make for a more rubust, even (if slower forming) cake in the briars? I have tried the "shake ashes up before dumping" technique to start the cake, but don't wipe them out. What am I doing wrong?

 

[cortezattic]

IMO wiping the bowl with a paper towel during the break-in produces a more durable carbon cake -- but it takes a long time.

Russ Ouellette has a blog at PipesAndCigars where he says:

The next issue is in treating the chamber with fluids like honey or saliva to accelerate the build up of cake. I strongly disagree with this approach. Using anything to expedite the development of a carbon layer generally leads to a soft crumbly cake. Then, when you ream the chamber, the carbon can come out in chunks, leaving thin or bare spots where the heat can attack the wood.

 

[papipeguy]

I never coat the bowl. Most pipes come with a coating in them but if you buy one with bare wood in the bowl the traditional wisdom passed to me is smoke 1/3 of a bowl and the 1/2 until you see the cake building and then go fo it. I usually just load up and fire up. You should see a good cake building after about 6 bowls. Cortezattic's practice of wiping the bowl after it cools is sound advice.

 

[pstlpkr]

IMO wiping the bowl with a paper towel during the break-in produces a more durable carbon cake

Larry has it exactly right. I recommend you "screw" in a paper towel with some considerable force but not too much. And, only when your pipe is still warm.

I personally prefer a thin cake. By using this method I produce a thin consistent and very smooth cake. It doesn't have to be done after every smoke, but when you think it needs it.
As for scraping the cake... that has always given me the willies. I prefer to use a rounded knife blade when the cake needs some serious attention... which is rarely now-a-days.
I have found that the blades I make on my pipe tools from ebony serve this purpose very well and will not damage the pipe at all.

 

[jimbo]

Thanks for the tips guys. You're never too old to learn something. :worship:

 

[bubbadreier]

Wow I love those tampers Lawrence!

 

[pstlpkr]

Thank you Bubba.

 

[igloo]

Paper towel is the way to go YMMV .

 

[capnbellamy]

Only on this forum, and probably nowhere else in the world, would you find a topic called "flaking cake"..

 

[jasongone]

been doing th epaper towel thing, and i can notice the difference looking at the forming cake after. thanks guys.