Good Straight Out Of The Box

[Morrison Jeremiah]

My Ashton Cherrywood Quaint, which I've had for three months, smoked really well from the word go, and has improved stage by stage.
I've had a couple of bowls out of it today which were totally sublime. That is what prompted me to post this thread.

The only other pipes I have that smoked well straight out of the box are two Northern Briars. Yhey were good from the start and have stayed the same, no change, and I'm certainly not complaining.
I have another Northern Briars on order, a bulldog, which should be ready by the end of October.
After that I think it's going to have to be another Ashton.

What experience do you guys have with pipes that smoked well straight out of the box ?

 

[sablebrush52]

All of mine have smoked fine form the beginning. I've not yet experienced a "breaking in" period of any significance with any of the pipes I bought new.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

Since I've just started smoking tobacco again after taking a few years off, but having expanded my collection significantly in that time, and I'm still only smoking two bowls per-week, means I'm smoking nothing but virgin briar until the end of the year.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

I thought you were taking about a straight razor.???

 

[cosmicfolklore]

There have only been a few new pipes that I didn't enjoy the first few bowls most out of, and that was because of bowl coatings. I love how a new pipe just sings that fresh, first smoked briar aroma. Love it!!

 

[lawdawg]

All of mine have smoked fine form the beginning. I've not yet experienced a "breaking in" period of any significance with any of the pipes I bought new.

Just my two cents: In pipes that come with exposed untreated briar inside the bowl, the pipe tends to impart a rather unpleasant flavor for maybe the first five or ten bowls, at least until the exposed briar becomes coated.

I appreciate pipes that come with a pre-carbonized bowl, as they don't require any break in period.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Just my two cents: In pipes that come with exposed untreated briar inside the bowl, the pipe tends to impart a rather unpleasant flavor for maybe the first five or ten bowls, at least until the exposed briar becomes coated.

I appreciate pipes that come with a pre-carbonized bowl, as they don't require any break in period.

Well said as my Peterson would attest.

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

All of mine have smoked fine form the beginning. I've not yet experienced a "breaking in" period of any significance with any of the pipes I bought new.

You've been at this game for a lot longer than I have, and developed good judgement.

As a pipe smoker of 14 years, and not initially being into pipes per se, I feel I've only just started developing my judgement of what's a good pipe and what isn't so good.

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

I appreciate pipes that come with a pre-carbonized bowl, as they don't require any break in period.

The Northern Briars and the Ashton both have pre carbonised bowls.
I know some people sand them out, but I thought, hey, these pipemakers are the experts, who am I to argue. So I left them as they were.
Glad I did.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

The Northern Briars and the Ashton both have pre carbonised bowls.
I know some people sand them out, but I thought, hey, these pipemakers are the experts, who am I to argue. So I left them as they were.
Glad I did.

Not all bowl coatings are created equally. A few pipemakers, Ferndowns especially come to mind, use a coating that just leaves a taste that sucks the saliva out of your mouth, leaving a bad after taste for a long while after smoking. Ferndowns especially, I suggest people sand them out. Northern Briars, and many others use a coating that doesn't bother me. But, one of the things I love about Ardors is their bare wood bowls, love them, love them.

 

[DAR]

I haven't had many pipes that don't smoke well right out of the box but my Ser Jacopo Pictas have been especially fantastic right out of the box. I can always count on Ser Jacopo to deliver what I want. I have also had a couple of Don Carlos that were great right out of the box and just went downhill from there for no apparent reason.

 

[hauntedmyst]

Upshalls were a pipe that I found needed breaking in. I have no idea why but they are fantastic smokers after 5 to 10 bowls. Most others are pretty good out of the gate.

 

[spike]

None. I never fill up a new pipe out of the box and smoke it like my regular pipes. I always use the honey treatment to break in a new pipe, bowl coating or bare, and begin the break-in
process with a quarter bowl, half bowl, three quarters bowl, and then full bowl after three days.

It has worked after 40 years of pipe smoking.

 

[Bax Burley]

I've never had a bad experience with a brand new pipe. I enjoy breaking them in and getting comfortable with them, but sometimes I love that new pipe taste. Sometimes it takes several smokes to burn off that carbon taste with Rossis and Stanwells, I've noticed, though.

 

[ChuckMijo]

I always have a issue with the pipe either not clenching comfortable, the stem is to thick or thin, it has a taper I don’t like. The button is to big or too small. Oh shit it’s not a sitter. Since we can’t test drive new pipes, this is what I go through.

 

[sablebrush52]

Just my two cents: In pipes that come with exposed untreated briar inside the bowl, the pipe tends to impart a rather unpleasant flavor for maybe the first five or ten bowls, at least until the exposed briar becomes coated.

I appreciate pipes that come with a pre-carbonized bowl, as they don't require any break in period.

Even with uncoated bowls, I haven't experienced any significant break in period. Guess I've been lucky in that I haven't found the scent of briar in any of those pipes to be unpleasant. Maybe it has something to do with the manufacturer. For example, people often share about going through significant break in periods with Petersons, after which they're quite happy with them. My new pipes, which are artisan made, just tend to smoke fine from the get go. And that may have something to do with whose pipes I buy.

 

[chopper]

Can't stand coatings.
The worst was a Road Town Poker. Tasted like a chemical factory.
It's the only time I'm able to recall dumping a bowl.
That's when I learnt, as Cosmic recommends, to sandpaper that shit off back to bare briar.

All of the pipes in my rotation were good from the get go.
A good bit of briar does not need rigorous breaking in. First bowl is half full after the true light. After that I fill them to the top.

MM cobs on the other hand; I really do not like breaking in a new cob. It takes three bowls before the vegetal taste disappears. Then they're great smokers. [I've got 9 new cobs in the mail]

 

[chopper]

I always have a issue with the pipe either not clenching comfortable, the stem is to thick or thin, it has a taper I don’t like. The button is to big or too small. Oh shit it’s not a sitter. Since we can’t test drive new pipes, this is what I go through.

Yet another reason to be glad that I'm not a clencher.
Who knew so much was involved and to consider?

If I was that particular about stems, I'd find a quality stem maker to make new stems for my pipes to my exact specifications.
Ever considered that? It's not that expensive; certainly worth it if it makes puffing more enjoyable for you.

And as a clencher, you probably chew the crap out of them just kidding but you then wouldn't have to worry about tooth chatter if you ever come to sell it because you have the original stem.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

The Northern Briars and the Ashton both have pre carbonised bowls.
I know some people sand them out, but I thought, hey, these pipemakers are the experts, who am I to argue. So I left them as they were.
Glad I did.

Despite the bowl coating ,All of my brand new Ashtons, The White Spot Dunhills and Blakemar Briars smoke well with no ill effects,right from the 'get go'

 

[lawdawg]

Even with uncoated bowls, I haven't experienced any significant break in period. Guess I've been lucky in that I haven't found the scent of briar in any of those pipes to be unpleasant. Maybe it has something to do with the manufacturer. For example, people often share about going through significant break in periods with Petersons, after which they're quite happy with them. My new pipes, which are artisan made, just tend to smoke fine from the get go. And that may have something to do with whose pipes I buy.

In my case, the taste imparted by the exposed briar is just a matter of preference. I don't like it. Some might. It's really a very minor issue anyhow, though I do prefer the pre-carbonized bowls since I can just fill 'er up and have a very enjoyable smoke from the first bowl on.