Gurgling Woes

[ksman75]

CAlabama said:

I‘ve had good luck opening up the airway of a gurgling pipe. I admit, it’s not for the feint of heart.



At least open up the shank airway. It's easy. I've done it with an electric drill. Drunk. On a Dunhill. What is it--9/64ths or some damn thing?

It may come to that eventually, but for now, letting my leaf dry to almost tender dryness has really improved the gurgling to almost nothing.

5/32” seems to be my minimum preference if I have my dithers, but I like my airways on the “breezy” side. I couldn’t quite go that large on my meerschaum’s stem because it wouldn’t leave enough “meat” on that Teflon tenon, but on wood pipes I’ve carved, I always do 5/32” minimum.

Hopefully, it won't come to that. Not that I'm squeamish, it's just more work than I'm ready to invest. For now, drying out my 'bakker' seems to be doing the job

 

[Corcoran-Rooney]

As a fellow newbie, I would advise you to be very careful if you decide to run a pipe cleaner from the stem to the bowl, then back out again. I did this, and some of the dottle the pipe cleaner picked up on the way in, came off on the mouthpiece on the way back out. And guess where it ended up after that. Yep, in my mouth. That ruined my smoke for that evening and the next, that stuff has to be the most acrid taste known to man. I learnt the hard way, please don't make the same mistake lol

 

[Corcoran-Rooney]

Also, has anyone suggested a layer of pipe mud at the bottom of the pipe? Not sure if that helps, probably not if one of the senior members have not suggested it

 

[ksman75]

As a fellow newbie, I would advise you to be very careful if you decide to run a pipe cleaner from the stem to the bowl, then back out again. I did this, and some of the dottle the pipe cleaner picked up on the way in, came off on the mouthpiece on the way back out. And guess where it ended up after that. Yep, in my mouth. That ruined my smoke for that evening and the next, that stuff has to be the most acrid taste known to man. I learnt the hard way, please don't make the same mistake lol

Don't run the pipe cleaner through the stem! Seperate the stem from the shank, and run the pipe cleaner through the shank into the bottom of the bowl, then run another cleaner through the stem. Problem solved, no gurgling (for a while) and no dottle in the mouth ?.

 

[Corcoran-Rooney]

Don't run the pipe cleaner through the stem! Seperate the stem from the shank, and run the pipe cleaner through the shank into the bottom of the bowl, then run another cleaner through the stem. Problem solved, no gurgling (for a while) and no dottle in the mouth ?.

Ah, but then you are seperating the pipe when it is hot, which according to our great oracle Muttonchop Piper, is a cardinal sin, punishable by an eternity in the fiery pits of Hades. Ha!

In all seriousness I hope some of the more senior members can help us here, because I have a pipe with the same problem. I didn't seperate as you did, because as far as I understand it, this can allow the briar to expand inside the mortice, meaning when you go to put the stem back in, it no longer fits. That's why I just rammed the pipe cleaner straight in and dug for that black gold. You know the rest lol

 

[jpmcwjr]

I never pull the stem out if I don't have to. Never, and not because I believe it's dangerous if done right. I don't because taking it out after every smoke is anal, a waste of time, and deleterious to the tenon-mortise fit over time.

I use few pipe cleaners overall as I water flush after most smokes, so the airway it pretty clear. When I do run a cleaner mid-smoke, I'll do an extra swab of the area near the bit to avoid the tars, gunk and possible dottle that may have been partially extracted from deeper in. YMMV. And, yeah, it is super mean to the taste buds.

 

[ksman75]

Ah, but then you are seperating the pipe when it is hot, which according to our great oracle Muttonchop Piper, is a cardinal sin, punishable by an eternity in the fiery pits of Hades. Ha!

In all seriousness I hope some of the more senior members can help us here, because I have a pipe with the same problem. I didn't seperate as you did, because as far as I understand it, this can allow the briar to expand inside the mortice, meaning when you go to put the stem back in, it no longer fits. That's why I just rammed the pipe cleaner straight in and dug for that black gold. You know the rest lol

I don't do it right away. I wait about 10 minutes, for it to cool down before pulling the stem. That may not be long enough, I don't know, but the bowl is cool to the touch and, famous last words, I haven't had any problems...yet.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

As a fellow newbie, I would advise you to be very careful if you decide to run a pipe cleaner from the stem to the bowl, then back out again. I did this, and some of the dottle the pipe cleaner picked up on the way in, came off on the mouthpiece on the way back out. And guess where it ended up after that. Yep, in my mouth. That ruined my smoke for that evening and the next, that stuff has to be the most acrid taste known to man. I learnt the hard way, please don't make the same mistake lol

Just part of smoking a pipe. Sometimes a tiny piece of unlit tobacco, dottle, pipe cleaner lint, or ash ends up in your mouth. Spit it out and carry on. It’ll happen with less frequency as you get better acquainted with it all.

 

[Charlie718]

As a fellow newbie, I would advise you to be very careful if you decide to run a pipe cleaner from the stem to the bowl, then back out again. I did this, and some of the dottle the pipe cleaner picked up on the way in, came off on the mouthpiece on the way back out. And guess where it ended up after that. Yep, in my mouth. That ruined my smoke for that evening and the next, that stuff has to be the most acrid taste known to man. I learnt the hard way, please don't make the same mistake lol

Yeah those little Scooby Snacks aren’t fun, but nothing a good stiff drink doesn’t cure lol.

 

[cigrmaster]

Do you own a fireplace?

 

[Corcoran-Rooney]

Yeah those little Scooby Snacks aren’t fun, but nothing a good stiff drink doesn’t cure lol.

Man, I was drinking beer at the time it happened. It didn't help. Perhaps a good Scottish whisky would have done the trick.

 

[ksman75]

Man, I was drinking beer at the time it happened. It didn't help. Perhaps a good Scottish whisky would have done the trick.

What you need is a good single malt, single barrel or extra stout ?.

 

[Corcoran-Rooney]

I never pull the stem out if I don't have to. Never, and not because I believe it's dangerous if done right. I don't because taking it out after every smoke is anal, a waste of time, and deleterious to the tenon-mortise fit over time.

I use few pipe cleaners overall as I water flush after most smokes, so the airway it pretty clear. When I do run a cleaner mid-smoke, I'll do an extra swab of the area near the bit to avoid the tars, gunk and possible dottle that may have been partially extracted from deeper in. YMMV. And, yeah, it is super mean to the taste buds.

But when you say you do an extra swab near the area of the bit, what exactly do you mean? So in a live smoke, in my experience once you insert the pipe cleaner in the bit, if it picks up any gunk, as you extract the cleaner, the gunk will concertina in the inside of the mouthpiece. It seems to me that any extra swabs would run into the same danger, and the only way to avoid this danger is to remove the stem and pull the cleaner straight through. But then of course if we do this on a regular basis we run into the dangers of the tenon mortise not fitting. It's a quandary, but I may have to start removing the stem and fish for the black gold that way, I never, ever, wnat that dottle near my mouth again. It's Satan's shit lol

 

[Corcoran-Rooney]

What you need is a good single malt, single barrel or extra stout ?.

I'm open for suggestions brother, and if you can match a bacca with a good single malt, so much the better

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Perhaps it's time to switch to cigars.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

I'm open for suggestions brother, and if you can match a bacca with a good single malt, so much the better

Perhaps a peaty single malt with a heavy Lakatia blend.

 

[sandollars]

I gets so wet, I go through both ends of two pipe cleaners each bowl I smoke. It's a real PITA.

I balk at the thought of dumping the pipe. Other than the gurgling, I really like it.

Sounds like a bummer pipe.

The good news is you can "flick" the moisture out of it if you are outside. Just take your thumb and put it over the bowl (this is best done when the pipe has gone out or is half-smoked otherwise you risk burning your thumb...) and you flick the pipe as if you are trying to shake the water out the mouth side of the stem. It works great.

I used to have to do it with my Peterson's. I have since dumped them, on eBay...

Life is to short to have to put up with a crap pipe....

 

[OzPiper]

What you need is a good single malt, single barrel or extra stout ?.

Lagavulin or Aardberg

 

[SpookedPiper]

Full bents tend to gurgle, it think more so than straight pipes for several reasons. I think the surface area to absorb wetness is smaller vs a straight pipe and the the pipe cleaners don't always make it all the way to the bottom of the bowl.

There are plenty of other reasons other than form that will add to gurgle such as the dampness of the tobacco and age of the briar. That's a major reason I am less hesitant to buy new pipes theses days as the old estates have been pretty decent smokers.

Keep at it! build some cake and don't over fill the chamber that way the cake can build closer to the bottom to help absorb the fluid.

If all else fails....turn it into a plantar?!

 

[jpmcwjr]

But when you say you do an extra swab near the area of the bit, what exactly do you mean? So in a live smoke, in my experience once you insert the pipe cleaner in the bit, if it picks up any gunk, as you extract the cleaner, the gunk will concertina in the inside of the mouthpiece. It seems to me that any extra swabs would run into the same danger, and the only way to avoid this danger is to remove the stem and pull the cleaner straight through. But then of course if we do this on a regular basis we run into the dangers of the tenon mortise not fitting. It's a quandary, but I may have to start removing the stem and fish for the black gold that way, I never, ever, wnat that dottle near my mouth again. It's Satan's shit lol

It'll become clear over time.

To clarify, I use the large and clean end of a tapered pipe cleaner and put it in just an inch or so. Just the tip, so to speak! When I withdraw it, it should be clean of debris, or I stick another one in just a bit farther.

I know I've set up room for puns etc. and I am sure someone won't resist!