Same here. All of my pipes have a "thin hard carbon layer" which is far more preferable than an ugly thick crumbly layer of cake IMO.
When paper towel is not close at hand I just use my finger to wipe the bowl
Help with Breaking In My Pipe
- Thread starter Boyce999UK
- Start date
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Same here. All of my pipes have a "thin hard carbon layer" which is far more preferable than an ugly thick crumbly layer of cake IMO.
When paper towel is not close at hand I just use my finger to wipe the bowl
Missouri Meerschaum cobs are very good smokers in my experience.
Just so you're aware @Boyce999UK , an MM cob gives off a vegetal taste the first 2-3 bowls [no need to half fill a cob to break it in] and the hardwood stem protrudes into the chamber that gives off a taste when at the bottom of the bowl - when I taste the hardwood, I add a touch of tobacco and fire it up to get the protrusion smouldering.
Do that 2-3 times and it's burnt back to the chamber wall.
Once 'broken in', all three of my MM cobs smoke just as well as my more expensive briars.
Just so you're aware @Boyce999UK , an MM cob gives off a vegetal taste the first 2-3 bowls [no need to half fill a cob to break it in] and the hardwood stem protrudes into the chamber that gives off a taste when at the bottom of the bowl - when I taste the hardwood, I add a touch of tobacco and fire it up to get the protrusion smouldering.
Do that 2-3 times and it's burnt back to the chamber wall.
Once 'broken in', all three of my MM cobs smoke just as well as my more expensive briars.
Massive thank you to everyone. You’re knowledge has definitely helped and given me food for thought
I remember reading in an old book on pipe smoking of the rule of fifths. For the first week, fill the pipe only 1/5 full and smoke it to the bottom once per day. The second week, fill it 2/5 full; third week 3/5 full, etc. This is supposed to create the perfect char and break the pipe in properly. I'm simply not that patient, organized, or anal-retentive! YMMV
Usually hammer works pretty well. But, a lot of smokers don't break in the pipes at all. Just fill up the pipe and smoke it. After the smoke, clean the pipe.
If you must break-in the pipe, smoke till the bottom, block the opening, and shake the ash all over the chamber. Once you notice things clinging on the wall, that's the "cake".
If you must break-in the pipe, smoke till the bottom, block the opening, and shake the ash all over the chamber. Once you notice things clinging on the wall, that's the "cake".
No, that's not right, unless you want a soft crumbly and uneven cake. You - or at least most of us- don't want ash to be a component of our cake.
Clean hard - and usually thin- cake happens without ash.
Enjoy!
Clean hard - and usually thin- cake happens without ash.
Enjoy!