How to Break in a Brand New Pipe?

[Chasing Embers]

A cob or meerschaum really don't need a cake.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Cake only builds up when a bowl is not cleaned properly after a smoke, be it a half bowl or a full bowl.

Unless you take a reamer or a blade to a pipe, a smoked pipe will build a carbon cake after time. Sometimes years.

 

[mso489]

A number of "us" don't build cake in our briars. We scoop out the ash, wipe out the bowl, clean out the airway with a pipe cleaner, and buff the pipe with a cloth. This allows a thin carbon layer that does the job of cake, preserves the size of the chamber, and eliminates the need for a reamer. I have pipes I have had for forty years on this regime, and they smoke great and wear extremely well. No rules on this. Some people consider cake-building one of the central joys of pipe smoking. Likewise, I find this other method best for me, as do a number of other Forums members.

 

[cortezattic]

Russ Ouellette's discussion on breaking-in a pipe makes sense to me.

 

[sablebrush52]

Yep, good article. Smoke it and clean it after you're done. Repeat. Swab out the chamber walls with a pipe cleaner or two after a smoke to build a hard thin cake over time. Once you stop tasting heated wood in your smoke, your pipe's broken in.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Forgive me chaps but I think the OP has left the building.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[spanishkarl]

Smoke it, and when finished with a bowl loosen the ashes and shake them around a bit before emptying the pipe. Only clean the bowl lightly every few bowls until you start seeing a cake.

 

[jpmcwjr]

The above implies that the smoker wants a loose and unstable build up of cake. Many of us want a thin and hard cake, and so remove the ash after a smoke, whether through a hot water rinse, swab with a paper towel or bent pipe cleaner.

 

[sablebrush52]

Forgive me chaps but I think the OP has left the building.
Regards,
Jay.

Jay,
After the first few responses, nobody cares about the OP. We're just gabbing sharing. It's what we do.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yep, this is why I rarely ever consider that a post "belongs" to someone. They may start the thread, but it is up to everyone else to bring it to life,.. and sometimes kill it, ha ha.

 

[bluegrasspipe]

Even if Elvis has left the building...

Lots of new piper's, myself included, tend to overthink things to the max.

I am guilty of that as I delve deeper into the hobby. I think back to when I was in my 20's and far more destructive. I had a basket churchwarden and a falcon that I didn't care about at all, both were smoked heavily, hardly ever cleaned, not rested and had a great cake seemingly very quick. (Mostly 1Q in those days).

Now I have been breaking in my Urano Ardor Fantasy for a couple of months and it still has a ways to go.

My point being what really matters is the journey not the destination. Enjoy the relaxing little moments in your life before they are gone! ::

 

[instymp]

I can remember in the old days when I got my first pipe, (Not really but pretend) there were many that recommended smearing a little bit of grape jelly in the bowl. So I did it.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"After the first few responses, nobody cares about the OP. We're just gabbing sharing. It's what we do."
Fair do's Jesse, I can see that would be useful to others ::
Regards,
Jay.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I can remember in the old days when I got my first pipe, (Not really but pretend) there were many that recommended smearing a little bit of grape jelly in the bowl. So I did it.

Must be the same group that puts new campers up to snipe hunts.

 

[danielplainview]

 

[davet]

^^ One of the few pipe videos I liked ^^ :rofl:

 

[bluegrasspipe]

:laughat: Nice lighter..

 

[scrumpyjack]

I tend to leave more dottle in a pipe than others probably do. I don't worry so much about cake in the heel. Load that sucker up and smoke it. If you're looking to build cake just smoke it down to the bottom. Load her up again and go. Don't smoke it too hot and the rest will take care of itself.

 

[jpmcwjr]

By any chance,have you noticed how some pipe manufacturers(mostly French&Italy maker) are including leaflets with em pipes where they urge us smokers to start smoking new pips only with partially filled bowls.

And just about every maker in London and New York, and all tobacco shops here and abroad 50+ years ago had the same advice. I did it a few months ago on a new pipe just for grins. Takes longer, and the results are......
Virtually the same.
And they all warned against ever letting water get in contact with their pipes----- as they were also selling magical liquids for quite a lot to "refresh" the pipe.

 

[woodsroad]