How to store a pipe?

[drwatson]

HHMMMM! I would think closeing it up in anything would make the smell worse, even if its lightly vented. I would have to say that anything other than a rack or rack like item won't work. Being outside doesn't seem like a very good solution either as the slightest temperature variations can screw your pipe up over time. What the heck are you smoking in there anyway? I know some burley can stink alittle right after a bowl is dumped. But they usually dry up and smell nice after a few minutes. But truly not to repeat or sound like a dick, but if you don't like the smell of the smoke (assuming while smoking)why are you smoking? I am truley curious.
Also just side note that putting a wet/damp pipe inside anything where it can't breath, could create a molding pipe.

 

[rottingcorpse]

Tarak, thanks for the advice and support.
Phil, thanks for your advice. I don't mind letting my pipe sit out for a few hours outside and then placing it in a baggy or something. Is that sitll not recommended?
Bigvan, thanks for your advice and understanding. I'm smoking a mini briar churchwarden I bought new from pipesandcigars.com. I'm currently on my second tin of Eileen's Dream (I really enjoy this tobacco). Along with my newly ordered pipe, I bought an extra and my first English blend. I have always have had a sensitivity to smells. I use mildly odored deodorant, bodywash, hariwash. This is also due to my skin break outs. I applogize if I'm coming out as a pussy or a disgrace to the pipe club (haha!), but I really do enjoy smoking the pipe and will continue no matter what.

 

[rottingcorpse]

Thanks, Doc for your advice. I love the smell of the smoke; I despise the smell after smoking (similar to an ashtray). Here's a link to the tobacco I am smoking: http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/3558/cao-eileens-dream

 

[rottingcorpse]

By the way, Doc, your avatar is so elegant! And no, you nor anyone else I've encountered on this forum came out as dickish; everyone has been super friendly and supportive.

 

[bigvan]

I think Tarak is right. Whatever it is you're smelling, you're probably going to get used to it before too long.
And what is a "mini briar churchwarden" exactly? If it's an inexpensive no-name pipe, perhaps it's too "green", meaning the briar is under-cured. That could be the cause of an inexplicable smell. And looking at the components of Eileen's Dream, I see it has (in addition to tobacco):

- frothed cream (?)

- Irish whisky

- coconut milk

- hazelnut paste

- ground almonds

- cocoa

- vanilla extract

That's a lot of burning gunk that could raise quite a stink. Especially frothed cream and coconut milk? In any event, I think once you try a non-aromatic tobacco you'll know for sure if Eileen's Dream is causing the problem.
Finally, is it possible that you are, in fact, a crazy person? No offense intended, but that would explain quite a bit.
Just checking.
JJ

 

[buster]

I smoke outside, and the ash stays outside. My pipes rest in our walk in closet in a large bowl on the shelf. My wife has said she likes the smell of the pipes. I think it's because I. Dump out and wipe clean the pipes before I. Store them?

 

[drwatson]

I just had a strange thought! If it's the smell till it dries out, try putting a cotton ball inside after you are done. It MAY help mask the smell, and allow air it get in while also absorbing some moisture. If you need a rack I am sure I have an extra laying around. Good luck to you.

 

[rottingcorpse]

Bigvan, here's a link to the pipe I own (second one down): http://www.pipesandcigars.com/pipes/74790/roma-welllington-churchwarden-ebony-pipes/

I assure you I'm sane, but I'm sure every insane person thinks they're sane. I ordered an English blend along with my new pipe. I don't think it's necessarily the tobacco, just the ash smell that I dislike. Eileen's Dream itself smells wonderful when smoking or just out of the tin.
Doc, that is a brilliant idea! I think I'll try that after I let it air out for a few hours (smoking right now). That's a very generous offer, but I only have one pipe at the moment & don't mind just leaning it up against a wall.
Thank you everyone who posted on this forum and endured my bitching.

 

[tennsmoker]

Wait, you guys actually clean your pipes?
Just kidding. I do too: Knock out the ashes in the ashtray, if it's handy, otherwise, oh, well, wherever.
I don't use a lot of those funny wire things with white fluff all over them. They will bog up the shaft something awful. Now and then, maybe a year or two in between, I'll run some grain alcohol into the shaft for a quick cleaner-roo with one of those wire brush thingys.
That's it.
Uh, as for the smells, I love 'em, ashes and all.

 

[phil67]

Phil, thanks for your advice. I don't mind letting my pipe sit out for a few hours outside and then placing it in a baggy or something. Is that sitll not recommended?

Sorry, but a few hours just won't cut it. A pipe must rest/air out after smoking for at least a minimum of a few days. This is probably a very poor analogy, but imagine jogging on a hot day, getting home and then taking off your socks to air out for an hour or so and then placing them in a zip lock bag. granted, you won;t smell them, but just wait until you open that bag! That is what is referred to as a pipe rotation. The optimum is to have enough pipes so that you can smoke a pipe (even the same pipe all day) and then letting it rest out in the OPEN for seven days so that you can smoke the next pipe in the rotation. That is why some pipe racks have room for seven pipes. One pipe for each day, and each pipe gets a seven day rest to air out. It's certainly not a strict rule by any stretch, but one that insures each pipe gets a sufficient time to rest/air out before smoking it again which would most obviously negate the idea of placing it in a air tight bag.

 

[rottingcorpse]

Phil, thanks for the warning. I'm going to try the cotton ball.

 

[tarak]

RC- I'm familiar with Eileen's Dream, I own some (don't really smoke it) and my friend is a big fan of it. It is a heavily cased (laced with sweetened syrup) tobacco - and I think bigvan probably nailed it- that's an awful lot of gunk in the pipe.
Now, hear me pipe land....I'm not trying to start an aromatic vs. non-aromatic war....but I used to smoke mostly aromatic (sweetened, cased tobaccos) and I had the same issue with pipes that seemed to stink. Over time, I grew to enjoy Virginia and VaPer tobaccos much more, which do not contain all the added flavors and such....and my pipes seem to have a minimal smell. I think there is something to that.
Some of my favorite tobaccos are McClelland Blackwoods Flake, Esoterica Tillbury, Escudo....maybe do some reading on those kind of tobaccos and see what you learn...

 

[rottingcorpse]

Thanks, Tarak. I'd hate to give it up, but I'll try the English blend with my new pipe once they come and also see how bad the after smell is. I appreciate the help.

 

[tarak]

Wellllll....if you're sensitive to smells English tobacco might not be your cup of tea! I'd suggest something without Latakia. But anyway, experiment, try some things and see what works for you.

 

[rottingcorpse]

Haha! Crap... I still have a lot to learn. All I can do now is experiment. Thanks for the help.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I've had a few tins of Eileen's Dream and it didn't gunk up the bowl and make it stinky.
I'd suggest giving the bowl a clean with a bent pipe cleaner right after smoking. Then wait a few hours for it to cool down and run a pipe cleaner through the stem, shank, and draft hole that way if you have to take the stem off it won't mess up the fitting of the stem.
I'd also warn against storing the pipe(s) outside for the same stated reasons.

 

[joshb83]

Rottingcorpse I used to have the same issue when I began, I hate the stale cigarette smell. However, I noticed two things that really mitigated the fact, I used to smoke Capt. Black because it was cheap and had a pleasant smell, but like Eileen's Dream it is very strongly cased, and I noticed the more casing the more harsh the "cigarette smell", so moving to a less cased aromatic may be a good idea, something like the Sutliff brand or even some of the Lane Ltd. versions work well. Secondly, let the pipe rest!! You may not be able to allow seven days in your rotation, but at least a day or two at the minimum, also, if you allow it to rest with the ash still in the bowl it will dry out, help form a cake better and eliminate some of that smell. IRR mine rest a day with ashes still in, it's a bit unconventional but it works for me, then after a day, I'll knock out the ashes, run a cleaner or two through and the ash smell is well past minimal. It's not proven to work, but I've noticed it helped in my starting pipes, but the quality of tobacco makes a huge difference too. Hope this helps.

 

[rottingcorpse]

Lord, Josh, thanks you both very much. That's very helpful advice. I was thinking of ordering a third pipe (a cheap corn cob or something) to allow my other two to rest. On a side note, Josh, the pipe in your avatar looks amazing! I have about 0 knowledge regarding pipes, but I think that's got to be one of the best looking pipes I've laid my eyes upon.

 

[joshb83]

I appreciate the comment. It's a Peterson Churchwarden with a Dublin style bowl. It's a very smooth and cool draw. My kids call it daddy's Fancy pipe. At least they approve Pipes and Cigars have some on sail for decently cheap. If you have any questions on suggestions, this is the best place to ask them. No dumb question and we all love to joke, and chat about piping! There is by far the biggest wealth of knowledge here on pipes than I've ever seen. Hang in there, and I'm sure it'll all work out just fine! By the way, let us know what you end up trying as a solution and what works for you! We all love to hear results as much as questions.

 

[kane]

Hmmmm.....I like the way my pipes smell, but I have to get up close to them to really smell them. I would not say that they reek, even though I am sitting here about three feet from a dozen regularly smoked pipes. The smell is tobacco, but not like cigarettes or stale at all. Leather, wood, spice, and everything nice. I smoke inside mostly, but even the room note from the burning tobacco fades away pretty quickly, and the house smells clean, not like a cig smoker's house with the lingering stale smell of cigs (no offense, cig smokers, I was one for years). Try some other blends and see what difference it makes. I would say give the pipe a good cleaning, pipe cleaners with 151 or something, maybe ream the bowl. Start fresh and see if that helps. I would let the pipe dry out for a few days and wrap it in a sock or a cloth and put it in a drawer or a shoe box, out of the way. Take care of your pipe and she will take care of you.