I Hate Breaking in a New Pipe

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trubka2

Lifer
Feb 27, 2019
2,470
21,640
I may have to give Estates another try. The ones I have purchased in the past were so ghosted with weird flavors that it was not worth the effort to try to smoke past it.
Super easy to fix that usually. I really only buy estates partly because I don't like breaking in new ones either. I usually run 2-3 bowls of Pegasus through them after cleanup and deghosting, and they're ready to go.
 

jon11

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 25, 2013
619
591
One thing I can say from experience is that Neerups look good but they smoke like crap.
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,256
108,360
One thing I can say from experience is that Neerups look good but they smoke like crap.
I've had two. Great pipes but just too small.

img_20150315_042120-jpg.4992
 

stogie37

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 24, 2012
673
3,489
Southport, North Carolina
Like @Country Bladesmith , I must be in the minority. I really like breaking in new pipes, (well, except for most Peterson’s - they are great, but break in is usually lengthy and not so enjoyable). I recently sold of a number of pipes in my collection and dove into Ian Walker’s Northern Briars, acquiring 9 in the past few months. I’ve smoked 7 of them so far and am absolutely loving it! I still have a dozen unsmoked Israeli Alpha’s from the early 70’s and they present such a unique old flavor upon break in that I’m “rationing” the start dates to add them into the rotation slowly :)
 

lawdawg

Lifer
Aug 25, 2016
1,792
3,801
Great looking pipes, @chasingembers

I think it might've been Neerup who made some pumpkin looking Fall pipes last year. Might've called it a harvest pipe or something along those lines. I really liked them and kind of wish I had picked one up, as I'm a sucker for seasonal things.

As to the OP, I also hate breaking in a new pipe if it doesn't come with the carbon coating. Don't much like the taste… it's a little like smoking a piece of wood.
 
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saltedplug

Lifer
Aug 20, 2013
5,194
5,097
I had a lot of pipes but don't ever remember having a problem with breaking them in. I did sometimes notice a new pipe having what I felt was a taste of uncaked briar, but the problem didn't persist long enough for me to regard it as such.
 

saltedplug

Lifer
Aug 20, 2013
5,194
5,097
Peterson break-in, Lakelands and Pipeasandcigars used to be the perennial picks for bashing. I don't see Pipesandcigar bashed anymore, and there was a long thread about Lakelands 6 mos.? ago that was quite reasonable. And I don't think Peterson has come in for a trashing, either.

What's wrong?
 
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lawdawg

Lifer
Aug 25, 2016
1,792
3,801
I had a lot of pipes but don't ever remember having a problem with breaking them in. I did sometimes notice a new pipe having what I felt was a taste of uncaked briar, but the problem didn't persist long enough for me to regard it as such.

I agree it's not a problem. Takes maybe 10 bowls to break it in. However, those are not an especially enjoyable first few bowls! Kinda like a new pair of boots. Great once they are broken in a little, but not very enjoyable the first couple times you strap them on.
 

64alex

Part of the Furniture Now
May 10, 2016
566
339
If you don't like to break in a new pipe get a meerschaum, a morta or a cob. No need to break in and IMO they all smoke better than briar.
 

hauntedmyst

Lifer
Feb 1, 2010
4,006
20,750
Chicago
They still are darkened on the inside when you buy them.... but truth-be-told.... I have always doubted the “pre-smoked” advertisement. I suspect they have a machine that rubs ash into the inside of the bowl. :)

Nope they actually have a smoking machine that smokes one bowl. It does about 12 pipes at a time. It was in P&T a decade ago. I don't care for a new presmoked pipe but the machine was pretty cool.
 
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Guppy

Might Stick Around
Sep 6, 2019
70
224
Texas
I've encountered no break-in issues with pipes I've gotten in the past few years, except for one dark, briar, Falcon bowl that was awful for a dozen, or so smokes due to their getting stain down, into the chamber. I'll never go through that again!!!
I hear you on that one. Even with sanding the inside of the bowl the first few bowls are awful. One thing I learned breaking in Falcons is that 5 Brothers is great for breaking in pipes quickly without leaving much taste behind.
 
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mngslvs

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 24, 2019
256
530
Yarmouth, Maine
Recently acquired a new Don Carlos. Bowl, as always, untreated. Smoked well from the get-go. I tend to stick with brands that have smoked consistently well for me in the past, e.g. Don Carlos, Ser Jacopo, and Castellos.....usually estates.
@dcicero : if you have a pipe with a too-tight draw, that can be remedied. For example, I just sent an estate Charatan to Walker Pipe Repair......this pipe had multiple issues, and after Mike's work it now smokes like a dream.
 
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cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
New pipes are why God created good bowl coatings. I won't buy a new pipe that doesn't have a properly coated bowl.

I do have two, NOS Ashtons with oil-treated bowls. They both broke in beautifully.
Al, just what I want to smoke, some black goo concocted by a pipe maker, not FDA approved, made from who knows what and how it reacts to fire. Could it be toxic, you don't know, I don't know, know one knows. I have tasted a couple that were disgusting and have tasted the ass of a dead rhino that was more appealing. lol
 

dcicero

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 23, 2019
591
2,880
Michigan
Recently acquired a new Don Carlos. Bowl, as always, untreated. Smoked well from the get-go. I tend to stick with brands that have smoked consistently well for me in the past, e.g. Don Carlos, Ser Jacopo, and Castellos.....usually estates.
@dcicero : if you have a pipe with a too-tight draw, that can be remedied. For example, I just sent an estate Charatan to Walker Pipe Repair......this pipe had multiple issues, and after Mike's work it now smokes like a dream.
Thanks!!