I Hate Breaking in a New Pipe

[ssjones]

Ah, note that I said "good bowl coating" and a "proper coating". Like Rick Newcombe, I discovered a good coating is not noticable and makes break-in a snap. Most artisan makers now use an activated charcoal & gelatin based coating (Kyriazanos, Asteriou, etc.) Both ingredients defiitely FDA approved. I had two uncoated Rad Davis pipes which were awful to break in. I vowed never to buy a new uncoated pipe again. I don't think anyone is using the old water-glass coatings that were favored 20 years ago.

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

 

[instymp]

I just bought a Peterson Donegal Rocky 03 Fishtail & it smoked good after 6-7 bowls in 2 days.
Loaded & smoke.

I didn't mean to include the link.
Sorry, just thought I was copying the description.

 

[Papamique]

I do not look forward to breaking in a new pipe. Some don’t mind or notice the break in period but I do. Thousands of other pipe smokers in days gone by have dreaded the break in period too. A lot of old ads mention this as a marketing point.
I tend to grab old faithful(s) so it takes me months to get 20 bowls in a new pipe. I also just load it to the top right off the bat and smoke to the bottom like any other pipe. I have a half dozen unsmoked pipes that are sitting patiently waiting for me to get the desire to break them in and 3 current ones that are in this process.
My Mastro De Paja smoked great from the start as did my unsmoked Caminetto. Those were the minority. Once a pipe turns the corner it is a joy though.

 

[ben88]

Ah, note that I said "good bowl coating" and a "proper coating". Like Rick Newcombe, I discovered a good coating is not noticable and makes break-in a snap. Most artisan makers now use an activated charcoal & gelatin based coating (Kyriazanos, Asteriou, etc.) Both ingredients defiitely FDA approved. I had two uncoated Rad Davis pipes which were awful to break in. I vowed never to buy a new uncoated pipe again. I don't think anyone is using the old water-glass coatings that were favored 20 years ago.

Is there a recipe for such coating? Thanks

 

[ssjones]

Is there a recipe for such coating? Thanks

It appears to be a custom blend by maker, but here's a thread on the subject from the Pipemakers forum:

Bowl Coating Magic - pipemakersforum.com

www.pipemakersforum.com

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

i just received two new Rubios. Both hate bowl, no coating. Smoked a full bowl in one earlier this evening. Marvelous. Smoking a bowl of 2012 Best Brown Flake in the other. Also marvelous. Not sure I understand all these problems and anxiety. I think it is a figment of the imagination. If I had a pipe that took 20 bowls before it started smoking good, I'd throw it away long before I reached that point.

 

[fightnhampster]

I do not look forward to breaking in a new pipe. Some don’t mind or notice the break in period but I do. Thousands of other pipe smokers in days gone by have dreaded the break in period too. A lot of old ads mention this as a marketing point.
I tend to grab old faithful(s) so it takes me months to get 20 bowls in a new pipe. I also just load it to the top right off the bat and smoke to the bottom like any other pipe. I have a half dozen unsmoked pipes that are sitting patiently waiting for me to get the desire to break them in and 3 current ones that are in this process.
My Mastro De Paja smoked great from the start as did my unsmoked Caminetto. Those were the minority. Once a pipe turns the corner it is a joy though.

You put it more succinctly then I did ?

I also just load up and smoke to the bottom. Never did the 1/3 2/3 8/47 thing.

I'm smoking a bowl of Barbary Coast in it now. It tastes the same as the bowl of Carter Hall and Stormfront I had in it. Not horrible, just not getting any of the regular nuances of those blends.

 

[Papamique]

Here is one example of the marketing in days past...”thus doing away with that objectionable breaking in”

If this was all an illusion and just in your mind, making it all up then there were many others that were imagining this.

 

[ssjones]

Here is one example of the marketing in days past...”thus doing away with that objectionable breaking in”
View attachment 35933
If this was all an illusion and just in your mind, making it all up then there were many others that were imagining this.

I have an NOS Sasieni Ashford that had the factory bowl coating. I smoked it for the first time the day my granddaughter was born - smoked like an old friend from the start and zero taste effect. I don't think it has been definitively determined what they used. But, it worked!

 

[magicpiper]

I load new pipes with Sir Walter Raleigh and freight train the crap out of them.

 

[wyfbane]

To the OP: That is a fine looking pipe!

As to breaking in, I just load and go. I can't recall an experience where it took that many smokes to break in a pipe, but the vast majority of my pipes are estates. It does take me about 3-5 smokes to get a cob going right.

 

[hawky454]

That’s pretty odd, I own 7 Neerup pipes and I’ve never had one smoke bad right off the bat, all of them smoke great with a nice wide open draw. I’d say stick with it and you will be rewarded! I love my Neerup (P. Jeppssen) pipes.

 

[alexnc]

Ah, note that I said "good bowl coating" and a "proper coating". Like Rick Newcombe, I discovered a good coating is not noticable and makes break-in a snap. Most artisan makers now use an activated charcoal & gelatin based coating (Kyriazanos, Asteriou, etc.) Both ingredients defiitely FDA approved. I had two uncoated Rad Davis pipes which were awful to break in. I vowed never to buy a new uncoated pipe again. I don't think anyone is using the old water-glass coatings that were favored 20 years ago.

What would be a good geletin base to try? I’ve coated with maple syrup and filled with activated charcoal but I don’t think it tastes great

 

[alexnc]

What would be a good geletin base to try? I’ve coated with maple syrup and filled with activated charcoal but I don’t think it tastes great

And! Could the source of the activated charcoal make a difference? I used ‘sourced from natural vegetables’ rather than ‘hard wood’ specifically

 

[Country Bladesmith]

And! Could the source of the activated charcoal make a difference? I used ‘sourced from natural vegetables’ rather than ‘hard wood’ specifically

I wouldn’t think. But I could be wrong.

 

[greeneyes]

I was under the impression that modern briar curing techniques obviated the need for a "breaking in" period. The concept is aholdover from the days when "green" briar was used, and needed to be seasoned by smoking.

I understand that some pipes might require breaking in, but I don't recall ever having had an unpleasant experience smoking a new pipe (with or without bowl coating) that I could attribute to it not being broken in.

I have a feeling this is somewhat of a myth, perpetuated marketing and advertising executives over the years and promulgated by some of the wonderful old advertisements we're all familiar with.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

I was under the impression that modern briar curing techniques obviated the need for a "breaking in" period. The concept is aholdover from the days when "green" briar was used, and needed to be seasoned by smoking.

I understand that some pipes might require breaking in, but I don't recall ever having had an unpleasant experience smoking a new pipe (with or without bowl coating) that I could attribute to it not being broken in.

I have a feeling this is somewhat of a myth, perpetuated marketing and advertising executives over the years and promulgated by some of the wonderful old advertisements we're all familiar with.

“Breaking in” may not mean the same thing as it once did. I can’t say, because I wasn’t around when “green” briar was used. But there is a distinct difference in taste between a new pipe and one that’s been well-smoked. Not enough to bother me, or keep me from smoking a new one, but it’s notable. I think that may be what others are referring to when they say “breaking in” a pipe.

 

[alexnc]

I think green briar may be what I'm concerned with and wanting to coat. Maybe not green per se, maybe well aged vs not. I've only made a few pipes, but several were made with briar that was dark and was claimed to be 45 years old. They smoked great right off the bat and in those pipes the chambers looked great afterwards. I've made a few out of briar that's very light colored with no claim of age (but sold as cured and ready from a reputable source that I know is really popular). Of those half had excessive charring during break in that appears to have damaged the chamber with normal use, I'm not freight training them - of the many many pipes I've broken in I've never seen anything like it before. I took one cleaned the char up and coated it and started over. After 9 or 10 bowls it looks great and finally tastes good. So, unless I know the briar is decades old and it's dark looking, I'm going to coat them to protect them during break in. I also note that the darker, older briar is harder and denser. It's harder to cut, harder to drill, and the chambers are smoother with no fuss.

 

[seanv]

I was under the impression that modern briar curing techniques obviated the need for a "breaking in" period. The concept is aholdover from the days when "green" briar was used, and needed to be seasoned by smoking.

I understand that some pipes might require breaking in, but I don't recall ever having had an unpleasant experience smoking a new pipe (with or without bowl coating) that I could attribute to it not being broken in.

I have a feeling this is somewhat of a myth, perpetuated marketing and advertising executives over the years and promulgated by some of the wonderful old advertisements we're all familiar with.

I agreed with this point until I bought this new Chacom. The first bowl was a blend that I know quite well and it was terrible. I cant describe how bad it was. I started smoking codger style burleys in it for close to a dozen smokes and now it is starting to taste normal.