Is a Burnt Wall Something to Worry about?

[satori]

So recently I bought this Savinelli Autograph (brand new) and looks like there is a "hot spot" or something (not sure what's the word, looks like a hole started developing there). I'm smoking pipes for around 15 years and this never happened before.
I'm 100% sure I didn't smoke it hot. The chamber was "precarbonized" from the factory.

Is this something to worry about, or should I just go ahead and smoke it? Return it to Savinelli? Make ash+spit cement and fill it?

Thanks

 

[OzPiper]

Yes, pack with pipe mud.
Lots of recipes for "mud"
I make it up with just cigar ash and water. Works fine for me.
Just be careful to add water a very little at a time. You want a somewhat sticky consistency (you can form a "ball")

 

[anotherbob]

that's a little burnout. They happen. It's from my understanding because there are little pits in that area. And that lets the briar burn easily. That's the whole reason for breaking in a pipe from my understanding. Also why when you buy a pipe at a store they often offer the honey treatment. But the pipe mud will fix it. And when we say fix it we mean in a little bit it will smoke as good as if that never happened.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Pipe mud can be dislodged when cleaning. I'd use fireplace mortar for a permanent fix.

 

[dunnyboy]

If the vendor will take it back, why not return it and eliminate the worry.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Looks like that pipe has a really thick wall right there. I think you'll be fine. You can pack some me in but if you just smoke it a bit carefully, it will fill in with Cake over time.

 

[mso489]

If you build cake, that will help too. I don't, so I'd have to rely on the pipe mud or fireplace mortar only, but I think that would work. It's unfortunate this happened with an up-market pipe, but I think it is fixable.

 

[satori]

Thanks for replies everyone, I think I'll try to return it.
Fun fact - looks like it happened on another pipe I bought at the same time as this one. And that pipe is Savinelli Autograph too :/ Although the "crater" is somewhat smaller.
This is the first time I bought pipes that cost that much. Never had issues with cheaper ones.

That's some nice luck right there...

 

[jpmcwjr]

Where and how did you buy it? Where are you living?

 

[BROBS]

Did you scrape at it?

 

[satori]

Where and how did you buy it? Where are you living?

I bought it from savinelli.it

I live in Europe

Did you scrape at it?

I always clean the bowl after smoking with my fingers (when I'm breaking in my new pipes) - so then I noticed a little "crater" - I scraped it gently after that

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Thanks for replies everyone, I think I'll try to return it.
Fun fact - looks like it happened on another pipe I bought at the same time as this one. And that pipe is Savinelli Autograph too :/ Although the "crater" is somewhat smaller.
This is the first time I bought pipes that cost that much. Never had issues with cheaper ones.

That's some nice luck right there...

If you have two out of two, either you're the unluckiest person alive or you're doing something wrong. Based upon my own experience, I put sandpit voids in the bowl at approximately 1 in 150. And they've always showe up in the first few bowls in my experience. I had one about 1/2 way up on a rather thin bowled pipe that burnt all the way through. The second was in the area yours is and it showed up after the second bowl. Your photos look like a pipe that's been smoked for awhile.

Not trying to pick on you but I can't help but wonder if you haven't tried smoking to the bottom of the bowl too much and caused that burnout by lighting too much.

 

[mingc]

If you have two out of two, either you're the unluckiest person alive or you're doing something wrong. Based upon my own experience, I put sandpit voids in the bowl at approximately 1 in 150.

Random things happen like that. They aren't spread out evenly in time. I never had a flat car tire in my life until 2 years ago. Then I had 3 in 2 years.

 

[satori]

If you have two out of two, either you're the unluckiest person alive or you're doing something wrong. Based upon my own experience, I put sandpit voids in the bowl at approximately 1 in 150. And they've always showe up in the first few bowls in my experience. I had one about 1/2 way up on a rather thin bowled pipe that burnt all the way through. The second was in the area yours is and it showed up after the second bowl. Your photos look like a pipe that's been smoked for awhile.

Not trying to pick on you but I can't help but wonder if you haven't tried smoking to the bottom of the bowl too much and caused that burnout by lighting too much.

Each of those 2 pipes were smoked 3 times (I received them this Tuesday)
It had a "carbon" layer already from the factory, that's why it maybe looks smoked for a while.

It COULD be it was my fault, but I doubt it. I treated them exactly as I treat all my other pipes and this is the first time ever this happened to me (and 2nd time unfortunately)

The second one (I haven't posted photos of that one) has a much more shallow "crater", so I already mixed up some pipe mud and applied to the wall. I'll apply another thin layer tomorrow and then day after that. I won't even try to return that one because it's not as critical IMHO.

I'll most definitely try to return the one from my original post in this thread and see how it goes.

Maybe pipe gods are trying to tell me to stop buying Autographs

 

[spike]

I’ve owned about a dozen Autographs over the years and never had a problem. I still consider them among the finest pipes I’ve owned.

 

[craig61a]

Briar, or any pipe wood is a natural product and can have soft spots that will burn like that. It's not all that common though.

If this occurred on another pipe, I guess the $64,000 is: Did you use a jet flame lighter on it? That'll burn a hole in a New York minute.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I would simply fill the hole and not go through the hassle of trying to return it. Regardless, hope you'll get good smokes from it.

 

[satori]

Briar, or any pipe wood is a natural product and can have soft spots that will burn like that. It's not all that common though.

If this occurred on another pipe, I guess the $64,000 is: Did you use a jet flame lighter on it? That'll burn a hole in a New York minute.

I've had 30 some pipes over the years, all bought brand new. Never had an issue like this until now. I'm aware that briar is wood and it's unpredictable.
Oh, and of course I'm not using jet flame lighter.

I would simply fill the hole and not go through the hassle of trying to return it. Regardless, hope you'll get good smokes from it.

I'm somewhat leaning towards this, but I'm afraid it will burn out quickly.
Thanks, I sent an e-mail to Savinelli and we'll see what they suggest

 

[bullet08]

Briar is.. Nature made. Things happen. And after 3 bowl. I would return it.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Each of those 2 pipes were smoked 3 times (I received them this Tuesday)
It had a "carbon" layer already from the factory, that's why it maybe looks smoked for a while.

It COULD be it was my fault, but I doubt it. I treated them exactly as I treat all my other pipes and this is the first time ever this happened to me (and 2nd time unfortunately)

The second one (I haven't posted photos of that one) has a much more shallow "crater", so I already mixed up some pipe mud and applied to the wall. I'll apply another thin layer tomorrow and then day after that. I won't even try to return that one because it's not as critical IMHO.

I'll most definitely try to return the one from my original post in this thread and see how it goes.

Maybe pipe gods are trying to tell me to stop buying Autographs

Understood, you just had a run of bad luck. I had one almost identical from a very reliable Artisan. I patched it a little then just smoked it. Can't even tell it was ever there now. Good luck with whatever you decide.