Is Chamber Damaged?

[Brelh]

Hello!
I am a new piipesmoker and got a new pipe a week ago, my first more "serious" pipe. I am really trying to take care of it but since I'm a newbie I tend to make mistakes and I maybe overcared it. The side of my bowl looks damaged, it looks like I have damaged the coating or the wall of the bowl with a pipe cleaner's end. I have attached some pictures. Can anyone help to decide if I have to worry about it or I can just wait until some cake covers it?

 

[Zack Miller]

Looks like normal early caking, but what do I know. I’m one of the amateurs.

 

[Waning Embers]

That's just chamber coating and carbon flaking away, it'll be fine.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Looks like Cake flaking off to me.

 

[Zack Miller]

You’d have to work hard to damage a pipe with a pipe cleaner.

 

[mso489]

You are unlikely to do any damage with pipe cleaners. You do have to go very easy with reamers, especially for new pipe smokers. I scoop out the ashes and wipe out the chamber with an abrasive paper towel and never use a reamer. This also maintains the full diameter of the chamber for the life of the pipe. Many love to build cake, so it is up to you.

 

[Brelh]

Thanks for the quick and helpful responses, I really appreciate it!
I may have been posting my question at a lucky time to receive replies so fast or its a very live community

 

[Zack Miller]

Thanks for the quick and helpful responses, I really appreciate it!
I may have been posting my question at a lucky time to receive replies so fast or its a very live community

Just lucky. I usually see these posts after they’ve been up a few days v

 

[ThermionicScott]

I always fold a pipe cleaner in half and brush out ash with the bend so I don’t have to worry about scratching anything with the pointed end. This is a good way to finish using it once you’ve run it through the stem both ways to wick up moisture.

Welcome to the forums!

 

[FurCoat]

It's the bowl coating. I can't stand the stuff.

 

[skeeter456]

Looks like its time to load another bowl!

 

[kcghost]

Load another bowl and light her up.

 

[OzPiper]

That's just chamber coating and carbon flaking away, it'll be fine.

Looks like Cake flaking off to me.

^^^^^
What @Chasing Embers and @hoosierpipeguy said

When you have finished using the cleaner(s) on the airway, double them over and use to clean out the chamber.

It will get rid of leftover tobacco and loose ash and help form a thin layer of hard cake

 

[bullet08]

So.. Did you guys hear about a cowboy with brand new boots dancing with a girl without undie thinking he had a crack on his boots?

 

[DeerparkDays]

Girls don’t wear undies mate…..they wear panties!!!!!

 

[bullet08]

Girls don’t wear undies mate…..they wear panties!!!!!

Trust me, every single one of them loved wearing my boxers.

 

[Coreios]

Looks like the start of carbon cause it peeled back a bit. I wouldn't worry

 

[samuelgawith01]

Are you using a hard flame jet lighter?Is so,stop,and use a soft flame,or a match. Could be the bowl Coating coming off,too.This happened to me.A new pipe and the coating just started bubbling up and flaking off before my very eyes.I took an abrasive cloth,and cut the remaining coating away,and built the cake myself,and now is one of my favorite pipes.

 

[towhee89]

I found this thread Googling to see if anyone had this issue with the edge of a pipe cleaner gouging out the inside wall of the bowl. Sometimes when I run the pipe cleaner through the edge makes contact with the wall but I just cannot see this causing damage, but idk. I noticed one of my pipes has a divot in that area but it could have already been there and I just knocked away some tar or it could be cake that I've not been able to ream out.

Has anyone ever gouged the wall of a bowl with a pipe cleaner? I just did not think it was possible so I didn't worry about it but now I'm starting to wonder

 

[Briarcutter]

Yes, IMO, pipe cleaners CAN damage the pipe, I've seen it. You have to work on it though. If you push the cleaner in till it hits the far side of the chamber and twist them, it will act like a drill bit and drill into the briar. You'll drill right through the chamber if it is kept up. Remember, most times you use a cleaner the bottom of the chamber is damp, and soft! I always spin my pipe cleaners to get the best cleaning but when it hits the far side I back it out about 1/8 inch then twist the cleaner.
As to the OP, looks just like cake to me, nothing to worry about.