"Knowledge is Priceless, Ignorance is Free."

[sablebrush52]

Let's share some of our personal tips and ideas with other smokers. There's a lot of things that are useful to know that are not covered in all those "how to smoke a pipe videos".

Never discuss cake in a forum, unless it's birthday cake. You can only discuss pipe chamber cake on YouTube.

 

[Chasing Embers]

There's a lot of things that are useful to know that are not covered in all those "how to smoke a pipe videos".

Especially the how to smoke a pipe part.

 

[gamzultovah]

I am glad to send you one of my pipes. I have plenty, and I totally trust you to send it back.

Maybe it’s your tobacco? Send me some of your cellar and I’ll inspect it for you (and, no, I won’t be sending it back. Ash is difficult to ship).

 

[mingc]

I should add that even the draft gets caked up inside. Especially the first inch on the stummel side. Greg Pease has written a bunch about pipes not giving the best break in flavors till that section of pipe gets some cake started inside the pipe, or at least coating that part.

Cos, what manner of home grown hybrid from hell are you smoking that cakes draft holes? Is it even tobacco?!

 

[Chasing Embers]

Cos, what manner of home grown hybrid from hell are you smoking that cakes draft holes? Is it even tobacco?!

I had to drill out a caked up airway on a Savinelli 614.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Cos, what manner of home grown hybrid from hell are you smoking that cakes draft holes? Is it even tobacco?!

Many reamer kits come with a small drill bit for clearing cake out of the draft. I don’t think I’m unique. And, I attribute it to smoking slow to the bottom of the bowl without having to torch the last little bit. I attribute it to slow smoking, keeping a pipe in clench, and avoiding running into situations where I have to remove the pipe… More so than the tobacco.

 

[mingc]

Definitely need some small level of skill. I've seen hundreds of what would have been fabulous vintage pipes, ruined by the clumsy knife skills of their pea brained owners. Much worse than arming the average pipe smoker with a buffer.

Pipe knife abuse is tragic.

Many reamer kits come with a small drill bit for clearing cake out of the draft.

Yes, my Kleen Reem has one built in. Strangely enough, it's a little too wide for most golden age US factory pipes. Truth be told, I have run across many "caked" up draft holes, but they tend to be associated with bowls caked so thick tnat you can't fit a pinky in. In order words, workhorse pipes that simply weren't maintained.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I had to drill out a caked up airway on a Savinelli 614.

I can see gunk hardening in the air way, but I by my definition of cake, it is carbon that's baked on by the heat of the ember. No?

 

[Chasing Embers]

I can see gunk hardening in the air way, but I by my definition of cake, it is carbon that's baked on by the heat of the ember. No?

Carbon and tobacco oils. This stuff was rock solid.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I can believe it. Perhaps it'd be suitable material to coat the nose cones of space rockets.