Moisture in My Churchwarden Pestering Me

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Dec 17, 2019
30
15
Western ky
EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title - Bob

I have been smoking pipes off and on still a newbie I suppose, I bought I Peterson churchwarden and it keep gurgling, not saliva on the count my cheap 10$ pipe don't do this please help lol
 
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mingc

Lifer
Jun 20, 2019
3,976
11,065
The Big Rock Candy Mountains
Unless you drool like a rabid dog, the gurgling is not from saliva but from condensation in the mortise. It's a mechanical/pipe construction issue. The only solution I know of that does not involve modifying the pipe (and I wouldn't know where to even begin; others here might have an opinion or two) is to run a pipe cleaner into the stem and shank mid-smoke to absorb the moisture, and maybe smoke slower. Or get rid of the pipe.
 
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The natural byproduct of combustion is water. It cannot be helped, but it can be reduced by drying the hell out of your tobacco.
The stem on a pipe acts as a kind of condenser, like in an air conditioner, where the water is pushed out of the steam. On a churchwarden you have way more stem, and way more condensing happening. It is even worse in a cold room.

The best way to offset so much water in the stem is...
  1. smoke slowly, so as to cause as little turbulence inside that long stem as possible.
  2. Dry your tobacco dryer than you think is necessary.
  3. Do not smoke a churchwarden in a cool or cold area, as the differences between the hot chamber and a cold stem causes even more condensation.
  4. Other than that, you could check the draft in it to see if there is anything at all that could be adding turbulence. An open space inside the draft or a piece of something stuck in there.
 

tokerpipes

Lifer
Jan 16, 2012
2,042
690
45
Eatonville, WA
I found with mine (and may not work with yours) is to do a slow light blow in between puffs when it starts. Not to the point that you blow the lit tobacco all over yourself just enough to get it down to the bowl where the heat should take care of it. Give it a try if it works great, if not all hope is lost. J/k. The pipe cleaner trick works good also.
 
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logs

Lifer
Apr 28, 2019
1,873
5,069
Churchwardens are little better than props to be used in films and cosplay. For real smoking, go back to your ten dollar pipe and be happy.
 
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anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,678
29,400
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
I have been smoking pipes off and on still a newbie I suppose, I bought I Peterson churchwarden and it keep gurgling, not saliva on the count my cheap 10$ pipe don't do this please help lol
My Peterson Churchwarden was terrible with moisture and gurgling until I broke it in. Now it smokes like a charm. In my personal experience with a single pipe I would say a great pipe but must be tamed. Honestly the best suggestion I can give is smoke mild unflavored (not aromatic or at least strongly so) burly for about a week. I have noticed pipes do this before they're broken in but the difference in the Peterson is night and day.
 
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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I've not experienced this with pipes including churchwardens. My 'wardens are a Sav 601, a Big Ben Lectura, and a EWA green stain smaller (Group 2) cw. The EWA are only about $47 at Iwan Ries.
 
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dcon

Lifer
Mar 16, 2019
2,636
21,489
Jacksonville, FL
It is the nature of the beast. I only smoke aromatics in Churchwardens (which tend to have more moisture) and I make sure that they are dryer than if I was smoking them in a more conventional shape.
 
Dec 17, 2019
30
15
Western ky
I've not experienced this with pipes including churchwardens. My 'wardens are a Sav 601, a Big Ben Lectura, and a EWA green stain smaller (Group 2) cw. The EWA are only about $47 at Iwan Ries.
Do you think that it's manufact
My Peterson Churchwarden was terrible with moisture and gurgling until I broke it in. Now it smokes like a charm. In my personal experience with a single pipe I would say a great pipe but must be tamed. Honestly the best suggestion I can give is smoke mild unflavored (not aromatic or at least strongly so) burly for about a week. I have noticed pipes do this before they're broken in but the difference in the Peterson is night and day.
I have smoked this pipe into purgatory but I will not give up
 

Casual

Lifer
Oct 3, 2019
2,577
9,420
NL, CA
Maybe the more experienced pipers here can tell me if I’m crazy, but I have found one more thing not mentioned.

I lower the stummel of the pipe, like I’m hanging it almost vertically from a tooth. I have pipes where the moisture in the bowl collects at the bottom, and occludes the airway at the drill hole, causing gurgle.

Hanging the pipe more vertically from my mouth for a bit makes the moisture run into another portion of the bottom of the chamber, and probably soak in some tobacco instead of remaining a drop in the shank.

Not sure if it’s wise, but it seems to work.
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,678
29,400
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
Maybe the more experienced pipers here can tell me if I’m crazy, but I have found one more thing not mentioned.

I lower the stummel of the pipe, like I’m hanging it almost vertically from a tooth. I have pipes where the moisture in the bowl collects at the bottom, and occludes the airway at the drill hole, causing gurgle.

Hanging the pipe more vertically from my mouth for a bit makes the moisture run into another portion of the bottom of the chamber, and probably soak in some tobacco instead of remaining a drop in the shank.

Not sure if it’s wise, but it seems to work.
I feel like an idiot. Also I find that more so near the end of the bowl then at the beginning of a bowl that the more level I keep the bowl as in holding the pipe pretty much straight out keeps it from gurgles but if I tilt it forward it's more likely to gurgle.
 
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Dec 17, 2019
30
15
Western ky
I've not experienced this with pipes including churchwardens. My 'wardens are a Sav 601, a Big Ben Lectura, and a EWA green stain smaller (Group 2) cw. The EWA are only about $47 at Iwan Ries.
Do you think that it's manufact
My Peterson Churchwarden was terrible with moisture and gurgling until I broke it in. Now it smokes like a charm. In my personal experience with a single pipe I would say a great pipe but must be tamed. Honestly the best suggestion I can give is smoke mild unflavored (not aromatic or at least strongly so) burly for about a week. I have noticed pipes do this before they're broken in but the difference in the Peterson is night and day.
I have smoked this pipe into purgatory and want to enjoy a churchwarden its not about so much as to how they look it's to how they make me feel I will keep searching for the rite one
 
Dec 17, 2019
30
15
Western ky
I feel like an idiot. Also I find that more so near the end of the bowl then at the beginning of a bowl that the more level I keep the bowl as in holding the pipe pretty much straight out keeps it from gurgles but if I tilt it forward it's more likely to gurgle.
I appreciate everyone's help but I have tried this and it don't work ty so much for your input though
 
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Dec 17, 2019
30
15
Western ky
The natural byproduct of combustion is water. It cannot be helped, but it can be reduced by drying the hell out of your tobacco.
The stem on a pipe acts as a kind of condenser, like in an air conditioner, where the water is pushed out of the steam. On a churchwarden you have way more stem, and way more condensing happening. It is even worse in a cold room.

The best way to offset so much water in the stem is...
  1. smoke slowly, so as to cause as little turbulence inside that long stem as possible.
  2. Dry your tobacco dryer than you think is necessary.
  3. Do not smoke a churchwarden in a cool or cold area, as the differences between the hot chamber and a cold stem causes even more condensation.
  4. Other than that, you could check the draft in it to see if there is anything at all that could be adding turbulence. An open space inside the draft or a piece of something stuck in there.
I will try this!
 

Epip Oc'Cabot

Can't Leave
Oct 11, 2019
435
1,179
For me, the one Churchwarden I have is mostly relegated for display. I am not fond of having appropriate length pipe cleaners for the beast, and the internal diameter of the stem is aggravatingly narrower than my typical pipes. But, that said.... my suggestion for as little gurgling and pipe cleaner maintenance as possible in such a situation is to have dryer tobacco leaf..... probably a bit more than your usual preference in typical pipes..... that will help to a degree.
 
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