Hi guys, been smoking pipes about 3 years (switched from cigarettes). I have circa 40 pipes. Of those, 6 are peterson system pipes. They smoke quite well in general and moisture accumulates in the reservoir as it is supposed to. However, when I smoke any of my other pipes, moisture accumulates in the shank such that I have to hold the pipe at a particular angle to stop the moisture going into the bowl and extinguishing the lit tobacco. It's very annoying and I find it hard to enjoy my pipes. I don't smoke overly fast and I have the same problem with all brands I own, Peterson, Parker, Savinelli, Chacom, Vuillard. All of my pipes are bent pipes as opposed to straight. I find that I smoke my system pipes most of the time. I am wondering if over time (perhaps many years) this problem will go away as the briar ages and changes and moisture is absorbed more easily. Or, will this continue to be a problem? I know some people are smoking the same set of pipes for so long that they don't remember how it was in the beginning. A colleague in work who has some of his pipes over 30 years, doesn't remember how he got on at the beginning but seems to be able to manage a dry smoke in all of his pipes. Any ideas or help appreciated.
Moisture in pipe
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You may be producing a lot of saliva while you smoke, the added moisture dripping down the shank into the bottom of the bowl. If you clench your pipe this may be more likely to happen. You may also need to dry your tobacco more before loading your bowl, or slow down your smoking cadence. Since you say it happens with most of your pipes, I would rule out faulty construction. One thing you can do, instead of having to hold your pipe at an odd angle, is when you get moisture, simply run a pipe cleaner from the stem to the bowl to soak it up.
I have found using lots of pipe cleaners to help with this problem. I often use 4 or 5 pipe cleaners per bowl, depending on what tobacco/pipe I'm using.
Thank you for the kind replies. None of myou pipes have a stem that lines up with the bowl so pipe clearners only go so far. I'm genuinely curions as to how a pipe may change over a decade or so. I think the brear must "cook" and dry over time. Thankfully it's so enjoyable I'll have to keep trying!
That sounds more like a technique or too moist tobacco cause, rather than an issue with uncured (or at least not as dry as it could be) briar. Have you tried any Savinellis with the balsa filters? They soak up a bunch of moisture and don’t really alter the taste or draw of the smoke. Regardless, I’d dry out your tobacco more and try and determine if you have any saliva running into the stem, like Anthony suggested. When I lived in Seattle I had more moisture in my pipes than I do now in Colorado, but I’ve never had issues with wet smokes, regardless of the pipe. Unless I’m smoking Molto Dolce or some really really wet aromatic, that is. Then I just don’t smoke that tobacco.
I prefer straighter pipes because of this (either straight or 1/4 bent). I have one really bent Savinelli 614 that sits great on the lip and wafts wonderful aroma but I literally dump about a half teaspoon of liquid out when I'm done and have to run q-tips into the shank. Same tobacco and methods, just something about the turbulence in the pipe IMHO.
Running water is cheaper than Q-tips, plus you will have a sweet pipe the next time you load it.
My worthless 2 cents. As it is many different pipes, I agree it is not the pipe but the smoker.
I smoke many bent Pete's and he is right most will not allow a pipe cleaner through. I have some high end Pete's that do line up also. But mostly he is right. You have to learn to smoke dry with most Pete's no fudge room.
What type of tobacco are you smoking? If I know that I can, maybe, give some decent advice. I love Pete's even with their quirks lol!
I smoke many bent Pete's and he is right most will not allow a pipe cleaner through. I have some high end Pete's that do line up also. But mostly he is right. You have to learn to smoke dry with most Pete's no fudge room.
What type of tobacco are you smoking? If I know that I can, maybe, give some decent advice. I love Pete's even with their quirks lol!
Bone dry tobacco, pack lighter, and smoke slower.
While I'll never use water myself, you still need Q-tips, paper towels, or pipe cleaners to dry the bowl and airway.
Absolutely.
Perhaps counter-intuitively, even after a hot water flush, drying with paper towel and pipe cleaners isn't strictly necessary. My pipes are ready to smoke in a few hours, or overnight. Two things, though: The RH in my house is rarely over 60%, and I smoke dry tobacco, so there's seldom moisture in the chamber after a smoke. The water used in the flush doesn't get absorbed by the briar at all.
I only smoke out of 6mm filter pipes (Savinelli's) and only use balsa inserts for them (as opposed to Dr Grabow for instance)...it helps a ton but doesn't get rid of all of it. I replace the filters about every 3 bowls, when I do, the balsa is drenched...it works really well. Probably won't help you with your existing pipe collection, but if you buy any new ones, go for the Savinelli 6mm and buy yourself a box of Savinelli basla filters...you'll notice a big difference.
Drying your tobacco significantly before loading will go a long way to solving this problem. You think you've dried it enough? Dry it more.
have 3 peterson so far. none of them line up. all bent. but figured out how to run pipe cleaner through them. someone posted bending about 3/4" of the pipe cleaner and rotating it feeling for the draw hole. works fine most of the time. can take some time.
Thanks for the input guys. I have a couple of pipes that I seem to be able to smoke longer before moisture becomes an issue. I'm almost convinced that the briar cures more over time while smoking and is better able to hold moisture as I smoke. Does anyone have any thoughts on that? I can't confirm it for a few years until my pipes have been well used.
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