Oh No , Not Another Question About Breaking in a Pipe ?

[trouttimes]

Be sure to break in with OTC blends because if you break your pipe in with exotic blends, it will never be happy with OTC blends. It may not even let you light them! I've seen this class envy happen several times. What ever you do, break in only with American blends or you can never smoke both English and American in the same pipe. There are rules, man!

 

[mso489]

I suspect the extended discussion about breaking in a pipe is mostly the excitement of getting a new pipe, the only kind that requires "breaking in." All of the rituals, warnings, and selection of blends to be smoked are interesting to know about and may make especially the new pipe smoker feel better. The new pipe smoker needs to be most attentive to learning to smoke at all, not so much about breaking in the pipe. A few of my pipes have required some patience in getting them to deliver well on flavor, but most have required little patience or attention. I've just packed them, lit them, and cleaned them after each smoke. Learning about breaking in a pipe is really more about learning how to smoke a pipe, and that's the worthwhile part.

 

[bullet08]

i tried to break in my pipes. then decided i wasn't having fun with it, so stopped. just learned breath smoking and that seems to help prevent overheating. also english blend seems to smoke cooler.

 

[workman]

Haha! MSO, you nailed it.

 

[rbs1]

Thanks for the help guys. I appreciate the notes. It was uncoated, but I suspect I didn’t pack it properly. I’ll keep trying.

 

[rdavid]

It was uncoated

Got it. I have had some bare, uncoated bowls taste pretty nasty for the first few rounds. Almost a sappy or bare wood flavor. Guess it makes sense since that's exactly what it is. Should go away fairly quickly.

 

[bent1]

I usually break in new pipe with Prince Albert (usually 5-10 bowls). Next, I’ll run 3-4 bowls of a straight VA & see how it performs. If it does well, I’ll designate it as a va/Vader pipe. If it doesn’t do well, I’ll try a vapor, If not a good smoke with vapers, I’ll try oriental /English blends. Usually a pipe will slot in one of these categories & sticks with that style.

 

[mrmachado]

I use whatever tobaccos I have available.

 

[newbroom]

I've only been a 'serious' piper for about 5 yrs and have yet to break in a briar!

I have, however, smoked quite a few new, or unsmoked cobs. I would caution any cob smoker to get the first few bowls through very very slowly to toughen the cylinder walls of the tobacco chamber, 'specially on those nekked cobs!

I burned one or two of those babies right through, back when I was a super puffer.

Once you've established a bit of char/cake/carbon build up on the chamber, you should be ok.

I suggest a cool burning, simple burley of some sort to accomplish this chore.

 

[rdavid]

I usually break in new pipe with Prince Albert (usually 5-10 bowls). Next, I’ll run 3-4 bowls of a straight VA & see how it performs. If it does well, I’ll designate it as a va/Vader pipe. If it doesn’t do well, I’ll try a vapor, If not a good smoke with vapers, I’ll try oriental /English blends. Usually a pipe will slot in one of these categories & sticks with that style.

Now that's a fantastic idea right there. I have a few new pipes I want to dedicate to Va's and was unsure how to proceed. Thanks for the great tip.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Got it. I have had some bare, uncoated bowls taste pretty nasty for the first few rounds. Almost a sappy or bare wood flavor. Guess it makes sense since that's exactly what it is. Should go away fairly quickly.

Briar can be well aged and well cured, so that there's no "sappy" flavor at all. Some love the first few smokes in a new pipe, some are fine with it; others endure it and still others loathe it. Clearly, MV.

 

[bent1]

I choose PA it doesn’t ghost a pipe, & I know what flavor profile to to look for in a seasoned pipe. It helps me determine if a pipe is broken in. My reasoning for the tobacco type order (VA, VABER, VAPER, Orientals) is based on strength of tobacco pipe, & it’s ability to ghost a pipe. VA’s being faint to Orientals strongest. IMHO, IT’s easier to take a va pipe & smoke orientals than the reverse without affecting the subtleties of a VA. Just my $0.02.

 

[maxsmoke]

I have been using Dunhill EMP for no other reason then I really like how the tobacco taste . I have been staying away from flavoured tobacco on all but one of my pipes out of concern of “ghosting” flavours.
I did order up some of the liquid cleaner for inside the pipe but as of yet I have not used the product on any of my pipes. Main reason being, I don’t know when it is required:p

 

[trouttimes]

Balkan Supreme or 965 because those are my mainstay smokes.

 

[Chasing Embers]

When I was still buying pipes and tobacco, I would buy a new pipe just to try out a new tobacco and just break it in with that blend.