Opinions on breaking in a pipe

[juni]

Something new came up. I've never had a pipe that was bare briar in the bowl. Usually they have pre-carb stuff or even (eww) stain like some Petersons. This one is, since I carved it myself.
How do you break in a pipe like this? Do you use the 1/3 bowl a couple of time, half a bowl a couple of times and then 2/3 a couple of times? Or do you just fill it up and smoke it normally?
I know I am impatient so I figure it is best to ask opinions first.

 

[matchstickman]

I have had a few pipes that were bare briar inside. My solution? Fill to the top, smoke to the bottom, repeat until broken in. Never had a problem with any pipe doing this.

 

[tobakenist]

Smeer a thin layer of honey around the clean briar prior to smoking and this will help with breaking in.

 

[juni]

I sort of was going to go that way (smoking normally like any other pipe). :lol:
Doesn't the honey get sticky and bubbly?

 

[buckeye]

i just put some tap water on my finger and wipe the inside of the bowl and fill it

half way.

 

[billm67]

I have just smoked them. Start with half a bowl...tamp it as it goes down so you burn in the bottom of the bowl. You'll taste the wood for the first few bowls....but it's not a big deal.

 

[thesmokindragon]

The important thing is to not scorch the bare briar bowl by smoking to fast/hot and you want to build even cake all the way up the bowl from bottom to top ::

 

[juni]

I think my plan of attack will be a couple of half bowls and then just smoke normally.

 

[chopz]

i just did it with the one i carved. i didn't want it to get too hot while forming at least some cake so i didn't smoke a full bowl until maybe the 3rd or 4th one. but then, i also will tend to smoke half a bowl, let the pipe sit and then smoke the other half. it was easy to gauge because you can see the bare spots after smoking the first couple bowls.

 

[olderthandirt]

Echoing SD, simply take care to smoke em' cool.

Fill to the brim or partial bowls make no difference in my experience.

Just don't smoke em' hot and your good.

 

[jchaplick]

The thirds way is probably your best bet. Personally i dont like the honey method, not trying to offend anyone, its just not my cup of tea. I have (an unconfirmed) belief that when you use honey the cake ends up too soft and crumbly.
Id stick with the thirds method, but just smoking it will give you the same results if you can confidently smoke it from the top all the way to the bottom without leaving a puck, if you end up with a puck, start with the bottom third adncontinue from there
you need to carbonize the entire bowl if you can

 

[gecko13]

There are probably dozens of "best ways" to break in a pipe, and they likely all have merit. But, the older I get, I come to accept the KISS method to more things. I have always just filled a new pipe with a simple blend like CH or PA, and gently smoked (full bowls) over several days. Kinda like breaking in a rebuilt Chevy 350 until everything gets seated before you open her up all the way. I have considered trying the "honey smear" technique, but haven't yet. I have a new Peterson Kinsale Rustic XL12 I bought last year I may try that on over Christmas.
:puffpipe:

 

[pstlpkr]

I have had a few pipes that were bare briar inside. My solution? Fill to the top, smoke to the bottom,

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

::

 

[ace57]

Load it and smoke it!
+1 ::

 

[judcole]

Yeah, the "load it and smoke It" or "smoke partial bowls" methods are the two I have heard the most about.I have used both. I do remember hearing that there are flaws with the honey method, although I can't remember what they are. Personally, I don't want anything else in my pipes except 'baccy.
But smoke slowly, for sure, and be aware of your bowl temps. And enjoy. ::

 

[withnail]

My own method is to dissolve a good amount of sugar in hot water and let it cool. Dampen the inside of the bowl with the sugar water and start out with less than a full bowl smoked slowly until the cake starts to show its first signs at the bottom of the bowl. I use sugar water as it isn't as "gooey" as I imagine honey could be. Real maple syrup may also work as it behaves differently to honey, at least in cooking, but I haven't personally tried either.
There are many many many many suggestions on the "best" way to break in a pipe so I wouldn't get over worried about it. All these methods seem to work well enough for people to still use them.

 

[shaintiques]

Fill to the top and smoke away...I think with briar you are pretty safe, you want o start building cake right at the start. Remember not to clean the bowl if you want cake build up as you will wipe it all away. Also for quicker cake building, when you finish your smoke after smoking it all the way to the bottom you can put your hand over the hole, after it is cooled, and shake it up. That way the ash flies all up on the sides and the next time you smoke that layer will be the beginnings of your cake. After shaking turn upside down and dump what is left out. Cake needs to be maintained at about a dime's thickness. That is prime.

 

[hauntedmyst]

My great uncle Rupert showed me this trick. Get some grill scrapins. Try scrapin the sticky stuff off the grates, top and sides where the the grease spatters and the smoke flavor burns in. You'll notice it looks a lot like the pre carbon stuff in a lot of pipes and thats because it is. Smear it on the inside of your pipe, load tobacco and enjoy. It may taste a little burgery for a few bowls but what new pipe doesn't?

 

[john]

Hi Juni, first I don´t use any "honey" or other methods to help the new pipe breake in. When I buy a new pipe a usually rub down the stain which is added by producer (Peterson). So I always start with bare briar in the bowl. I smoke the pipe as usual, but I´am vere careful not to overheat the pipe, thats why I smoke very gently.

So my recomandation is to smoke slowly and enjoy each puff

 

[smokey422]

I just load it full with the type of tobacco I will smoke in it and then SLOWLY smoke the whole bowl. Let it go out and cool if it gets the least bit hot, you should always be able to hold the bowl with your bare hand. With Petersons, I always remove the stain with Everclear before smoking them.
You'll get all kinds of opinions on cake buildup. Personally I keep a minimum of cake in mine, just enough to cover the bowl walls with a very thin layer.
Smokey