Pipe Abuse?

[onestrangeone]

I have a Baraccini that I smoke on the way to work. This was part of some 'deal' that I picked up awhile back, I was more interested in the tobacco than the pipe at the time. The tobacco turned out to be a bust for me (I still have about 12-13oz of it) and I came very close to tossing the pipe in the trash out of frustration several times, eventually my technique improved and all the 'problems with this pipe' went away.

I still think it's ugly, but it hangs just right so I can drive and smoke without having to 'clench' or hold it and it already has enough dings that I don't have to worry about taking it to the jobsite, anyway this gets smoked five mornings and sometimes I can get a half bowl in at lunch, I don't do anything to it during the week, not even a dry cleaner. On Saturday mornings I do a real cleaning, two bristles one fluffy and one Q-tip with some Castleford freshener and a reaming and Monday morning she's ready for the week!

Is this pipe abuse? It doesn't seem to hurt it (I think it likes being treated rough)

How often do ya'll ream out your daily smoker? I smoke Lat in the mornings and it seems to build up rather quickly.

I Don't treat my 'nice' pipes this way!

 

[mcitinner1]

A pipe doesn't need a weekly reaming, or alcohol treatment. But if it works for you...do it.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I have a Hilson stacked Dublin that I smoke while at my workbench all day. I do run a pipe cleaner through it after each smoke, but I also chain smoke it with various Virginias while working. I have to ream it with my pocketknife every week also. I'm not sure it's abuse, but it has been smoked heavily for three plus years, and it smokes sweeter than any of my high ends or artisan made pipes. I actually crave this pipe sometimes. But, I Try to just keep it at my workbench. I don't think this is abuse. It's just well loved.

 

[ray47]

It's a "Work Pipe". Smoke it !!! I would recommend a pipe cleaner and bowl swab (with doubled over p/c) after each smoke.

 

[warren]

I clean pipes on Sunday. Reaming only when necessary, it's a tedious chore. Satisfying but, tedious. I prefer a thin cake. Many smokers abhor cake in a pipe. It's what works for you.
I smoke one pipe (brier usually) during the day (4,5 maybe 7 bowls as I work), stroke a cleaner through it a couple of times and set it aside until Sunday. Meers are smoked at home only, in the evening. They get a wipe inside the bowl and a couple of cleaners at the end of the evening. I might smoke a meer three or fours times in the evening or I might swap pipes.

 

[mcitinner1]

I guess if I smoked like a freight train like some folks, (I'm jealous) a weekly pipe reaming would be in order.

 

[warren]

I should clarify. I ream when necessary only. Once, twice a year? Depends on what is being smoked, bowl size, the brier, how often smoked, etc. When I write "Sunday cleaning" it usually consists of pulling the bit, alcohol on the cleaner, and passing cleaners until they come out pristine. I apply a bit of the oil from the side of my nose onto the brier and then buff.
I'm just not one to endlessly pour time into pipe maintenance. As long as they smoke clean and fresh I'm a happy camper. Some enjoy the maintenance and love the result of a gleaming pipe. I'm only interested in how it smokes and maintaining the physical integrity of the pipe.

 

[onestrangeone]

When I do the weekly ream really all I'm doing is maintaining the cake at a consistent even thickness, the chamber of this pipe is 20mm the width of the reaming tool is 17mm so I am maintaining a thickness of 3mm of cake.

I'm smoking English and Lat blends and at the end of the week have accumulated enough cake that the reamer has to be worked in.

I am only a couple of years into piping and it is hard to gage how much has built up in the chamber, one of my pipes that was not preforming well, I decided I needed to start fresh, to me at the time I didn't think there was very much of a cake buildup but when I started cleaning it, it was about the thickness of a quarter so since then I have been trying to pay a little more attention.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Twisting a slightly damp paper towel which has some surface grip on it will help keep the cake from building as fast, and removes ash at the same time. I am not a fan of excess ash! On top of ember, fine, but not down the sides to the bottom.

 

[derfargin]

I have a Straight Apple that I smoke almost daily and rarely ever clean it. I would probably say it's my favorite pipe due to the use it goes through and still delivers a satisfying smoke. I think some people dote a bit over their pipes, but then again to each their own.

 

[deathmetal]

An elegant philosophical answer to this question may be found here.