Pipe cake

[brianw59]

Why is my cake forming only on the top half of the bowl and not from the bowl bottom up? I use the 3 pinch method to pack with increasing pressure after each pinch. I also take a draw after each pinch to ensure no tight packing. I char light tamp and relight. I can usually finish a bowl with no relight. When the bowl is done and emptied only ash/dotttle comes out. I'm smoking aromatic blends.
Thoughts, suggestions!
Thanks

 

[Chasing Embers]

Aromatics are damp and only cake around where the flame carbonizes them. Their moisture with dissolve cake further down the chamber. Fill the chamber half way and smoke the pipe that way until you develop the desired cake thickness.

 

[brianw59]

Okay copy that thanks

 

[Ahi Ka]

I was really hoping this was going to be a thread that flew under the easer but had a super awesome picture of a cake like this

 

[WVOldFart]

Make life easy on yourself and clean your bowl after every smoke and don't worry about cake. IMHO cake is highly overrated.

 

[brianw59]

Make life easy on yourself and clean your bowl after every smoke and don't worry about cake. IMHO cake is highly overrated.

That's interesting. Being relatively new to the hobby I've not heard that tip, but will add to my knowledge tool box!

 

[anotherbob]

That's interesting. Being relatively new to the hobby I've not heard that tip, but will add to my knowledge tool box!

I like cake but I don't worry too much about it. I think back in the day it was easier for a pipe with the kind of flaws that lead to burnout to make it to market. At least that's the impression I get. In the case of an unseen flaw in the briar cake would prevent it from getting burnout. Also if you smoke somewhere with random gale force winds, cake suddenly becomes more important.

 

[brianw59]

I like cake but I don't worry too much about it. I think back in the day it was easier for a pipe with the kind of flaws that lead to burnout to make it to market. At least that's the impression I get. In the case of an unseen flaw in the briar cake would prevent it from getting burnout. Also if you smoke somewhere with random gale force winds, cake suddenly becomes more important.

Things to contemplate over my next smoke!

 

[lraisch]

I find a reasonable cake to be essential to get the best from a briar. Cake should be about the thickness of a dime.

What you are describing is an inverse cake. Ream it back until it is uniform top to bottom and concentrate on smoking to the heel.

Yes, the aromatics may have something to do with this, since they typically leave a lot of moisture and wet dottle.

 

[BingBong]

Mmmmm, cake!

 

[tschiraldi]

I do my absolute best to avoid building a cake. It’s going to happen naturally no matter what I do, short of reaming, which I don’t do. I clean the bowl after every smoke and always have, and none of my pipes are bowl coated. A fine, hard layer of carbon coats the bowl, but I don’t let it build.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I wouldn't worry about cake. I keep mine all wiped and beaten back, because I don't want anything to restrict how much tobacco I can put in the chamber. I mean, of course there is going to be a little bit of cake, and eventually you will get carbon down in the heal of the pipe. But, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[WVOldFart]

I wouldn't worry about cake. I keep mine all wiped and beaten back, because I don't want anything to restrict how much tobacco I can put in the chamber. I mean, of course there is going to be a little bit of cake, and eventually you will get carbon down in the heal of the pipe. But, I wouldn't worry about it.

My feelings exactly!

 

[fireground_piper]

You’ll find what works for you. As soon as I start seeing anything build up, I’ll ream it.

 

[SpuddsBuckley]

Make life easy on yourself and clean your bowl after every smoke and don't worry about cake. IMHO cake is highly overrated.

He's right.

 

[elvishrunes]

The thin hard cake you get after cleaning with a paper towel after each smoke is a much stronger kind that protects better, that’s the one I’m after…

 

[Choatecav]

I like cake but I don't worry too much about it. I think back in the day it was easier for a pipe with the kind of flaws that lead to burnout to make it to market. At least that's the impression I get. In the case of an unseen flaw in the briar cake would prevent it from getting burnout. Also if you smoke somewhere with random gale force winds, cake suddenly becomes more important.

Agree with this.

 

[Briar Lee]

I wouldn't worry about cake. I keep mine all wiped and beaten back, because I don't want anything to restrict how much tobacco I can put in the chamber. I mean, of course there is going to be a little bit of cake, and eventually you will get carbon down in the heal of the pipe. But, I wouldn't worry about it.

This is revealed truth from the mountain!.

I was taught to leave a cake the thickness of a dime and Harry Hosterman was wrong.

What that did, was stretch out Harry’s can of Prince Albert a full week.

If I could rephrase it a little, the best cake is just enough to say you have some cake, and no more than that.

 

[Briarcutter]

I find a reasonable cake to be essential to get the best from a briar.

Yes, this! The cake is a must have IMO, especially at the bottom.

 

[Zamora]

I've never had any luck properly breaking in a briar, I just don't smoke any of mine often enough for a proper cake to form. However they all have blackened bowl walls whether from that coating new pipes get or estates well smoked by previous owners. So I'm not worried about breaking in, none of them are valuable so if one does burn out so be it I'll just find another.