Pipe Getting Unusually Hot

[flux]

I'm sure this has been covered numerous times on this forum, from numerous angles. But I thought it wouldn't hurt to get some fresh insight.
I recently bought an estate Dunhill--it's a Group 4 Dublin from '74. My concern is that it gets hotter in the hand than any of my other pipes. Especially around the heel and just above the shank. Might this just be owing to the particular geometry of the pipe (i.e. thin shank and tapered bowl)? Or should I be concerned about possible burn out?
I'm just hoping to avoid possibly damaging such a beautiful piece of briar. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Thanks!

 

[judcole]

Might be the pipe geometry. I would suggest that you smoke that pipe more slowly than you are now. If it gets too hot to hold, you are smoking too fast.

 

[sablebrush52]

I own a few Dublins, but only a few, because they all exhibit this same characteristic, getting hotter at the heel, where the bowl walls are the thinnest. There are tobacco blends that smoke a little cooler. You might see if you can find a happier combination of tobacco blend and/or cut and pipe shape. Not all tobaccos work equally well with all shapes. You may find the following page informative:

http://www.apassionforpipes.com/neills-blog/2010/10/28/finding-that-magic-fit-between-pipe-and-tobacco.html
And here's another: http://glpease.com/BriarAndLeaf/?p=7

 

[tbradsim1]

I fixed a Ferndown bulldog that was thin at btm of bowl on the sides, dabbed a little fireplace mortar along btm walls, let it dry and then smoked the shit out of it, after 3 bowls there was a noticeable difference, mortar was an insulator , fixed an old Stanwell Dublin that canted forward so pipe had a hot spot at heel, it worked and no more hot spot. You can fix it if the problem is the pipe not smoking technique .

 

[bryanf]

My opinion, since you said you recently bought it, is that you just need to smoke it more. Pipes smoke much hotter before they have some good cake buildup. In my experience, the more cake, the cooler and drier and therefore, tastier, the smoke. Cake is an insulator. Of all the pipes, I see guys post up on here, it seems that the vast majority of people don't keep much cake at all in their pipes. Recommemded is usually about a dime or nickel thickness. My pipes have about the thickness of 2 or 3 quarters....but I need to scrape them when I get around to it. Can barely fit enough tobacco for a 5 minute smoke these days, and when it gets frustrating enough, I'll scrape it out a little with my pocket knife.

 

[flux]

Very interesting articles sable; definitely food for thought. I'll try experimenting with blends first. If that doesn't help, maybe I'll consider some DIY modification such as you suggest, tbrad. Thanks.

 

[cigrmaster]

flux, I have a number of Dublins in my collection and to a one they all smoke as cool as my other pipes and in some instances cooler. I honestly do not think it is the shape, but either the pipe itself or your technique. If you can show us a picture of the pipe, we might be able to give you more advice.

 

[flyguy]

Are technique and pipe design/build the only factors? Can a lack of cake cause a pipe to heat up?

 

[cigrmaster]

flyguy, a lack of cake can definitely make a difference. Now some people do not like a cake, but I am of the opinion my pipes smoke cooler and taste better with a dimes worth. I notice a big difference in a brand new pipe compared to one that has been broken in with a nice cake.

 

[flyguy]

Thanks cigrmaster. I made the mistake of removing a cake from one of my pipes during a salt treatment and noticed it smoked hotter. I won't make that error again!