Pipe Just Won't Smoke?

[HopHand]

I'm really hoping it's just me and not this pipe as I rather love it but....
I've got a Peterson rusticated Prince Churchwarden I purchased along side a Donegal Rocky (406) to create a matching pipe pair....
The Donegal smokes incredible absolutely couldn't be happier and it's been as comfy as an old hat from the first puff. This Warden on the other hand I'm a dozen bowls into it and have fought almost every moment of the way to the point I still haven't managed to finish a half session without getting annoyed and setting it aside. I'm really new with Briar pipes. Only own 7 all purchased since the first of this month but between them, my cobs and my Meerschaum some 18 or 20 different pipes in total including the entire MM Churchwarden line. I've never had a dang issue like this.
I've tried changing my pack both looser and tighter tried drying my baccy extra and just about everything else I can think of....
Every time I light the pipe get a puff maybe maybe once and awhile two puffs and it's out so I got to do it again. It's more akin to smoking a cannabis pipe then anything else..
I guess my question really is if its possible the issue is some factor of the pipe I as a newbie don't know to recognize or have I just not figured out the magic Peterson Churchwarden touch yet ?‍ Cause at this rate I'm more likely to sell or break this thing before I do.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I've got a Peterson

Try drying out your tobacco more and packing very lightly, probably just a quirky pipe.

 

[mso489]

How does the draw feel when the pipe is empty? Do you have churchwarden pipe cleaners that reach clear through the airway? It sounds like it is restricted in some way. When you take the pipe apart, does the pipe cleaner pass into the shank to the bowl with no problem? My main churchwarden is a Sav 601, no filter, that has always smoked smooth as glass, especially nice in an arm chair, not much for getting up and moving around. I hope you get yours smoking right.

 

[HopHand]

View attachment 107787



Try drying out your tobacco more and packing very lightly, probably just a quirky pipe.

Was worried it might be that?‍ or just a quirk of full sized wardens.
So I ordered a Savinelli Churchwarden yesterday night to test.

 

[HopHand]

How does the draw feel when the pipe is empty? Do you have churchwarden pipe cleaners that reach clear through the airway? It sounds like it is restricted in some way. When you take the pipe apart, does the pipe cleaner pass into the shank to the bowl with no problem? My main churchwarden is a Sav 601, no filter, that has always smoked smooth as glass, especially nice in an arm chair, not much for getting up and moving around. I hope you get yours smoking right.

It will pass a cleaner and I have a few kinds long enough but the cleaner struggles in the bend on the stem and needs to be angled correctly when going into the shank or it catches on a lip. It's dang near impossible to get one down it when it's assembled and dirty gotta put it in like 1/32 at a time.
As for the draw empty I'm not sure it's definitely not as free as my other pipes but I wouldn't say it's much tighter just slightly noticeably tighter and only so much as that it could easily be my imagination and frustrating making it seem tighter?‍
I like the Warden's not only the look but I find my cob and cheap wooden warden to be amazing smokers really some of my favorites it's why I've snagged 3 this week with two still on the way. Only started with this Peterson and not the Savinelli Tandem cause of the Tobacco special. Kinda regretting it.

 

[HopHand]

The crazy thing to me. The stem hole (not sure what it's called but the joke going into the pipe bowl?‍)
On the (406) It would have to be at a right angle to be more wonky yet that pipe is a charm the Warden on the other hand looks straight to me yet smokes like a swimming pool ?‍

 

[Chasing Embers]

The crazy thing to me. The stem hole (not sure what it's called but the joke going into the pipe bowl?‍)
On the (406) It would have to be at a right angle to be more wonky yet that pipe is a charm the Warden on the other hand looks straight to me yet smokes like a swimming pool ?‍

Try a gravity fill on it. Just sounds like it needs to breathe more.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Was worried it might be that?‍ or just a quirk of full sized wardens.
So I ordered a Savinelli Churchwarden yesterday night to test.

That’s an expensive pipe cleaner!

 

[HopHand]

That’s an expensive pipe cleaner!

It was already on my short wish list so it's more like this Peterson is going to become an expensive wall decoration. Especially if my Savinelli and Vauen wardens show up tomorrow smoking as nice as my Cob wardens do?‍

 

[Chasing Embers]

Vauen

Auenland?

 

[HopHand]

Auenland?

Paris.

 

[Grangerous]

The Cob conundrum… why do my cobs smoke better than most of my “real pipes” ?

 

[pipestud]

8 times out of 10, when I have a pipe that smokes the way you describe, I remove the stem and drill it open from the shank into the bowl just a little more. By opening the draw, it often is like a totally different (and wonderful), smoking pipe.

 

[HopHand]

8 times out of 10, when I have a pipe that smokes the way you describe, I remove the stem and drill it open from the shank into the bowl just a little more. By opening the draw, it often is like a totally different (and wonderful), smoking pipe.

Would be be willing to share a little more detail on how exactly you go about this? Or a link? Do you use a actual drill, just the bit turned by hand or a Dremel? I don't want to ruin this pipe but after 3 more attempts to smoke it in about over this thing.

 

[HopHand]

The Cob conundrum… why do my cobs smoke better than most of my “real pipes” ?

I don't know about that one. I love my Cobs especially my smallest warden and my Riverboat gambler but find my real pipes more pleasing smokes in many ways.
My Favorite Meerschaum has better flavor and doesn't give a rats tail how I pack it or what I put in it she just smokes and smokes and smokes.
My Peterson 406 is a little more finniky requiring me to do things proper but is almost Auto pilot once sparked and in a clinch.
And my Savinelli 121KS has the most amazing flavor I've ever imagined. Every tobacco is almost completely different and a million times more complex in it. She also packs stupid easy and almost always goes to the bottom leaving a white ash with so little thought or effort I find my self going to tamp and relight her only to find she's burnt everything all up already.
My cobs are all great smokers well except this volcano thing that loves to erupt hot burning baccy in my lap but the rest are a charm they taste great burn 3/4+ or better every time and are lightweight pleasent smokers but I find they reach have quirks and require more focus on doing things correctly then my favorite briars. It's why I went from 0 briars to 7 in a week as many days?‍ Trying my first was a light bulb moment. Next thing I new I was hooked.
This Warden has so far been my first frustrating smoke out of a briar. Though I am very glad I started with cobs. That need to do things correctly so I don't fight it im sure very much contributed to the pleasure I've found in good briars.

 

[HopHand]

P.s.
Oh bother. Sorry. I wrote a book long reply again.
It's a bad habit in working on
?‍?‍?‍?‍

 

[Chasing Embers]

Any well drilled pipe can smoke admirably. A cob is on par with any high grade as far as smokability is concerned.

 

[Grangerous]

P.s.
Oh bother. Sorry. I wrote a book long reply again.
It's a bad habit in working on
?‍?‍?‍?‍

Happens to me all the time.

 

[Brendan]

Love the way Kirk's mind works..

Look at his eye-line, can't say I wouldn't be doing the exact same thing.

Even Spock is impressed.

 

[WVOldFart]

I like semi-churchwardens. A pipe about 7 1/2". If you like cobs try the MM Shire Cobbit. It is a nice size semi-churchwarden with a really great weight and feel in the hand. It has a great draw and is a really good smoker. One of my favorites.