Pipe mud bad taste

[Grimlineman]

I recently fixed a pipe with some pipe mud that was drilled to deep I got advice on from another recent post. I used hardwood fire place ash instead of cigar because that’s what I had on hand and I read somewhere else it works just as well if not better. Well it did make a great repair…..

My problem is now the last half of the bowl taste like ash. I have smoked the pipe 3 bowls now and hope it will cake over soon and I will no longer taste like I’m sticking fire place ash in my mouth.

I put some honey on the repair during my last smoke hoping it would dull the taste some but it hardly helped. I’m gonna let it sit for a few days and hope it goes away.

Anyone have experience with this?
Thanks.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ehhhh, cigar ash is actually way better. I am not sure why so many pipesmokers are hesitant to buy a cigar for the ashes when this comes up. I love a good cigar from time to time.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

You definitely don't want to use hardwood ash, it contains sodium hydroxide a.k.a. lye/potash. It will taste terrible, pipe ash works just as well as cigar ash, just have to sift it a little.

 

[tbradsim1]

Fireplace mortar repair, no taste and permanent.

 

[makhorkasmoker]

I always use pipe ash, strained to remove the dottle.

 

[Sigmund]

I dont have a perfect answer but you could try coating the bottom with honey to speed it getting covered. Even if it doesnt taste great smoke just the lower part of the bowl a couple of times.

I didnt get any taste when I use ash from a pellet stove but that stuff is burnt literally to a fine dust. Doest even smell.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

that was drilled to deep

May I ask if the pipe was a bent pipe? Many pipemakers that do bents will put the draft coming out above the bottom of the chamber for a reason. Bents have more of a proclivity to create condensation inside the draft of the stem, because a bent stem creates turbulence. Think about an air conditioner coil or a condenser on a still. So, if they put the draft coming out dead center of the chamber, there would be nowhere for the condensation to go, but if there is a slight drop off at the end of the draft the pipe won't be as likely to gurgle, because the water droplets have somewhere to go. If dead center, the pipe is way more likely to be an annoying gurgler.

It kills me how so many people think that they know more than the pipemakers, and go wanting to "fix" their brand new pipes.

 

[Grimlineman]

May I ask if the pipe was a bent pipe? Many pipemakers that do bents will put the draft coming out above the bottom of the chamber for a reason. Bents have more of a proclivity to create condensation inside the draft of the stem, because a bent stem creates turbulence. Think about an air conditioner coil or a condenser on a still. So, if they put the draft coming out dead center of the chamber, there would be nowhere for the condensation to go, but if there is a slight drop off at the end of the draft the pipe won't be as likely to gurgle, because the water droplets have somewhere to go. If dead center, the pipe is way more likely to be an annoying gurgler.

It kills me how so many people think that they know more than the pipemakers, and go wanting to "fix" their brand new pipes.

It is

it’s a towne Cobbler pipe from Meerschaum. If you look down the page you will see a post I made titled drilled to deep couple days ago where I was asking if this was normal for it to be that deep.

A couple of the suggestions I got was to fill it in with pipe mud or wait for it to fill in naturally which in hind sight I should have done but wanted to fill it because I felt like I’d be wasting a pinch of tobacco every smoke.

I don’t know why you would let what other want to do with their pipes “kill you” but I’m new to the hobby and trying to figure things out not saying I’m a pipe expert. I know no other pipe smokers personally unfortunately that is why I ask advice from you fine folks here. I appreciate the info you gave.

I’ll try to smoke it a few more times if it don’t go away the good news is it’s an inexpensive pipe I’ll just get another

 

[ThermionicScott]

I usually taste the ash for a few bowls as well. It gets better, eventually!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I don’t know why you would let what other want to do with their pipes “kill you”

It's a figure of speech, but, ha ha, everything is killing me all the time. You'll get used to me, hopefully.

I didn't see your previous post on here, but we have lots of folks who are eager to smear mud on everything, ha ha. Other than just washing it out and trying to just smoke it as is, I am not sure how to fix.

You have to be careful, we have members who suggest drilling and wallowing out drafts, because they read a book, members who file up their bits, and some that smear mud on perfectly brand new pipes.
My suggestion is to always give the pipe a chance, and by chance, I mean smoke it for a while, give it a few dozen tries, and if it doesn't perform to your liking, trade it or sell it off, or then start using it to practice these do-it-yourself fixes.
I don't think any new pipe worth having would come to you needing you to alter it. But, I am silly like that, h aha.

Next time you "have" to use mud, try a cigar. A cigar burns every last practical of tobacco out as it burns, pipe ash does not, so you have to filter it. Wood ash will smell like a fireplace forever. Fireplace mortar, I have never used, but i trust what tbradsim says. But, these are for fixes for when you have burned up your chamber walls, and your pipe is in danger of having a hole in the side of the chamber.

Best wishes.

 

[El Capitán]

Ehhhh, cigar ash is actually way better. I am not sure why so many pipesmokers are hesitant to buy a cigar for the ashes when this comes up. I love a good cigar from time to time.

That's one of the reasons I smoke cigars as well. I save the ash in a canister incase I need to make some mud.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

That's one of the reasons I smoke cigars as well. I save the ash in a canister incase I need to make some mud.

I would smoke cigars all the time, if it weren't for the fact that they are expencive. I love the flavors. I do like the diversity of pipe tobaccos, but there is something about a rich cigar from time to time.

 

[Scottmi]

i've used this method. no ash, no taste. worked great. easy.

 

[El Capitán]

I would smoke cigars all the time, if it weren't for the fact that they are expencive. I love the flavors. I do like the diversity of pipe tobaccos, but there is something about a rich cigar from time to time.

I hear you. I'll buy cheap bulk occasionally.

 

[kcghost]

I try to smoke a decent cigar every day.

 

[OzPiper]

Fireplace mortar repair, no taste and permanent.

Ehhhh, cigar ash is actually way better.

^^^^^ +1
I bought an old estate that was over-reamed and had thin walls and a thin base/bottom.
I loved the shape so didn’t return it.
Had a 2 way bet and used JB Weld, then a couple of thin layers of pipe mud to cover
Smokes very well now