A few of the pipes my dad gave me (one a Nording) are Dane freehands that have deep conical chambers.
I may revisit them now that I’m better experienced, but they’ve given me fits in the past.
Pipes That Don't Stay Lit?
- Thread starter sittingbear
- Start date
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I may revisit them now that I’m better experienced, but they’ve given me fits in the past.
A pipe is little more than a drinking straw. Restrict the flow too much and it fails to function sort of like trying to drink a milkshake that is too cold.
Pack them so that the airflow is the same as if the pipe were empty.
Had it happen exactly as you describe with two new pipes, both good specimens of a top brand.
The first time it did drove me nuts, and I tried to "out stubborn" it. I also wanted to make double-damn sure it was the pipe and not something I was doing differently or wrong. Kept at it for several days.
Nope. She no work.
Since it was a rare(ish) specimen that had taken some effort to find, I didn't want to flip it, but I didn't want it as simple a rack ornament, either.
So, I decided to Rick Newcome it. Enlarge the airway diameter.
180-degree reversal. Smoked great, and has ever since.
That happened about 6-7 years ago.
About six months ago was occurrence #2.
This time I only smoked the pipe enough to confirm it was another Mystery Won't Stay Lit specimen, and went straight to the same fix, which was again the ticket 100%
What the hell is going on is something I doubt anyone will ever know. Some sort of freaky physics phenomenon like airway length to diameter to angle combinatorial ratio that creates the smoke equivalent of a standing wave resonance, and "breaking" the ratio by a small amount is all it takes for things to flow normally again.
Or something.
Whatever it is, it's absolutely real.
Also nothing any carver or company can see coming. (It's not a quality issue)
This ^^^Had it happen exactly as you describe with two new pipes, both good specimens of a top brand.
The first time it did drove me nuts, and I tried to "out stubborn" it. I also wanted to make double-damn sure it was the pipe and not something I was doing differently or wrong. Kept at it for several days.
Nope. She no work.
Since it was a rare(ish) specimen that had taken some effort to find, I didn't want to flip it, but I didn't want it as simple a rack ornament, either.
So, I decided to Rick Newcome it. Enlarge the airway diameter.
180-degree reversal. Smoked great, and has ever since.
That happened about 6-7 years ago.
About six months ago was occurrence #2.
This time I only smoked the pipe enough to confirm it was another Mystery Won't Stay Lit specimen, and went straight to the same fix, which was again the ticket 100%
What the hell is going on is something I doubt anyone will ever know. Some sort of freaky physics phenomenon like airway length to diameter to angle combinatorial ratio that creates the smoke equivalent of a standing wave resonance, and "breaking" the ratio by a small amount is all it takes for things to flow normally again.
Or something.
Whatever it is, it's absolutely real.
Also nothing any carver or company can see coming. (It's not a quality issue)
Is much better than I could have explained it. Also, did you contact said carver, if it was one of mine, per se, I would like to have heard about it. And they may have already run into that problem and have their own solution.
The chamber is deeper and more narrow than my other pipes, for sure. I wondered about that... do narrow and drop bowls require a different among style? I've never heard that before...
I will try that. It could be something plugging or obscuring the draft hole, I've never looked.Had it happen exactly as you describe with two new pipes, both good specimens of a top brand.
The first time it did drove me nuts, and I tried to "out stubborn" it. I also wanted to make double-damn sure it was the pipe and not something I was doing differently or wrong. Kept at it for several days.
Nope. She no work.
Since it was a rare(ish) specimen that had taken some effort to find, I didn't want to flip it, but I didn't want it as simple a rack ornament, either.
So, I decided to Rick Newcome it. Enlarge the airway diameter.
180-degree reversal. Smoked great, and has ever since.
That happened about 6-7 years ago.
About six months ago was occurrence #2.
This time I only smoked the pipe enough to confirm it was another Mystery Won't Stay Lit specimen, and went straight to the same fix, which was again the ticket 100%
What the hell is going on is something I doubt anyone will ever know. Some sort of freaky physics phenomenon like airway length to diameter to angle combinatorial ratio that creates the smoke equivalent of a standing wave resonance, and "breaking" the ratio by a small amount is all it takes for things to flow normally again.
Or something.
Whatever it is, it's absolutely real.
Also nothing any carver or company can see coming. (It's not a quality issue)
I've had some kaywoodies that we're awful smokers. So I redrilled the stem, opened up ever hole on the stinger and now it's much better. I find if a pipe has a tight draw it won't smoke well. The ember in the bowl.needs to be able.to.draw are will the least amount of resistance to keep the bowl lit while it's not being puffed. Think of it as a fire in a fire place. If smoke isn't drawing up the chimney, then the fire isn't getting enough oxygen flow to.keep it lit
I think nothing of relighting. I always smoke outside, reading, with a churchwarden. There's almost always a light breeze, which can affect the rate my little fire burns. If my pipe starts smoking too warm, I back off, often letting it go out, and then relight. I keep my windproof Zippo next to me and have no qualms about relighting. and my next sip is often the tastiest.
Yes, very light packing will often require fewer relights, but in my experience, and conditions, it can burn a little hotter, too.
Yes, very light packing will often require fewer relights, but in my experience, and conditions, it can burn a little hotter, too.
To be honest, I’ve never been one to keep a pipe lit, to much of the fire, heat and smoking bothers my mouth, and I find the tobacco never tastes as good as barely lighting, taking a few small sips, letting it go out and cool down, and this goes for simple one dimensional blends like SWR as an example, always lit, it doesn’t taste as good.
And the complex blends never taste as good, always lit.
Keeping a pipe lit isn’t my thing or concern, I personally find it’s not really what must be done, as if you’re not doing it, then something is wrong. I find, rather it’s something people want, because they don’t want to hassle with lighting, or the situation they are in makes it more bothersome, or difficult to keep lighting.
And the complex blends never taste as good, always lit.
Keeping a pipe lit isn’t my thing or concern, I personally find it’s not really what must be done, as if you’re not doing it, then something is wrong. I find, rather it’s something people want, because they don’t want to hassle with lighting, or the situation they are in makes it more bothersome, or difficult to keep lighting.
Thank you for apparently bring able to decipher my autocorrect stream of consciousness. That is a helluva chimney! (I had to manually type that out.)
There once was a man from Nantucket
Who carried his lunch in a bucket;
At work took a break to sit
But his pipe wouldn't stay lit;
He threw it in the sea and said fxxx it.
Who carried his lunch in a bucket;
At work took a break to sit
But his pipe wouldn't stay lit;
He threw it in the sea and said fxxx it.
I agree that typically it is a tobacco loading/drying issue. The quality of the briar may be a suspect, too. But just in case it’s an oxygen issue, try running a thin & then a fluffy pipe cleaner with some 200 grain alcohol thru the stem and/or getting a handheld acrylic drill bit (yes, they make them) and gently widening the draw hole. Tamp gently after the charring light.
