Small Bowl vs Big Bowl Break In

[jiminy]

Alright, so I know there are countless forum threads about how to break in new pipes, and there are numerous different methods people will put forward as well. I haven't had many new pipes at all, but when I've got one I also smoked a few half bowls, a few that were 3/4 full, and then a few more that were full. That seemed to be a pretty sound method in my experience, so I didn't explore any other break-ins. Also note, those were all medium/larger bowled pipes.

However, I recently ordered a couple small bowled pipes, and I am wondering if there is a better way. I mean a half bowl with these would likely only be a 10 minute smoke, perhaps less depending on the tobacco. Does a person stick with the half/three quarter/full method? Does one just stuff it full and go for it? Are there any better ways that I am missing? I know this isn't a huge deal, but the thought of different break-in approaches for different sized pipes did get me mulling things over.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Does one just stuff it full and go for it?

That's what I do for every pipe.

 

[Fralphog]

++ what @Chasing Embers said.

 

[jiminy]

That's what I do for every pipe.

++ what @Chasing Embers said.

Good to know. I had been leaning towards that, and since my last pipe break in I've learned a proper cake is not such a big deal. Now I just need to sit back and wait for Canada Post to get around to getting the pipes to me!

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Take your average bowl break in time, multiply by pi (3.1415) divided by bowl diameter. That will give you a reasonable approximation of the break in time for that pipe.

Seriously? Load the freaking pipe up and smoke it. It will form Cake when it forms Cake.

 

[OzPiper]

Why complicate what is essentially a relaxing pastime with nonessential angst ?

 

[jiminy]

Why complicate what is essentially a relaxing pastime with nonessential angst ?

When I was first sold a pipe, it was drilled into me that unless you broke in the pipe "properly", you'd run a much higher risk of ruining the pipe. Now I realize that was poor advice, but some things stick with a person even though you know better. Kinda like when you get superstitious about something, even though there is no sound logic behind it.

Take your average bowl break in time, multiply by pi (3.1415) divided by bowl diameter. That will give you a reasonable approximation of the break in time for that pipe.

Seriously? Load the freaking pipe up and smoke it. It will form Cake when it forms Cake.

Oh I'm not concerned about how long it takes to create cake, or how long it even takes to break in a pipe. In fact, I prefer there to not be much cake, especially in smaller bowled pipes where the chamber is limited for space as is. My question was simply if there was a better way of breaking in the pipe than the method I was told to when I first began.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

When I was first sold a pipe, it was drilled into me that unless you broke in the pipe "properly", you'd run a much higher risk of ruining the pipe. Now I realize that was poor advice, but some things stick with a person even though you know better. Kinda like when you get superstitious about something, even though there is no sound logic behind it.

Oh I'm not concerned about how long it takes to create cake, or how long it even takes to break in a pipe. In fact, I prefer there to not be much cake, especially in smaller bowled pipes where the chamber is limited for space as is. My question was simply if there was a better way of breaking in the pipe than the method I was told to when I first began.

Fill the bowl and smoke as you would any other time. Make sure tobacco is dry enough and smoke slow.

 

[jiminy]

Fill the bowl and smoke as you would any other time. Make sure tobacco is dry enough and smoke slow.

Good reminder on the dry tobacco thing. That is one aspect of pipe smoking that I keep forgetting about. I usually don't get to plan out my smokes in advance, so it often tends to be wetter than is ideal. I really should just use one of my days off to dry out a few ounces at a time so I have some ready to go.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Good reminder on the dry tobacco thing. That is one aspect of pipe smoking that I keep forgetting about. I usually don't get to plan out my smokes in advance, so it often tends to be wetter than is ideal. I really should just use one of my days off to dry out a few ounces at a time so I have some ready to go.

Just open your tins and let them sit. Unless you're in a desert climate, they'll be fine for a long time. Months.

 

[Ag®o]

^^^What they said, always fully filled.

 

[Chasing Embers]

it was drilled into me that unless you broke in the pipe "properly", you'd run a much higher risk of ruining the pipe.

They probably told you briar needs to be rested and that it absorbs moisture and needs time to dry.

 

[bullet08]

Don't worry too much. Just smoke the pipe, small or big, and it will be alright. You wouldn't even know you didn't properly broke it in. Maybe down the road, you'll tell yourself "damn, this pipe smokes pretty good!"

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I do absolutely nothing special. I am not even sure why people do those half bowls, because when I smoke all the way down to the bottom, I get cake all the way down to the bottom. Also, the slower I smoke, the more I am having to fight back the cake, even having to clear out the area where the draft meets the chamber with a drill bit in a pin vice occasionally.
I just buy a pipe, pack it up and smoke it. I love the taste of the first few bowls in the bare briar... not so much when they have bowl coatings.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I would also add that if you are not smoking to the bottom then you don't need cake at the bottom.

 

[jiminy]

They probably told you briar needs to be rested and that it absorbs moisture and needs time to dry.

I do remember being told to rest a pipe based on the frequency of smoking it. The example I was given was 1 bowl = 1 day, 3 bowls = 3 days, etc. Since then I've read that isn't all that necessary, although resting/drying is no doubt beneficial. Either way, it is currently not an issue for me, as my pipe smoking time is infrequent

 

[jiminy]

I would also add that if you are not smoking to the bottom then you don't need cake at the bottom.

I have to admit that there have been many times I haven't smoked all the way to the bottom. Sometimes that was due to time (hence a couple smaller pipes), but in hindsight it was probably having wet tobacco that influenced that much of the time. I'd have a hard time keeping that bottom bit lit, so I would just dump it.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I do remember being told to rest a pipe based on the frequency of smoking it. The example I was given was 1 bowl = 1 day, 3 bowls = 3 days, etc. Since then I've read that isn't all that necessary, although resting/drying is no doubt beneficial. Either way, it is currently not an issue for me, as my pipe smoking time is infrequent

Briar is extremely resistant to absorbing moisture. Run a pipe cleaner through the pipe and wipe the chamber with a paper towel and it's ready to go. I often smoke the same pipe multiple times per day for weeks at a time before switching.

 

[OldWill]

I followed the dogmatic technique of smoking partial bowls for break-in in the beginning, but I stopped that decades ago.
I echo the sentiment of simply filling the bowl with careful packing, light it, tamp it, and try to smoke down as far as you find comfortable.
For me, the type of tobacco used in break-in is more important. I prefer cakes derived from fine straight Virginia leaf, but you will see in other threads that other pipers have other preferences.
Just go ahead and enjoy!

 

[kcghost]

Fill it up and lit it up.