Smoking my first reverse calabash

[lohengrin]

I wanted to start the new year smoking for the first time a new pipe and I choosed the reverse calabash I made some months ago:
http://pipesmagazine.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/album/13537/img_4350-600x450.jpg
I started waxing the bowl's walls with honey and cinder to protect them for the first use. I filled two thirds of the bowl with a Perfect of Kentucky and Virginia (I often put a small quantity of Kentucky to easily lit the Virginia)and started smoking.

No smoke flew out of the connection between stem and shank despite I didn't apply a protection ring to the shank.

The smoking was easy and dry confirming the qualities I was reading about reverse calabashes.

I was feeling a little bit Popeye with that tall chimney front of my eyes, but it was agreable to look at the nice flame of the briar and the smoke coming out from the top of the bowl.

 

[aldecaker]

I avoid reverse calabashes for the same reason I avoid meers. I simply don't need another pipe style to fall in love with and get addicted to! Glad you're enjoying yours, though. I hear the reverse 'bash system works very well.

 

[jkrug]

Excellent! Good to hear your pipe smokes well. I hope it brings you many good smokes. ::

 

[mcitinner1]

I'm interested in learning, when you remove the stem after smoking, how much moisture is inside. It is probably fairly wet.

 

[Chasing Embers]

My MM reverse calabash really doesn't get wet, but the cooling chamber is very dark.

 

[aldecaker]

Hmm, might need to see a pic of that, Cap'n. A little New Year's pipe porn?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Hmm, might need to see a pic of that, Cap'n. A little New Year's pipe porn?

The lighter ring just inside the chamber is where the stem/plug fits. Originally, the entire chamber was light, and I debated keeping it unsmoked, but I caved.
http://pipesmagazine.com/members/chasingembers/album/picture/18147

 

[mcitinner1]

just dark as a whores heart

HEY! I resent that remark!

 

[stvalentine]

I like your reverse calabsh very much, especially the stem! A great work of art indeed. Fun thing is: I just received my first reverse calabash today and I am going to smoke it later this evening.
It was made by a german pipemaker named Hartmut Heckmann:

 

[geirove]

I'm interested in learning, when you remove the stem after smoking, how much moisture is inside. It is probably fairly wet.

I usually just wipe the chamber of my pipe with a paper towl.

 

[lohengrin]

Stvalentine,

beautiful pipe. I never saw before a bulldog reverse calabash!

 

[hawke]

Very interesting stuff here. Looking forward to more posts.

 

[Chasing Embers]

For those who haven't smoked a reverse, or regular calabash, the tobacco flavors will be a bit muted. This will improve a bit after the pipe is broken in, and the cooling chamber is saturated with oils from the tobacco smoke, but the flavors will not be as intense as in a regular format pipe. Harsher blends to your personal palatte are generally the best choices for cooling chamber styled pipes.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I like your reverse calabsh very much, especially the stem! A great work of art indeed. Fun thing is: I just received my first reverse calabash today and I am going to smoke it later this evening.
It was made by a german pipemaker named Hartmut Heckmann:

So how did it smoke?