I remember my uncle's pipes. He only ever had one at a time, and smoked one blend all day long in that one pipe, day in and day out. He would smoke the pipe till it caked over and he couldn't get more tobacco in there. He also never used a pipe cleaner. I'm not even sure where guys would have gotten pipe cleaners out in the country anyways. But, I think that most guys prescribed to this method of smoking back in the day. Then they'd just toss the pipe in the fire or let the kids play with it. I had a couple that were given to me to play with, ha ha. I still have one.
They probably smoked best somewhere in between a little cake and moderate cake. So, once people had access to better pipe supplies in these rural areas, they touted the benefits of cake. In the cities, maybe cake was looked favorably upon for those who couldn't slow their cadence down to get a good cool smoke going. So, they'd let this gunk cake up their bowls for insulation, a trick to be able to enjoy smoking with poor technique. But, I'll guarantee you that clay pipes and meerschaums weren't allowed to cake. Cake would snap one of those apart like a twig.
I've yet to burn out a bowl. And, all of my pipes deliver an excellent smoke without allowing the cake to go beyond a credit card thickness, and then out it goes.
But, like anything, it's all in what YOU want. I just know that at the first few B&M's that I went to, the guys made me feel like cake was absolutely necessary. Old guys who have probably given the same list of "rules" to everyone they've sold a pipe to for decades without question.
I'm sure there have always been pipe men who've questioned every one of these "rules," at this point, so it's just fair to say, try cake if you like. Try it without, and just do what best suits your need.
They probably smoked best somewhere in between a little cake and moderate cake. So, once people had access to better pipe supplies in these rural areas, they touted the benefits of cake. In the cities, maybe cake was looked favorably upon for those who couldn't slow their cadence down to get a good cool smoke going. So, they'd let this gunk cake up their bowls for insulation, a trick to be able to enjoy smoking with poor technique. But, I'll guarantee you that clay pipes and meerschaums weren't allowed to cake. Cake would snap one of those apart like a twig.
I've yet to burn out a bowl. And, all of my pipes deliver an excellent smoke without allowing the cake to go beyond a credit card thickness, and then out it goes.
But, like anything, it's all in what YOU want. I just know that at the first few B&M's that I went to, the guys made me feel like cake was absolutely necessary. Old guys who have probably given the same list of "rules" to everyone they've sold a pipe to for decades without question.
I'm sure there have always been pipe men who've questioned every one of these "rules," at this point, so it's just fair to say, try cake if you like. Try it without, and just do what best suits your need.
