To cake or not to cake?

[fitzy]

I just generally fold a pipe cleaner in half after a smoke and wipe the bowl down. Keep the cake to a minimum.

 

[toobfreak]

So there is no critical point of over-caking. I mean, they tell you to keep it down to a dime thickness but I don't see any evidence that it might stress a briar pipe to break until the cake has grown massive!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I've never really even heard of the briar breaking because of cake, till I heard you say something about it a few weeks ago. I connected the dots and thought of the pipes at the antique store, but really me not liking cake has nothing to do with the pipe breaking.

But, if you like cake, then... enjoy. Lots of guys like their cake.

 

[crashthegrey]

The cake is a lie.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Real Question, then: Can you have your cake and eat it, too? Yes, I think yes!
Let them smoke cake!
And cake happens.

 

[toobfreak]

I saw some cake in didi's pipe that I thought I could break off a chunk, roll into a ball, put back into the pipe and smoke itself! It looked like it had little bits of leaf all through it!

 

[didimauw]

Yeah apparently the amount of cake I have in my pipes AFTER I ream them, is the amount people have when they START to ream them. Mmmm cake....

 

[hugodrax]

I like a lot of cake. I do ream them once a year or so, though.

 

[unkleyoda]

The cake is a lie.

If you escape, there is cake.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Cake is just another word for nothin' left to lose...

 

[toobfreak]

Let the peasants eat cake. Or a shoe. Take this hammer and beat the shoe!
Nehy, I have not the heart to beat an innocent shoe!
Thou art the Dumb-Cluck!
I do not lie.
And neither does the cake.

 

[ravkesef]

I'm one of those who keeps a thin layer of cake in the bowl; never more than the thickness of a dime, if the cake starts to build up--a rare occurrence--I take a reamer to it and trim it back to my desired thickness. I've been smoking for 58 years, and I've got some pipes that have been with me for over half a century. Never a problem with excess cake, as I clean the bowl with a folded up pipe cleaner after every smoke. If I perceive that more is needed, I do what Anthony does: corkscrew a paper towel in the bowl. All my pipes smoke sweet and clean.

 

[jabo]

After each smoke, when I clean my bowl. I take a paper towel, wad it up, stuff it in the bowl and swab it out. Yes, it still builds a cake but a firmer one in my opinion. Do this on Briars and cobs. On merschaums and clays,try to keep them at none. My method, others know better, it works for me and no teeming ! Hurrah

 

[eaglebleyes]

Agreed with Jabo.I have been doing the exact same process with the paper towel for years and it does seem to build a harder cake but it takes a while.

 

[toobfreak]

If you dampen the paper towel with a little water, I've found it provides most of the benefits of washing it out with running water and removes all the dirt that might have gone to form cake build-up; what it leaves behind is, like you say, good, firm hard cake that remains thin.

 

[instymp]

Cake here too, dime to a nickel.

 

[dragospiper]

Wow, as a beginner I have found so much great information on this forum! I just wanted to thank everyone!

 

[yohanan]

Cake is delicious, but to much cake will make you fat.

 

[greenmonster714]

I tend to allow build-up of cake. I don't really have an explanation why except it gives off a certain flavor I enjoy. I dont enjoy breaking in a new pipe. It just doesnt taste right to me.To each his own though.

 

[balkisobrains]

I starting to go with the aldecaker/MSO489 method on a new briar, and I cut back to a nearly non-existent cake layer on two others to begin treating them the same way. Except that I am using a dry pipe cleaner to brush off ash and remove any tobacco pieces, and then while the bowl is still warm, my finger to move the oils around instead of a paper towel. The towel would drag and lint was getting worked into the oils. With my finger the oils will roll up and fall away, and are also starting to build up a slick on the briar. So far it seems to be working pretty well. ::