What is Too Hot

[easterntraveler]

I understand it is very bad for your pipe to get too hot while smoking. However it is obvious that your pipe will heat up to some degree. My bowl stays relatively warm during my session but I never have problems not being able to hold my bowl because it us too hot. Can I get some specifics other than " hot to touch". Not really sure exactly what that means.

 

[rayje589]

Literally... it's too hot to touch. This could be due to bowl thickness, how fast you smoke, the tobacco, pipe length, or all of the above. If you want a good example of this try smoking a churchwarden... The smoke in your mouth will be extremely cool. Because of this you're probably going to smoke it a little faster so then the bowl heats up quite a bit and next thing you know you can't hold the bowl because it's extremely hot.

 

[rmbittner]

Can you put the bowl to your cheek without flinching -- or leaving a scorch mark? "Warm on the cheek" is the phrase I was brought up with; too hot to put on the sensitive skin of your cheek, and you're likely smoking too hot.
But I'll offer this opinion: If the smoke hasn't turned bitter or biting, then you're fine. . . no matter whether or not you can hold the bowl or scorch your cheek. But if you're finding that "hot" is simply how you smoke a pipe -- no matter what you do to try to ameliorate it -- then I would just encourage you to be more moderate in the number of bowls you smoke before allowing the pipe to rest. If every bowl is "hot," then your pipes will need more time to rest and recover. Otherwise, you really will risk seeing every one of them turning sour before long. (Of course, if you can smoke more slowly and become adept at packing different cuts, that's preferable.)
Bob

 

[mso489]

If the bowl is not too hot to hold, you don't have a problem.

 

[magoo65]

Just a note.
I see a lot of people say to hold the pipe to your cheek to test how hot it is... Your cheek is less sensitive to heat than your hands.
As a wet shaver (I use straight razors and double edge razors) lots of hot water is needed to properly prepare the beard for the shave. It's common knowledge to wet shavers that a towel is hot enough for your face when you can barely stand to hold it with your hands.
Just a little food for thought, if you can hold it with your hands, you can certainly hold the pipe to your cheek without any pain... Or at least less pain than just holding it.

 

[tbradsim1]

After 31.5 years experience in running an ethylene plant and checking machinery you learn to use your hands, not your cheeks, checking pumps and their bearings. You learn that if you can keep your hand on bearing houseing and count to 5 it's 150 or lower, if you can"t hold it for 5 it's too hot, same applies for your pipe. I have a thermal gun and when you smoke a pipe the temp contour is not consistent, most Briars have a weak spot, running hotter in that spot, Learning this and useing your hands and common sense will save you and your pipes a lot of grief. The old cajun