What Tobacco for Breaking-in your Expensive Pipes?

[Searock Fan]

I don't worry about "break in". I just smoke what I intend the pipe for and break in takes care of itself.

 

[kcghost]

I've never "broken in" a pipe in my life. Just fill them up with whatever I'm smoking and lit'em up.

 

[Peterson314]

I keep a stash for such occasions.

 

[warren99]

Whatever hits the spot.

 

[cshubhra]

I once shocked a few members here when I broke in an unsmoked Sixten Ivarsson with Gawith Hoggarth and Company Dark Flake Aromatic and dedicated it to the Lakeland genre.

Other than that, I typically break in a pipe with something I am already smoking. If it is going to be dedicated then, something of that genre

 

[Chasing Embers]

View attachment 239398

I keep a stash for such occasions.

Wish I'd bought up a bunch. I had a meerschaum just for it.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

I used to use Tilbury for the first 5 or 6 bowls of new pipes.
Lately it's been either CD Miskatonic Mixture or RO Firestorm. Those two behave similarly for me - plenty of flavor, loads easily, burns even.

 

[OzPiper]

Whatever I feel like smoking.

Exactly. Whatever’s I feel like smoking on the day
Why should the cost of the pipe come in ?

 

[bullet08]

Exactly. Whatever’s I feel like smoking on the day
Why should the cost of the pipe come in ?

I know. If I buy Castello, do I have to wait for Frog Morton to be reissued by the original blenders?

 

[midcentry]

Got two today in the post! I wouldn’t say expensive by most standards but one is 70 years old and virgin briar. Just about to rummage around and decide and whatever strikes my fancy - dry enough, pack right and shouldn’t be worried! Now, I wipe a little water around the bowl of the old one in case it’s really dry and I’ll let it absorb but maybe that’s unnecessary and maybe that little bit isn’t significant - if that’s a definite no-no someone speak up in the next 2-3 hours, lol.

Very cool! What kind of pipe is it? I've never heard of the water technique, seems like it could work. Might keep the rim from charring, but idk if it would have any negative affects on the finish/briar. Report back with your findings!

 

[midcentry]

To break in any pipe I use a dry burley that I can be reasonably confident will burn with minimal dottle, and then I use the ash to create a mud coating.
My finger ends up black for a day but the result is the best bowl coating I've come across so far:

View attachment 239368

Makes sense! Yeah, i always feel like dryer burleys have the best smoking mechanics, and really do make for the best bowl coating

 

[midcentry]

Exactly. Whatever’s I feel like smoking on the day
Why should the cost of the pipe come in ?

I hear ya. I guess what i meant by that, is sometimes i do feel like smoking some 1-Q, or a heavy lakeland, but since they aren't regular smokes for me, I wouldn't be breaking in my nicest or most valuable pipes with them. To each their own though!

 

[sablebrush52]

I'll avoid anything that will ghost a pipe. Otherwise it's whatever I feel like smoking.

 

[huntertrw]

What tobacco are you using to break in your expensive pipes?​

Only the best...


"Pardon me, but do you have any Grey Poupon pipe-tobacco?"

 

[OzPiper]

I hear ya. I guess what i meant by that, is sometimes i do feel like smoking some 1-Q, or a heavy lakeland, but since they aren't regular smokes for me, I wouldn't be breaking in my nicest or most valuable pipes with them. To each their own though!

Ah !
I guess I wouldn’t pick a Lakeland or a strongly aromatic blend.
Leaves a lot of choice

 

[Chasing Embers]

Only the best...

View attachment 239417
"Pardon me, but do you have any Grey Poupon pipe-tobacco?"

I thought gray poop on tobacco was mold.

 

[huntertrw]

I thought gray poop on tobacco was mold.

It may well be, but if it is, then it is the very best!

 

[renfield]

Smoke whatever you usually do. Avoid aromatics/Lakelands if you don’t want the ghosts.

 

[ashdigger]

I use Grey Poupon, because I’m fancy like that.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

Makes sense! Yeah, i always feel like dryer burleys have the best smoking mechanics, and really do make for the best bowl coating

Half the reason for saying Burley is because I feel like it has the most neutral smell and won't affect the taste of future bowls, which is to say I think Burley has no flavor.
I've been using Semois "Le Petite Robin" lately (very fine shag cut).

For the mud tactic I like to smoke a half bowl and then add a few drops of water until it makes a paste, but beware that the paste will contain little bits of remaining tobacco that inevitably get stuck to the bottom of the bowl.
Rub it around for a minute, pick out some bits, then rub some more etc... and eventually you'll have a smooth coated bowl.