Why Does This Pipe Smoke Hot?

[Ahi Ka]

I’ve had a gurgler before, no matter what I loaded her with, no matter how I smoked, it would always gurgle from about 1/4 of the the way through.

I have another pipe that whistles. I know I could fix the drilling, but I won’t because of its collectible/historical value.

Despite these ‘flaws’, both pipes deliver very enjoyable smokes so it stopped bothering me.

I now have a pipe which I love smoking, but the bowl gets hotter than I would like. I’m letting it school me (much like a clay) in slowing my cadence down even further, and it still surprises me each time by how much slower one can go.

Do some pieces of briar smoke hotter than others? If so, why?

I’m also trying to determine if there are hot spots in the bowl (which I would think may point to a potential issue) or if it’s just a general heat that
moves with the ember.

 

[mikethompson]

How thin are the sides of the bowl? That's a big factor for me

 

[Ahi Ka]

Pretty much the same dimensions as most of my pipes. Here’s some pics. I held off posting them originally as wanted to see if there was any theories, as opposed to the specific pipe in question.

Tried to get some shots down the chamber, I suck at this. There is a bit of carbon on this one, I have left it as opposed to removing as the pipe is close to 100years old and I didn’t want to uncover any damage. I water flush and wipe out with paper towels and allow to dry thoroughly between smokes.



the only other thing I noticed was this line on the front of the bowl. It looks like a surface scratch, but in theory it could be a crack forming as it kinda follows the grain. This part of the pipe doesn’t get hot, but the briar is darker around it.

 

[BROBS]

I’ve had a gurgler before, no matter what I loaded her with, no matter how I smoked, it would always gurgle from about 1/4 of the the way through.

I have another pipe that whistles. I know I could fix the drilling, but I won’t because of its collectible/historical value.

Despite these ‘flaws’, both pipes deliver very enjoyable smokes so it stopped bothering me.

I now have a pipe which I love smoking, but the bowl gets hotter than I would like. I’m letting it school me (much like a clay) in slowing my cadence down even further, and it still surprises me each time by how much slower one can go.

Do some pieces of briar smoke hotter than others? If so, why?

I’m also trying to determine if there are hot spots in the bowl (which I would think may point to a potential issue) or if it’s just a general heat that
moves with the ember.

Can you post pics? I’d say there is probably some burnout in the chamber and you’re feeling the lack of insulation on the outer walls.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Can you post pics? I’d say there is probably some burnout in the chamber and you’re feeling the lack of insulation on the outer walls.

Hottest part is top 3rd of bowl on the back (shank side)

 

[BROBS]

Yup burnouts. These are your problem areas:

 

[BROBS]

The charring has burned into the wall of the pipe

 

[Ahi Ka]

I have no way of measuring, but there is about 3mm of carbon.

 

[BROBS]

I have no way of measuring, but there is about 3mm of carbon.

You will have to take it all back carefully. It helps to soften the cake with alcohol for a while first for me.

then when you can see the walls you can see what is going on. I’ve had a few pipes where this happened and I had to basically ream/sand past most of the burned areas. The other option is to pipe mud / coat the bowl

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

Gurgling and whistling are caused by too much vacuum in the stem.
That's easily fixed by not clamping the lips onto the stem, but leave a gap so air can get in.

As for heating up, only my largest and bulkiest pipes are immune to it.

 

[Ahi Ka]

You will have to take it all back carefully. It helps to soften the cake with alcohol for a while first for me.

then when you can see the walls you can see what is going on. I’ve had a few pipes where this happened and I had to basically ream/sand past most of the burned areas. The other option is to pipe mud / coat the bowl

And are there any disadvantages to leaving as is and just being conscious of the hot spots?

 

[rajangan]

I once bought a rusticated pipe by "Redneck Pipe Company". I smoked it a few times and it was fine, but then the dude at the tobacco shop put it on the buffing wheel with green polishing compound - an action I didn't understand because it's a rough pipe - the compound filled in the grooves in the finish and the smoke from that pipe before and after was night and day. Average to hot. 10 years later, I don't mind smoking it anymore. But then I broke the stem and I'm looking at it now, since I got it fixed, and it looks like the repair man polished it again. Ugh.

 

[Ahi Ka]

I once bought a rusticated pipe by "Redneck Pipe Company". I smoked it a few times and it was fine, but then the dude at the tobacco shop put it on the buffing wheel with green polishing compound - an action I didn't understand because it's a rough pipe - the compound filled in the grooves in the finish and the smoke from that pipe before and after was night and day. Average to hot. 10 years later, I don't mind smoking it anymore. But then I broke the stem and I'm looking at it now, since I got it fixed, and it looks like the repair man polished it again. Ugh.

View attachment 118707

You could be a hand model bro

 

[mso489]

I don't know if this is the answer related to your pipe, but I certainly know that several Kawoodie pipes of recent manufacture that I have, with rather thin walls on their bowls simply don't heat up. At first I thought it was the blends or the cuts, but now, after a variety of tobaccos, I see that it is simply the briar. There's no other explanation. I guess they've been in business so long that they somewhat have their choice of briars, and the contacts to sustain the quality they want.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Yeah, something's not right, this thing doesn't even get warm.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Yeah, something's not right, this thing doesn't even get warm.

View attachment 118713

Yes most of my pipes stay cool-warm. I can happily smoke a clay and hold it in my hand without it even being close to uncomfortable. Normally I’d just move on, except that despite the heat it smokes very well/I’m enjoying the schooling to become an even slower smoker.

 

[Ahi Ka]

This is the pipe in question, 1920-30 Comoys virgin briar.

 

[craig61a]

Over time wood does harden. I'm talking decades.

Does that equate to the wood becoming a better conductor of heat? I don't know...

It occurs to me that some of my decades old pipes do seem to run a little warmer than some of my newer pipes, but then again I've never given it much thought. If it does get a little too warm to be comfortable, I'll set it down for 5-10 minutes.

I've heard about people having older (centenarian) unsmoked pipes cracking on them if they fire them up, so obviously there's something going on.

But as for what that mechanism might be, who knows. Where I live there are people who go pay high dollar for old wooden furniture that's been stored in attics, old barns, what have you. Temperature and humidity cycled for decades between -20 F to 130 F, had the moisture sucked out as dry the Sahara, submitted to the humidity of the Amazon. Not very functional in many cases because the wood is usually so dry it would never hold up to it's original intended use.

I guess my point is that many of these older pipes were stored away in sub-optimal conditions. and effects of time and environment have taken a toll on them. to what degree can vary widely.

I'd just enjoy the pipe while you can, and take a break if it gets too warm. If you make around the sun 100 times, you'd probably want to play it cool too...

 

[Chasing Embers]

This is the pipe in question, 1920-30 Comoys virgin briar.

View attachment 118716

Are the hot spots darker on the outside of the bowl?

 

[Ahi Ka]

Are the hot spots darker on the outside of the bowl?

I want to say yes, but I can’t really tell because 1) the darker spots have tight Birdseye and 2) they are in spots that you don’t really touch when you are holding the bowl

more unhelpful pics lol