Will removing cake reverse the pipe "break-in" process?

[instymp]

I guess before the internet people would just smoke pipes?

 

[ernieq]

"I swab out my briar pipes after each smoke with a folded in half pipe cleaner."
Yup. A smart guy once told me "Clean your pipes once a week...if you only smoke once a week.
There is a HUGE difference between hard cake and goop. And working in a shop...I can't tell you how many gummy bowls I've cleaned out for people. If you swab your bowl every time it really goes a long way to hard even cake development.
As far as alcohol to keep cake from forming? That may be useful for coloring Meers because, from what I've heard, cake is actually detrimental to coloring a meer.

E.

 

[krizzose]

I can only add one thought to all the good advice above: it took me a couple of years to build up so much cake in any of my pipes that I felt the need to invest in a reamer. Im not a heavy smoker (avg of 3 or 4 bowls a week), using about 8 briars and 3 cobs regularly. I wipe the bowls out with a paper towel or folded pipe cleaner maybe every 3 or 4 smokes for each pipe, certainly not every bowl. I suspect it’ll be another couple of years before I notice anything resembling too much cake.
Your attention to detail is admirable, Machado....but CHILL OUT and concentrate more on enjoying your smokes more than trying to do every little thing correctly. As long as you’re doing reasonably regular maintenance and cleaning of your pipes, you’ll be fine and so will your pipes.

 

[foggymountain]

no