Your Good Pipe that Gurgles

[jpmcwjr]

If you have a pipe you really like except that it's very prone to gurgling, I have a theory that might help you. It's based on the concept that for whatever reason, the briar, especially towards the heel, is damp. Whether through poor curing, or exceptionally dense briar, or an inability to smoke to the end, here's the proposal:

Smoke half or one-third bowls of dry tobacco to the end, 10-30 times over the course of a month or less. If it becomes unpleasant, gently blow through the stem to keep the ember going to the bottom. It's the heat of the ember that willstart to drive moisture out, but it will take time.

If you'd like to try this, please post back, and if there are enough participants, we may have a winner, depending on the actual results.

Any suggestions or questions also appreciated.

 

[edger]

My theory is simpler and very basic. DRY YOUR TOBACCO! I haven’t had a gurgling pipe in decades.

 

[Mr.Pink]

Good idea! I do notice most new smokers have trouble with gurgle... Their Tabacco is either too moist or they are puffing too hard, depends on the blend. Your method of blowing back to get rid of the built-up moisture is a good suggestion. I hate to be that guy, but we can't always blame the pipe. Tabacco preparation and technique should be addressed before the pipe is blamed. Once I learned to prepare the Tabacco and smoke it correctly, I rarely have a problem. Sometimes, if I am really enjoying a blend and start puffing like a freight train, I get the gurgle, but that's on me. I understand it to be more of a problem with curved pipes, moisture builds up. I don't own any. I own nothing but straight pipes.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Now can I still use the hot water flush??? Sorry just being cheeky

 

[Grangerous]

Straight pipes are less prone. I also prefer filterless Pipes. These allow me to insert a pipe cleaner into the bowl and actually “remove” the condensation, as opposed to filters which “trap” moisture.

This and to a lesser extent, drying out your tobacco as suggested by a majority. I’m in the minority here as well. I enjoy most blends moisture level “fresh” as I find it tastes richer. I have dried out to varying levels and always I prefer it fresh.

Which segways to my last point. Don’t create copious amounts of smoke. You’re tasting tobacco and it doesn’t require a visible cloud of smoke to taste it. People nearby would hardly see that my pipe is burning until I retro and even then, it’s a small amount of smoke.

This results in a dry, cool and flavorful pipe. Enjoy!

 

[Old School 3319]

I only have a gurgling pipe if I smoke an aro

 

[jpmcwjr]

My theory is simpler and very basic. DRY YOUR TOBACCO! I haven’t had a gurgling pipe in decades.

Indeed. Same here.

But this is aimed at those who have a pipe or two that do gurgle, regardless of the cause.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I have one... I try to ignore it. I still smoke the pipe. I can say that in some cases it's not drying your tobacco, it's just the pipe.

 

[kola]

Good suggestions !

I smoke nothing but bent pipes and don't always dry my tobacco (mostly SG, GH, GLP). But I never smoke the super sloppy wet stuff which are mostly aros anyway (PG laced). I guess I've been lucky as I never had a gurgler. I do smoke super slow and I'm a sipper on my puff cadence.

I had a couple whistlers and boy that was annoying. They both went in the woodstove (and yeah they were both Petersons).

 

[jpmcwjr]

I have one... I try to ignore it. I still smoke the pipe. I can say that in some cases it's not drying your tobacco, it's just the pipe.

That's exactly the type of pipe I am talking about. I.e., I am not addressing failure to get moisture right in a given load. But not getting moisture right over time and not finishing the bowl is one reason a pipe will tend to gurgle.

 

[Zack Miller]

Two things that annoy the crap out of me.

1. Tobacco blocking the hole
2. Gurgling.

 

[kola]

To eliminate the gurgle syndrome, I've heard of some guys plugging the top of the bowl with their thumb and lightly blowing back into the pipe. I guess that just distributes the soupy-slop back up into the dryer tobacco. <a slight variant from the OP comments>

 

[jpmcwjr]

To eliminate the gurgle syndrome, I've heard of some guys plugging the top of the bowl with their thumb and lightly blowing back into the pipe. I guess that just distributes the soupy-slop back up into the dryer tobacco. <a slight variant from the OP comments>

Yeah, that just compounds the problem.

 

[Misanthrope]

The gurglers I have tend to be bent shapes, and most of the gurgling that happens does so when I inadvertently slobber into the stem. I've had to practice keeping my tongue from touching the stem with those--when I don't allow my tongue to directly contact the stem, they don't gurgle.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

in the past I've seen some old timers 'swiping their pipes in order that moisture collected in the stem would come out

 

[highwaycobbery]

I have had gurgling pipes and I simply drill the shank up a size until it stops. This will work I’ve done it on about five pipes.

 

[CAlabama]

I have had gurgling pipes and I simply drill the shank up a size until it stops. This will work I’ve done it on about five pipes.

Same here. Fixes whistles too.

 

[cigrmaster]

I won't own a pipe that gurgles as it is my biggest pet peeve. The biggest reason a pipe gurgles is improper drilling and a shank dimension that is too tight. Any shank dimension that is 3.0-3.5 is a pipe that will usually gurgle because of the dimension being being too small. ALso inside the stems if they are rough and not smooth will create turpulence which will create turbulence which will create a pipe that gurgles. There is nothing worse than a gurgling pipe in my opinion. Some pipes that gurgle may smoke ok, but hearing a pipe gurgle makes me want to just throw the pipe in the trash.

 

[bullet08]

No issue with gurgles. Mine are all Peterson.

 

[sasquatch]

Get a half decent pipe, and smoke slow, and no gurgle. Magic.