@Londy3 The sharp top edge where the airway enters the bowl is thin and easily burned. If, by chance or circumstances a smoke is a little hot, once the thin edge catches the heat, it is much easier for it to run right up the bowl vertically, charring along the way. When I say trim, it’s more like just round over that area slightly, just so there is no thin “point” to char easily. Think of that area like a needle shaped wood pin, which end would take to the flame easier? In a pipe, it would take much more heat to torch off if it is rounded. Actually MM cobs work that way with their wood shanks. When a MM cob is brand spanking new, the edges of the top of the shank/airway protruding through at the bottom of the bowl are thin and burn off fairly quickly, (smoked to the bottom of the bowl). The main part of the shank after the edges are gone lasts much longer. When I get a new MM cob, I use a wood carving knife and shave off the top edges of the shank inside the bowl, and also round over that top edge bowl/shank junction as in my other pipes. You won’t get that shank wood burning in the initial break-in bowls. It only makes a difference if smoked near to the bottom of the bowl. Most of the time the “round over” doesn’t make much of a difference, but it does slow down the airway charring if heat gets a little out of hand. If someone “freight trains” a bowl, the round over will not prevent that kind of abuse. As a side note, several pipe makers advise against smoking to the bottom of the bowl. Then again, others say burn it to the bottom. Personally, I smoke to bottom, unless the dottle is just too wet to stay lit for whatever reason. I do tamp the remaining tobacco towards the airway when it gets low, making sure to have enough tobacco ash above the airway. If there is burnable tobacco above the airway at that point, that’s where the trouble can begin. The draw can pull air from the front bottom of the cherry and stoke it in that area. It can happen even sooner if the tobacco is tamped flat. As soon as the top of the airway is above the tobacco/ash level, or nearly so, then the heat can build and char that junction of the bowl/airway. So, I either tamp to the airway at an angle or dump the bowl. Part if my problem with the Baracini was that I overestimated the depth if the bowl and didn’t have as much tobacco left in the bowl. When I tamped it over ti the airway, the cherry was sitting right at that shank/bowl junction and there was not enough tobacco ash above the airway….and I had not rounded it over. Secondly, I tasted the briar in the smoke and was thinking it was just the fresh briar at the bottom of the bowl (it was only the second or third bowl in a new pipe), when it was actually the area above the airway that got too hot and charred. I smoked it too long before dumping the bowl. Luckily, it should be ok, the 320 is very thick in that area. A straight billiard might have actually had a burn-out/heat spot on the outside bowl/shank junction😳
@KA9FFJ I’ll do that, you never know, it might work out for you. I guess I need to tell one of my siblings where to send it in that event. I don’t have a will…..although I should, everything will probably go to the state otherwise😖
My stamina is starting to increase and I was able to get a decent days light work in today. I'll sleep good tonight! Relaxing before supper with some Frankenblend in a recently restemmed Knute freehand...
Taking a midafternoon break with some Lane BCA in a MM Emerald while drinking a protein shake (still need to put on about 10 - 12 lbs since surgery)... You know and I know how personal tobacco blend favorites are, but I tell you, IMHO, BCA is really up there on my list... just sayin'...😁
@Londy3 The pipe stand was given to me in appreciation for turning a (missing, narrow) Peterson aluminum tenon extension for one of the great guys that visits petersonpipenotes.org. A fellow “Pete Geek”🙂 I suggested he should try selling them. They are a leather stack and magnets. They work very well for displaying most pipes. I never thought about it before now, but I guess? one could load tobacco on top of the metal ball that is required inside the bowl and use it as a pipe rest🤔
Tnx @opipeman for the encouragement. I'm 6'. When this mess started showing itself in February, I weighed 181 and felt good. I bottomed out 3 days after being home from the hospital at 149.8! I weighed this morning at 157 so I'm heading in the right direction now. Doctor says my blood pressure should come back up to normal along with my energy level when I hit around 165/170. In the mean time, I do see some improvement but still get tired easily and have to take frequent breaks. But life is good and getting better... Tnx again brother... Besides, more breaks mean more pipe time...😏
@KA9FFJ; You'll get there Brother, it's the Devil Dog in you, plus a little help from above. I've got a feeling that your bride has a hand in it as well. I'm 5'-6" and weigh 181, I'd love to weigh 150-160, but as @RockyMountainBriar stated "I don’t think I want to try it your way though".
@opipeman Once again you are correct. My wife has been like Florence Nightingale. Always making sure I'm doing the right things while not overdoing. She's a big part of why I'm close to 2 weeks ahead of schedule in my recovery... Now if I can just convince her to let me buy a few pipes I've had my eye on... Do you think she'd buy an even quicker recovery as an excuse to buy a few more pipes? I know, I know, she's nice, but not stupid... I'll chalk that question up to being a little light-headed...🥺
Fired up this vintage LHS PUREX All BRIAR with some “Half and Half” tonight. It’s a bit chilly here, so I decided on a warm, Whisky Milk Punch to accompany.
Comments
Love that pipe! If I was a lot younger than you instead of a lot older, I'd ask you to will me that pipe...😏
The sharp top edge where the airway enters the bowl is thin and easily burned. If, by chance or circumstances a smoke is a little hot, once the thin edge catches the heat, it is much easier for it to run right up the bowl vertically, charring along the way. When I say trim, it’s more like just round over that area slightly, just so there is no thin “point” to char easily. Think of that area like a needle shaped wood pin, which end would take to the flame easier? In a pipe, it would take much more heat to torch off if it is rounded. Actually MM cobs work that way with their wood shanks. When a MM cob is brand spanking new, the edges of the top of the shank/airway protruding through at the bottom of the bowl are thin and burn off fairly quickly, (smoked to the bottom of the bowl). The main part of the shank after the edges are gone lasts much longer. When I get a new MM cob, I use a wood carving knife and shave off the top edges of the shank inside the bowl, and also round over that top edge bowl/shank junction as in my other pipes. You won’t get that shank wood burning in the initial break-in bowls. It only makes a difference if smoked near to the bottom of the bowl.
Most of the time the “round over” doesn’t make much of a difference, but it does slow down the airway charring if heat gets a little out of hand. If someone “freight trains” a bowl, the round over will not prevent that kind of abuse.
As a side note, several pipe makers advise against smoking to the bottom of the bowl. Then again, others say burn it to the bottom. Personally, I smoke to bottom, unless the dottle is just too wet to stay lit for whatever reason. I do tamp the remaining tobacco towards the airway when it gets low, making sure to have enough tobacco ash above the airway. If there is burnable tobacco above the airway at that point, that’s where the trouble can begin. The draw can pull air from the front bottom of the cherry and stoke it in that area. It can happen even sooner if the tobacco is tamped flat. As soon as the top of the airway is above the tobacco/ash level, or nearly so, then the heat can build and char that junction of the bowl/airway. So, I either tamp to the airway at an angle or dump the bowl.
Part if my problem with the Baracini was that I overestimated the depth if the bowl and didn’t have as much tobacco left in the bowl. When I tamped it over ti the airway, the cherry was sitting right at that shank/bowl junction and there was not enough tobacco ash above the airway….and I had not rounded it over. Secondly, I tasted the briar in the smoke and was thinking it was just the fresh briar at the bottom of the bowl (it was only the second or third bowl in a new pipe), when it was actually the area above the airway that got too hot and charred. I smoked it too long before dumping the bowl. Luckily, it should be ok, the 320 is very thick in that area. A straight billiard might have actually had a burn-out/heat spot on the outside bowl/shank junction😳
I’ll do that, you never know, it might work out for you. I guess I need to tell one of my siblings where to send it in that event. I don’t have a will…..although I should, everything will probably go to the state otherwise😖
The state doesn't deserve it
”TRUTH”!!
Relaxing before supper with some Frankenblend in a recently restemmed Knute freehand...
Sweet! Love the stand too. Well done man!
Your color looks good. I think you are on your way back, Brother. Prayers are answered!
You know and I know how personal tobacco blend favorites are, but I tell you, IMHO, BCA is really up there on my list... just sayin'...😁
Yep, BCA at the top👍🏻
The pipe stand was given to me in appreciation for turning a (missing, narrow) Peterson aluminum tenon extension for one of the great guys that visits petersonpipenotes.org. A fellow “Pete Geek”🙂
I suggested he should try selling them. They are a leather stack and magnets. They work very well for displaying most pipes. I never thought about it before now, but I guess? one could load tobacco on top of the metal ball that is required inside the bowl and use it as a pipe rest🤔
I'm 6'. When this mess started showing itself in February, I weighed 181 and felt good. I bottomed out 3 days after being home from the hospital at 149.8! I weighed this morning at 157 so I'm heading in the right direction now.
Doctor says my blood pressure should come back up to normal along with my energy level when I hit around 165/170.
In the mean time, I do see some improvement but still get tired easily and have to take frequent breaks.
But life is good and getting better... Tnx again brother...
Besides, more breaks mean more pipe time...😏
I could stand to get back down to 140-150 lbs. I don’t think I want to try it your way though.
You'll get there Brother, it's the Devil Dog in you, plus a little help from above. I've got a feeling that your bride has a hand in it as well. I'm 5'-6" and weigh 181, I'd love to weigh 150-160, but as @RockyMountainBriar stated "I don’t think I want to try it your way though".
Once again you are correct.
My wife has been like Florence Nightingale. Always making sure I'm doing the right things while not overdoing. She's a big part of why I'm close to 2 weeks ahead of schedule in my recovery...
Now if I can just convince her to let me buy a few pipes I've had my eye on...
Do you think she'd buy an even quicker recovery as an excuse to buy a few more pipes?
I know, I know, she's nice, but not stupid... I'll chalk that question up to being a little light-headed...🥺
My daughter's a NP. I'll check with her for possible contacts...😏
I'm not guessing. Marine wives and Firefighter wives are cut from the same cloth. God bless them. It's that fortunate we are.