two of my pipes are making my tobacco taste bad, not to bad but two different blends and they taste almost the same so I think it is time to ream out the pipes and get some Prince Albert so I can burn them back in, I think something is the bowl is bad, tried cleaning them a few different ways, tried PappyJoes Coffee trick and nothing works, a good reaming and re-burn should do the trick but if not anyone have any ideas??
Wolf, when you use the term "burn in" and "reburn," I kinda cringe a little. So many of our objectives as pipe smokers can be reached in different ways, and my methods have over time been modified. While I do like to experiment in certain areas, I tend to take all the info I have gathered from other pipe smokers, and then experiment firsthand.
First thing that comes to mind when I read your opening post, is that I keep very little cake in my pipes. In fact, if any pipe of mine has cake any thicker than an egg shell, it is long over due for a cleaning. Since I keep any cake very thin, I rarely reem any of my pipes. Instead of building cake, my method is to season the briar by smoking, the same way you would a cast iron skillet, or muzzleloader. By being very careful to barely keep the pipe lit, not only will you seldom burn the inside of the bowl, your tobacco will be much more flavorful at low temperature. Instead of thinking of my pipe as a fireplace to burn logs, I tend to think of it as a glass I am sipping a good scotch from. Over time, your pipe will become more fire resistant, because of the seasoning process. Also, I rarely smoke the dottle to a "fine white ash," as some experts recommend. I find that the last 25% of the tobacco in a bowl, is much higher in moisture content, than the tobacco above it, and tends to fry my tongue with steam burn. Once my pipe reaches a certain point, I slip a pipe cleaner thru it, to take advantage of any buildup being warm and moist, and then sit the pipe aside to cool. Once it has cooled, I will dump the remaining dottle, and rake out any debris and ash with a dry Q-Tip, and allow the drying process to begin.
After smoking several bowls, when I decide to clean a pipe, I dip a clean Q-Tip swab in distilled spirits, and work the Q-Tip in an up and down motion along the sides of the bowl, being careful to keep any spirits off the rim, until my Q-Tip stays clean. Usually I only need to use 2 or 3 Q-Tips to accomplish this. Prior to cleaning the bowl, I will scrub my draft hole with a scruffy pipe cleaner, and check inside the mortise to make sure I have no buildup along the inside corner, right in front of where the tenon rests after the pipe is assembled. I will reinsert the scruffy, and leave it there while I am cleaning the bowl. This will keep any distilled spirit from exiting the shank during cleaning, while allowing the shank some soaking time with the scruffy inserted.
Also, keeping oxidation from forming inside the stem, can usually be reduced by not using distilled spirits, as they will accelerate the process of oxidation, and eventually give the pipe an off putting taste. Several specialized cleaners are available on the market to accomplish this, but most buildup from smoking can be removed with a clean pipe cleaner, while the pipe is still warm from smoking.
If you can attempt to keep the interior of the pipe pristine, taste and flavor issues will rarely be experienced. While it is true, that pipes are made from bad briar from time to time, and a pipe carver has no way of knowing for certain that this is the case, I would imagine that this scenario is rarely an issue.
I believe that I approach the cleaning process differently from some other pipe smokers. To me, cleaning a pipe and taking care of her, is as therapeutic as smoking her. I remember reading a post on another forum, from a pipe smoker who stated that he felt nothing for the pipe, that is was simply a vessel for delivering nicotine, or something to that effect. I found his take on pipe smoking, to be somewhat disturbing.
@xDutchx Very informative comment, I especially like the idea of keeping a very thin cake. By burning in I mean building a cake. I am not sure what is going on with my pipe, I have had it for a very long time, I would sat since 1989. I might have an issue in the stem but still thinking it was the bowl, I scraped it out just a little and the tobacco cake had a bad smell to it. Might have been a bad tobacco I tried through it a few months ago...Who knows at this point. I have to agree, cleaning your pipe should mean something, it is your pipe and not just a vessel to get smoke from. I love cleaning and caring for my pipes, it is as relaxing as smoking them! I will try your ideal about using a Q-Tip and Distilled water, maybe that will help keep it clean. I will also clean the stem a bit more, maybe soak the inside by leaving a wet cleaner inside for a few hours and them running a bunch of pipe cleaners through it until it comes out with nothing on it, just hope the first time something does come out but I do keep it clean so kind of worried it might not be the stem. I have enough pipes to use one pipe for each blend that I like so far, might have to start doing that and get a few more pipes, I like using new corn cob pipes to try new tobacco blends, wish I did that a while back, might not have had this problem! I am still looking for a Meerschaum pipe or a Meerschaum lined pipe alone with a few others made out of different woods. I have Briar, Pear, Oak, Briar, Corn cob and one other but want to get some others.
I have a question for Meerschaum owners, if you buy an estate Meerschaum how do you clean it safely? I have seen a few with cakes that are so think I don't think you could get much tobacco in it at all, how do you safely clean them out, I would think a Reamer would break them, would you just scrape them out with a knife very carefully or what? Better to buy new if you want to use it? I refuse to smoke an estate pipe without giving it a thorough cleaning and have had no problem cleaning others but Meerschaum pipes are new to me and before I buy one to use I need to know, I sure do not want to ruin one!
If you buy an estate meerschaum from somewhere like smokingpipes.com you will be okay. Other than that look for ones that are unsmoked or have minimal cake. Clean the acrylic stems like you would a briar pipe - with grain alcohol.
Wolf, let me clarify that I stated that I use distilled spirits for cleaning my pipes. I almost always use Bourbon, which isn't superior, it's just my preference. I do like the flavor of Bourbon in my briars, but I also like the longer working time that a lower proof spirit provides. Some folks like PGA at 200 proof, because it is more effective at dissolving residue, but I don't like how quickly it dries. I might use it, if I were cleaning a really dirty pipe, being considered for restoration.
I agree with PappyJoe that distilled spirits are fine for cleaning acrylic, I was referring to stems that oxidize.
Distilled water is what I use when rehydrating pipe tobacco, or recharging humidification beads or Boveda humidity packs in my cigar humidor.
In my mind, the ideal scenario is to dedicate pipes to different blends when you can afford to do so. However, the journey of deciding which pipe to dedicate to a particular blend can take an extended period of time in some cases, because it is necessary to try a variety of blends in the same pipe. I have a few pipes dedicated to particular blends, but the pipes I have smoked, are dedicated to a particular genre. I will continue to smoke a variety of blends from a particular genre, until I find what I feel is a superior match between pipe and tobacco. The reality to it, is that sometimes that never happens.
As for meerschaums, I clean mine internally the same as I do my briars, and keep zero cake in them. Personally I would shy away from an estate meerschaum with a lot of cake, because caking a meer is one of the ways they get cracked. The other is sudden temperature changes, like smoking one indoors, and walking out on the back porch in 20 degree weather, and waiting for the inevitable pop.
@wolf41035 - I would not buy an estate Meerschaum that is heavily caked if I planned on smoking it.
I would buy a caked meerschaum only If it was a beautiful antique Meerschaum that was richly colored and I was planning to put it in a display case just for show.
@xdutchx - I have heard about Meerschaums cracking because of sudden temperature change but have never seen one do it. I have also seen posts on other forums that say it doesn't happen. It's something to research and think about.
@xDutchx OK I was wondering about the water but you never know, I use alcohol and salt most of the time but a good Bourbon would be nice to use in between smokes, got the pipe cleaned out and tried some drew estate in it and it was back to normal, smoked great and without that bad taste and aroma, I cleaned everything to the point my Q-tips and Pipe cleaners came out clean like I was running them down a new pipe. Not sure what happened or what I smoked through that pipe but what ever it was it is now clean and ready to use again. Might go out and buy a bottle of Bourbon just to clean my pipes between smokes, Won't use my good Bourbon unless I can find a smaller bottle or sample bottle......I love it to much to use it for my pipes even though I love my pipes! As for the Meerschaum, I hear you.
@PappyJoe the Meerschaum I was looking at was a cheaper one that wouldn't value more than $175 in great shape and it was a mess, decided not to buy it but I did buy an antique Swiss Pipe that has Meerschaum lined bowl, it is clean looking for how old it is and it is unique looking, looks to have some kind of drain cap on the opposite end of the stem. I will have to post a picture of it soon. I plan on buying a new Meerschaum since I want to be the one to break it in and see the color change, that and I will know it is being cared for the right way and know what I smoke through it, I also will not allow it to build a cake and will not take it out in the cold! lol I figure I can wipe it out with dry soft cloth and run a pipe cleaner through it, if I do that every time I smoke it then it should stay nice for a very long time.
@wolf41035 - Meerschaum's don't really need to be broken in. Just be sure to wipe out the bowl with a soft cloth or paper tissue after smoking. The theory is that building a cake in a meerschaum prevents it from coloring as fast. I'm not sure really how the coloring works. I have one that I dipped in melted beeswax last year and it brought out some color but it hasn't gotten real dark.
I spent 2 years on an ice breaker - 2 trips inside the Arctic Circle and 1 to Antarctica , 4 more years in Washington, state, 2 in New Jersey and 3 on an island off the tip of Lower Manhattan. I learned enough about cold.
@PappyJoe, Did you smoke your meerschaums during your 2 year tour? I would think that if they survived those conditions, the rest of us wouldn't have much to worry about.
I wrap a piece of fine sandpaper around the tip of my finger and sand the bowl until you see the color of the Meerschaum. After that I always wipe out the bowl after smoking.
@xdutchx - I was just a young kid back then I had two pipes - one a Dr. Grabow and the other was one made from deer antler by one of the guys on the boat. The stem was copper and the mouthpiece was antler also.
Well storm hit hard yesterday, power went out when lightning struck real close, so close I heard the buzzing sound, I was on the front porch. Anyway internet is fried so using cell phone. I bought three new pipes and one is a Meerschaum (new) so I won't have to worry about cleaning it before I get to smoke it, I also bought a Swiss pipe and a German pipe. I will post pictures when I can. (Most likely when met is fixed next week since can't get phone to load pictures on here)....
@Wolf41035 Sorry to hear that. Several years ago we caught a lightning strike that caused a massive power serge blowing out our computer, TV, my home sound system, and even the microwave oven. Somehow the fridge managed to survive. I was smart enough to have all my studio equipment protected with serge protection so my keyboards and recording equipment survived. Only wish I had done the same thing with the other appliances in the house.
@ghostsofpompeii & @wolf41035 - I was told that major appliances like refrigerators, stoves, washers & dryers are not as susceptible to damage from lighting strikes because they are not filled with the electronic components like computers, tv, etc. Don't know how true that is, but when I started working for myself I bought a good battery back-up/surge protector for my computers, printer and networking equipment. I now have one in the den with the tv and dvr plugged into it.
We haven't had a lightning strike very close to us since I installed the back-ups.
I have had several lightning strikes here along with lots of strong winds in the past few years, I have lost tv's, computers, stereos and external hard drives and all were hooked up to surge protection and the pc was hooked up to battery back up with surge protection and it was also fried, just bad luck I guess!
Oh yeah, on the good news side, I got my Swiss pipe, my German pipe and my new Meerschaum pipe. I also bought two Falcon pipes one has a twisted stem, both have falcon emblems on the mouth pieces. Can't wait for them to get here.
Anyone know anything about Yello-Bole? I want to make one, where do you get the mix or how do you make it? Also if you buy a used yellow bowl how should you clean it and should you re-coat it or just clean it and use it? Going to try to make a couple no matter what!
@wolf41035 - I believe that Yello-Bole is a specific brand of pipes and the bowl coating from which it gets its name is a patented process.
The process involves coating the interior of the bowl with a coating which contains honey.
The original Yello-Bole pipes were made from briar which wasn't good enough to be used for Kaywoodies.
I have a Yello-Bole Spartan imported briar pipe from the 1970s. It was one of my grandfather's pipes that he smoked every day. I still smoke it 2 or 3 times a year.
@PappyJoe I am wanting to make a pipe kind of like the Yello-Bole, guess I can't replicate it to the "T" but would like to get close, wonder if the patent is still good? Also I have a Yello-Bole KBB on its way to me so might need to refurbish it and would need to know how to make or where to buy that coating, been looking for it but so far no place still has it in stock. Another guy that refurbishes pipe made his own fro what he found out were the ingredients but not sure how to contact him or if he would share his mix recipe with me. This is going to be a hard one.
I now have a KBB Yello-Bole, cleaned up nice but really the bowl should be reamed out and a new coat put in it but still can't find anything on Yello-Bole coating. Guess I will leave it like it is.
My next estate pipe to find will be a Kirsten and most likely I will have to clean it and possibly repair it, I have found a few and most of them will need new mouth pieces which is no big deal, I have found them for around $30 or so. I think the Yello-Bole is going to give me the most problems!!
Decided to go ahead and get that Kirsten, I will order a mouth piece for it when it gets here. Still need to know if a falcon mouthpiece can be replaced or if it is molded into the stem, if it is then it is not worth messing with. I already have two good Falcons.
@wolf41035 - When you get the Kirsten, take pictures of it showing the name and other identifying markings. Send those to Kirsten and they will help you identify exactly which model you have so you can order the correct mouthpiece.
Since the body of the pipe is machined aluminum, cleaning it is easy. You can just run a soft cloth though it.
I would also order a set of O-rings for the valve and mouthpiece.
@PappyJoe Thanks for the info, I think I will like it, I like my Falcon and haven't had it very long, still waiting on the other two falcons, one is new and never been smoked and the other needs a little work, the bowl is in great shape so no loss if I can't replaced the mouth piece on it.
Comments
Wolf, when you use the term "burn in" and "reburn," I kinda cringe a little. So many of our objectives as pipe smokers can be reached in different ways, and my methods have over time been modified. While I do like to experiment in certain areas, I tend to take all the info I have gathered from other pipe smokers, and then experiment firsthand.
First thing that comes to mind when I read your opening post, is that I keep very little cake in my pipes. In fact, if any pipe of mine has cake any thicker than an egg shell, it is long over due for a cleaning. Since I keep any cake very thin, I rarely reem any of my pipes. Instead of building cake, my method is to season the briar by smoking, the same way you would a cast iron skillet, or muzzleloader. By being very careful to barely keep the pipe lit, not only will you seldom burn the inside of the bowl, your tobacco will be much more flavorful at low temperature. Instead of thinking of my pipe as a fireplace to burn logs, I tend to think of it as a glass I am sipping a good scotch from. Over time, your pipe will become more fire resistant, because of the seasoning process. Also, I rarely smoke the dottle to a "fine white ash," as some experts recommend. I find that the last 25% of the tobacco in a bowl, is much higher in moisture content, than the tobacco above it, and tends to fry my tongue with steam burn. Once my pipe reaches a certain point, I slip a pipe cleaner thru it, to take advantage of any buildup being warm and moist, and then sit the pipe aside to cool. Once it has cooled, I will dump the remaining dottle, and rake out any debris and ash with a dry Q-Tip, and allow the drying process to begin.
After smoking several bowls, when I decide to clean a pipe, I dip a clean Q-Tip swab in distilled spirits, and work the Q-Tip in an up and down motion along the sides of the bowl, being careful to keep any spirits off the rim, until my Q-Tip stays clean. Usually I only need to use 2 or 3 Q-Tips to accomplish this. Prior to cleaning the bowl, I will scrub my draft hole with a scruffy pipe cleaner, and check inside the mortise to make sure I have no buildup along the inside corner, right in front of where the tenon rests after the pipe is assembled. I will reinsert the scruffy, and leave it there while I am cleaning the bowl. This will keep any distilled spirit from exiting the shank during cleaning, while allowing the shank some soaking time with the scruffy inserted.
Also, keeping oxidation from forming inside the stem, can usually be reduced by not using distilled spirits, as they will accelerate the process of oxidation, and eventually give the pipe an off putting taste. Several specialized cleaners are available on the market to accomplish this, but most buildup from smoking can be removed with a clean pipe cleaner, while the pipe is still warm from smoking.
If you can attempt to keep the interior of the pipe pristine, taste and flavor issues will rarely be experienced. While it is true, that pipes are made from bad briar from time to time, and a pipe carver has no way of knowing for certain that this is the case, I would imagine that this scenario is rarely an issue.
I believe that I approach the cleaning process differently from some other pipe smokers. To me, cleaning a pipe and taking care of her, is as therapeutic as smoking her. I remember reading a post on another forum, from a pipe smoker who stated that he felt nothing for the pipe, that is was simply a vessel for delivering nicotine, or something to that effect. I found his take on pipe smoking, to be somewhat disturbing.
I have to agree, cleaning your pipe should mean something, it is your pipe and not just a vessel to get smoke from. I love cleaning and caring for my pipes, it is as relaxing as smoking them!
I will try your ideal about using a Q-Tip and Distilled water, maybe that will help keep it clean. I will also clean the stem a bit more, maybe soak the inside by leaving a wet cleaner inside for a few hours and them running a bunch of pipe cleaners through it until it comes out with nothing on it, just hope the first time something does come out but I do keep it clean so kind of worried it might not be the stem.
I have enough pipes to use one pipe for each blend that I like so far, might have to start doing that and get a few more pipes, I like using new corn cob pipes to try new tobacco blends, wish I did that a while back, might not have had this problem! I am still looking for a Meerschaum pipe or a Meerschaum lined pipe alone with a few others made out of different woods.
I have Briar, Pear, Oak, Briar, Corn cob and one other but want to get some others.
I refuse to smoke an estate pipe without giving it a thorough cleaning and have had no problem cleaning others but Meerschaum pipes are new to me and before I buy one to use I need to know, I sure do not want to ruin one!
Wolf, let me clarify that I stated that I use distilled spirits for cleaning my pipes. I almost always use Bourbon, which isn't superior, it's just my preference. I do like the flavor of Bourbon in my briars, but I also like the longer working time that a lower proof spirit provides. Some folks like PGA at 200 proof, because it is more effective at dissolving residue, but I don't like how quickly it dries. I might use it, if I were cleaning a really dirty pipe, being considered for restoration.
I agree with PappyJoe that distilled spirits are fine for cleaning acrylic, I was referring to stems that oxidize.
Distilled water is what I use when rehydrating pipe tobacco, or recharging humidification beads or Boveda humidity packs in my cigar humidor.
In my mind, the ideal scenario is to dedicate pipes to different blends when you can afford to do so. However, the journey of deciding which pipe to dedicate to a particular blend can take an extended period of time in some cases, because it is necessary to try a variety of blends in the same pipe. I have a few pipes dedicated to particular blends, but the pipes I have smoked, are dedicated to a particular genre. I will continue to smoke a variety of blends from a particular genre, until I find what I feel is a superior match between pipe and tobacco. The reality to it, is that sometimes that never happens.
As for meerschaums, I clean mine internally the same as I do my briars, and keep zero cake in them. Personally I would shy away from an estate meerschaum with a lot of cake, because caking a meer is one of the ways they get cracked. The other is sudden temperature changes, like smoking one indoors, and walking out on the back porch in 20 degree weather, and waiting for the inevitable pop.
As for the Meerschaum, I hear you.
@PappyJoe the Meerschaum I was looking at was a cheaper one that wouldn't value more than $175 in great shape and it was a mess, decided not to buy it but I did buy an antique Swiss Pipe that has Meerschaum lined bowl, it is clean looking for how old it is and it is unique looking, looks to have some kind of drain cap on the opposite end of the stem. I will have to post a picture of it soon.
I plan on buying a new Meerschaum since I want to be the one to break it in and see the color change, that and I will know it is being cared for the right way and know what I smoke through it, I also will not allow it to build a cake and will not take it out in the cold! lol I figure I can wipe it out with dry soft cloth and run a pipe cleaner through it, if I do that every time I smoke it then it should stay nice for a very long time.
I bought three new pipes and one is a Meerschaum (new) so I won't have to worry about cleaning it before I get to smoke it, I also bought a Swiss pipe and a German pipe.
I will post pictures when I can. (Most likely when met is fixed next week since can't get phone to load pictures on here)....
Going to try to make a couple no matter what!
Still need to know if a falcon mouthpiece can be replaced or if it is molded into the stem, if it is then it is not worth messing with. I already have two good Falcons.