Pipe tips for Cigar People, what we've learned...

lol... i was using crest! I will try some heavy duty stuff later

Aj

slamb@cigar.com:
Arm & Hammer I find works the best.

Yes, if a toothpaste is what you want this would be the way to go. Bar Keeper's Friend really does to a great job too.

J.S.:
slamb@cigar.com:
Arm & Hammer I find works the best.
Yes, if a toothpaste is what you want this would be the way to go. Bar Keeper's Friend really does to a great job too.

How about Comet? looks the same as bar keepers friend yet i already have it. think it will work too? or even some regular old baking soda made into a paste?

Aj

I have not tried Comet so while I am sure it would lift the oxidation I am not sure if it would do more than that. I would try it on a basket pipe first just to be safe. Some use bleach so I cannot think of a reason why you couldn't do it but it might require buffing out on a wheel, which is what you would end up doing if you bleached it. Baking soda into a paste is fine. It works great for common stuff. If the oxidation is very heavy then try something a little harder.

catfishbluezz:
Tried Frank twice last night. First bowl was perfect, not relights. Second one took a couple lol. Is it just me, or does it seem like the my perception is the bowl is not very full with this method? I am still going to try it a few more times, but I just felt like I could pack it down and put more in.

I've had the opposite experience, tend to overpack with it.

How Many Of You Guys Use Filters? I tried one last night... i actually liked it alot. it was a 6mm medco. There wasnt a hint of bad with it... just great cool smoke. What about you guys?

A.j.

I don't care for them but I don't inhale. There are actually two types of filters the pass through, which allows the smoke to pass through the filter or a pass around made of wood to absorb moister. Medco is a pass through so it removes particles and other matter thus reducing the flavor but making it much smoother especially if you inhale. So smoother and cooler yes but try the blend in a pipe without a filter and the flavor profile will be fuller. However, since your pipe requires a filter don't just remove it that would cause it to smoke wet. You can however buy an insert that will not filter the smoke but takes the place of the filter to help prevent the pipe from smoking wet. If you inhale then by all means use a filter!

I used to use them, but eventually stopped. It always seemed to me that the filter started adding a rank taste after the first bowl or two. That's too many filters if you keep changing them. Once the pipe is well broken in, the moisture problems seem to go away, for me anyway. Could be the tobaccos I use, I suppose.

[Deleted User]

Speaking of filters, here is a great article about them; http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/pipe-smoking-culture/your-smokes-all-wet/

slamb@cigar.com:
Speaking of filters, here is a great article about them; http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/pipe-smoking-culture/your-smokes-all-wet/

A very good article about the various types of filters. I have used them in MM pipes etc. I prefer to go without myself but as the article said your mileage may vary.

Bitchen article! I learned alot.

I think we have found another one of my smoking issues! I have been smoking alot of pipes that are designed for a filter without. I didnt realize that messes with the mechanics of the pipe. I dont inhale, well try not to.. So I never really put much merit into the purpose of filters, but after trying one with what i consider usually a "so-so" aromatic it really woke it up to a new level. Im curious to try more!

Aj

dr_frankenstein56:
Bitchen article! I learned alot.

I think we have found another one of my smoking issues! I have been smoking alot of pipes that are designed for a filter without. I didnt realize that messes with the mechanics of the pipe. I dont inhale, well try not to.. So I never really put much merit into the purpose of filters, but after trying one with what i consider usually a "so-so" aromatic it really woke it up to a new level. Im curious to try more!

Aj

I cannot help but think that smoking without the filter in a filter pipe would cause a lot of issues. As mentioned before it will smoke wet. However, the draft hole would also be too large. Which would play with the flavor as the draw would be deluded with more air. The article mentioned that there is also debate about how large the airway should be but really 3 to 4 mm are the general limits. You might consider trying a non filtered pipe or at least buying an insert to try to see the difference but that is just me. Smoke how you enjoy it!

Somewhere in these threads, this one or another, someone once posted that one shouldn't allow the cake to build too much, that there was a possibility of cracking your pipe.

"I've never seen that" I thought.

Smoking some Capt Black Royal last week, from the pipe I reserve for that, and I notice it's cracked! Very thick caking, which I mildly reamed a couple months ago.

It's a cheap pipe, old and well used, but, maybe there's something to the build up = cracking?

Anyone else seen this happen?

[Deleted User]

Cake should not get any thicker then that of a Quarter, once it gets to this point, you want to ream it back to that of a dime. Personally after ever smoke I wipe out the bowl with a napkin and it keeps the cake rather even and doesn't allow it to build up to much.

Yes, cake expands quicker when hot then briar will so if it is really thick as the tobacco burns it can cause a thick cake to expand to the point that the pipe cracks. Sean has given the standard thickness it should be reamed back to about the thickness of a dime and that the cake should not get thicker than a quarter.

I don't wipe the bowl out but I do have to ream often because of it. Some of my favorite pipes are reamed every other month.

I guess that's it. I used to religiously roll a piece of paper towel and wipe after about every second bowl, but had a couple new pipes I wanted to cake-up, a couple old ones I'd reamed to nearly the wood, and got out of the habit. I'd also seen advice, on here somewhere, I think, that you shouldn't ream unless the caking was inhibiting your smoking. Guess I'll go back to the old way. I wasn't sure, since it was really my cheapest pipe, although it's been a great smoker. Still is. Will be reaming shortly.

Reamed that pipe out, must have been 3/16" thick! And still hadn't hit wood. Smokes better, checked out the other pipes and had nearly as much in one of them. Got to be more careful!

So for the last 6 weeks or so I have been crazy busy. It happens from time to time. I knew it was going to be that way and I also knew I had too many tins open. Anyway, this makes sense when you think about it. Tobacco likes to take on the surrounding RH levels. I decided that the best way, without emptying tins into jars was to not add any tobacco back into the tin that I had taken out. I am guilty of drying too much for a bowl and then just adding back into the tin, which is fine if you are going to smoke it in a week or 2. By not adding back, I have noticed that the tobacco has stayed moist far longer than when I do. At 6+ weeks on an open tin I would normally have to rehydrate, jar, etc. Keeping the dryer tobacco out has prevented it from pulling the moister from the rest of the tobacco in the tin.

J.S.:
So for the last 6 weeks or so I have been crazy busy. It happens from time to time. I knew it was going to be that way and I also knew I had too many tins open. Anyway, this makes sense when you think about it. Tobacco likes to take on the surrounding RH levels. I decided that the best way, without emptying tins into jars was to not add any tobacco back into the tin that I had taken out. I am guilty of drying too much for a bowl and then just adding back into the tin, which is fine if you are going to smoke it in a week or 2. By not adding back, I have noticed that the tobacco has stayed moist far longer than when I do. At 6+ weeks on an open tin I would normally have to rehydrate, jar, etc. Keeping the dryer tobacco out has prevented it from pulling the moister from the rest of the tobacco in the tin.

So, when you re-hydrate, how do you go about that? I've got some Proper English that's been burning too hot, I suspect too dry. It's in one of my old Prince Albert plastic humidors, but kind of low in the larder there. On the other hand, I've been smoking it mainly through a bent bulldog with a rather narrow bowl. Maybe that has an effect?.

Which brings another question to mind, tobacco consistency related to bowl size. Any opinions? eg.; something fairly chunky like Pirate Kake, or maybe flakes, vs. a finer cut, which goes better in the smaller, narrower bowl?

jsnake

I have Peterson Christmas 2009. The tins are not sealed. I smoked about 20 to 30 bowls from this tin and I swear it looks as full like it did the day I opened it. I busted it open the other day and noticed the tobacco was really dry. Packed my pipe and I smoked beautifully. Still full of flavor and heck it even smoked better. People say aromatics do not age well. I do have some Holiday Spirit in mason jars and it seems to still be wonderful. Some Autumn Evening in some mason jars as well but it didn't fair as well. These are all from tins I opened 2 years ago. I need to smoke more but I was impressed with the quality of the Peterson's even after it dried out.

Amos Umwhat:
J.S.:
So for the last 6 weeks or so I have been crazy busy. It happens from time to time. I knew it was going to be that way and I also knew I had too many tins open. Anyway, this makes sense when you think about it. Tobacco likes to take on the surrounding RH levels. I decided that the best way, without emptying tins into jars was to not add any tobacco back into the tin that I had taken out. I am guilty of drying too much for a bowl and then just adding back into the tin, which is fine if you are going to smoke it in a week or 2. By not adding back, I have noticed that the tobacco has stayed moist far longer than when I do. At 6+ weeks on an open tin I would normally have to rehydrate, jar, etc. Keeping the dryer tobacco out has prevented it from pulling the moister from the rest of the tobacco in the tin.
So, when you re-hydrate, how do you go about that? I've got some Proper English that's been burning too hot, I suspect too dry. It's in one of my old Prince Albert plastic humidors, but kind of low in the larder there. On the other hand, I've been smoking it mainly through a bent bulldog with a rather narrow bowl. Maybe that has an effect?.

Which brings another question to mind, tobacco consistency related to bowl size. Any opinions? eg.; something fairly chunky like Pirate Kake, or maybe flakes, vs. a finer cut, which goes better in the smaller, narrower bowl?

I like to spread the tobacco out on a plate or sheet pan and wet a towel with distilled water and place it over the tobacco in a way that allows it to cover but not touch the tobacco. Check it every so often until you have it back were you want it.

Sorry, after posting above I realized that I had not got to the second issue of bowl size. I don't think it matters based on the size of the cut (e.g., broken flake, ribbon, etc.) as much as blend type. I like narrow bowls for VA's and broader bowls for Lat. blends. I am not a big aro guy but broader seems to do better for me there too. Flakes do need to have a bowl big enough to take them when folded if you like to fold instead of rub out, however. Flake also seems to puff up more on the false light so I always leave a little more room at the top than I do with other types.

There is always a right, or best time for nearly everything. As cigar smokers, we all know our favorite times and circumstances for smoking a cigar. For me, the perfect time to smoke a pipe is on a cool cloudy fall morning, walking through the woods as the leaves are beginning to turn, after a night of rain. McClelland's Dark English was the choice today, and it fit the mood wonderfully. Nice.

Another thread had me thinking about moister levels and aging. If you want to age your tobacco it is important to get the moister content to the 15-18% mark. Less than this while it is good for smoking will not allow some of the the tobacco oils to marry as well or at all. So for those of you who like Dan's Ham. Veer. for example, I have found that it comes too dry and to age it needs to be removed from the tin or bad and re-hydrated to this mark and then placed in jars. Sam Gawith's blends come at the right levels so nothing needs to be done with them.

Question:

How often do you guys ash your bowl out?

I wasnt ashing till i had finished the bowl, and it seems this was contributing to bite.

Aj

dr_frankenstein56:
Question:

How often do you guys ash your bowl out?

I wasnt ashing till i had finished the bowl, and it seems this was contributing to bite.

Aj

I don't remove the ash until the bowl is finished. How are you doing it (e.g., let the pipe go out and cool and then just dump what you can, etc.)? Why do you think it was contributing to the bite issue? I have not thought about that although I don't get bad bite anymore.

Lee.mcglynn

J.S.:
dr_frankenstein56:
Question:

How often do you guys ash your bowl out?

I wasnt ashing till i had finished the bowl, and it seems this was contributing to bite.

Aj
I don't remove the ash until the bowl is finished. How are you doing it (e.g., let the pipe go out and cool and then just dump what you can, etc.)? Why do you think it was contributing to the bite issue? I have not thought about that although I don't get bad bite anymore.

agreed don't ash unless I need to relight. Never had the bite that I didn't deserve though

Lee.mcglynn

Lee.mcglynn:
J.S.:
dr_frankenstein56:
Question:

How often do you guys ash your bowl out?

I wasnt ashing till i had finished the bowl, and it seems this was contributing to bite.

Aj
I don't remove the ash until the bowl is finished. How are you doing it (e.g., let the pipe go out and cool and then just dump what you can, etc.)? Why do you think it was contributing to the bite issue? I have not thought about that although I don't get bad bite anymore.
agreed don't ash unless I need to relight. Never had the bite that I didn't deserve though

to elaborate I mostly get bite from wet tobacco I usually leave my tobacco out for a hour before I smoke it

Lee.mcglynn:
Lee.mcglynn:
J.S.:
dr_frankenstein56:
Question:

How often do you guys ash your bowl out?

I wasnt ashing till i had finished the bowl, and it seems this was contributing to bite.

Aj
I don't remove the ash until the bowl is finished. How are you doing it (e.g., let the pipe go out and cool and then just dump what you can, etc.)? Why do you think it was contributing to the bite issue? I have not thought about that although I don't get bad bite anymore.
agreed don't ash unless I need to relight. Never had the bite that I didn't deserve though
to elaborate I mostly get bite from wet tobacco I usually leave my tobacco out for a hour before I smoke it

I have one deep and narrow bowl that I sometimes gently sweep the ash off the top before a relight. Something I used to do, that caused increased bite, was to blow through the stem after ashing out the bowl, thus injecting wet nastiness into the bowl. Not a good idea.

A couple other thoughts come to mind; are you finishing the bowl? Sometimes I've found that I've repeatedly not finished, causing a wet build up near the bottom. I'll just partially fill that bowl a couple times to burn that out.

Mostly, though, assuming I packed correctly, I just finish all the way down, and not too much bite ensues, unless it's just the characteristic of the tobacco I'm smoking. Some just bite!