New pipe break in

Subject: New pipe break in Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:50 pm

Some pipes come with a bowl coating to protect the briar and initiate the beginnings of a proper cake. Some pipes have no coating at all and its up to you to leave it natural or to coat the bowl before the first smoke. There are all kinds of recommendations as to filling the first few bowls.

As for my preference and practice I like an uncoated bowl and leave it that way. For the first bowl and all others I just fill the pipe and smoke. I do take it easy as to keep the pipe smoking cool, I try to tamp the ash to the outer edge of the bowl to promote the building of a nice cake.

What's your preference and practice?
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United We Stand, Brothers Of Briar

Subject: Re: New pipe break in Sat Feb 23, 2008 10:07 pm

As far as bowl coatings go it depends on who created the pipe. I hate the bowl coatings that Peterson uses, or the ones that seem like they have been painted in. I do like the coating that Mike Brissett (pipmaker) uses. As far as break in goes on a new pipe I fill the bowl and smoke it. I try and swirl the left over ash inside the bowl before dumping it out. I have been doing this ever since I started smoking a pipe and it has worked for me.
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Arizona, where the temperature is always warm but the pipe smoking is always cool. Mikem

I highly recommend Scott Bundy at www.piperestore.com for all of your pipe cleaning and restoration work.

Subject: Re: New pipe break in Sat Feb 23, 2008 10:09 pm

Pretty much the same Midnight but for the first 3-4 bowls I only pack the bowl about 2/3 and I always make sure I smoke it all the way down. I think sometimes rather than focusing on the cake it is just as important to season the pipe so to speak by trying to keep a steady level of heat throughout the bowl. I feel if you do that and smoke it all the way down the first few times the cake will take care of itself.
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"Man is the only religious animal. In the holy task of smoothing his brother's path to the happiness of Heaven, he has turned the globe into a graveyard."

Mark Twain