Recent content by Greasystring

Now that I have a few forever stems I'm planning to only buy those bags of seconds. I'll be using mortar on those as well.

I was using ash and water (mud), which is fine, but not as durable as the mortar (plaster and carbon). If you're going to bore out the smoke chamber on a cob, something should be used to raise the bowl button to the stem hole once the butt of the stem protruding into the bowl is removed...

I really dislike the taste of burning stem and all the nooks & crannies the "stem though bowl" leaves. I also enjoy the full size of the bowl that boring it out gives, that stem takes up a lot of space. Another reason I do it is to seal the PVA glue in the stem and bottom plug joins away from...

I like a drier tobacco, but I'm not sure with the actual water content terminology. With cigars I go with 62- 65% relative humidity for storage and consumption. Long term storage can be as low as 59% (with temperature control). The popular 70% I find much too wet for smoking and definitely not...

I picked up 'The Emerald' and 'The Rory' a few weeks ago and finally got around to doing my normal cob setup. With these I decided to try CaneRodPiper's "pipe mortar" recipe instead of ash-made pipe mud. I've redone a few cob repairs, replacing the mud with mortar, these are the first new pipes...

Looking into the noodle press is what led me to making this.

Indeed, and if I make some plug, I'll likely leave it in the press much much longer. There are several options I've considered, and would feel fine pressing 30-60 days (from greatest to least) : -A cooler -A spare fridge or freezer not in use. (I have a humidor I could fit this in). -Gasketed...

Buying the special releases MM has with acrylic bits is worth the money too. The Emerald, Rory, and Cobbler all come with forever stems. You get a themed pipe, with a stem you can use on any filtered MM in the future. All of these come with a gold ferrule as well, another $5ea on the cost if...

I've pressed for 7-9 days, tightening the clamps when ever I passed the press in my daily travels. It seems like once pressed and well vacuum sealed the pressed cake holds compression. Over drying was a concern I had since the press is not air tight. In some of the C&D YT videos I remembered the...

I recently made a forever stem order, grabbing several stems and a few of the gold ferrules that fit the filtered models. This pretty much hit the picture I had in my head, I'm very pleased.

I made a quick press from a 2x4, two 6" c-clamps and a scrap board. Besides the novelty of pressing your own cakes I discovered a greater benefit, space efficient long term storage. This setup can do 16oz, though I've only been pressing 1/2 pound cakes for ease of use down the road. I figure I...

This is my first purchase of Rattray's. I've only opened the Rapparee, so far I think it's keeper. I vac'd the lancers for later. The Marlin will probably get cracked next month. Both of these Rattray's have been on my list for some time.

Red Rapparee, in a new bent Diplomat.

Very nice. I agree on Mars, these guys are top notch.

Small samples received from Mars.