A Most Disturbing Crack

Brothers of Briar

Help Support Brothers of Briar:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
S

smoker13

Well-known member
B of B Supporter
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
461
Reaction score
36
I just came in from my after-breakfast smoke. A lovely, sunny morning and I took a full mug of coffee with me. This being International Pipe Smoking Day, I reached for my Savinelli Tundra, already a favorite, in the Bent Pot configuration I've come to favor from this company as of late, having purchased 4 or 5 in their different styles. In fact, My esteem for Savinelli has grown considerably.  I really think they produce the best pipe in the economical class. I've dedicated the Tundra to McClelland's Navy Cavendish.  I fell in love with McClelland flakes a long time ago, but basically kept my choices rather narrowed down to Dark Star and Blackwoods Flake.

Since returning to the pipe with the dawn of 2016 I've branched out and fallen hard for St James Woods and the above mentioned Navy Cavendish, and just last night ordered two tins of their Red & Black based solely on faith from the words of praise in a long post I stumbled on in the Tobacco Jar forum in a late night reading.

Anyway, it was only the 4th time I'd used the Tundra, still breaking it in, you understand, and I filled it for the first time to the brim.  I enjoyed a beautiful, perfect smoke all the way to the bottom with no relights until.....Near the bottom I dumped a lot of ash and saw just a few bits of tobacco left, so I dutifully hit the lighter and shot it down to light up these so I could get the whole tobacco smoked, conscious of making sure the cake was still building, you see, and I didn't want to cheat and leave a gap at the heel.

Well, there was only a modicum of smoking left, and it wasn't but a minute or so before all was ash and I dumped it freely from the pipe, pushed a pipe cleaner down and pulled it out and looked into the bowl.  A shock wave ran through me.

Centered exactly above the airway was(is) a 1/4 inch crack.  I couldn't believe it!  How? Did I cause this by the final, truly unnecessary light?  I was sick.  I AM sick!  What do I do?  Do I toss the pipe, or do I just ignore the crack and continue smoking it with fingers crossed?

Gentlemen, I appeal to you and the years of pipe smoking experience accrued.  I repeat, what do I do?
 
Yep, tat's exactly what I'm going to do, Pete.  I just got off the phone with the vendor and told them of the problem.  Monday morning I'll send it back to them for them to determine whether or not they should replace the pipe (and I can't imagine why they wouldn't - especially after all the higher end pipes I've purchased from them in the past 3 months).  

At any rate, I'll keep you all posted as to the outcome.
 
smoker13":iz11gf1x said:
Yep, tat's exactly what I'm going to do, Pete.  I just got off the phone with the vendor and told them of the problem.  Monday morning I'll send it back to them for them to determine whether or not they should replace the pipe (and I can't imagine why they wouldn't - especially after all the higher end pipes I've purchased from them in the past 3 months).  

At any rate, I'll keep you all posted as to the outcome.
Click to expand...
I'm willing to wager the crack was already there before you even smoked it. The smoke may have made it more noticeable, but it is more likely it's always been there. Briar is extremely heat resistant and would not normally crack if a flame entered the bowl, especially when the pipe is brand spankin' new.
 
First thing you should do is post a picture! I feel cheated reading this thread without one!
 
Quite right see if the vendor will make good first. If they chose not to however just work some pipe mud into the crack, let it cure then continue to break in as normal. Either way
 
One of my favorite Petersons has a crack probably an inch long on the back of the bowl from the top edge almost to the shank. It was there when I bought it (used of course, at a local flea market). Still smokes great, and thus far has never gotten bigger. I hope it never does; I love that pipe!
 
Idlefellow":9e0m10pg said:
One of my favorite Petersons has a crack probably an inch long on the back of the bowl from the top edge almost to the shank.  It was there when I bought it (used of course, at a local flea market).  Still smokes great, and thus far has never gotten bigger.  I hope it never does; I love that pipe!  
Click to expand...
I have a small crack like the one described by the OP on the shank of an Ascorti. It's been there for nearly twenty years and hasn't gotten bigger. The pipe smokes like a champ.

Still, good advice to contact the vendor and see if they will take care of things.
 
Now I'm wondering if I should. I love THIS pipe so much I wonder if I've a special bond with it. God , loving pipes can go beyond fanaticism into a whole other arena sometimes!
 
It's not just a breakout, is it? You know, where the drill punched through and tore a jagged edge because the wood splintered slightly? I have several pipes like that and pay it no mind, even though it makes the hole larger than it should be. I also have a Savinelli Duca Carlo with a transverse crack on the outside of the bowl that doesn't seem to be getting any larger, but I was never too happy about it being there. But if yours is actually a crack on the inside of the bowl, I can't say I would recommend keeping the pipe.
 
I will be the voice of dissension, then.

This kind of crack is common with over-lighting, as you draw flame right against the new wood. More care with your first smokes and less attempt to smoke every crumb!

The pipe itself is not to blame, and will never suffer for this incident anyhow - we live under the assumption that the briar in our pipes is pristine. Baloney. Most of it is burnt and spiderwebbed with cracks, and just fine.


I got a spanky new Castello a few year back, raw bowl, determined to smoke it slow. Spent the first two hours nursing the perfect bowl of Carter Hall. Next smoke, I got the idea that I'd try some MB Mixture. Again, went real slow, then got into sandblasting a pipe and was incautious or unaware of my puffing, and suddenly.... I tasted burnt briar. Oh horror! I emptied the pipe, and sure enough I cracked the sucker. User error. I kept the pipe, smoked it carefully a few more times. Now, that's like 5 years ago, and I've smoked that pipe hundreds and hundreds of times since, and it's just fine.

So I wouldn't worry about the crack, I think you caused it, I think it's unfair to blame the manufacturer, and I think it's really, really common and won't cause any issues ever.
 
THIS is why I appealed to the Brotherhood's amassed years of experience - because I really love this pipe and I wanted to know if it was any thing to worry about or not. It seems the answer is that it is not anything to worry about, and on one hand that makes me feel great, because as I mentioned, I just happened to have bonded with this pipe, as squirrely as that sounds.

I'll tell the vendor if they agree with this assessment, then I have no problem with them sending the pipe back to me with the understanding thatif it DOES happen to freakishly grow into a bigger problem then they can resolve it at that time.
 
Yah, there is a young member here that blows up pipes within a week of having them, due to using a torch lighter, burning to the bottom of the bowl, and chain smoking the same pipe three times an hour minimum. Doesn't own a pipe cleaner. Maybe this will be a good thread for him!

Sorry for your experience, hopefully they can get you dialed up!
 
Ozark Wizard":t1rdoy0f said:
Yah, there is a young member here that blows up pipes within a week of having them, due to using a torch lighter, burning to the bottom of the bowl, and chain smoking the same pipe three times an hour minimum. Doesn't own a pipe cleaner. Maybe this will be a good thread for him!
Click to expand...
Are we talking arky here?

:?:



Cheers,

RR
 
Top