Quote Originally Posted by Ropey View Post
I like my pipe tobaccy as wet as an otter's pocket, so I just deal with gurgle and have learned to like it.

I'll start with this caveat, whatever works for you is what's right but there are technical reasons that create gurgle that aren’t being addressed. I intend no offense to anyone’s preferred methods or technique.

Every smoker gurgles at one time or another. On another forum one fellow claims that a larger draught hole solves the problem. Perhaps for him but I don’t give a whit about the size because it doesn't affect my smoke. I use pipe cleaners to absorb moisture and clear the airway during the smoke. You should too. Do it as many times as you feel necessary. I reuse the cleaner unless it’s gets too moist or dirty.

There are many reasons for gurgle including:

  1. Excessive salivation that flows into the stem (more common for clenchers).
  2. Tobacco too tightly packed at the bottom of the bowl.
  3. Draught hole too low in the tobacco chamber.
  4. A partial obstruction of the chamber airway by a piece of tobacco that gets excessively moist from it’s position and the airflow. This wet piece of tobacco is both felt and heard as gurgle as you smoke.


Other than #3, the smoker can control the other factors. #4 is, in my experience, the most common reason for gurgle and the larger air passage of the cob, because it’s more difficult to obscure, gurgles less (or not at all). The same reason that the smoker who likes larger drill size has reduced gurgle. Hopefully the following will help you reduce gurgle with any pipe.

#1 - Saliva and less so, moist tobacco, can get the tobacco wet but without a reservoir (#3) it will only make smoking through the dottle more difficult rather than causing gurgle. Of course if you submerge the thing in saliva, well...

#2 - Tightly packed tobacco (bottom of the bowl) or excessive tamping presses tobacco against the airway and causes problem #4. Try packing more lightly and tamp gingerly and gradually.

#3 - This is a technical problem that allows moisture to pool (even if only slightly) and it can augment or outright cause gurgle. Unless you want to mess with drilling the chamber lower (DON’T do this) you’ll just have to do the best that you can.

#4 - Fill the bottom of the bowl loosely with larger pieces of moist tobacco so that you don’t produce flakes that can obstruct airflow. Tamping pushes the tobacco and it may block the airway.

I mean no offense but drying and (excessive) rubbing of tobacco is a crutch that causes some problems. Dry tobacco loses flavor and nuance. It burns faster and hotter. Over rubbed, dry tobacco produces particles that can obstruct the airway or end up in your mouth as little missiles.

I have NO idea what an Otter’s Pocket is but I’m with Ropey and I smoke my tobacco moist and keep it humidified after opening. The flavors of moist tobacco are more crisp and alive and I have better control filling my bowl. Yes, I occasionally have problems but more when the tobacco is dry. Dry tobacco does light better so perhaps fill with moist tobacco and leave the pipe for a while to let the top layer dry a bit. Best of both worlds.

If your pipe is gurgling and you use a pipe tool to clear the tobacco away from the airway you should find that it has stopped gurgling.

When I refer to moist tobacco I mean as it is when opened or close to that level of moisture but not soggy. You know what I mean.