Questions You Thought Were Too Dumb to Ask (Pipes Edition)

[JustTroItIn]

Just for giggles, let's look at a reletively new Savinelli. This is my Alligator 310.







When you get down to it, pipes are tools. Tools for smoking tobacco, but still tools. You can buy Harbor Freight, Craftsman, or Snap-On.

[Pugsley]

I don't know. I bought it on Ebay and it was loose when I got it.

I don't think I'd glue it on. You can try this: Remove the stem and the band, then apply a very light coat of clear fingernail polish only to the area the band covers. Allow that to dry completely, then slide the band on over it. If it's still loose, repeat the process. If it's too tight to slide on, lightly sand the dried polish with very fine sandpaper until it fits. I did this on a brand new Peterson Aran that came with a loose band.

[Alligator Gar]

I am anxiously awaiting my first pipe in 30 years. Can you offer any advice on breaking it in?

[Horseshoe]

I have 2 new pipes. A peterson Christmas 2014 and a Sav. #607. I am afraid to use them until I get more experience with smoking a pipe. Should I just suck it up and use them or give it a bit of time? I am getting to the point to where I can minimize my re-lights but I am not great yet.

Also are there better break in tobaccos?

[Pugsley]

I am anxiously awaiting my first pipe in 30 years. Can you offer any advice on breaking it in?

Everyone has their own way of breaking in a new pipe. This is copied from Pipedia.org and hits on the most important points.

"Breaking in" your pipe

The process of "breaking in" a pipe serves two functions. First, any saps, resins, acids, stains, demons, or other nasty things that have remained in the briar are driven out. Second, and most importantly, a "cake"--the layer of charred residue that builds up inside the bowl as tobacco is smoked in it--is developed. This cake protects the bowl of the pipe from the heat of burning tobacco and prevents it from "burning out." It should be noted that most of the information in this section applies to briar pipes only. Most other pipes require no break in period, or at most a very brief one. Additionally, one should not allow a cake to build up in a meerschaum or clay, as this could cause the bowl to crack.

It is important to smoke a new pipe slowly, to avoid damaging the naked briar. Some recommend that a new pipe be filled only one-third to one-half full for the first several smokes, after which the bowl can be filled a little more with each smoke. To be honest, this procedure is not necessary, but I always recommend it--and usually practice it--because it is all too easy to damage a new pipe through carelessness. Don't try to rush the break-in period, and don't be overly concerned if a new pipe has a bitter taste. Some pipes break in easier than others, and it is not uncommon for a pipe that is very difficult to break in to mature into a great smoker.

Some pipes are sold with a bowl coating designed to protect the briar until a cake is built up (sometimes such bowls are called "pre-carbonized"). Many pipes, however, are not so treated. While a "naked" bowl is not likely to be damaged so long as the pipe is smoked slowly, many people advocate preparing the bowl interior of a new pipe. Some recommend that the inside of the bowl be dampened with water to protect the briar, while others recommend honey, or a mixture of honey and water. Honey may help a cake form more quickly, but after trying all of these techniques I find that these days I tend to use nothing at all.

Finally, try not to smoke a new pipe outdoors if you can possibly avoid it. Even a gentle breeze will cause the pipe to burn much hotter than it would indoors, which can irreparably damage a briar that is not protected by a cake. I've never had a problem smoking my pipes outdoors (after they've been broken in, of course), but if you're concerned about possible damage, you can purchase wind caps from your tobacconist which will shield the burning tobacco from the effects of wind.

[NWSmoke]

Quality materials, higher quality standards, and finish are most likely your biggest differences. Let's look at a couple pipes and compare.

Since both of my Grabows are old, lets compare those to two of my old Savinelli's.

The top pipe is a Grabow Lark and the bottom is a Crown Duke (I really need to clean both the stems again). Both are good smokers.

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Take is apart and look at the stem and you will see they cranked these out. The hole in the stem is off center. The metal on the stem itself is cheap tin or aluminum with teeth in the middle to grip the tenon.

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The Crown Duke has a bit better, but similarly cheap metal tenon. If you look closely at the pipe, the finish they used is starting to spider web.


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I will cover the Savinelli's in the next post due to pic limitation.

Savinelli's are mass produced pipes too, but the briar is generally a bit nicer. Better quality materials are used. A bit more attention to detail.

The top pipe is a Savinelli Deluxe the bottom Pipe is a Roma.

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Compare the tenon and materials to that used on the Grabow.

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Look at the grain of the briar itself.

<pics>

Just for giggles, let's look at a reletively new Savinelli. This is my Alligator 310.


<pics>

When you get down to it, pipes are tools. Tools for smoking tobacco, but still tools. You can buy Harbor Freight, Craftsman, or Snap-On.

Thank you sir for the run down. Some of this I knew or suspected, but this was a great explanation. I love your tool break down as that I can understand. Harbor freight tools you end up fighting with but yet might be able to get the job done with; I assume this would be basket pipes. Snap on are beautiful pieces but I'd say beyond diminishment of returns. I still must ask though how does all this come down to smoking tobacco? I get that some pipes have more attention to detail, cleaner pieces of briar, but when it comes to getting the job done (asthetics and "quality" aside), is a grabow or brog going to be any different than a $100 pipe?

[Pugsley]

I have 2 new pipes. A peterson Christmas 2014 and a Sav. #607. I am afraid to use them until I get more experience with smoking a pipe. Should I just suck it up and use them or give it a bit of time? I am getting to the point to where I can minimize my re-lights but I am not great yet.

Also are there better break in tobaccos?

I would say go for it. You'll always have to do relights, that's just part of smoking a pipe. The best tobacco I have found for breaking in a new briar is Carter Hall. It burns cool but quickly and nothing builds cake faster. I've broken in dozens of new pipes with it. Don't expect that first bowl in a new briar to be the best smoke you've ever had, it won't be. There will be flavors of nasty crap burning away, but all that will vanish after a bowl or two.

[Haebar]

I don't think I'd glue it on. You can try this: Remove the stem and the band, then apply a very light coat of clear fingernail polish only to the area the band covers. Allow that to dry completely, then slide the band on over it. If it's still loose, repeat the process. If it's too tight to slide on, lightly sand the dried polish with very fine sandpaper until it fits. I did this on a brand new Peterson Aran that came with a loose band.

Thanks! I'll try that.

[JustTroItIn]

is a grabow or brog going to be any different than a $100 pipe?

Yes and no. It's kind of a lottery. There are Grabows and Brogs that will smoke as well as any Dunhill, but I'm sure there are some duds. When you buy a higher end brand you are almost always going to get a tool that performs well at the job it was designed.

[JustTroItIn]

I am anxiously awaiting my first pipe in 30 years. Can you offer any advice on breaking it in?

I'm of the camp of picking a neutral burly, like Prince Albert or Carter Hall, and just smoking a few bowls to build a lite layer of cake. After that, I just smoke it as I see fit.