Bad pipe

[PMR]

Have you ever had a pipe that you want to love but it just doesn't smoke any of your tobaccos well? I have an older briar that's well used but I've just never loved any of the smokes with it. Aromatics, VaPers, Latakias or other it just doesn't smoke tobaccos as well as other pipes do. It's from a well known middle grade company and its a straight shape.
Has anyone else had this?

[Bruck]

There's no such thing as a bad pipe - you just have to learn the right way to motivate it

JK, I've had two. One was a vintage Dr. G. with a meer-lined bowl and a "stinger" (I think that's what it's called) which is supposed to manage moisture but instead directs it into your mouth. I threw it away in disgust. I have a similarly stinger-cursed brylon whose brand name I can't recall. As soon as you light it, you're sucking bitter liquid up the stem. I only keep it on my rack because it's cool looking, but don't intend to put any tobacco in it again.

More directly to your question, no, haven't had a pipe that makes tobacco taste bad. I have a couple of briars with fairly thin walls that are more of a challenge to smoke with, but the backy tastes fine in them.

[JustTroItIn]

I have two pipes that are notorious gurglers, so never reach for them anymore. My intention is to try and fix them with some pipe mud but simply haven't gotten around to it yet. One of them is this locally made Malaga that I really like the look of so hopefully the repair works.

[PMR]

The biggest issue this one pipe has is that there's less flavor in it. No matter which tobacco I smoke it just doesn't have flavor.

For instance, I tried smoking Frog Morton's Cellar in it recently and barely tasted anythihg. I don't think anyone could describe that particular tobacco as being light.

[Aguineapig]

I have two pipes that are notorious gurglers, so never reach for them anymore. My intention is to try and fix them with some pipe mud but simply haven't gotten around to it yet. One of them is this locally made Malaga that I really like the look of so hopefully the repair works.

Gurgling seems to have a lot to do with the diameter of the draft whole of the *stem* in particular. People talk about how cobs never gurgle-- I believe it is actually just because the stems are very large to accommodate the optional filter. Whereas on a stem with a much narrow draft hole, the condensation can more easily build up to the degree necessary for the gurgling to occur. I sometimes drill out the draft hole a bit wider-- or, on my savinelli, use it with neither the basla wood filters, or the adapter, rendering the draft hole quite a bit wider around.

[Haebar]

I have never had much luck with pipes made of African meerschaum. They have always smoked hot for me. I have a Charatan second that has never performed as well as two others from the same batch; it has tended to smoke hot and never builds up a cake, even though I've had it for over 30 years. I keep it for sentimental reasons and smoke it occasionally, hoping that it will build up a cake and somehow smoke better.

[Cool Breeze]

The biggest issue this one pipe has is that there's less flavor in it. No matter which tobacco I smoke it just doesn't have flavor.

That is strange.
Does it have a cake built up in it? I don't know what could possibly be robbing the tobacco of flavor.

[Lostmason]

I know with my cobs the flavors are muted some, and with some blends my meer seems to stifle the tastes. So I am selective of which mixtures I smoke in them. How old is the pipe in question and what type of pipe is it?Pics might help.Also,is there a chance you have a loose stem and are pulling air?Is it an estate pipe that might have a small crack?

[Tobias Lutz]

I've had some "basket pipes" that were simply poorly engineered POS. I'm not a snob by any means and have a number of "drugstore" pipes in my regular rotation, but if it isn't drilled halfway correctly, if the stem doesn't take a cleaner properly, and if the briar is too thin or total crap quality, the pipe is just a dud. Take it out back, shoot it, and move on

[PMR]

It's a straight briar, apple shape. Not a lot of cake build up, it was an estate pipe but no visible cracks.
My thought was it's shape or the inlet hole. Something about it just doesn't smoke right. I'm retiring it I think but will keep it just in case I'm in a pinch at some point.