I'm a newbie and I have a LOT of questions

[Blitzkrieg]

I have had a pipe for a while actually. I bought a meerschaum pipe while on deployment to enjoy with a good friend as a way to unwind sometimes. It was fine, but when we returned and we're both discharged I lost the desire. About two years ago my brother and I both decided to take up the hobby as something we could enjoy together. Well it never majorly caught on as we don't live in the same town and didn't see each other often.
Life being what it is I decided it would be a good way for me to unwind by myself and also to unplug from the constant overstimulation of modern society. I have been smoking my pipe a couple of times a week at least lately, and I have really been enjoying the time for reflection.
However I have a boatload of questions now. I read through the basic threads that I was directed to, and really that just led to more questions.
So I am seeking out all of my most experienced and learned B&B colleagues now.
First question, how important is the cake and how do I remove a too thick cake?
This is just the beginning, gentlemen. I will have much more questions.

 

[DC_MPA]

Cake is just a wall of build up between briar and lit tobacco. I have some very expensive pipes that won't build a cake no matter what I try and some pipes that build it easily. Nothing you need to do, just enjoy, smoke, and let the cake build up.

As for removing cake, buying one of these will last you a lifetime. http://www.4noggins.com/castleford-t-handle-pipe-reamer-set.aspx

 

[Commander Quan]

If you are still using your meerschaum you will want to keep the cake buildup to as little as possible, or preferably none. If you are using a brier, somewhere around a nickles width is appropriate. There are different reamers that are available some are adjustable, others just have different sized cutting sections. You can also get away with using a small knife, or wrapping some sandpaper around a dowel or your finger but be careful you don't scuff up the rim.

Edit 5,000th post. Go me!

 

[DC_MPA]

Way to go Derrick!

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Does everyone let a cake build up? I've seen some estate pipes with a lot of cake and it looks not only like it would be gross to smoke in, but it also makes the bowl much smaller.

 

[DC_MPA]

I've read of people doing it but consider it a barrier between briar and fire, cake is a good thing. As Derrick mentioned you want no more than a nickel coin width. I always ream my estates, clean them with salt and everclear treatment so it becomes mine and not ghosted.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Thanks for the help so far gents. What does "ghosted" mean? Like favors from old tobacco?
Also, is there a pipe restoration thread so I can learn about that stuff?

 

[DC_MPA]

I'm not sure of a pupe restoration thread here on B&B but google it and you'll find plenty of walk through guides. Ghosting is just what you said. It's when you smoke an aromatic and then smoke a Virginia or English, it's tainted with the aromatic and vice versa. That's why so many of us have numerous pipes (I have nearly 40 now). I keep a pipe or two dedicated to each blend or type I like to enjoy.

 

[DC_MPA]

Essentially, to unghost a pipe you team the pipe, then fill up the bowl with canning salt (courser grain), then fill up the bowl with everclear, let it sit, you'll notice the top of the salt ultimately becomes dark dark brown or black. Dump it and redo and a few times of this, the sale won't be dark anymore and that's when you know you've stripped the briar of the ghosting tannens of the tobacco.

 

[Hirsute]

Check out the stickies in this sub forum. There's a good pipe cleaning thread there.


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[nortac]

Make sure you don't use salt and alcohol on your meer!

 

[Blitzkrieg]

How long would it take to build up an appropriate cake?

Also, I've been checking out a popular auction site and was wondering what brands are generally considered excellent/good/adequate/subpar/etc. I've heard Peterson and Savinelli bandied about, and I know Dunhill is very high end. What about the others? Grabow? Kennwoodie? Nording?

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I meant Kaywoodie.

 

[DC_MPA]

There are so many brands that we couldn't list all of them. What I'd do is Google pipedia and as you find a pipe you like, look it up on pipedia and gain the quality and synopsis of the pipe brand.

 

[Price]

There are so many brands that we couldn't list all of them. What I'd do is Google pipedia and as you find a pipe you like, look it up on pipedia and gain the quality and synopsis of the pipe brand.

Solid advice here.

 

[Blue_2]

Make sure you don't use salt and alcohol on your meer!

+1. Meerschaum shouldn't have extended contact with liquids.

Be careful with reamers as well. Block meerschaum has a similar consistency to a block of talc. If the Cake is hard and you use too much pressure, it can easily crack.

 

[Price]

+1. Meerschaum shouldn't have extended contact with liquids.

Be careful with reamers as well. Block meerschaum has a similar consistency to a block of talc. If the Cake is hard and you use too much pressure, it can easily crack.

Definitely. I don't use the reamer on my meers at all, just some sandpaper wrapped around a dowel.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Really great help gentlemen. Thank you.

So what would the advantage of one pipe material over the other? Does briar have an advantage over meerschaum or corn cob? Is it just personal preference?

 

[DC_MPA]

That's going to create a huge debate like Ford vs Chevrolet. Meerschaum tends to not ghost, but it's much more fragile. Briar can ghost but also can be unghosted as we've talked about in the beginning of this thread. Cob is great as it tends to not ghost, it doesn't carry the high end qualities of briar but smokes great and we all have at least 1 cob in our pipes. I like briar the most because it's classic time preserved. Meerschaum is as well but too fragile for my enjoyment. I love cobs. I was extremely skeptical for years and never owned one, then I caved and learned how wonderful they are. They too are classic and time preserved.

For a first pipe (or honestly your 2-4 pipes), I'd stick with briar and cob. Get 2-3 briars, get 1-2 cobs - try pipe tobacco of every brand, every country, every type, every flavor, every cut. Find what's "your" tobacco. Treat it just like your wet shaving introduction. Sample blades until you run out of blood or find 1-3 brands that work perfect for your face.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Thank you all for the advice so far. I'm definitely going to get myself a corncob at some point in the near future due to all of the recommendations. I had never really considered it before, but now I feel I really should.

The advice to approach this hobby like a new wet shaver really resonated with me for some reason. When I was a new DE shaver I used a few different blades, many different soaps, and a very thorough sampling of vintage razors. I learned a lot this way and have now whittled down my wet shaving to two razors, one blade, one brush, but many soaps. Soaps and aftershaves are my indulgence in the shaving department. What I found though is that through my journey I perfected a technique, and my best shaving razor turned out to be my first one. It's a Merkur HD barber pole.

I'm kind of hoping for the same with pipe smoking. It offers a similar therapeutic effect for me, and I expect that when I'm all settled that I'll have maybe three or four pipes I love, but many different tobaccos.

Right now though I've been focusing on how I pack my pipe. I want to be able to smoke an entire bowl with one light. Im not sure how much the pack affects that, but I imagine it does play a role.

I'm getting really curious about the different cuts of tobacco. I would be very curious if there is an overwhelming favorite or if it is just a preference thing like so many other things here. Is flake the default favorite for aging and packing? Or is there another style that is best? Is aging tobacco like aging wine? Please share.