New pipe STILL tastes bad

[KarlMaldensNose]

I picked up a new Stanwell from my B&M a few weeks ago and have had around five or six smokes with it so far. The last bowl I had actually tasted worse than the first. I can't really explain what it tastes like other than to say it isn't a tobacco taste that I recognize. It's not so nasty and disgusting that I can't forge on with it in hopes of it eventually breaking in, but I'm certainly not looking forward to smoking from it, which is a real shame as I was sooo excited when I bought it. It's baffling because I've never experienced anything like this with any of my other pipes. While they certainly took a few or seven bowls to start evening out in flavour and performance, they never tasted anywhere near bad, only like the tobacco wasn't reaching its full potential.

FYI, the chamber seems to have had a pre-carbonized treatment but I'm not sure exactly what kind. My only theory as to what might be going on is that this pipe has a very thin shank and the stain applied to its surface has made its way inside and is fouling the smoke. ??? Any and all ideas or similar experiences are welcome. Thanks.

Here's an pic so you can get some idea of the thin shank I'm talking about.

 

[oc_in_fw]

I was going to asked if it was pre stained, but maybe it is something they used to char the bowl. If it were me, and it didn't go away after three or four bowls, I would sand the junk out and get back to virgin wood. Like with preseasoned cast iron pans, it is better to sand it off and do it yourself.

 

[KarlMaldensNose]

I was going to asked if it was pre stained, but maybe it is something they used to char the bowl. If it were me, and it didn't go away after three or four bowls, I would sand the junk out and get back to virgin wood. Like with preseasoned cast iron pans, it is better to sand it off and do it yourself.

That was actually my first instinct, to sand the bowl back to briar, but I've never had a pipe without some sort of bowl pre-treatment and smoking on bare briar concerns me a little bit. Would I need to make sure its finished with high grit paper to get it very smooth in order to make it as non-porous as possible?

 

[oc_in_fw]

That was actually my first instinct, to sand the bowl back to briar, but I've never had a pipe without some sort of bowl pre-treatment and smoking on bare briar concerns me a little bit. Would I need to make sure its finished with high grit paper to get it very smooth in order to make it as non-porous as possible?

I wouldn't think you would have to get too overboard on the grit, maybe 1000. I haven't had to do this to any of my pipes yet, so hopefully someone who has done it will come along and tell what they did.

 

[Hirsute]

What about trying the SA treatment first before you start sanding? If there's stain in the shank that's fouling your smoke, SA should get it out.

 

[ReAndyMator]

One of my invictas was completely untreated in the bowl. I asked about it, and the response was 'Just smoke it, it'll be fine'.

And it was!!

 

[Orso]

I've had a few pipes over the years that were like that. I tried a good cleaning, sometimes with a sweetener I found at a tobacco shop, and then letting it dry out. That sometimes worked. More often I would switch tobaccos. Something with a fuller flavor often helped after a few bowls. Erinmore tobacco usually worked for me. Good luck. Stanwells are fine pipes.

 

[cb91710]

One of my invictas was completely untreated in the bowl. I asked about it, and the response was 'Just smoke it, it'll be fine'.

And it was!!

2 of my 3 Tinskeys were bare briar. I wouldn't even say they were down to 1000gr... they could have been straight off of the drill press.

 

[Commander Quan]

It doesn't have to be smooth inside the chamber, in fact a slightly rough surface will help the carbon stick to start cake building. As far as smoking a untreated bowl, it's not that big of a deal just keep it from getting too hot and smoke out of the wind.

 

[accunlmtd]

May sound strange, but it may be the bit. Load up about half a bowl, remove the bit and just smoke using the end of the shank. At least you have eliminated one possibility. In my pipe career, I have had a couple a couple bits that were just plain nasty. I ended up replacing the bit and all was fine.

al in colorado

 

[KarlMaldensNose]

May sound strange, but it may be the bit. Load up about half a bowl, remove the bit and just smoke using the end of the shank. At least you have eliminated one possibility. In my pipe career, I have had a couple a couple bits that were just plain nasty. I ended up replacing the bit and all was fine.

al in colorado

How very of you. I think I'll try this before I get the sandpaper out. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Rattlesnake Jake]

What about trying the SA treatment first before you start sanding? If there's stain in the shank that's fouling your smoke, SA should get it out.

From what you report (bad flavor keeps getting worse) it sounds like the SA treatment is the solution. Be patient, you may have to do the treatment multiple times before neutrality is achieved. Reaming and sanding should be considered a last resort!

 

[brother cavefish]

try filling the bowl with brandy/rum and salt, not much for pulling ghosts (low.alcohol) .but it should penetrate sweeter, and may get rid of some of the stank by the salt .and let it sit,.

 

[KarlMaldensNose]

Just filled the bowl with some Metaxa Greek brandy and kosher salt on your advice, brother. You're right, doesn't matter if it can't pull a ghost worth a darn as it's a new pipe and doesn't have one, at least not in the traditional sense. Let's see if that doesn't sweeten things up before I resort to more drastic measures and smoking it without a stem to eliminiate that possibility. I'll report back after a few days when it's finished and dried out enough for smoking.