Pipe Break In

[FredS]

Except for my very first, I've never been deliberate about breaking in a pipe. I just start smoking them.

The title of this thread though, may lead new pipers here, so what about you? Any novel techniques or just the old "half bowl building up to a full bowl over a dozen or so smokes"?

[Hugo Drax]

Not for me. I just smoke them, as you said. No grape jelly, no honey, no tiny bowls gradually filling them up. 3/4 full as always and puff away.

[JimVH]

Not for me. I just smoke them, as you said. No grape jelly, no honey, no tiny bowls gradually filling them up. 3/4 full as always and puff away.

This. Pipe smokers seem gifted at making things harder than they have to be (finger pointed at myself).

[Hugo Drax]

Not for me. I just smoke them, as you said. No grape jelly, no honey, no tiny bowls gradually filling them up. 3/4 full as always and puff away.

This. Pipe smokers seem gifted at making things harder than they have to be (finger pointed at myself).

You, too? I'm definitely guilty of that

[FredS]

Not for me. I just smoke them, as you said. No grape jelly, no honey, no tiny bowls gradually filling them up. 3/4 full as always and puff away.

This. Pipe smokers seem gifted at making things harder than they have to be (finger pointed at myself).

Ha! It was your post about a new Christmas pipe where you wrote "I usually put them in the rotation before Christmas to start breaking it in" that made me think we needed to explore the topic more in depth.

Like many of us, I had no elder to show me how this whole pipe smoking deal worked. My grandfather smoked a pipe, but he was long gone before I started so I turned to the internet for advice. And, like with every topic, there were/are a bunch of methods and conflicting advice out there. I chose the one that seemed to have the most mentions - start with a small load and work your way up - and found it pretty worthless.

One thing I do do though is to take any fine ash that's left and, while everything is still warm, use a pipe tool (if one is at hand) to smoosh it to the sidewall to build cake quicker. I've never had it chunk off when starting with this artificial base.

[JimVH]

Not for me. I just smoke them, as you said. No grape jelly, no honey, no tiny bowls gradually filling them up. 3/4 full as always and puff away.

This. Pipe smokers seem gifted at making things harder than they have to be (finger pointed at myself).

Ha! It was your post about a new Christmas pipe where you wrote "I usually put them in the rotation before Christmas to start breaking it in" that made me think we needed to explore the topic more in depth.

Like many of us, I had no elder to show me how this whole pipe smoking deal worked. My grandfather smoked a pipe, but he was long gone before I started so I turned to the internet for advice. And, like with every topic, there were/are a bunch of methods and conflicting advice out there. I chose the one that seemed to have the most mentions - start with a small load and work your way up - and found it pretty worthless.

One thing I do do though is to take any fine ash that's left and, while everything is still warm, use a pipe tool (if one is at hand) to smoosh it to the sidewall to build cake quicker. I've never had it chunk off when starting with this artificial base.

Glad I could inspire you.

I think a pipe does break in. It definitely smokes better after it's been smoked a while. I just don't do anything special to get it to that point other than smoke it.

[Bloodhound]

When I started, my uncle had always been a pipe and cigar guy, but I didn't want my mom to know I had started smoking a pipe, and I knew my uncle would tell his wife and she would rat me out, so I fumbled at it, asking the guy at the tobacco shop for guidance on the 2 or 3 times a year I was able to get to Denver.(didn't have the inter-webs back then).

I mostly just smoked the 2 pipes I had and did that for a long time, then about 15 years ago, I started talking with a guy on another site about pipe smoking, and I decided I needed a 3rd pipe...again I just started smoking it.

I then found the old CPS site and found that I "Needed" more pipes and then I learned about grape jelly, honey, starting with small amounts of tobacco all to break in the new pipes I was getting...well I never tried the grape jelly or other stuff, but I have had a few pipes that were pre-coated with something the builder thought was good to start out a pipe.

I am like you folks, and just smoke a new or re-furbished pipe...they smoke better after a few bowls...and that's it for me too.

[coco]

Prior to the first smoke, smear an exceedingly thin coating of cat poop around the bowl.







I've never tried it, but I hope that you will and then report back to us on how it turned out.

[Yohanan]

Prior to the first smoke, smear an exceedingly thin coating of cat poop around the bowl.







I've never tried it, but I hope that you will and then report back to us on how it turned out.

Probably the best method around, works out Great!!! You really need to try this.

[MrPiper]

I must admit that the pipes I have purchased that did not have a "pre-coat" of carbon in the bowl have a VERY unique and sour taste for quite a while. I am surprised none here have mentioned this. MOST pipe makers do pre-coat their bowls with some type of process and they all do fine with no break in method.

For an unfinished briar pipe, with no precarbonizing treatment, I actually DO use 2 things:
1: Wipe the inside of the bowl with honey in a very thin coating.
2: Fill the pipe about 1/2 to 3/4 with a VERY fine cut tobacco that I also heavily rub out until it is like cigarette tobacco in texture and particle size.

Enjoy slowly and as close to the bottom as you can smoke it without burning your tongue.

After just 1 bowl, it seems to be fine.

Have done this on over a half dozen through the years and had consistent results.

YMMV