Break-in rituals

[George Kaplan]

So, I know there's no arcane secret to breaking in a new pipe. I usually just run some Carter Hall through it slowly and carefully until the pouch is empty, then never worry about it again. Some old-timers, though, swear by eldritch formulae, such as "smoke a third of a bowl of brand X with a bit of molasses for nine days on the left side of the mouth, followed by two thirds of a bowl of brand Y for eleven days starting on the full moon, and then..."
Just wondered if you guys had heard any good ones, or if you, personally had a technique stuck to like it was your religion.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Reaching into the bin of (possibly pointless) esoteric questions, eh? :lol:

Akin to the elusive and worshiped "one match smoke," "down to a fine ash bowl," "perfect flake pipe," "how to perfectly clean," or "how properly to bathe and herd cats." :lol:

I've done the "smoke half-bowls of your favorite stuff for the first x-amount (5? 10?) bowls, to make sure the cake builds up nice on the bottom," bit, and it seems to be okay. Simple as that: no honey, no sweetener, no killing chickens under a new moon. I mostly do that because I'm not always sure how the new (or new-to-me) pipe is going to react to whatever tobak I've selected, and don't want to ghost the sucker if something doesn't work out. The added benefit, I've had nary a problem with the heel cake.

Cue Alfredo and Monbla rants! Go!

8)

 

[MisterE]

I liked Ken Collins' approach: "I just smoke the new out of it."

:lol!:

 

[s.ireland]

I liked Ken Collins' approach: "I just smoke the new out of it."

:lol!:

That's my method 8)

 

[Zanaspus]

I liked Ken Collins' approach: "I just smoke the new out of it."

:lol!:

Me too.

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

I usually just run some Carter Hall through it slowly and carefully until the pouch is empty, then never worry about it again.

That's typically what I do too. But I don't use nearly an entire pouch. I smoke three, maybe four, bowls of either Prince Albert or Carter Hall to start off with.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

Simple as that: no honey, no sweetener, no killing chickens under a new moon.

Well Crap! What the hell am I supposed to do with the Chicken Bones i've been using as a Break-In Ritual?

If I can't read the bones, how am I going to know what blend the pipe likes?

All these years and i've got to start all over. :x Figures... :lol:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

To paraphrase, someone, somewhere on here about this same topic said, "Just smoke the damn pipe." :lol:

Chicken bones, eh? 8)

 

[williamcharles]

Reaching into the bin of (possibly pointless) esoteric questions, eh? :lol:

Akin to the elusive and worshiped "one match smoke," "down to a fine ash bowl," "perfect flake pipe," "how to perfectly clean," or "how properly to bathe and herd cats." :lol:

I've done the "smoke half-bowls of your favorite stuff for the first x-amount (5? 10?) bowls, to make sure the cake builds up nice on the bottom," bit, and it seems to be okay. Simple as that: no honey, no sweetener, no killing chickens under a new moon. I mostly do that because I'm not always sure how the new (or new-to-me) pipe is going to react to whatever tobak I've selected, and don't want to ghost the sucker if something doesn't work out. The added benefit, I've had nary a problem with the heel cake.

Cue Alfredo and Monbla rants! Go!

Do whut? Kill chickens under a full moon? I do it to annoy the idiot across the street and because I hate eating live chickens. Awful hard to keep em still long enough to get a good mouthful.

 

[monbla256]

the only "Ritual" I use to break in a new pipe is my '63 Vette ritual. I take all my new pipes I'm going to "break" in, load 'em up with Prince Albert, light those puppiies up with an oxy-cetalin torch get in the Vette and drive at around 75 while holding the burning pipe out the top of the windshield( tops down) till it consumes all the tobacco. Usually one round trip up to the Kansas/Oklahoma state line and back to Texas doing this with each pipe will get 'em all "broke" in readyfor smoking
Thats my "Ritual". As to how i do it, just load 'em up with the tobacco I usually smoke and go nice an slow till it's done then put them in the rack till I'm ready for them in the rotation. No big deal No rants tonight

 

[Rob_In_MO]

Alright monbla, the 'Air 75' break-in system. Works every time!

On a more serious note, I did an experiment with 3 MM Cobs years ago - using 3 different break-in methods.

Cob #1 - 1/2 bowl gradually increasing levels.
Cob #2 - Same as above but used Honey inside the bowl first few smokes.
Cob #3 - Just smoked it normally, like it was already broken in.

After 1-month and regular smoking all three of them (with their respective break-in methods) - guess what?

They all looked and smoked the same... No difference at all....

 

[Kyle Weiss]

So much for "KISS it," Monbla: just need a convertible, classic 'vette to do it right, eh? :lol!: Too frackin' funny. One of my esteemed pipe tomes I bought recently recounted a gent trying to "break in" his pipe with the thing out the window after he sparked up a full bowl, and he managed to burn a hole clean through the bottom of the sucker. I guess it takes some finesse! :lol:

I swear, you take an object as simple as the pipe and tobacco, add a few fellows, and look at the shit that develops after only a few hundred years. :lol: No wonder this hobby fascinates me--as much the cast of characters as the participation itself.

8)

 

[Brewdude]

Never had a break-in ritual.

I've always just loaded the pipe with the weed I choose and smoke it. Never had a problem with this approach. And the cake seems to build as normal.

Yes I've read about the recommendations about first smoking a half bowl and gradually building it up.

If that works for you, then fine. It's all good.


Cheers,

RR

 

[George Kaplan]

Reaching into the bin of (possibly pointless) esoteric questions, eh? :lol:

Pointless and esoteric are two of my better qualities, according to my ex-wife.

 

[jefe1037]

Reaching into the bin of (possibly pointless) esoteric questions, eh? :lol:

Pointless and esoteric are two of my better qualities, according to my ex-wife.

Perhaps she is right, but these are things that make you great to have on a bar trivia-night team....

thus negating pointless.

there is always a point to free beer: res ipsa loquitor

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I like the way y'all think. 8)

 

[George Kaplan]

I liked Ken Collins' approach: "I just smoke the new out of it."

:lol!:

That's pretty much my method, too. I wasn't looking for any secrets here, although Monbla's Corvette technique has me interested. I'm starting a new pipe tomorrow and it just got me thinking of some of the crazy things I've heard in the past. That "honey smear" method always seemed like one of the worst ideas ever.

 

[monbla256]

Kyle's big on olive oil :lol!:

 

[George Kaplan]

I usually just run some Carter Hall through it slowly and carefully until the pouch is empty, then never worry about it again.

That's typically what I do too. But I don't use nearly an entire pouch. I smoke three, maybe four, bowls of either Prince Albert or Carter Hall to start off with.

Truth be told, I never really use a whole pouch, either. I always start off with the best intentions, but get bored with CH after a few bowls and call it "good enough". So far so good. I wonder why Carter Hall/Prince Al is the preferred smoke for new briar.

 

[George Kaplan]

Kyle's big on olive oil :lol!:

And yet, there's no substitute for real butter.