Pipe maintenance question

[Jamcdon1961]

Hi. I have been smoking pipes for about a year and a half. I use each pipe about once a week. I clean my pipes with cleaners after each use, and after .4-5 uses I use a pipe sweetener solution in the stem and shank. I have not done any other maintenance. For the last month, i have been having trouble burning the last 1/3 of my bowls. I am relighting 5-6 times. I have not changed my tobacco, drying time, or packing method. Could I be missing something in pipe maintenance? I have smoked about 60-80 bowls in each pipe. Do I need to ream out the chambers or something? Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

[Blackhorse]

Changes in the weather? No…seriously.

 

[Timbo]

Humidity up lately?

How dry is your tobacco?

 

[Jamcdon1961]

Humidity up lately?

How dry is your tobacco?

I keep my tobacco in airtight Mason jars. I don’t track the humidity, but I don’t think it has changed much. I dry most of my tobacco 45-60 minutes, and I touch it to make sure it is feeling dry enough. I guess I could try drying it a little longer.

 

[Ranger107]

Check your cake. You may need to ream. Check the air hole in the bowl for blockage. Maybe clean the stem with a bristle cleaner? Does the draw get harder in the last 1/3 or so? I don't think the tobacco is the problem. If it was you would have the problem all the way down.

 

[idbowman]

I'd start with @Ranger107 's advice. You may have some nice cake going by now - usually a good thing as long as it's not too thick, and as long as it's not starting to impede the draft hole. If you need to pare it back a bit, a Senior pipe reamer is an easy to use, affordable solution.

 

[Blackhorse]

Maybe you’re tamping too firmly & it adds up as you go down the bowl.

 

[BriarPipeNYC]

The last 1/3 of that soon-to-be-rank/ashy tobacco at the bottom of the bowl... imo.... ain't worth relighting 5-6 times and risking a charred/cracked heel or eventually, a burned out pipe. Briar is not fireproof. Hot flames concentrated within that small, restricted area at the bottom of the bowl, can over time, cause damage, unrepairable damages.

If the tobacco at the bottom 1/3 won't stay lit, dump it. Clean the pipe and don't give it any thought. Tobacco is cheap and pipes are not.

Not trying to be preachy....been pipe smoking since 1966. Best to forget that dubious goal of smoking until the remnants of your tobacco charge is reduced to a "fine, white, ash". That white ash gets thrown away, and so too your pipes when they get a cracked/charred heel.

Your routine pipe maintenance is fine but do rethink your goal. Great tasting tobacco will not be found at the bottom. Your pipe is at risk if you continue with the bottom-of-the-bowl, relights.

If this still continues to vex you...try pipes with deeper bowls. But the above warnings still apply. The longer, deeper bowls, will hold more tobacco, and thus the 2/3rds on top of the final bottom 1/3 is proportionally, also longer.

 

[Swede]

Hi. I have been smoking pipes for about a year and a half. I use each pipe about once a week. I clean my pipes with cleaners after each use, and after .4-5 uses I use a pipe sweetener solution in the stem and shank. I have not done any other maintenance. For the last month, i have been having trouble burning the last 1/3 of my bowls. I am relighting 5-6 times. I have not changed my tobacco, drying time, or packing method. Could I be missing something in pipe maintenance? I have smoked about 60-80 bowls in each pipe. Do I need to ream out the chambers or something? Thanks in advance for your replies.

This might be worth a look. I started this with Petersons, but do it with other pipes.
https://petersonpipenotes.org/tag/system-pipe-packing/

 

[fireman11]

I clearly know nothing about smoking a pipe.

Interesting thread.

 

[Blackhorse]

Try the “Frank Method” of filling your pipe. You’ll find info on it here and there. Some good vids on uTube, etc.

Here’s a close alternative I’ve used with success.

https://www.google.com/search?q=the...e=ive&vld=cid:b333c60b,vid:pJ3Aujwtn_U,st:153

 

[Singed]

This might be worth a look. I started this with Petersons, but do it with other pipes.
https://petersonpipenotes.org/tag/system-pipe-packing/

That is the best instruction for this packing method I have seen yet. The illustrations really clear up any questions.

 

[Blackhorse]

Good basic and detailed information shared here. Thank you, gents.

 

[Jamcdon1961]

Hi. I have been smoking pipes for about a year and a half. I use each pipe about once a week. I clean my pipes with cleaners after each use, and after .4-5 uses I use a pipe sweetener solution in the stem and shank. I have not done any other maintenance. For the last month, i have been having trouble burning the last 1/3 of my bowls. I am relighting 5-6 times. I have not changed my tobacco, drying time, or packing method. Could I be missing something in pipe maintenance? I have smoked about 60-80 bowls in each pipe. Do I need to ream out the chambers or something? Thanks in advance for your replies.

Thanks everyone for all the tips. I got a reamer, and I reamed 2 pipes. That did the trick.

 

[Blackhorse]

Woo Hoooo! Beast slain!

 

[Idlefellow]

One of the worst rules that was eve foisted on pipe smokers is "you must smoke your tobacco to the bottom of the bowl".

 

[arich52]

Since we are talking pipe maintenance, can any of you give me a tip on cleaning out the gourd of a meerschaum calabash? There is a collected amount of tar at the bottom inside.of it. Toothbrush with some kind of solvent?

 

[Swede]

Since we are talking pipe maintenance, can any of you give me a tip on cleaning out the gourd of a meerschaum calabash? There is a collected amount of tar at the bottom inside.of it. Toothbrush with some kind of solvent?

I wish I had one of these, so as to advise. This guy is pretty respected, and his methods could help.
https://rebornpipes.com/tag/cleaning-a-gourd-calabash/

 

[arich52]

Great article. Thanks.

 

[Timbo]

I second Swede, rebornpipes know their stuff.