Clearly, I smoke my pipe too fast...

[mwaller]

After enjoying some Five Brothers in my new-ish Radice Rind Pure Pot, I noticed that I had charred some gouges into the lower part of the bowl near the draft hole. Big oops...
Last night I mixed up some 'pipe mud' from my cigar ash and started to repair the damage...
Any tips on building a protective 'cake' in the bottom of the bowl?!

 

[deluxestogie]

Lane 1-Q or Captain Black Gold (probably come from the same mixing bin) are a mild Honey Cavendish that some folks use for breaking in a new briar. If the new pipe comes with a black coating, then just judicious smoking of anything seems to work. You can also make a thick mixture of honey or molasses and milk for coating the interior. That will char fairly easily.

A common practice with a new pipe is to begin with a 1/4-filled bowl for the first few times, then gradually increase the fill in successive smokes.

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

A regular thing they do for people at the pipe shop here is a mixture of honey and pipe ash, pressed into the repair area, allowed too dry a bit, then smoked.

 

[mwaller]

Thanks, guys. Here is the poor abused pipe...

 

[deluxestogie]

I like it.

When I was young, I would purchase only stylish, full-bent and half-bent pipes. Over the decades I've come to prefer straight pipes with a relatively large bowl and a long shank. I think they smoke better, dry more easily, and are easier to maintain. (But I'm still fond of bulldogs.)

Bob

 

[mwaller]

I patched the charred area with pipe mud (ash, water), then gave it light sanding to smooth everything out. Last night, I mixed up some ash and honey to give the bowl a second coat. It's drying now, but the surface looks nice and smooth. I hope it holds!

 

[davek14]

I will sometimes mix a little honey with water and coat the inside of a bowl. The, after the next couple smokes I cover the bowl with my thumb and give the spent ash a good shake. That helps build cake with a new pipe even without the honey.

 

[greenmonster714]

I patched the charred area with pipe mud (ash, water), then gave it light sanding to smooth everything out. Last night, I mixed up some ash and honey to give the bowl a second coat. It's drying now, but the surface looks nice and smooth. I hope it holds!

That is a nice pipe. Are you going to stain it or leave it like it is. Either way it's a beauty.

 

[mwaller]

I'm going to leave it unfinished - that is how it is meant to be. Some people feel that the pipe 'breaths' better without a finish. Personally, I think the porosity of the briar and shape of the bowl are far more important, but whatever. It's an interesting idea.

That is a nice pipe. Are you going to stain it or leave it like it is. Either way it's a beauty.

 

[Levi Gross]

I’m a true pipe abuser. Yesterday I scraped what I believe to be a 1/16 cake out of my most smoked briar. I clean my pipes maybe once a month, and I smoke a very fine blend. Most times packing the upper half of the bowl with all the dust of my blend. It’s always a hot smoke and I am horrible about hotboxing my pipes and inhaling every bit. The particular pipe I speak of I have about 300$ invested in it from original purchase and sending it off to Briarville for a new custom stem. My belief is YOUR PIPE NEEDS TO BE AS TOUGH AS YOU ARE. To each man his own ritual, but a little damage or abuse adds character. After all we’re not taking them with us when we go. Best wishes to you and your beautiful pipe.

 

[greenmonster714]

My father wanted his favorite pipe to go with him. So it's six feet under for eternity just like he wanted.

 

[Levi Gross]

My father wanted his favorite pipe to go with him. So it's six feet under for eternity just like he wanted.

I stand corrected.