Pipe Breaking in and Resting

What is the purpose of "breaking in" and/or "resting" a pipe?

First let me say there are many different opinions among pipe smokers about these practices. It's not something I'm rigid about, and everyone should adopt a practice that works for their own enjoyment of the pipe hobby. But I think there is practical wisdom in both practices. Here are some thoughts on the matter.

The process of breaking in a pipe is really no different than smoking the pipe normally. The idea is simply that every pipe, since it is made of a natural material with varying qualities, will take a while to acquire the characteristics that pipe smokers generally find desirable. A major part of the break-in process is to "season" the wood. This involves two primary aspects: (1) smoking out any saps or resins that may remain in the wood, which can foul the taste; and (2) smoking into the wood the various oils and flavorings from the tobacco, which can enhance the taste. Both of these things occur automatically, and there is nothing special one needs to do. But it takes time, and most pipes will not reach their full potential until after this seasoning process occurs.
During this seasoning process, the carbon cake on the inside of the tobacco chamber also begins to naturally develop from the residue and ash of the tobacco burned in the pipe. This carbon layer forms a thin barrier that protects the wood and also enhances the flavor of a smoke, especially if the same tobacco is used exclusively in a given pipe. (This is a practice known as "dedicating" a pipe. It's definitely not essential, but many find it to be a rewarding practice.)

Every time a pipe is smoked, it is subjected to heat and moisture. Some form of thermal cycling occurs as the wood expands and contracts, and the fibers of the wood absorb moisture, oils, and other by-products of the combustion process. This is normal and unavoidable, but it causes stress to the wood and affects it at a microscopic level. Briar is a particularly hard wood that grows under adverse conditions. This makes it very durable and particularly well-suited to pipe-making. But even briar will eventually succumb to excessive stress if it is not treated properly. When a pipe is smoked over and over again, without being able to "rest" or dry, the wood fibers can become saturated with moisture. This causes them to expand excessively and can lead to cracks in the pipe. Even if one is fortunate enough to avoid damaging a pipe, nearly ever pipe smoker can attest to the foul taste and odor produced by a "wet" pipe. When the wood is saturated from overuse, it can no longer absorb moisture during a smoke. This not only affects the taste, but can cause the pipe to gurgle and will quickly "gunk up" the bowl, shank, and stem. The result is a sour smelling and nasty tasting pipe. For these reasons, it is common practice among discerning pipe smokers to "rest" their pipes in between smokes.

The ideal length of time for the resting period depends on several factors that cannot be estimated (quality of the wood, nature of the tobacco, weather conditions, personal smoking habits, etc.). But the general idea is to let the wood dry out enough to avoid the issues noted above. Again there are varying opinions, but it seems common to allow the pipe to rest for at least 24 hours before using it again. This is one reason that many pipe smokers keep at least several pipes in their "rotation." That way, by the time they get back to a particular pipe, it has had several days to rest since the last smoke.

Even though I advocate allowing a pipe to rest, I realize there are many times when this is not practical or even necessary. In fact, just recently, I smoked three partial bowls back-to-back in one of my pipes (I very rarely smoke this much, but it was a unique occasion). But in that case, the pipe was still performing well and did not become over-heated or over-saturated. Also when I was finished, I cleaned the pipe thoroughly and put it on the rack to rest. I will not return to that pipe for at least several days. The point is, even with the recommended practices, some common sense goes a long way toward keeping your pipe performing well and tasting great.

Lastly, I'll mention that some smokers reject the idea of resting their pipes. They often cite examples of the old-timers who used to own a single pipe and smoked it relentlessly for hours and hours, day after day. That is definitely true. I know some today who still prefer to do things that way. Obviously, if one can only afford a single pipe and "needs" to smoke several bowls a day, then there are limited options. However, I can say with certainty that if we were to examine the pipes of those who smoke in this manner, they would be foul beyond belief. I've cleaned and refurbished hundreds and hundreds of pipes from folks who smoke their pipes nearly to death. I have seen first-hand the results and can tell you that I would never put one of those nasty things in my mouth!