Drying Moist Pipe Tobacco

How do I dry tobacco that is too wet or moist?

Every pipe smoker has encountered difficulties with a tobacco that is too wet.

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Tobacco with too much moisture is difficult to light and frustrating to keep burning. This often leads to frantic puffing and the dreaded tongue bite. And if one has success with the burning, wet tobacco can leave a goopy mess in the bowl, which is undesirable.

There are perhaps countless ways that smokers have devised to dry out their tobacco. Below I present a very simple method recommended by various experts for giving your tobacco a "moisture adjustment."

• Remove the desired amount of tobacco from the tin, pouch, or container.
• Place it on a sheet of paper and spread it out in a uniform layer (avoid piles or bundles of tobacco).
• Allow the tobacco to air dry until it has reached the desired moisture level. Repeat the test noted above to determine a desirable moisture level.
• Depending on the tobacco cut and original moisture content, this can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Also, bear in mind that weather conditions, particularly humidity levels can dramatically affect the drying process.

Pipe Buffing Machine

What kind of buffing machine to use for working on pipes

When I first began pipe crafting, I did all my work by hand using sandpaper, micro mesh pads, and so on. But after a while, I definitely saw the benefit of a good buffing machine. But wishing to save money, I bought an inexpensive buffing machine from eBay. It was actually a jeweler's polisher made by Rand with a "no load" motor and 4" wheels.

                            Image source: www.rockford-industrial.com

Although the Rand machine was functional, I would say that it was barely adequate for pipes. It worked moderately well for applying carnauba wax, but it was atrociously under-powered for any real polishing. For example, because it is a no-load motor designed for use with delicate jewelry, it could not sustain the necessary pressure to remove oxidation from a stem or to actually polish wood for refinishing, etc. The Rand served my purposes for a short while, but it quickly became apparent that it was not going to do the job long term.

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Since I recondition estate pipes on a regular basis, I ended up purchasing an industrial strength buffing machine. It's not the top of the line model, but it is a top of the line brand: Baldor. According to my research, Baldor makes some of the best buffing equipment in the world, and the six inch, 1800 RPM model I own is fantastic! Of course, it cost substantially more than the Rand, but it was well worth the money. (The Rand was around $50; the Baldor around $300.)

Savinelli Balsa System and Pipe Issues

Will the Savinelli Balsa System eliminate tongue bite and other troublesome issues?

Talking about the practical, "real world" effectiveness of the Savinelli balsa system here. I have used the system for many years. In my experience, the balsa system is by far the very best option available, especially when compared to other filtering or "condenser" systems.

             Image source: firecured.blogspot.it

As specified in other posts, the balsa system has been tested by independent companies and was found to be highly effective at removing unwanted components from the smoke. This is important if one wishes to minimize the potential harmful nature of smoking. And as nature's most absorbent wood, the balsa also does a great job trapping excess moisture, which helps keep the smoke cool and dry.

However, no filter system in the world can completely prevent tongue bite or keep the smoke cool if proper smoking technique isn't used. For example, if one were to puff ferociously on their pipe, it would almost certainly burn too hotly, resulting in tongue bite. Or if one chooses to smoke tobacco that is very moist, the extra moisture will undoubtedly result in a wet smoking experience or gurgling pipe. Or if one were to smoke his pipe in extremely windy conditions, the ember could be stoked excessively, creating pipe burnout. In other words, there is no substitute for learning proper technique and smoking one's pipe slowly and gently.

So what's the bottom line? Pipe makers and companies have been seeking the ultimate solution to tongue bite and wet smokes for decades. Every product is advertised as though it is the perfect fix. The truth of the matter is that experience and patience are the best solution to the common issues of pipe smoking. It's true, the balsa filters are helpful, and they can reduce some of the difficulties people experience when smoking a pipe. But they are not a "magic cure." If someone experiences severe problems when smoking a pipe, it is unlikely that the balsa system (or any other system) will instantly solve the problems.

Smoking Pipe to The Bottom

I'm having trouble smoking to the bottom of the bowl and can't develop cake in the heel of my pipe. Can you offer any tips or advice?

It is a common refrain among pipe smokers that "you must smoke all the way to the bottom of the bowl." To some, it seems this adage is the "prime directive" or "first commandment" of pipe smoking. They act as if failure to burn all the tobacco in your pipe will result in severe penalty or loss of life and limb. Perhaps secret agents of the "Cake-Building Task Force" will hunt you down and force you to eat the dottle from a thousand pipes. But I laugh in the face of such danger and boldly challenge the necessity of building "heel cake"!

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Melodrama aside, I believe far too much is made of this issue. There is only one factor that should compel you to smoke to the bottom of the bowl: your enjoyment of the tobacco. If your pleasure diminishes at any point along the way, you should feel free to stop. If your tongue becomes sore, if the flavor becomes unpleasant, if you run out of time, or if you simply want to show your spite for this stupid "rule," then by all means stop smoking and dump out the dottle!

I can already hear the naysayers: "But what about building cake at the heel of the bowl?" Well, what about it? Not a single one of the pipes in my collection has ever developed cake at the bottom of the bowl. And yet I've never experienced a single adverse effect due to this fact. After breaking them in, my pipes smoke beautifully, are flavorful, and I've never experienced a burn out due to lack of heel cake development.

Obviously, there's nothing wrong with building cake at the heel of the pipe bowl. And if you're able to regularly burn the tobacco down to the bottom, that's great! But many folks find it difficult to do so, and they shouldn't have to feel guilty about it.

There are several reasons that contribute to the difficulty. Some reasons are self-evident and others are more difficult to identify. Moisture content of the tobacco, personal smoking habits (are you a drooler?), shape of the pipe (some are more prone to collecting moisture), briar quality (more or less absorbent), and even weather conditions can affect how well a particular bowl may burn.

Of course, even moist dottle will still burn if it gets hot enough. However, trying feverishly to reduce every bit of tobacco to ash can make you feel like you have a mouthful of hot lava. But if you insist on burning to the bottom, try taking frequent breaks to let your pipe cool. Then relight and smoke a little until it gets too hot again.

Some prefer to dump out the ash and let the pipe and tobacco rest overnight. This allows some additional drying time for the moist dottle. Then light up the dottle the following day and keep burning. This approach may work effectively, but many tobaccos taste poorly on relights. If your favorite blend retains its flavor, or if you're a glutton for punishment, then this approach may work fine for you.

You could also try dehydrating the tobacco until it is as dry as dust. This may produce adverse affects in terms of flavor and comfort, but if getting to the bottom of the bowl is your primary concern, removing as much moisture as possible will certainly aide in the goal.

These methods are, indeed, tedious. But if you feel compelled to persevere, it will likely pay off in the end. If you smoke it, cake will come.

But if you share my perspective that heel cake is vastly overrated, it simply may be time to acknowledge that life will continue just fine if you dump out the dottle and move on.

Sanitizing Estate Pipe Stems

Is it really necessary to sanitize the stems of estate pipes? How do you sanitize a pipe stem?

Because personal hygiene and safety is important to me, I strongly recommend a thorough cleaning and sanitizing for all estate pipes. Not only is it much safer, but it will result in a more enjoyable smoke.

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Used pipes, no matter how well they were cared for, always tend to have carbon, tar, and other residue in the bowl, shank, and stem. This can adversely affect the pipe in a variety of ways. For example, the draw of the pipe may be difficult because of restricted airflow. This would result in a poor smoking pipe that frustrates more than it rewards. An unclean pipe also dramatically affects the taste of the smoke since you'll be picking up the "ghost" flavors from the tobacco smoked by the previous owner. I've received some estate pipes that looked fine on the outside but that were utterly disgusting on the inside. The shanks were befouled with dripping, oozing residue, and the draft/air hole was completely cemented solid with tar. Others have had filters in them that must have been used for a million smokes. They were completely black and turned to dust when I removed them.

Simply sanitizing a stem will certainly help, but it won't necessarily eliminate all the other potential issues. But to sanitize a stem, I recommend using a high-quality, medical grade Isopropyl alcohol. It should have an alcohol content of at least 70%, but I recommend even higher if possible. This will kill any bacteria, molds, etc. and ensure a sanitizing effect. Before soaking the stem, I strongly encourage you to scrub the airway or draft hole with bristle pipe cleaners dipped in the same alcohol. When the pipe cleaner comes out perfectly clean, you're ready for the sanitizing alcohol soak. Fill a small bowl or container with enough alcohol to submerge the stem and let it soak for at least several hours. It's true that the alcohol will do it's job killing germs in less time. But I prefer to soak stems longer to help loosen up and dissolve any residue that may be coating the inside of the draft hole. Periodically during the soak, pull the stem out and run a pipe cleaner or two through it to help remove any residue that is being dissolved or dislodged by the alcohol.

Typically, when I refurbish estate pipes, I do additional cleaning and sanitizing steps on the stems. One such step involves chlorine bleach, which also removes oxidation on vulcanite stems. But this produces a chemical reaction that will make the stem rough to the touch and requires sanding and polishing to restore the shine. If the stem is not properly protected, the bleach will also dissolve trademark logos or even erode the tenon enough to make it fit loosely into the mortise/shank. The point is, some pipes may need additional steps to make them enjoyable to smoke.

For those who do not wish to do the work themselves, there are professionals that would be happy to provide refurbishing services. Fees start around $25.00 per pipe, and vary depending on the condition of the pipe and exactly what work they'll be performing

Tightening a Loose Pipe Stem

How can I tighten a loose stem on my pipe?

Assuming the stem is not damaged or in need of repair, there are several common methods that can be used to correct a troublesome loose stem. You don't need to use them all, but I've listed several different options. Please note that the techniques below will only work with a push/pull tenon; they should NOT be used with threaded or screw-in tenon.

1. Use the shank end of a drill bit to slightly enlarge the tenon, which will make it fit more snugly in the mortise. Use a drill bit that is JUST BARELY larger than the air hole in the tenon. If you expand the tenon too much, you can crack or damage your pipe when trying to reinstall the stem. The expanding is done by carefully and briefly heating up the tenon with a heat source, such as a hair dryer, candle, or lighter. Be VERY CAREFUL not to overheat the stem material causing it to warp or melt. Once heated, insert the shank (non-drilling) end of a drill bit into the air hole of the tenon. Insert it only the length of the tenon to expand it. Then immediately dip the tenon in ice water before removing the expanding tool. This will "lock in" the new size and prevent the tenon from "shrinking" back to smaller size. Use a pliers to remove the drill bit, twisting as necessary. Then dry the stem and reinsert it into the mortise.
    
2. Use clear nail polish to paint the surface of the tenon and let it dry completely before smoking. This will add a layer of thickness which can be gently sanded if the fit becomes too tight.
    
3. Coat the tenon with beeswax (or candle wax) and then smoke the pipe. When warmed by smoking, the wax will be absorbed into the wood and cause it to swell to tighten up the fit. Use the wax sparingly so you don't inadvertently tighten things up too much. You can always add a second application of wax if necessary.
    
4. Use a q-tip to slightly moisten the wood on the inside of the shank just prior to smoking. The moisture and heat will cause the shank to swell and may tighten up the fit. (I have not personally used this fourth method, but others have had good experiences with it.)

Pipe Filters and Comfortable Smoking

Do pipe filters actually provide a cooler, drier smoke?

Moisture and heat are definitely major culprits in producing painful tongue bite and other oral irritations. In light of this, anything that decreases the amount of moisture that reaches the tongue and mouth will certainly help reduce any related discomforts.

              Images sources: talkingtobacco.com tobaccoblends.com.au delnobilepipe.com

There are quite a few different types of filters available, such as balsa, paper, charcoal, metal condensers, and more.

Many companies have developed their own unique approach to filtering systems. For example, the E. A. Carey company developed the Carey "Magic Inch" System, which uses Papyrate sleeves to provide a cool, dry smoke. Brigham pipes use a special wooden filter made of Rock Maple, which supposedly offers an "extra inch of wood" to help absorb moisture and impurities. For many years, Kaywoodie has used a "Drinkless System" for their pipes. This system uses a built-in metal condenser, called a "Stinger," to trap moisture and debris before it reaches the mouth. A couple different companies have also developed absorbent crystals, such as the Denicool Crystals, that are added to the bottom of the pipe bowl before adding tobacco. Many users report these crystals work quite well and help make the smoke cooler and drier. And there is the famous Peterson System, which isn't really a filter, but a reservoir designed to give a dry smoke by allowing moisture to collect outside of the normal airway of the pipe.

Of those I've tried personally, I prefer the Savinelli Balsa System. It's simple, elegant, and quite effective. The small, triangular balsa filter absorbs both moisture and impurities from smoke without the addition of chemical elements. This helps to ensure a clean pipe shank and a more pleasant, safer smoke.

Bad Taste while Smoking a Tobacco Pipe

What causes a bitter, chemical taste when smoking a particular pipe?

When it comes to matters of taste, it can be very difficult to identify the source of the problem. What seems bitter or sour to one smoker, may be completely undetectable to another. And sometimes our mouths go through a "funk" (for example, after having a cold) that can affect how everything tastes. But there are several common causes that I can mention.

The number one suspect for odd flavors when smoking a pipe is the tobacco itself. I can't tell you how many times I've purchased a tobacco--even one that I had smoked before and it was fine--only to have it leave a terrible chemical taste in my mouth. Even though this may seem self-evident, be sure to try more than one tobacco in the pipe, just to make sure it's not an anomaly with the tobacco.

Strange tastes can also be caused by the pre-carbon material used to coat the inside of the bowl. Every company has a different "recipe" for those coatings, and sometimes they just get it wrong. If you suspect this is the cause, wrap a piece of sandpaper around a wooden dowel and carefully sand the inside of the tobacco chamber until the carbon coating is completely gone.

I once experienced an odd flavor with a tried and true Savinelli pipe that had already been broken in. Believe it or not, it turned out to be the balsa filters! I'm not sure what the problem was, but one particular package of filters contributed a very bitter, sour taste to every smoke. When I figured out it was the filters, I simply discarded them and used a different package. If you're using the balsa filters, you could test this by smoking the pipe without filters using the converter tube.

Odd, unpleasant flavors can also be caused by the stain used on pipes. Sometimes during crafting, the stain will inadvertently get inside the bowl or shank of the pipe. This can create bitter or chemical flavors during smoking. This is common with Peterson of Dublin pipes, since they dip the entire pipe into the stain rather than brushing it on. In such cases, the sandpaper/dowel method works well for removing stain from the bowl. But getting it out of the shank can be tricky, since you can't sand the inside of the shank without altering the mortise/tenon fitting. Even without sanding, it will eventually wear off, but it may take quite a while.

Lastly, I'll mention one other possible cause that is much more rare. The strange taste/flavor could be from the wood itself. Since briar is a natural product, it's always possible that the wood may have an inherent bitter taste due to saps, resins, or tannins that didn't get completely removed during the curing process. This can be more difficult to overcome, depending on the severity of the case. Many who experience this say that it takes a very long time to smoke out the foul taste.

Metal Piece in Pipe Stem: Stinger or Condenser

What is the metal piece in the stem of my pipe? I've heard it's called a Stinger or Condenser.

The metal piece in some pipes, most noteably those made by Kaywoodie, is called a "Stinger" and is part of the Kaywoodie "Drinkless" system.

Some refer to the "Stinger" as a filter, but technically that isn't correct. It is more accurately described as a "condenser." It is designed to serve two primary functions:

1. it blocks small bits of tobacco from traveling down through the stem into the mouth
2. it attracts or collects moisture, supposedly resulting in a drier, cooler smoke.

Although Kaywoodie is attributed with creating the first metal condenser, many other companies utilize similar devices in their pipes in an effort to create a more pleasant smoking experience. The photos below show various types of condensers.

           Standard Kaywoodie condenser screw-in tenon

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            Stinger Condenser (push tenon)

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