Bulldog and Rhodesian Tobacco Pipes

What is the difference between a "Bulldog" and "Rhodesian" shape?

Pipe shape classifications are not absolute. Many pipe makers and pipe companies simply use their own naming conventions and have unique standards for classifying pipes. Also, in different parts of the world, pipe shapes sometimes are referred to a bit differently than they are in the USA.

But there actually is some debate about the distinction between a "Bulldog" and a "Rhodesian" shape.

Almost everyone agrees that the quintessential, classic bulldog shape has a straight diamond shank, a tapered diamond stem, and the bowl is tilted forward a few degrees. The bowl shape is like two cones joined together at the base with the "point" of the top cone cut off. Most classic bulldogs also have one or two grooves carved into the bowl where the two cone shapes come together (although some bulldogs do not have these grooves).

Classic Bulldog Shape (Diamond, Straight Shank)

Image Source: www.smokershaven.com

Classic Rhodesian Shape (Round, Bent Shank)

Image Source: www.puff.com

Bulldog or Rhodesian? (Diamond, Bent Shank)

Image source: www.smokingpipes.com

The controversy begins when the shank/stem are bent (instead of straight) or rounded (instead of diamond-shaped). Some feel that any bulldog-shaped bowl with a bent shank/stem is automatically a Rhodesian. Others, like me, distinguish between the shapes based upon the shape of the shank, whether or not the pipe is bent or straight. While this notion does not rise to the level of a "law," I believe it is the most common way of distinguishing the two shapes.

In the end, each pipe maker, collector, and enthusiast will make his own determination. But for me, a bulldog always has a diamond shank and a Rhodesian always has a rounded shank, regardless of straight or bent shank.

Meerschaum Pipe Advantages (if any!)

Do Meerschaum-line briar pipes offer any particular advantage over regular briar pipes?

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Because it does not contain any saps or resins like briar, Meerschaum does not typically impart a flavor to the smoke or alter the taste of the tobacco. By lining a briar pipe with this silicate mineral, one is supposedly able to more directly experience the true taste of the tobacco. However, many smokers actually prefer the subtleties and nuances of flavor contributed by their briar pipes. Additionally, as it is smoked, briar absorbs oils from the tobacco over time, which can actually increase the amount of flavor during a smoke. (This is why may smokers prefer to dedicate specific pipes to specific tobacco blends.)

Meerschuam pipes are definitely wonderful smoking instruments, and I have several in my own collection. But I prefer to keep the two materials separate and enjoy the qualities of each material on its own.

Covering a Tobacco Pipe while Smoking

Why do pipe smokers occasionally cover the bowl with their fingers while puffing on their pipes?

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There are two basic reasons for this practice:

1. If the bowl begins to grow cool, or if the tobacco ember is beginning to weaken, a classic means of keeping the pipe burning is to quickly introduce air by "carbureting" the bowl. This is what you often see smokers doing when they cover the bowl with their fingers while puffing. By covering and uncovering the bowl while puffing more robustly than usual, a repeated rush of air is forced over the ember, which helps restore better combustion and keeps the pipe burning (or at least that's the idea).


2. Another reason for covering the bowl is the presence of too much moisture in the stem or shank of the pipe. Moisture is an unavoidable byproduct of combustion, but if it builds up too much, it can cause the pipe to gurgle or surprise the smoker with a mouthful of nasty juice. A simple technique for dealing with this is to blow gently but steadily INTO the stem for a few moments. This pushes the moisture out of the stem/shank and down into the heel of the bowl where it will no longer present a problem during the smoke. Of course, this process of blowing into the stem will cause ashes and debris to fly out of the bowl, creating quite a mess. So the smoker will momentarily cover the bowl with his fingers to prevent this from happening.

Sanitizing an Estate Pipe Stem

Is there a quick and easy way to sanitize an estate pipe stem?

With this article I want to focus on the cleaning aspect of what I already talked about in my article on pipe stem sanitizing.

           Image source: rebornpipes.wordpress.com

When I refurbish pipes for myself or others, hygiene and safety is of the highest concern. For this reason, I go through several steps to thoroughly sanitize a stem or mouthpiece. But depending on the condition of the stem, there is a simple method, which I will describe here.

You will need some high-quality alcohol. In order to have a sterilizing effect, the alcohol content must be above 50%. I prefer to use Isopropyl Alcohol that is 91% alcohol. This ensures a "medical grade" sanitizing effect and evaporates quickly. It is also much less expensive than grain alcohol. You will also need some pipe cleaners and a small container in which to soak the stem.

• First, clean the stem by removing any debris and residue (tobacco bits, tar build-up, nicotine residue, etc.).
• Second, dip a pipe cleaner in the alcohol and run it through the stem. I recommend doing this several times and "scrubbing" as necessary. Bristle pipe cleaners work great for this step.
• Third, soak the stem in a bowl or container so that the stem is completely covered by the alcohol. I recommend soaking it for about 15 minutes (or longer if necessary to dissolve residue). If the alcohol discolors during the soak, that means tar and other residue were being dissolved by the alcohol. If this occurs, discard the alcohol and scrub the stem with some more pipe cleaners. Then fill the container with fresh alcohol and perform the soak again. This way you are ensured of a truly clean and sanitized stem.
• Once finished with the soaking. Simply rinse the stem in cold water and dry it off. It should now be completely sanitized!

How to Break In a New Pipe

Recommendations to break-in a new pipe

Not everyone agrees about the “perfect” technique for breaking in pipes. Some smokers even believe there is no need to break-in a pipe, simply fill it up and smoke it. While I agree that there is freedom to do what works best for you, I recommend the simple break-in method outlined below. But first, here are a couple quick remarks about the purpose of the break-in process:

Even when briar has been dried and treated, it still retains a certain amount of sap, resin, and natural acids. These things affect the ability of the wood to absorb moisture, withstand heat, etc. They also can impart a flavor to the tobacco as you smoke it. The break-in process helps to rid the wood of these remaining substances, making it more pleasant to smoke.

         You need to ream the caking, or this will happen

         Image source: rebornpipes.wordpress.com

In order to protect the bowl from the heat of burning tobacco and to aid in the absorption of moisture that results from combustion, it is important to develop a carbon cake inside the tobacco chamber. The break-in process helps to properly develop this carbon cake, which is simply a layer of charred residue that builds up inside the bowl as tobacco is burned.

With these simple factors in mind, I’ll briefly describe how you can break-in a pipe and begin the “seasoning” of the briar. Here is a simple method that will help you to break-in a new (or refurbished) pipe.

I do not recommend coating the inside of the tobacco chamber with honey, alcohol, or water. Instead, start with a full bowl of loosely packed tobacco. Of course it must be packed tightly enough to burn, but pack it more loosely than usual. Some people will prefer to start with only a third or half a bowl and slowly build it up to a full bowl over four or five smokes, but this is not necessary. As long as you smoke slowly and gently, the amount of tobacco in the bowl really makes no difference, so simply decide which is more appropriate for you.

As I noted above, the most important factor for breaking in a pipe is that you smoke slowly, making sure that the pipe does not overheat, and that you smoke all the way down to the bottom of the bowl. If possible, it is desirable to burn all the tobacco to the bottom of the bowl. This will help develop a cake in the heel of the bowl.

So fill your pipe loosely, sit back and enjoy your first smoke. Do not hurry. If the pipe gets too hot, put it aside, and let it cool down. It does not matter if your pipe goes out, just relight it and continue to smoke slowly all the way down to the bottom. When you’ve finished burning all the tobacco (this may require several relights), then loosen the grey ash with a pipe tool and while covering the top of the bowl with your fingers or hand, shake the pipe a few times. This action will spread and deposit fine ash on the walls inside the bowl and will help to build up a nice cake more quickly. Remove the remains of the ashes from the bowl.

Once your pipe cools down, be sure to clean it thoroughly and then allow the pipe to rest before smoking it again. Keeping your pipe dry and clean is the secret to an enjoyable smoking experience.

Pipe smoking is often called the "art of patience"; it is intended to be a pleasure that you savor and enjoy. So don't be in a hurry and try not to get intimidated by the details. Just try to form good habits and take good care of your pipes. You'll be rewarded by a great smoke and lifetime of happy puffing.

Tobacco Pipe Carbon Cake

What is carbon cake and how long does it take to develop?

Developing a good cake can take quite some time, so they key ingredient is patience! Beyond that, there are several factors that affect cake development, such as the tobacco you smoke, the briar itself, and your own smoking habits. Because of these and other variables, there is no standard time frame in which a cake develops, and each pipe will likely take a different amount of time.

Some pipes may begin developing a cake after only a few bowls. But it's more common to take far longer. Depending on your smoking frequency, it's not uncommon to smoke ten, twenty, or thirty bowls before you notice the evidence of a carbon cake beginning to form. I've seen some pipes take over a hundred bowls before they developed a decent carbon lining in the bowl.

New smokers often wonder what the cake looks like. Once the cake starts forming, it will be unmistakable. It is a hard, black residue that lines the inner walls of the bowl. In appearance, it looks like a thin layer of coal. After a cake begins to form, it's simply a matter of managing it by careful reaming to maintain the desired thickness. As a general rule of thumb, the cake should be kept at the thickness of a dime, or about 1-3 millimeters. If it gets too thick, it can actually crack the bowl of your pipe, because it expands at a different rate than the briar. Typically, you normally don't want to completely ream the bowl (unless you are restoring pipes), since you would then have to break it in all over again.

One of the most common problem areas for cake development is bottom of the tobacco chamber. This is where moisture tends to pool during a smoke. This makes the tobacco in the heel of the bowl difficult to burn and many folks understandably dump it out rather than fry their tongues trying to burn it to ash. This combination of moisture and unburned tobacco greatly retard or even prevent the development of carbon at the bottom of the tobacco chamber.

Another common problem is the cake forming unevenly. If the cake is thicker in some spots than in others, it's a good idea to ream the cake to make it even. If left to develop unevenly over time, it can create a bottleneck effect, making it difficult to fill and clean the bowl. As noted above, the uneven cake can also produce adverse effects on the briar due to expansion and contraction during combustion.

Although it is desirable to develop an even carbon layer throughout the bowl, it should not be something that detracts from your enjoyment of pipe smoking. Many folks spend far too much time being concerned about this. Remember, you didn't start smoking so that you could go around developing carbon cake inside pipe bowls! Hopefully, you chose to smoke because you enjoy it for various reasons. The carbon cake, while important, shouldn't become a matter that you obsess about. Simply enjoy your pipes, and the cake will develop naturally over time. If it isn't perfect, don't worry; it can be easily maintained with a simple pipe reamer.

Below are a couple photos of a pipe with clearly developed carbon cake. These photos are not perfect guideline examples, but they will give you some concrete idea of what the carbon cake looks like.

This pipe has a damaged and charred rim--something that can be avoided by exercising care with your pipes. It is NOT necessary to have carbon build-up on the rim in order to develop cake in the bowl. A little care and regular cleaning can keep the rim looking good.

Pipe Flaws and Burnout

Should you be worried about chips, pits, and flaws in your pipe? Can these lead to a burnout?

Nearly every briar pipe has some sort of natural flaw, such as minor pits, splits, or other imperfections in the wood. Often these imperfections are so tiny they cannot be seen with the naked eye, and the craftsman will also take measures to make them "invisible" through adroit shaping, use of rustication, sandblasting, etc. However, if the imperfections are too large they affect not only the aesthetics, but, much worse, the smokability of the pipe.

         Image source: pipesmagazine.com


It's very difficult to give specific advice about a pipe without being able to examine it. But if you detect a crack in the briar that is clearly visible, it could indicate a potential problem.

A burnout occurs when overheating causes a hole to be burned completely through the wood. Cracks and splits can also occur due to overheating, but they are technically not considered burnouts. If the briar was improperly cured, or if it has been improperly cared for, the heat and moisture absorption can cause the wood to expand excessively and split.

Also, the temperature of the bowl is very significant. If the pipe becomes uncomfortable to hold, it is definitely burning too hot. Most often this is a result of improper smoking technique, but it can sometimes be caused by the qualities of the briar or pipe design itself. In either case, if the bowl becomes too hot, it is definitely time to set the pipe down. Some folks say if you cannot comfortably hold the pipe against your face, then it is too hot. In such cases, simply let it go out and cool down a bit before relighting.

If the crack in your pipe worsens, the pipe may be rendered unsmokable. But in many cases, a skilled pipe repairman can restore the pipe to smokable condition. The cost will vary depending on the necessary repairs, but if it is a favorite pipe or one with high value, the expense can easily be justified.

Adjusting Butane Lighter Flame for Tobaco Pipe

So you can't adjust the flame on you butane lighter. Suggestions.

Since every company uses a unique system for adjusting the flame of the lighter, it is difficult to offer suggestions about your specific lighter.

Occasionally, I have found it necessary to disassemble a lighter and make corrections to the adjustment mechanism. Although it's not an overly technical process, it would be very difficult to describe it here, especially without details concerning your particular lighter.

However, it is far more common to encounter problems caused by the need for a thorough cleaning or proper refilling. This is especially true with refillable lighters that have been in use for several years. Assuming your lighter does not have an actual mechanical problem with its internal fittings (which would require repair or replacement), here are some general tips and suggestions that may help resolve the issues you're experiencing:

• Completely bleed the air and any remaining butane from the lighter before refilling. Do this by carefully depressing the filling nozzle on the lighter with a small tool. You will hear a hissing sound as air and small amounts of butane are expelled. Repeat until the hissing stops. Be careful not to bend or damage the nozzle, which will prevent proper filling.
• Use compressed air to clean out the flame nozzle of the lighter.
• Use a cotton swap dipped in alcohol to clean and remove soot buildup on the lighter. This will help clear out any residue or debris that may prevent the lighter from working properly.
• Turn the flame adjustment knob back and forth several times through its entire range of motion. Then place it to a medium setting before refilling or using it.
• When filling the lighter, be careful not overfill with butane. Depress the butane canister on the lighter for 1-3 seconds, then release. Repeat this 2-3 times until the lighter is filled.
• Do not use the lighter immediately after filling. The filling process causes the internal nozzles and gas fittings to become very cold, and the lighter becomes "frozen," so to speak. Simply wait five to ten minutes until the lighter has reached room temperature before trying to use it.

Tobacco and Pipe Flavor

Can tobacco permanently affect the flavor or aroma of a pipe?

Over time, every tobacco will leave a residual flavor/aroma in your briar pipe (meerschaum tends to be less affected). Unless it is an excessively strong tobacco, it won't occur in just a few bowls, but the pipe will eventually become "seasoned" with the flavors and aromas of the tobacco you smoke in it.

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Sometimes a pipe smoker will try a new blend several times before deciding he doesn't like it. If an unwanted aroma or flavor is detectable, a good cleaning with alcohol and pipe cleaners will usually take care of it. Also, the unwanted taste/smell will usually fade quickly once you start smoking a different tobacco in the pipe.

In a worst case scenario, if the offending tobacco was especially potent, you could perform the salt and alcohol treatment to more aggressively remove unwanted flavors or aromas. (You will read about how to perform the salt and alcohol treatment in a future post I am writing).

The fact that tobacco eventually flavors a pipe is a major reason why many smokers prefer to own at least several pipes. This way each pipe can be dedicated to different tobacco types and prevents unwanted "tainting" or "cross-over" flavoring. (You can read more about the practice of dedicating pipes to specific blends here.)

Smoking Pipe in Cold Weather

Will smoking in cold weather damage your pipe?

Smoking outdoors in cold weather may be uncomfortable, but it doesn't pose any direct harm to your briar pipe (meerschaum is another story; see below). Although it's safe to smoke a briar pipe in cold temperatures, there are a couple things to keep in mind.

First, even though it won't directly damage your pipe, the cold temperatures can make the briar and stem material more brittle and susceptible to breakage. So you'll want to handle your pipe with extra care while smoking in cold weather.

Second, the increased difference in temperature between your lit pipe and the cold air will result in greater amounts of condensation in the shank and stem. This may cause your pipe to "gurgle" while you're smoking it. If so, simply run a fluffy pipe cleaner through the stem and into the shank to absorb some of the moisture; then continue smoking. (Remember, never separate the stem from the shank while your pipe is hot. It will cause the stem to become loose over time.)

When it comes to meerschaum pipes, I do not recommend cold weather smoking. Although it has never happened to me, I have heard horror stories about meerschaum pipes splitting open or even "imploding" (as one man described it) when smoked in cold weather. Even if your pipe didn't blow-up in your teeth like a cartoon gag, the cold temperatures would dramatically increase the likelihood of accidental damage, since meerschaum is far more fragile than briar to begin with.