A strange observation. Is this normal?

EAM · A strange observation. Is this normal?

I was smoking my Savoy today hoping my Omega would finally arrive in the mail, which it didn't...anyways, when I finished the bowl I dumped out the ash and noticed there was a big wet ring around the hole that goes into the shank. I haven't ever noticed this happen before but there was one difference. I had gotten rid of the filter. I personally do not like the filters. I thought I would give them another try but I think they depart too much taste.

I don't think I smoked any faster than I usually do but for some reason it was wet. No gurgling or anything. Is this normal? I put a pipe cleaner through the bit as far as it would go in to the shank in hopes it absorbs some of the excess moisture.

I do apologize for the newb'ish questions but after all I am one. I would like to keep my small investment safe and was wondering if this was cause for concern. Like I mentioned in a previous thread, I do pretty much exclusively smoke aromatics. This is only because of my wife. She says if she has to smell it, it might as well smell good. I cannot say I blame her.

I appreciate the help and patience,

~Eric

drbridges

Yes. I'll catch some flak for saying this, but burning tobacco makes its own moisture. If it didn't, you wouldn't have smoke to enjoy.

Pipe smokers have to take some actions to deal with this. Cigar and cigarette smokers don't because they discard the butt.

Your options are to use a filter to absorb some of the moisture so the wood doesn't. And/OR Rest the pipe and let it dry for a few days between bowls. I find my pipes are improved if I swab out the shank and airway with cotton Q-tips after smoking. That speeds up the drying process. And this is precisely why I prefer DG ajusto and push tampon stems.

Disassemble a mortise and tenon pipe joint very many times promptly after a smoke, and your joint becomes loose. If your pipe has a mortise and tenon push stem you just have to let it stand and absorb moisture until it cools before you disassemble it. I don't have that much patience.

EAM

From what I have read I knew enough to never clean the pipe while hot. I have read that it will cause the bit to be loose or crack. I do run a pipe cleaner through it though after each smoke and then let it rest with the cleaner for about a day. I don't have a huge collection so keeping a briar in rotation that I enjoy isn't an option at this point in time, but I am working on it.

I do smoke often so I rely on my cobs for that.

I really don't like having to let my pipes rest for so long between enjoyments of them...but if that is what must be done, I guess I need a bigger collection. Smile

Thanks for your reply,

~Eric

Sir Duke

hmmm eric. a lot goin on in this post.

My PERSONAL belief is pipes meant to have filters should be smoked as such. Others do so, and succesfully but .... e key is to NOT have the diam

In pipemaking, the key is to have the draft hole remain the same diameter from the button to the bowl. Even when the whole flares at the bit (button), this is to keep the same ratio: wider hole but thinner - same volume.

Why? to keep the smoke at the same speed. The changes in speed is what causes it to release the moisture.

Or your tobacco is too wet and you could let it air dry and hour or so before packing your bowl.

Or you also usinng it to blow bubbles. Come on, you know you are! Laughing

Keep at it bro. I always admire those guy who smoke like its second nature. I am not one of those guys but do believe I know what and how to make a good pipe.

drbridges

Eric, I don't ever want to discourage anyone from buying more pipes, but there is another solution to your problem. However, you have to be able to smoke the bottom half of your bowl.

Smoke your bowl completely. Then don't knock out the ash, but stir it. The dry ash will absorb the excess moisture from the bottom of the bowl. Once it is completely stirred you can dump it. The bottom of your bowl should be fairly dry. The pipe's shank will be soggy wet (remember Q-tips), but the bowl will be dry.

I generally keep about 6 pipes in my rotation, plus a few cobs. And each pipe takes 2-3 bowls/day. These pipes may stay in my daily rotation for weeks without rest. It sounds hard I know, but if a pipe aspires to make it as one of MY pipes, it has to endure a lot.

EAM

Well, I was at the grocery store today and decided to check out some of the OTC tobaccos they had. I ended up picking up some Sir Walter Raleigh and CBG. The Raleigh I think is the first Burley I have smoked aside from Aromatics. It's real dry, cut real fine, and surprisingly packed without a problem and smoked all the way down to a fine ash without a single relight. Very mild, not very strong, a very "smokey" room note that the wifey didn't really care for. But it smoked all the way down without a problem.

I'm guessing now that some of my previous problems are due to the the wet aromatic nature. This stuff is totally opposite. Not my favorite by any means, but an enjoyable smoke occasionally.

The Captain Black Gold was as expected. Nothing to say about it either way. Not bad, not good. I've had much better.

drbridges

I smoke outdoors exclusively, so I don't give more than a whit about the room note or what anyone smells.

The only blend I have smoked in the past decade that people have complimented has been Captain Black White or Lane's RLP-6 (about the same - sold as Texas Ranger at Humidor in San Antonio, Texas).

You may learn to dislike tobacco that is too wet. It does make a lot of smoke, but it doesn't burn well.