Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Beeswax will darken unlike other pipe polishes, oils or waxes; this makes it undesirable for someone with a light-finished pipe if they want to stay that way. It also goes a little tacky at relatively low temperature, typically the case with beeswax-coated meerschaum pipes. Beeswax is quick to pick up dirt, oil or tobacco pieces that may be on the smokers hands/fingers. So, while there's nothing inherently wrong with applying beeswax on briar you should know your pipe may unexpectedly darken and the exterior will probably get sticky by mid-smoke.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

As long as there is nothing INHERENTLY wrong, lol. Newbness strikes again.:r

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Thanks for the tips guys. I've realized I have a lot of open tins. I hate to see it get too dry. I'll prolly just get a few more mason jars or those Libbey ones. Not a fan of the ziploc, I just don't trust them..

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Do I have to put a screen in the bottom of the bowl? I am about to smoke my first bowl ever.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

nah

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Just got a lot of 5 estate pipes off fleebag. They need a good cleaning. Whats the best way to go about cleaning them?
Thanks in advance.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Scrape old crap from the bowl with a Czech pipe tool; spit/paper towel to clean grunge off the rim; wipe bowl exterior with damp soapy cloth until clean; Everclear dipped bristle pipecleaners to rout out the stems. That's the easy stuff.

If the stem are vulcanite and have yellowed, greened or browned there are more serious measures to investigate. Start with Magic Eraser or toothpaste and baking soda for the easiest first effort at removing oxidation. There are all kinds of approaches to cleaning stems, some easier than others. Soaking in OxyClean is said to work; bleach soaking DOES work but can damage (or whiten) markings on a stem and it also furs up vulcanite, thus demanding a fine sanding or polishing after a soak.

Bowls invariably carry some kind of ghost or stink (not to mention spiders, fleas or germs). Brace bowl securely with stem removed in a tipped back position; pack with coarse kosher salt or cotton balls; fill gently to 80% full with Everclear or 91% unscented rubbing alcohol. Do not let drops of booze overflow or touch the outside of the pipe - it'll strip finish in one micro-second. Soak until dry, remove salt (or cotton) and, if nasty looking, refill and repeat. This process destinks, de-ghosts and sanitizes.

That's about it. Practice on the crappiest pipe first to refine your soak-and-scrub technique. Good results can be very rewarding.

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showth...ghlight=estate

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Thanks for the info going to tackle this over the weekend.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

If you use salt, do not let it sit for more than 20 minutes. Salt soaks into the briar and may cause the pipe to crack. Use cotton balls and give it couple hours, no need to wait till evaporation.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

I have a question for the Old Farts:

There is local convenience store that specializes mainly in cigars and alcohol, but has a fair share of pipe tobacco as well. Me question is, are there decent tobaccos that are more mass produced than others? I have a feeling they are not stocking some of the premium tobaccos you guys prefer, but what is a safe brand for me to look for to try?

Thanks!!

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

You need the American Classic Combo, Ken'oa: a pouch of Carter Hall (or Velvet or Prince Albert or Half & Half) a regular sized Missouri Meerschaum corncob pipe (not one of those little mini-things) a bag of fluffy (not bristle) pipecleaners and a Czech pipe multi-tool (or a 10-penny nail). Add to that a box of wood or paper matches and you are golden. $10 to play. Many have concluded it's the best smoking combination on earth at any price.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Might as well throw a pouch of Granger in there too Dan:D

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Thanks guys. :tu

I actually have all the equipment to play, I'm just not familiar with the brands of tobacco yet. Marc hooked my up good in the pipe NST, but I figured I might as well pick up some various tobaccos to have on hand and age.

Thanks again...I'll let you know what I pick up.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Yeah. Shame on me. How about that Granger? I never actually smoked any Granger, sad to say. I stopped at Carter Hall and figured it (and a cob) couldn't possibly get any better. Gotta try some Granger.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

I know the answer may be in here somewhere but it took a while just to read through the first few pages. Can I keep pipe tobacco in a desk top humi?

Thanks in advance!

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

First answer No. Then..
A lot of factors can play a role in this answer. I'm not sure at what humidity tobacco is ideal to store. But you can keep it in there but it will dry out. Is it in the tin? Just laying it in there?

Two options I always use are as follows. If I'm going to smoke it, within the next 4-6weeks I just keep it in the tin. If I'm going to open a tin, and not smoke it often it goes in a rubber gasket/mason jar.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Why can't you keep tobacoo in the humi? I have! The problem is that if you have cigars in there too, they will take on the flavors of the tobacco, especially if it is an aromatic or English blend.

As for the humidity level of tobacco, everybody's tastes are different. I like my tobaccos much drier than they are when shipped.

Bulk tobacco I keep int mason jars.
If I have a few tins or pouches., I keep them in tupperware or complete seal rubbermaid.

Well, that's :2

Peace of the Lord be with you.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

I keep mine with Acids...lololol :r

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Right now I have five or six snack sized sandwich bags with maybe 2-5 oz in them and one tin, compliments of Troy the "tobacco as bubble wrap" bandit. I don't know how often I'll be smoking just yet and I don't what a bunch of mason jars lying around. I do have a couple of very small desktop humi's though. There would not be any cigars in there with the bags.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Sure, if you remove the sponge and or beads, but it will dry out in short order, 13% seems to be the humidity level for pipe tobacco, but peoples taste differ. Tobacco in plastic bags it will dry out to much, in or out of a humidor.

The non-aromatic cedar the humidor is lined with, will take on the aroma and flavor of the pipe tobacco, after which these aromas and flavors will be imparted to any cigars you put in the humidor, even after the pipe tobacco is gone.

Airtight jars are the best and safest bet.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Do you have any rubbermaid or tupperware? Something big enough to get everything into and with an airtight seal should be fine.

You could put all the baggies in one mason jar - if they fit. Keep the tin tightly sealed.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Thank you gents. I suppose I'll be using a mason jar for now. Should I also throw a humi pouch in the jar or would that raise the rh too much?

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

No. The tobacco will be the same when it comes out of the jar as it was when it went in. humi pouch is for cigars.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Time to raid the fridge then. Thanks.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Putting different blends in one container, whether or not they are in plastic bags will lead to a marriage of flavors.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

I have a question,

I'm not new to pipes, but I don't smoke them very often, so I believe that I fall under the Newbie pipe smoker title.

My question concerns a pipe I bought for my wife (her first) this past Friday. She always liked the look of the Church Warden pipes so I surprised with one and she smoked it for the first time yesterday.

Here is the question: How can I tell if there is a filter in the stem?

I tried to clean it last night and the pipe cleaner will not go through the stem. It looks like the stem is a 2 piece model, but I can't get the 2 halves to separate and I don't want to break her new pipe. Any suggestions?

Thanks
Ken

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Hello Ken,

Without putting hands on it, it’s kind of hard to say. Have you tried removing the stem from the bowl and running a pipecleaner through it from the mortice end?

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Yes I have and the pipe cleaner stops after about 2" that's why I'm thinking it might have a filter.

It looks like the stem might seperate in the area that the pipe cleaner stops when inserted from the top, but try as I might, the upper half of the stem will not twist from the lower half.

When I get home tonight, I will post the name of the pipe incase someone might know about this pipe. It was made in Italy.

My biggest worry is in harming the stem, so I haven't used any tools (ie pliers) to try an seperate the top from the bottom (if there really is a top and bottom)

Thanks
Ken

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

It would help if you post a picture of it...

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

The pipe is a Rigoletto Churchwarden Marrone Chiaro - Billiard.

It is in the top right hand corner of this link.http://www.pipesandcigars.com/rigolettopipes.html

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Yes, they will. It isn't a big deal with me. I put different aromatics together. I put Virginias together. I put English blends together.

But, that's just one person's opinion.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Okay, first of all that pipe is made to come apart so it just may be a very tight fit...try twisting the bowl and stem carefully from side to side to see if you can ease the stem out...after that put some graphite on the tenon so it slides easier and doesn't stick again...second, the reason the pipe cleaner is stopping a few inches in is because you're hitting the beginning of the bend...I doubt that pipe has any kind of filter in it...third, if you are going to clean the stem with regular and/or bristle pipe cleaners you need to get some of the churchwarden size pipe cleaners...hope this helped...

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Thank you.

The stem does come out of the pipe without and trouble.

With the stem removed from the bowl and while inserting the pipe cleaner into the stem at the bowl end, the cleaner stops within a couple inches.

It is hard to see in the picture, but 1 1/2 squares up from the bowl, the stem looks like it could be 2 pieces, but it sure doesn't want to move at this point.

I do have the long pipe cleaners and there is no problem getting the cleaner 8-10 inches into the stem from the mouth side, but then it stops.

Thanks again.
Ken

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

I see what you're talking about where it looks like the stem might be two pieces...the only thing I can figure out at this point is that something got in there and blocked the stem...I'd call pipesandcigars.com at this point and explain it to them and they should be able to tell you if the stem is a 2-piece, and/or whether there's some kind of filter jammed up in there now...

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Thank you.

I'll give it a try.

Have a great weekend.
Ken

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Old farts are failing with this stem juncture at every juncture. Here's my shot.

I had one pipe - a good pipe at that - with an internal distortion inside the pipestem airway. Mostly it blocked a pipecleaner yet I could blow air through it. Sometimes I could work a pipecleaner through it (or past it) by bending the end of the pipecleaner a few degrees and twisting it, pushing and probing, until it found the passage and passed; other times a pipecleaner would get blocked, pop through and then drag on the way out leaving a wad of cotton caught in the airway. Then one day after dozens of tries the irregularity broke loose (I never saw what it was), a wad of cotton blew out and all was well.

Conclusion is same as above whatever the problem is - call the seller and ask what's the deal and/or send it back if that's possible. There is no good reason for an airway to prevent passage of a pipecleaner unless it has an internal filter (and, presumably, a way to remove it).

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Thankyou for your help.

I tried to probe it with a Czeck tool last night and couldn't get it past or through the blockage.

I will be near the store this weekend, so I will stop in and see what they say.

There is a seam in the area of the blockage and I noticed that one side is black and the other side is very dark gray. If by chance it is supposed to come apart, I would rather have the shop fix or break it or remove the blockage because I have little doubt that one day it will become completely blocked so I better get this thing figured out soon.

Thanks again.
Ken

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

You could try hand turning a drill bit to get the plastic or whatever is in there out.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

I was thinking about that, but wanted to hold off until I knew for sure if it was a filter or not and the more I think about it, this will be a good test to see how the B&M handles this problem.

They get premium prices for their products and I'd like to see if their service is the same, besides, if I break my wifes new and very first pipe, she won't be very happy with me.

Thanks
Ken

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Ken, Pipes and Cigars is good peeps. Give them a call and see if they have advice for you. They may not without seeing the pipe. I would guess that they'd either have you send it back or bring it in.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

New thought. The maker fused two vulcanite (or lucite) sections together for the long stem; it finished with a visible join on the outside and has a major burr inside.

Same conclusion.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

OH NO! I believe that I gave the wrong impression.

I didn't buy this from Pipes and Cigars, but I sure wish I would have, because their price for this pipe was much better than what I paid.

I bought this pipe from a local B&M and it just happened that the only picture I could find online, was theirs.

After seeing Pipes and Cigars prices, I will be checking in with them before I buy another pipe.

I'm sorry about the confusion. It was all my fault.

Thanks for the help.
Ken

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

OK, even better. If it is a local B&M, get over there and give the pipe to them, they should be able to figure it out and stand by their product.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

All right guys I've been looking in all the wrong places for an answer. What do I use to polish my briar. I'm guessing that old english might not be a good idea. Two of my pipes have what I thought may be charing around the rim. But I can scrape it off with my thumb kind off sticky. What do I use to clean this area?

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

If Mr. Moo wakes-up, I'm sure he'll have a spot on answer to your question Robert:D

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

:tpd:

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

No big hurry. Just want to take care of my pipes since I'm starting to get a handfull of real nice ones. That and I try to take care of what I got.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Sorry - low bandwidth at the Friedman Field Research Station in Edmunds, Maine. Fascinating place if you like moose, mussels, clams, geology or wildflowers. :) Very slow to get things done outside of batches.

Human nose oil is excellent; carnauba wax needs a little friction/heat to apply - experience needed so don't try it on a pipe you love fist time out; Halcyon and Halcyon II can be finger-applied and hand buffed to a nice luster; and one drop of olive oil and a soft cotton rag do fine on briar and stems.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

Thanks for the reply. I bet it feels better in Maine than it does in La.

Re: New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart
 

As far as the charring around the rim, use a little saliva to wet it down and wipe it off with something...there is a spray can called Arango Briar Pipe Wipe you can buy...you get some handi-wipes and saturate them with the Briar Pipe Wipe then let the handi-wipe dry and you have a polishing cloth that works great...