New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart

[Dude Here]

Originally Posted by RevSmoke

A) Does it still have the filter in the stem? If so, get rid of it. It is more of a pain than it is a benefit, and often smells nasty.

B) You do not need to wipe the inside of the bowl. Dump the dottle and let a bit of a cake build up on the inside of the bowl, that is what protects the pipe itself. When you wipe it out, the cake doesn't have a chance to build up.

How to build a cake? This is the simple explanation. Smoke your pipe down to dottle (ash), put your thumb over the bowl and shake the ash inside for a couple seconds, remove thumb and dump dottle out, set pipe down and let it rest. If you have not done so, run a pipe cleaner through it. A cake will develop on the inside of the bowl and protect the pipe itself, this is a good thing.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

Thanks for the cake building advice Rev! It came with a filter but I pulled that out as soon as I walked out of the shop. I don't smoke filtered cigars, why would a pipe need one. Gonna go for another bowl tonight, hopefully that ashtray flavor will dissipate some more.