Pipes clogging during first smoke

oto101 · Post by **oto101** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 7:22 pm

How do you keep the airway from clogging up from raised grain on the first smoke? I usually have to ream them out after that and then they're fine from then on...

Jason

PastorPipe · Post by **PastorPipe** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 7:39 pm

Sorry, no answers. But, I do have a related question. Is it pretty typical for one to suck tobacco up the stem while smoking. This seems to happen quite a bit on some of my pipes. Is that a sign of a poorly designed pipe?

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 8:00 pm

PastorPipe wrote:Sorry, no answers. But, I do have a related question. Is it pretty typical for one to suck tobacco up the stem while smoking. This seems to happen quite a bit on some of my pipes. Is that a sign of a poorly designed pipe?

I'm pretty sure it's just a sign of small tobacco flakes :thumb:

Oto101, are you positive that the problem is "raised grain?" I've seen this before but NEVER to the degree where it would be noticed in the airway... but then again, I'm not expert either. My only guess, and this is a guess, is that you might have a problem with too much moisture? So maybe that's why the wood swells so much? What is your draught hole diameter?

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 8:03 pm

PastorPipe wrote: Is it pretty typical for one to suck tobacco up the stem while smoking. This seems to happen quite a bit on some of my pipes. Is that a sign of a poorly designed pipe?

No, it's a sign of bad tobacco. Stop smoking aromatics and come over to the Latakia-side! You lightweight!

JG

LexKY_Pipe · Post by **LexKY_Pipe** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 8:03 am

I think Random is on the right track if the problem is a pipe problem and not a tobacco problem.

oto101 · Post by **oto101** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 12:42 pm

I use a 1/8" drill bit. The bit is brand new. I do smoke a very wet aromatic... but once I ream it out, it smokes fine from then on.

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 12:49 pm

Define "ream it out." I don't know of any pipe cleaner that is coarse enough to shave off wood (i.e. raised grain). I think the issues may be something else.

oto101 · Post by **oto101** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 2:07 pm

bscofield wrote:Define "ream it out." I don't know of any pipe cleaner that is coarse enough to shave off wood (i.e. raised grain). I think the issues may be something else.

I have one of those common pipe tools that has a tramper, spade, and poker on it. I just use the poker to push the raised grain through into the bowl.

Jason

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 2:13 pm

Oto,

this may or may not be related to the draught hole diameter, but I would suggest using a larger diameter bit. Most pipemakers that I know (with exceptions, of course) use between 9/64 and 11/64. 1/8" is very narrow and constricts the airflow. Additionally, it may account for some of the clogging due to the diameter. A little flake or two of tobacco may almost completely clog it whereas a larger one may give you a little more room. Getting tobacco in the draught hole is fairly common, but is usually easily removed with a pipecleaner.

Happy smoking,

Jeff

windigofer · Post by **windigofer** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 3:53 pm

I myself like 5/32" myself; it's a happy medium between Big Boreholes and the minimum limits of unusability.

I will also note this is *not* a grain issue--I've seen the same thing happen on meers and clays with tiny boreholes. If anything, it's a "the bore is too darned little" issue :3

Even on pipes like meers and clays, a 5/32" borehole vastly improves smokability (one doesn't have to suck so hard on the pipe) and really does the trick on things like churchwarden briars (I have one I'm working on that smokes an absolute *dream*...barely pull on it, plenty of smoke).

windigofer · Post by **windigofer** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 3:58 pm

PastorPipe wrote:Sorry, no answers. But, I do have a related question. Is it pretty typical for one to suck tobacco up the stem while smoking. This seems to happen quite a bit on some of my pipes. Is that a sign of a poorly designed pipe?

I wouldn't think so, seeing as *every single pipe* I have ever owned does this :3

I myself tend towards curved stems on pipes, as this seems to lessen this (at least a gentle bend for churchwardens, a 30 degree bend or more for handheld pipes...sorry, I don't know the exact technical term). It still will happen though, especially towards the bottom of a bowl--it's just little tobacco flakes, just like others have noted.

PastorPipe · Post by **PastorPipe** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 5:21 pm

O.k. o.k Jeff. Enough already. I will get some stinking Latakia and give it a whirl. But, I will continue to smoke my aromatics. My grandad (Whose name is J. Allen) smoked them, my wife loves them, and they make my luggage smell beautiful wherever I go. Thanks for the ribbing.

Matt

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 7:19 pm

I have some really nice smelling potpourri at the house. You should give it a whirl too. :thumb:

JG

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 9:09 pm

jeff wrote:I have some really nice smelling potpourri at the house. You should give it a whirl too. :thumb:

JG

Ouch!

PastorPipe · Post by **PastorPipe** » Sun May 01, 2005 10:08 pm

It's cool man. Keep it. After all you need SOMETHING for your breath.

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Pipes clogging during first smoke

Pipes clogging during first smoke

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