How dry is dry enough?

[m.c.]

Thanks to the precious information from all helpful guys here, I learned the fundamental principles and tricks for a good airway, and made pipes that smoked perfectly easy and dry in summer time. However, as mid auntumn sets in, moisture is rearing its head. (Now in my location, it's around 50 degrees Farenheit.) Still, this pipe does NOT gurgle, only three to five drips of condensation throughout a smoke. If I hold or clench the billiard as usual, the moisture trickles into the bottom of bowl and I hear some sizzling when I reach the final 1/5 of tobacco, and if I smoke in bed with the bowl held higher than the bit, the drips work their way to my lips (Disgusting taste! ) and the bowl remains very dry. Therefore I think the condensation chiefly occurs in the stem rather than in the bowl. This pipe has an open 4mm airway (draws very easy indeed), a gapless and consistent tenon-mortise fit, and a smooth transition at the airway-slot joint. Then where is the problem that causes the moisture? Do you find the sizzling annoying? Can a well-crafted pipe avoid that even in snowy winter? How do you fix it? I hope my moisture-obssession question doesn't flog to death.

By the way, I know a sump will solve the problem, but my understanding is that most better hand-mades try to avoid such a design wherever possible. Is that the case?

[kbadkar]

The condensation comes out of the smoke stream in the airway, not from the bowl. If you are a "dry smoker", this is minimal and the bowl heel never gets wet, nor do you sip it, nor pipe cleaner ream, nor whip it out.

If you are a "wet" smoker, either your tobacoo is literally too wet, too aromatic, OR your saliva drips down the stem. If it's the latter, System pipes (sumps) may be a good option, or just get used to sticking in a pipe cleaner whenever you sense too much moisture. The heel of your pipe shouldn't get wet or sizzle. One solution is to leave an "air pocket" at the heel of the pipe below the tobacco when packing. You can whip the goo out and your tobacco will stay dry in the bowl.

Do you clench the pipe in your mouth when not inhaling? Try holding the pipe in your hand the whole time and only put the pipe to your mouth when puffing... perhaps it'll be a drier smoke?

[Frank]

If you are a "wet" smoker, ...(snip).. , System pipes (sumps) may be a good option, ...(snip)

You're dead right, which is why I prefer well bents.

[Nick]

You could put some calcium sulfate or calcium chloride in the bottom of the bowl. that'd suck the moisture right out. Of course, it might also kill you, but you'd have a dry smoke. Otherwise, just keep a pipe cleaner handy.

[m.c.]

Over this past week, I did more smoking and observing. I let the pipes rest for a week and switched to other blends which I think are a little drier. The sizzling disappeared. Luckily, I'm not a wet smoker, nor is my pipe. Lastly, with no defiance to you guys' kind suggestions, I don't think a pipe smoker who is also a pipe maker should make such compromises to the nefarious moisture as living with filters or desiccants.

[Nick]

Agreed!