[Pat1075]

I am continuously reaming out peoples old and abused pipes at work and for my own enjoyment while restoring them. Hard cake is just that a denser stronger cake where the cake is primarily carbon. It seems to conduct less heat. Soft cake comes from the people who choose to smoke cigarette tobaccos and very syrupy aromatics out of their pipes usually when they have been oversmoked and get past the need for a reaming. I learned my method from my boss and he learned it from Milton M. Sherman who wrote a book called All About Tobacco. Which though hard to find is very interesting if you can locate it.

I am just a believer in Milton's method because it allows me to taste the qualities of the wood as well. What good is it spending money on an oil cured english pipe if I'm just going to make it taste like sugar and not the deep woodsiness that they have been known for. Or an air cured italian pipe if I don't get to taste the transition from sour to sweet. just my two cents.