New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart

[DaBear]

Originally Posted by Dude Here

Here's one I'm hoping you old farts can help me with. My pipe smells and tastes like an ashtray. Pretty badly too. I've had two bowls through it thus far and it's got a black char on the inside of the bowl. Is the ashtray taste and charring normal? I've ran about six pipe cleaners through it since I bought the pipe. The cleaners help a little but but it's still got a really strong ashtray smell and taste. I'm pretty sure it's something I'm doing wrong though, probably smoking too fast/hard. Any help ya'll can give me to get that smell and taste out is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

Edit: it's a Missouri Meerschaum pipe and a burley house blend from the B&M that I'm smoking.

Since its a cob, no need to worry. Cobs need about 5-10 bowls smoked in em to break in. Those first bowls that "ashtray" flavor comes from the bowl getting its initial char. Once thats done itll calm down. Then you get my favorite thing about a cob after its smoked, that faint smell of my great-grandmother's corn if you smell the outside of the bowl.

[Dude Here]

Originally Posted by DaBear

Since its a cob, no need to worry. Cobs need about 5-10 bowls smoked in em to break in. Those first bowls that "ashtray" flavor comes from the bowl getting its initial char. Once thats done itll calm down. Then you get my favorite thing about a cob after its smoked, that faint smell of my great-grandmother's corn if you smell the outside of the bowl.

Thanks for the info! So another question on the same topic. Do briars that come "pre-charred" still go through that ashy taste period? Or do briars not really have this happen to them at all? Thanks again!

[DaBear]

Originally Posted by Dude Here

Thanks for the info! So another question on the same topic. Do briars that come "pre-charred" still go through that ashy taste period? Or do briars not really have this happen to them at all? Thanks again!

Briars tend to not have that same period like a cob. On the other hand, a new briar still needs broken in and a good cake formed in the bowl for heat reasons mainly. A good cake helps keep the bowl cooler throughout the smoke, and in newer briars, this typically means the bowl will get hot much quicker than will be the norm down the road. And I'm assuming the "pre-charring" you're referring to is the bowl having a finish on the inside. Thats just something a lot of companies use to help that initial cake form in the bowl.