Tips for Cleaning Your Pipe

Amanda — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 23:05:22 +0000

Some pipe smokers clean their pipes before every smoke. Others are a bit less fastidious. And as with most matters, our official opinion here at Just For Him is, “It’s your pipe, do whatever works best for you.”

BUT – A well cared for pipe can last a long, long time. If you’re a tightwad like myself, this is a definite perk. So if you have a nice pipe that you want to pass down to your future grandchildren, try some of these cleaning tips!

Tip #1: Run a pipe cleaner through your pipe every time you smoke it. Don’t remove the stem when your pipe is warm. It can warp if you do that, so try to use the pipe cleaner before you smoke. Normal fluffy pipe cleaners are fine for regular use; bristle cleaners and brushes are for deeper cleaning.

You should also run a cleaner around the pipe bowl, to remove any debris left over from previous smokes. If you let the tobacco remnants stick around, they will get covered by cake (the solid surface that builds up inside the bowl.) When the bits get covered by cake, they can seriously mess up your pipe.

Tip #2: Occasionally use a pipe sweetener or alcohol to recondition your stem and bowl. Do this when your pipe starts to taste bitter.

Many smokers use whiskey, vodka, etc. to clean their pipes.
You can find a variety of pipe sweeteners (such as Pipemaster’s Clean & Cure, which is what we carry) at your local pipe shops and online.
Always let your pipe dry out completely after it has been cleaned. Let it sit overnight or longer before you light up.
Be careful not to get liquid cleaner on the outside of your pipe bowl. It can ruin the finish.

Fill your pipe bowl to the brim with alcohol, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Carefully pour out the liquid. Wipe the inside of the pipe with a paper towel and pipe cleaner, then let it dry overnight. The alcohol seeps into the pores of the briar and pushes out moisture. This allows your pipe to dry quicker, taste sweeter, and smell better. Only do this with wood pipes.

Tip #3: Pipe reaming! When the cake in your bowl gets over a nickel’s width in thickness, you might want to ream it. A reamer will gently scrape away the build up, and – most importantly – keep the cake even. If the cake builds up unevenly, it can crack your pipe.

Most pipe shops will ream your pipe for little or no cost; or you can purchase a reamer for yourself.

Did I miss anything? Feel free to share your own tips and tricks.

How To Pack Your Pipe

Amanda — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 20:25:19 +0000

Every single day we have a few customers walk into our shop and ask for tips on keeping their pipe lit. We tell each of them the same thing: Work on your packing technique. This first step is the most crucial for mastering the art of pipe smoking.

We use a three-step packing routine, which is pretty standard for most pipe smokers. You will need a pipe, tobacco, some sort of tamper, and a flame (lighter or match, whatever strikes your fancy.)

Step 1: Make sure your tobacco is loose and non-clumpy (break it up with your fingers if needed.) Loosely sprinkle tobacco into the bowl until it reaches the top. Do not push it in – just sprinkle. Now, using your tamper, lightly pack the tobacco down until the bowl is half full. Try taking a draw on the pipe at this point. If there’s any resistance, dump it out and start over.

Step 2: Once again, loosely sprinkle tobacco until it fills the bowl. Tamp it down to about 3/4 of a full bowl. Test the draw again. There should still be very little resistance – less than drawing on a cigarette.

Step 3: Sprinkle tobacco into the bowl until it is full, and forms a little mound over the top of the bowl. Said mound should be less than half an inch. Pack it down so that the tobacco is flat and even with the brim of the bowl. There should still be very little draw-resistance at this point. If it feels more difficult than sucking on a straw, dump that bad boy out.

Done! Almost. I mean, your perfectly-packed pipe will be of little use if you don’t light it properly. This is a two step process:

Step 1: Make fire. “Walk the flame” evenly around the bowl while you take 5-6 slow, even puffs. Try to char the entire surface layer of tobacco evenly. The tobacco will puff up as you light it.

Step 2: LIGHTLY tamp the burnt layer down until it is once again even with the top of the bowl. The most important thing to remember at this point is the following: Do not tamp too hard. You only need to tamp the ashes flat and even, nothing more. Now, again, walk the flame around your bowl as you take 5-6 good puffs.

That’s it, for real this time.

You probably noticed that I used the words “even,” “lightly,” and “loosely” profusely in this post. Those three words are very important, so don’t forget them.

Any questions?