PIPE CARE 101

BREAKING IN A NEW PIPE

It is important to “break-in” a pipe in order to ensure that it lasts and offers an enjoyable experience.  Some people find that a pipe smokes great from the first smoke while others feel that it takes as many as 20 bowls before a pipe smokes well. What isn't personal and subjective is that for protection against overheating and burnout, a pipe should have a lining of carbon at least the thickness of a dime. Building up this cake is called "breaking in" a pipe.

 Brigham pipes come with a unique protective coating in the bowl to assist the buildup of carbon and offer extra protection during the breaking in period. Adding a thin coating of honey to the inside of the bowl prior to first use will also speed up the process of carbon build-up. For the first few smokes, alternate between half-filled bowls of tobacco and fully filled bowls until an even cake has developed, being certain never to let the bowl become too hot. If it feels uncomfortably warm when held against your cheek, this means briar is in danger of burning and the pipe should be rested.

PACKING AND LIGHTING

Filling

A pipe-full of tobacco that burns evenly without going out can only be obtained by careful packing. If the tobacco is packed too loosely, it will burn too quickly, overheating the pipe and likely burning your tongue. If the tobacco is packed too tightly, you will have difficulty drawing on the pipe and keeping it lit. Use the following procedure to pack a bowl:

1) Take a pinch of tobacco and loosely trickle into the tobacco chamber until it is full. Tap the side of the bowl repeatedly until the tobacco is settles to the bottom.

2) Using a tamper or your finger, press the tobacco down until it evenly fills the bottom 1/3 to ½ of the bowl. The tobacco should have some spring left in it but should be pressed down enough to form a flat top surface. Test to make sure you can still draw air easily through the stem. If not, empty and repeat but packing the tobacco a bit more loosely.

3) Repeat filling this process until the pipe is as full as you want it. Each time you add a layer of tobacco, draw on the pipe to ensure that you have not packed it too tightly. At each stage, there should be more resistance in the draw, with the final draw about as firm as drinking a milkshake though a straw.

Lighting

Lighting a pipe may be done with just about any flame although many prefer something taste-neutral such as a butane lighter (not a torch) or a match. Whatever the choice in ignitor, lighting should be done thusly:

A) Move the flame over top of the tobacco in a circular motion in order to ensure the full top layer is lit. While moving the flame, draw on the pipe using long slow puffs. As you do this, the lit tobacco will rise out of the bowl. This is called the Charring Light.

B) After the charring light, tamp down the tobacco until it is flat again. Do not push so hard that you make it difficult to draw, just enough to even out the top.

C) Using a circular lighting motion and long slow puffs again to relight the pipe. Gently tamp this ash down while puffing and your pipe should be well lit. If not, repeat from step B.

Make sure that you light all of the tobacco, not just one side. This will help you keep the pipe lit and will avoid overheating one area of the pipe.

Smoking

• Smoke your pipe gently and evenly. Puffing too vigorously will burn your tongue and may cause damage to the bowl from overheating. If the bowl becomes too hot to hold against your cheek, you need to set your pipe down and let it cool. After the pipe has cooled, you may relight it.

• If you feel your pipe is about to go out, tamp down your ash and place two fingers over the bowl while drawing. This localizes the draft and aids in the relighting of your pipe without the use of a flame.

• Occasionally you may want to remove some of the accumulated ash in the bowl. Use your pick and gently loosen the ash without disturbing the tobacco. Dump the ash out and, holding the bowl in your hand, tap the pipe on a soft surface. This is called fluffing out the pipe. DO NOT HOLD THE PIPE BY THE STEM WHEN TAPPING OUT. This could cause the shank or the stem to break.

• For best results, only smoke a clean and dry pipe. A pipe should be allowed to rest at least 24 to 48 hours before smoking it again. Briar can become foul if not cared for. See our Preventative Maintenance section for how to clean your pipe.