Dan

Recipes 

Nope the stem, base of the bowl and threads attached to the bowl are vulcanite (hard rubber)

The bowl itself is briar. These are actually very cool smoking pipes with the exception of the vulcanite threading.

I'm talking myself into packing one up with the McBarren's Virginia #1 right about now, but alas can't because I'm in the house. Maybe on the half hour car ride to work tomorrow!

dallasdb

Recipes 

Instead of beer swaps we should start doing tobacco swaps!

Czm

Recipes 

Fixing to buy a pipe here. I'm interested in a churchwarden.. Been browsing the net. Also I never have "broken" in a pipe.

Dan

Recipes 

Czm, Breaking in a pipe. Somebody on this huge site could probably explain it scientifically but I'm no scienitist.

Virgin briar will not lend a lot of flavor to the smoke and can burn hot. As tobacco is smoked charred carbon layer will build, the "oil" for lack of a better word, will sink into the briar. The wood will be seasoned with the flavors of the tobacco smoked and as the layer builds these flavors build, the cooling qualities improve as the "cake" on the walls of the side build. Guys that smoke pipes on a regular basis actually have to clean out this cake. For me, on most of my pipes I'm still trying to build a cake (sounds weird) I have pipes from my dad's and uncle's collection, they were both serious pipe smokers. Their old pipes have a nice burn't cake and the bowls smell sweet. Those are the best smoking pipes I have.

Hope that makes a little sense. I'm typing between commercials and my daughter keeps calling me saying dad come here X-Factor is about to start up again.. X-factor. Not my favorite show to watch but it's some family time.

Czm

Recipes 

Right. Need to google proper steps to season. I've had a corn cob before. Smoked my own tobacco I grew. In fact I still have few lbs I grew and bought from over year ago .

Dan

Recipes 

Basics to breaking a pipe in is thirds. Pack the pipe a third the way full. Smoke it this way many times and a cake will build on the bottom part of the pipe. Next pack it 2/3rd's the way full and do the same, build the cake and then pack it full and smoke to build the top third.

Smoking a pipe and making beer have one common denominator - Patience!

worksnorth

Recipes 

Lol I just ordered myself one! Should be at the house when I get off my hitch at work.

Czm

Recipes 

Thanks for info. In fact this place I found online may just get a new and an estate.

Czm

Recipes 

Pipesandcigars.com I seen a wizard gift kit but out of stock.. What you end up gettin?

worksnorth

Recipes 

I ordered: Roma Churchwarden Pipe - cwROMAthree Large - Billiard
From pipesandcigars.com, also ordered tobacco and some other odds and ends