pipelovinladies:

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I got my new pipe today. It’s a Capitello Sport series, and the model is Corteccia Piccolo. My tobacco of choice is Holger Danske Luxury Black & Bourbon.

This is my first pipe, and I’m looking forward to breaking it in properly. Any newbie tips will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for the submission, furryham! I will have to try that Holger Danske blend as I am a big fan of bourbon.

Every smoker has their own way of breaking in a new pipe. When I break in a new pipe, I don’t fill it to the brim the first few times I smoke it, I fill it up to around the halfway point (unless it is a particularly deep pipe, in which case I pack in about a quarter of a bowl). The goal is to build up an even caking of carbon around the bowl. You want to start your caking at the bottom of the bowl and work your way up, hence the first couple of half bowls. The caking insulates some of the heat, protects the pipe, and adds flavor to later smokes.

For cleaning, I use a children’s toothbrush and cheap, high-alcohol-content vodka (don’t want to clean my pipes with something sugary or watered down) to scrub my bowl out and pipe cleaners for the stem. Some folks prefer rubbing alcohol, while others spring for the pipe cleaning solutions sold at their tobacco shop. 

Again, every smoker has their own preference and as long as it’s not going to harm your pipes, it’s all good. :) Feel free to consult your local tobacconist, too, as I am sure they would love to help out a new smoker.

Check out this important post on pipe maintenance

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