Taking care of your pipe
Our goal for this web site is to reflect the personality of our club and members while offering fun and interesting pages for both the beginner and seasoned pipe smoker.
When cleaning a new pipe, use pipe cleaners frequently but cautiously. Running them all the way down into the bowl may peel away the new cake before it has a chance to set.
Rest your pipe at least a full day after smoking it. Give the accumulated oil and moisture a chance to dry out. After cleaning your pipe, it's a good idea to leave a pipe cleaner in the stem and shank for a little while to absorb excess moisture. Be sure to set the pipe at the proper drainage angle, with the bowl lower than the stem. Your reward will be a dry pipe that smokes cooler and sweeter.
Rotate your pipes. Owning and smoking a number of different shapes and styles of pipes will put more variety and interest in your pipe smoking, and will give each pipe a chance to completely dry out. If your pipe begins to taste harsh or bitter, dip a nylon shank brush into pipe sweetener or grain alcohol and follow through with a dry pipe cleaner.
by The Virtual Pipe Club