Greater Kansas City Pipe Club Meeting November 20, 2014

 What happens if you never sharpen a knife?  Clean out your vacuum? After a while, performance is diminished  The same will happen to a pipe if not properly maintained: Tobacco will not taste as good Pipe may smoke wet and/or sour etc

 Begins with the very first smoke and how you prep the bowl: Some moistening or protection advisable Slow and cool smoking required to avoid bowl scorching Smoke the entire bowl from top to bottom  Clean the ‘ash hole’ completely with a pipe cleaner. Same with pipe shank  Avoid overworking the pipe & let it dry. Clean rim and outside of bowl with soft cloth

 Cake retains flavor and protects the inside of the bowl  Optimal thickness between a dime and a nickel If too much cake, bowl capacity reduced & may crack the bowl If too little, may not retain flavor & may smoke hot & wet

 Good absorbent pipe cleaners  Soft cleaning cloth  Pipe cake/bowl reamer Caliper, knife, buttner scraper (rounded bottom only)  Alcohol good quality drinking spirit (for you). Everclear for the pipe (avoid isopropyl/witch hazel). Breaks down tars and resins from tobacco.

 Shank Brush  Warm coffee (cleans outside of bowl and rim without damaging finish/stain  Cigar ash – good silver polish Basis for pipe mud for hotspot repair or raising bowl floor if draft hole is too high  Kosher salt or deactivated charcoal if major/deep cleaning is required (seek experienced person to help – may cause damage)

 Buffing wheel removes dirt but also removes stem and bowl material/nomenclature  Sharp pointed ‘reamers’ may eventually puncture the bottom of the pipe bowl  Pipe cleaner use if too aggressive can eventually wear a hole through the front wall of the pipe bowl  Dry pipe tobacco provides a sweeter cooler smoke and less residual moisture

 The more frequently you smoke a pipe during the course of a day, it may not taste quite as good with each additional smoke A good rule of thumb: ‘Smoke a pipe once a day then let it rest for a day or two.’  Tobacco tastes better after a meal  Lighter blends early in the day. Heavier blends for later in the day or evenings.  There are always exceptions and differing opinions regarding the information noted in this presentation!