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Post by Professor S. on Feb 17, 2021 20:20:14 GMT -5
As I intimated in another thread, I had to go to the post office to collect this package. It is, indeed, a very handsome pipe but I do not think I will be buying another Road Town pipe. For one thing, the bowl came coated with some chalky, grey stuff. FWIW, Ron, this might be what’s causing the persistent chemical taste in the one you have. People on a couple other forums have mentioned this coating, and the general consensus is that removing the coating greatly improves the smoking experience. Since my confidence in China’s manufacturing standards are extremely low, I decided that removing the coating entirely was in my best interests. Could I have just spent more money and gotten a new pipe of reputable provenance that I didn’t have to fuss with? Of course! But then I wouldn’t have been able to tinker with it. I certainly don’t want to go messing about with a quality pipe and ruin it! I won’t bore you with photos of removing the grey coating. I used 400 grain sandpaper taped around my index finger and around the end of a Sharpie. It worked. It worked really well. Once I had gotten down to the wood (I hesitate to say ‘briar,’ because this is a very lightweight pipe. I’m not fully convinced that it is briar—or even real wood), I had to decide how I was going to prepare the bowl for future cake. Since I had already tried the sour cream and cigar ash trick, I thought I would give something else a try. Joeman recommended an egg white recipe, but something I saw on a couple different forums caught my eye: honey. Since one of the guys I used to do ministry with has some hives, I had some of his local honey already in the cupboard. I heated it to warm liquid, then gave the inside of the bowl a generous coating and hung the pipe upside-down over a paper towel until the honey had dried….well, as much as honey will dry, anyway.  The other thing that gives me pause about this pipe is that the shank wall is extremely thin. The stem fits in well and securely, and I figure that I can find a jeweler or fountain pen restorer to put a collar on the shank when it splits.  It’s a good-looking pipe, and I am really looking forward to smoking it. When I do, I’ll report back and give an update on how well it performs. My smoking/deep theological conversation brother is in LV,NV with his wife right now. That, on top of trying to get our house packed up and fixed up to sell, and my wife working from home the past week has curtailed my smoking and reflection time.  |
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Post by Plainsman on Feb 17, 2021 21:19:01 GMT -5
That is a handsome pipe. I hope your alchemical probes make it into a good smoker. If not, well, you gave a good try and probably learned a lot.
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Post by Ronv69 on Feb 17, 2021 21:36:37 GMT -5
Mine didn't come with a bowl coating. It did come with an unlined bamboo shank that I think is the cause of the problem.
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Post by trailboss on Feb 17, 2021 21:38:53 GMT -5
I hope it works for you.
Frankly, I would not trust anything from China, they have no scruples and would have no problem exporting arsenic laced pipes.
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Post by Professor S. on Feb 18, 2021 8:22:35 GMT -5
I hope it works for you. Frankly, I would not trust anything from China, they have no scruples and would have no problem exporting arsenic laced pipes. Well, Charlie, if it's laced with arsenic I guess I'll only be smoking it once--and I won't be reporting back! |
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Post by Professor S. on Feb 18, 2021 8:22:48 GMT -5
Mine didn't come with a bowl coating. It did come with an unlined bamboo shank that I think is the cause of the problem. Ooh! Yeah, I tried to make a pipe out of bamboo decades ago. It did not go well. Bamboo does not have a pleasant taste, and it's less pleasant when heated. |
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Post by Professor S. on Feb 18, 2021 8:24:38 GMT -5
That is a handsome pipe. I hope your alchemical probes make it into a good smoker. If not, well, you gave a good try and probably learned a lot. We'll see. I've bought these 2 cheapies to tinker with and learn, but now I think I'm about ready to stop buying pipes that are destined to become displays only and get a good, quality pipe that's worth the investment. |
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Post by taiguy66 on Feb 18, 2021 8:32:29 GMT -5
That is a handsome pipe. I hope your alchemical probes make it into a good smoker. If not, well, you gave a good try and probably learned a lot. We'll see. I've bought these 2 cheapies to tinker with and learn, but now I think I'm about ready to stop buying pipes that are destined to become displays only and get a good, quality pipe that's worth the investment. If nothing else sir, you are quickly becoming an expert in pipe tinkering/repair. And that’s a good thing! |
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Post by Professor S. on Feb 18, 2021 12:20:25 GMT -5
I'm pleased to report that this bent Dublin has turned out to perform very well, with no hint of weird or nasty chemical taste -- not even arsenic or the telltale burnt almonds of cyanide, Charlie! I just finished a very enjoyable bowl of what I am now calling "Harvest of Leng;" a 2:1 mix of Golden Harvest Extra and the lat-heavy Plateau of Leng. It's quite tasty and has a good room note.
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Post by trailboss on Feb 18, 2021 17:28:48 GMT -5
I dunno.
I think that you need to get a full blood labs done now.😝
I honestly hope that it is a great smoker for you.
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Post by taiguy66 on Feb 18, 2021 18:28:07 GMT -5
I'm pleased to report that this bent Dublin has turned out to perform very well, with no hint of weird or nasty chemical taste -- not even arsenic or the telltale burnt almonds of cyanide, Charlie! I just finished a very enjoyable bowl of what I am now calling "Harvest of Leng;" a 2:1 mix of Golden Harvest Extra and the lat-heavy Plateau of Leng. It's quite tasty and has a good room note. Hey I was right! You are becoming a “master” pipe tinkerer/repair person! |
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Post by pepesdad1 on Feb 18, 2021 18:57:27 GMT -5
Good luck...but I would stick with a basket pipe from a reputable source...they aren't that expensive.
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Post by Professor S. on Feb 18, 2021 19:09:47 GMT -5
Good luck...but I would stick with a basket pipe from a reputable source...they aren't that expensive. I have my eye on a couple other bent Dublin pipes. I'm just trying to decide which one to get and when to get it |
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