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I have a fairly new pipe that smokes fine but, it irritates me that it will not pass a cleaner because of the draft hole drilling.
Is there anything that can be done to it so it will pass a cleaner other then carving out a valley in the base of the mortise?
And if that is the only way, what will it do to the pipes draw? Thank you for any information or suggestions. Ron

My opinion? Take a dremel and a grinding bit and ramp that sucker. It'll likely open up your draw, improve the smoking qualities of the pipe, and allow you to pass a pipe cleaner. Win, win, win.

What uber Über said. The pipe cleaner test depends on type of cleaner your passing, size of draught etc. not a good indicator of smoking ability. Often on some pipes it is necessary to place the air hole up. Some pipe makers place it high to help keep moisture from stem. Filter pipes, bents etc have problems. I have a couple of Rainer Barbis' that do'nt pass the test, and it isn't due to poor craftsmanship.Carving a ramp is standard procedure.

P.S. If it bothers you a lot you can send me the pipe. LOL.

Thanks Guys, that's what I started to do but, was hesitant about carving it any deeper then I have (1/16 - 1/8).
So, I reckon I'll just groove it till a standard "Dill" passes. I have a Stanwell that has the same problem but, somehow it doesn't irritate me like this pipe does.
The Stanwell puzzles me why they of all manufactures would do such a thing. You see it's a bent also but, the draft hole was fine and would have pass a cleaner with the stem in place UNTIL they mounted an acrylic extension on it. Or is it that I'm just too anal about liking to pass a cleaner all the way through after each smoke and not having to wait for it to cool and the separating the two?

There's a gotcha hiding in this one.

If the newly cut "cleaner ramp" is too steep, it will work for a while, then start snagging cleaners again where the wire first contacts the briar. A little dimple will get cut into the wood. Then the ramp is cut deeper each time the catch point of wear is reached, until you run out of wood (so to speak) because you can't go in any farther, you'll cut into the chamber, etc.

The way to avoid that cycle is to take the time initially to cut the ramp with the shallowest angle you can given your tools and the pipe's geometry. A bit more work up front, but you'll be glad you did it later.

RDPowell wrote:... is it that I'm just too anal about liking to pass a cleaner all the way through after each smoke and not having to wait for it to cool and the separating the two?

I think it's crucial in a high-end pipe for sure. If a factory pipe won't pass a cleaner, I'd be a little miffed but not surprised.

Just take a drill bit the same size as the mortise and drill it out to about 1/4 from the tobacco chamber..

then you have a drying chamber as in the old (1920's) BBB pipes...

unless you get it clogged up while smoking I'd just leave it...as is.. pipe cleaner passing is overrated anyway... I have some super nice pipes that don't pass a cleaner... I know it wont so I just don't tamp very hard...

look for the Glokar Well Briar from BBB patent

james

Again, thank you all for the advice. As I've already started creating a ramp (so to speak), I reckon I'll just continue until
I get a straight enough angle (without being too steep) to pass a cleaner.

And yes, I do realize that the cleaner fable is just a fable but, being anal and lazy I wish not to have to wait till the pipe cools
just to run a dadburn cleaner through both halves. Thank you all again, Ron

jogilli wrote:Just take a drill bit the same size as the mortise and drill it out to about 1/4 from the tobacco chamber..

then you have a drying chamber as in the old (1920's) BBB pipes...

unless you get it clogged up while smoking I'd just leave it...as is.. pipe cleaner passing is overrated anyway... I have some super nice pipes that don't pass a cleaner... I know it wont so I just don't tamp very hard...

look for the Glokar Well Briar from BBB patent

Hm. A high draft hole in the bottom of the mortise almost always means the airway angles upward. Deepening the mortise then will put the airway "in the wall" and impossible to get a cleaner through without taking the pipe apart. Not recommended.

Many of the straight patent-era Sasieni pipes were drilled with mortises that ran the full length of the shank to allow for the plumbing (condensation fitment) they used back then, and they smoke great without it installed. It made a mini version of today's popular "double chamber" pipe. The main problem with them is cleaning. The shank slowly fills with really rank tar that's extremely difficult to remove without a slip-fit drill bit, and few people have a lettered (so-called machinist's) bit set available.

LatakiaLover

agree totally... the Peterson system pipes are much the same concept.. as long as the smoker keeps the insides clean.. it should be ok..... I don't have a Gloker from BBB but plan on making me one just to see how it performs...

I've taken out my condensation elements also.. (as I do with the filters from my filter pipes) I just clean them well after each smoke.. and really really well every couple of months and really really really pay attention to the wires in the pipe cleaner

James

Sorry uber man but a lot of high end pipes won't pass the test. They still smoke great. Maybe latakia lover can shed some light on this. There has always been a bias in america towards filer pipes. This is a shame for the uninitiated,since they continue to gain in popularity with those that realize thier uses. Then in addition you can put a tenon into the filter chamber and then you have a standard pipe.Take it out and have a paper, meerschaum, charcoal, wood, or paper/charcoal filter. Did I say you have choices?

pipedreamer wrote:Sorry uber man but a lot of high end pipes won't pass the test.

While that may be true, it doesn't change my opinion that a high end pipe should pass a pipe cleaner. In all honestly, I consider it prerequisite.

I've owned a high end pipe that wouldn't pass a cleaner before. It's not in my collection any more.

Also, I would argue that this is not one of those fables within the pipe community that bears no weight. If a pipe can't pass a pipe cleaner then turbulence is increased in the airway, leading to a wet smoke, necessitating a cleaner. If the owner can't run a cleaner through the pipe with the stem on, they may be inclined to remove the stem while the pipe is hot, which could easily lead to breakage.

Every time you remove a stem from a pipe, you're weakening that connection. I only remove the stems from my pipes about once a year when I do a really deep cleanse on them. I've never seen, heard of, or owned a pipe by Rad, for example, that wouldn't pass a cleaner. Every high end artisan pipe I currently own passes a cleaner without issue, bent or straight. It's an important detail that some people let slide, but, IMO, shouldn't.

Enough, commas, for, you, guys?

UberHuberMan wrote:

pipedreamer wrote:Sorry uber man but a lot of high end pipes won't pass the test.

While that may be true, it doesn't change my opinion that a high end pipe should pass a pipe cleaner. In all honestly, I consider it prerequisite.

I've owned a high end pipe that wouldn't pass a cleaner before. It's not in my collection any more.

Also, I would argue that this is not one of those fables within the pipe community that bears no weight. If a pipe can't pass a pipe cleaner then turbulence is increased in the airway, leading to a wet smoke, necessitating a cleaner. If the owner can't run a cleaner through the pipe with the stem on, they may be inclined to remove the stem while the pipe is hot, which could easily lead to breakage.

Every time you remove a stem from a pipe, you're weakening that connection. I only remove the stems from my pipes about once a year when I do a really deep cleanse on them. I've never seen, heard of, or owned a pipe by Rad, for example, that wouldn't pass a cleaner. Every high end artisan pipe I currently own passes a cleaner without issue, bent or straight. It's an important detail that some people let slide, but, IMO, shouldn't.

Enough, commas, for, you, guys?

I'm no expert but, even though my Stanwell is not considered a high end pipe it smokes very well and is without gurgle or even the smallest bit of moisture and I can NOT pass a cleaner through it. I see your point but, I think it depends on how deviated the draft hole angle is to cause such moisture condensation to occur. We all know any deviance of the air hole can lead to a cleaner not passing so, I agree if the deviation of the air hole is bad enough it could give a place for moisture to collect but, to consider all that wont pass a cleaner to be a bad smoker I have to disagree. That's just my opinion and it is not an attempt to try to argue.

Gotta go with UHM on this.

Yeah, there are a few high grade guys who make "non cleaner passable" stuff, but there are also a few who make pipes with extensions that routinely detach (de-laminate). The latter certainly is no excuse for anyone else to make 'em that way, so I don't think the former should be, either.

RDPowell wrote:We all know any deviance of the air hole can lead to a cleaner not passing so, I agree if the deviation of the air hole is bad enough it could give a place for moisture to collect but, to consider all that wont pass a cleaner to be a bad smoker I have to disagree.

It isn't an absolute, but a channel marker. There are plenty of exceptions. People wanting to increase the chance of a given pipe being a good smoker have a list of things they look for, is all, and passing a cleaner is---justifiably---one of them.

Yeah it really isn't "proof" of a good smoker. I actually have come to prefer it just for those time I get a chunk of tobacco lodged in the hole or the pack isn't just right - ram a cleaner through to the bowl and it's fixed.

RDPowell wrote:

UberHuberMan wrote:
While that may be true, it doesn't change my opinion that a high end pipe should pass a pipe cleaner. In all honestly, I consider it prerequisite.

I've owned a high end pipe that wouldn't pass a cleaner before. It's not in my collection any more.

Also, I would argue that this is not one of those fables within the pipe community that bears no weight. If a pipe can't pass a pipe cleaner then turbulence is increased in the airway, leading to a wet smoke, necessitating a cleaner. If the owner can't run a cleaner through the pipe with the stem on, they may be inclined to remove the stem while the pipe is hot, which could easily lead to breakage.

Every time you remove a stem from a pipe, you're weakening that connection. I only remove the stems from my pipes about once a year when I do a really deep cleanse on them. I've never seen, heard of, or owned a pipe by Rad, for example, that wouldn't pass a cleaner. Every high end artisan pipe I currently own passes a cleaner without issue, bent or straight. It's an important detail that some people let slide, but, IMO, shouldn't.

... to consider all that wont pass a cleaner to be a bad smoker I have to disagree. That's just my opinion and it is not an attempt to try to argue.

Geez! So argumentative!

I would disagree with a statement like that too. Notice I mentioned that it could cause a wet smoke, not a bad smoke. I'm not convinced that a wet smoke necessitates a bad smoke, just a smoke you need to be able to pass a pipe cleaner for.

Sasquatch wrote:Yeah it really isn't "proof" of a good smoker. I actually have come to prefer it just for those time I get a chunk of tobacco lodged in the hole or the pack isn't just right - ram a cleaner through to the bowl and it's fixed.

Bingo.

My Barbi calabash won't pass a cleaner because the last inch or so is drilled in a curve.If you put a bend at the tip, then it will pass. Uber,I understand if you want, you want. I agree with you, if passing the cleaner is one of your milestones, it should. Sometimes there are reasons they won't.

Uber if you were smoking a filter pipe you wouldn't have to worry that much about moisture.LoL