Pipe Smokers Forums

Cake . It's been discussed how important it may or may not be but that's another topic . The question is which blends seem to cake quick or quicker than others

Here's my spin

Imho , an American Styled black cavendish seems to do the trick . Smokers Pride black cavendish , captain black dark or one of the exceptional mainly black cavendish blends that Sutliff makes , like Sutliff black Cordial , really get things rolling .
It's the moisture in them maybe .. the pg .. the mojo .. who knows, but it's the type that is faster than any other in my experience

Blends for break in

I also think black cavendish is tops for breaking in a pipe , preferably a mildly flavored one , again like SPBC
The reason is because a mildly flavored one can take the edge off a " new flavor " in a pipe . Savinelli has a chocolate infused pipe that the flavoring fades away on but sticks around for the begining break in .
Some folks dig a day one fresh pipe and I sure do too . I haven't bought a new pipe in some time but when I do , I smoke the hell out of it for a week . They can take it and it shows them who's boss and theyre broken in , in short order

My second choice for cake and break in is burley , only because a straight burly is my go to favorite stuff , but it doesn't build cake as quick and it's a pretty " fresh " taste in a brand new pipe

Btw , honey does a good job in a new pipe for break in and sweetens the fresh taste , though it isn't something I'd do on a carbonized chamber but that's just me

What's worked for youz guyz ?

as a newby i just did what many others suggested, CH

I think the goopier tobaccos build up the cake faster just because the goop transfers to the bowl while it's burning. One thing I've done to build up heel cake is to smear honey in the heel and then smoke a good dry burley like SPRT. Do that a few times and you got a good start in caking up that heel.

Kevin Keith wrote: ↑Sat Oct 12, 2019 9:06 pm I think the goopier tobaccos build up the cake faster just because the goop transfers to the bowl while it's burning. One thing I've done to build up heel cake is to smear honey in the heel and then smoke a good dry burley like SPRT. Do that a few times and you got a good start in caking up that heel.

I stick to burley for break-in as a rule, but then I smoke a lot of burley. I tend to "smoke the new" out of them - multiple bowls a day with minimal cleaning. In a week, they will have good cake and usually a few days into the process they are smoking as if you have had them for years.

Burley.

However there is some discussion that Va's produce a denser cake. That works for me because I smoke both Burley and Va's. I always start every pipe on Burley. Then the pots stay with Burley, and my smaller shapes transition to smoking Va's after they have a little Burley Protective Layer built up.

I've got a new Dr. Grabow Cardinal, straight billiard, coming on Tuesday. It's very similar to the pipe my great grandfather smoked back in the 40's. He smoked only Prince Albert so I will be breaking in my new Grabow with good old PA. I usually use 5 Brothers to break in new pipes, but I'll reserve this new pipe for PA due to the nostalgia.

I use Prince Albert and have had great results.

I just smoke the darn thing and eventually, wa la, cake.

Bruyere_Royale wrote: ↑Fri Oct 25, 2019 1:59 pm I just smoke the darn thing and eventually, wa la, cake.

The more I smoke one, the faster it accumulates.

Bruyere_Royale wrote: ↑Fri Oct 25, 2019 1:59 pm I just smoke the darn thing and eventually, wa la, cake.

When two great minds think alike, you know they're both onto something.

I smoke what I have on hand and then--- Voilá cake, as we say in New Orleans.