GERMANUS pipe: FAQ

Answers to frequently asked questions

Our FAQ database provides full answers to common issues and misunderstandings while refuting several myths connected with pipe smoking.

This brief overview offers you some important advice that will enable you to enjoy your new pipe to the full for a long time to come. As active experts in the field, we work with leading pipemakers and big names of the pipe industry, such as Ralf ‘Ralligruftie’ Dings.

Problem: My pipe is burnt out. What could be the cause of this?

Answer:

Our pipes are made of solid briar wood. Scorching of the surface can impair taste. Provided the pipe is properly used, burnouts are physically impossible.

Assessment

Fundamentals of significant burn damage (burnouts) to pipes:

In this case, the damage results from overheating, i.e. temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius during smoking. In many instances, honeycomb-like charring (which only forms at around this temperature) is observed at the burnt spot. The normal smouldering temperature for a pipe is between 650 and 800 degrees Celsius. There are several possible reasons for excessive heat while tobacco is smouldering.

- A constant draught can cause such abnormal temperatures to arise.

- It is also possible that the pipe is held in the mouth at too steep an angle, with the user pulling on the pipe too strongly and too frequently, exacerbated by insufficient temperature control by hand.

- Defects in the wood (pockets, soft spots) can be generally ruled out. Where a defect is present, burn damage will ensue at a much lower temperature and will be minor and more specific.

- Finally I would note that excessively damp tobacco can exacerbate the situations outlined above.

How do you smoke a pipe?

Smoking a pipe is not a science, but it is surely an art that calls for a measure of skill and experience. Errors can easily impair enjoyment and bigger mistakes can cause irreparable damage to your pipe, or destroy it completely.

What shape is best for a newcomer to pipes?

To enjoy using it, your new pipe must appeal to you. Generally, classical shapes are good for newcomers. A straight or slightly curved channel is easier to handle than a deeply curved channel.

We sell many of our pipes as part of a ‘set’, which includes high quality accessories as well as a pouch. With a set, not only do you receive your pipe in sound condition, you have useful accessories to hand as well.

Our sets are ideal for pipe smokers of all levels of experience. The pipe is an item in its own right, and the set provides a useful context; this does not mean you are getting a ‘set pipe’ of mediocre quality. We believe it is best to start with a good quality, good looking, regular pipe.

What is the first thing to know about pipe smoking, and what should I avoid?

Beginners tend to smoke excessively moist tobacco too fast, thereby applying too much flame to the tobacco. This causes a build-up of bad-tasting condensate. Once you accept you are being too hasty, simply give the pipe a few seconds to cool down before continuing with a little more caution. If so much condensate accumulates that the pipe only delivers an acrid taste, let it burn out and give the pipe a whole day to dry out so that the wood can regenerate.

If you carry on smoking the pipe with greater haste and apply even more flame, you will soon burn your tongue and perhaps also notice the aroma of burnt wood.

Important: As soon as you notice the scent or taste of charred wood owing to a hasty approach, you should stop smoking the pipe immediately: smoking a pipe does not mean smoking the wood of the pipe. It is therefore a simple matter to avoid burnouts.

An inexpert approach can give rise to a vicious circle, potentially ending with the destruction of the pipe itself. However, do not be concerned: it is an extreme case in which you experience the taste of charred wood before you burn out a pipe. With just a little caution and consideration for the pipe, burnouts are very unlikely, even over many years.

Our advice is to be sceptical of any reports you may read stating that pipes from quality manufacturers like ourselves can be burnt out because of material defects. This may be theoretically feasible, but in practice it is all but impossible. (For more information on this, see below.) Burnouts are not an issue for the sensible beginner, so please set about your task in a carefree and optimistic spirit.

Remember that pipe smoking requires calm; it is an almost meditative experience.

What should I do if my pipe gets damaged anyway? Who is going to help?

As your partner and as experts in the sector, of course we are there for you. We collaborate as necessary with leading pipemakers and the big names of the pipe industry, who attend to such cases in a neutral capacity. So far, we have managed to help every concerned client – so every problem can be resolved.

How do I tamp my pipe?

There are many different tamping methods. We recommend starting with a tried and trusted method that has stood the test of time for good reason.

Please note: No special tools are needed to tamp a pipe; you only need your finger.

Add tobacco to your pipe until it is one third full and press it down very carefully. The next third should be pressed in a little firmer. The final third is the stopper: take some tobacco between thumb, forefinger and middle finger and form a small, springy ball. Insert this into the bowl and press it down quite firmly.

When you are finished, the tobacco should spring back when pressed with the thumb. Also test the draw: there should be a little resistance, but no need to suck on the pipe. The feel should be similar to using a drinking straw.

Drawing resistance

Drawing resistance is critical to a good smoking experience. If the resistance is too high, you will need to draw heavily. This will make the pipe overheat faster and more condensate will form, which often makes new pipe smokers draw even more hastily.

This indicates the tobacco is tamped down too strongly.

If the filling burns easily but the tobacco fails to glow despite an appropriate moisture content and soon goes out, it is likely that the tobacco was tamped too loosely.

Lighting up

Matches and pipe lighters can be used. Special pipe matches are produced from sulphur-free, untreated wood. Most pipe lighters produce a flame that comes from the side of the lighter rather than the top, enabling the user to light the tobacco with ease and precision. Naturally, GERMANUS offers a whole series of pipe lighters.

Rather than apply the flame to a single point, move it around in a circular motion. Flame contact should be brief, meaning 1-3 seconds.

If the wood shows clear signs of charring, the flame contact was obviously too long.

When lighting up, draw gently and evenly on the pipe.

In most cases, the tobacco on the surface will swell up. This is entirely normal.

Most experienced pipe smokers will let their pipe go out after first lighting it, then carefully press down the unravelled tobacco with a pipe tool and light up again. Applying flame is much easier second time around, with the tobacco surface now perfectly even.

Tobacco tampers are one tool in the pipe smoker’s arsenal primarily designed for this purpose. Under no circumstances should a tamper be used to tamp the pipe forcefully in the manner of an old-fashioned muzzle-loader.

The smoking procedure

The pipe is now smouldering. It is not accurate to say a pipe is ‘burning’: a pipe is not a device that smokes like a steam engine. The tobacco should only smoulder, and re-lighting is completely normal.

Draw on the pipe slowly and cautiously, leaving a certain amount of time between draws. Over time, this becomes an automatic and subconscious process.

Guideline for newcomers: If you notice smoke or even fumes, you are either drawing too hard or the pipe is overheating. In this case, bring the temperature down immediately. Ideally, no significant amount of tobacco smoke will come from the bowl while smoking.

The ideal moistness for tobacco

Nearly all pipe tobaccos require a certain amount of drying. This prevents undue temperature development when attempting to light excessively moist tobacco, and avoids correspondingly high levels of condensate.

We believe pipe tobacco should have a dry consistency, without being so dry that it crumbles to the touch.

Common mistakes in the smoking process, and how to avoid them

Excessively moist tobacco

Most tobacco is too moist when sold; pipe tobacco fresh from the packet often has the texture of wet leaves. The effect of fire on wet foliage is well known: it produces fumes and the fire soon extinguishes. Tobacco like this is difficult or impossible to smoke, even for the most experienced pipe smoker. Regrettably, the fact that pipe smokers let their tobacco dry out before smoking is rarely mentioned.

We have advised thousands of new pipe smokers. Repeatedly attempting to light excessively moist tobacco with a lighter or matches is a factor behind most problems. Anyone who went camping as a child will recall how hard it is to light damp wood.

Damage to pipes is nearly always caused by applying flame to the wood for too long. At some point, the pipe really will smoke as the wood of the pipe starts to burn. Needless to say, this has nothing to do with pipe smoking and has no place in the proper usage of a pipe.

Applying forensic fire investigation methods to the wood of the pipe will quickly determine the causes of damage or excessive temperatures. Having advised many clients, we can say that in the vast majority of pipe damage cases, temperatures that cannot be brought about by smouldering tobacco played a part. Therefore, you should not be concerned about smoking a pipe. However, please take care to avoid applying excessive ignition sources to the pipe.

What should I do if damage occurs despite this? Nobody is perfect and people make mistakes. Simply contact us and we will find an answer for you. :)

Excessive frugality

Please do not try to smoke the pipe until empty, right down to the last crumb. The tobacco in the bottom of the bowl collects moisture and tends to be so moist that the pipe no longer tastes good. You should definitely avoid applying excessive flame to consume this moist tobacco: many a pipe smoker has inadvertently charred and damaged their pipe in this way.

Breaking-in and the cake layer

Over time, a protective layer often referred to as ‘cake’ forms on the inside of the pipe. This does not comprise charred wood. You should never burn out a pipe: no pipe tobacco of any description is meant for this.

Most pipes at the breaking-in stage have a paste that protects the wood and facilitates the formation of ‘cake’. However, many pipes are also supplied with a bowl of plain wood. Please allow such pipes an acclimatisation period and avoid smoking at high temperatures initially, at least until a layer of cake is formed.

In any pipe, the first fillings may taste different to subsequent fillings. This is completely normal and part of the breaking-in process.

After smoking, take a break

After smoking, allow your pipe to cool and rest for 1-2 days. Let your pipe rest in a well ventilated place so that it can dry out (a closed pouch is not suitable, but a pipe stand would be fine).

Do not remove the mouthpiece while the bowl and mouthpiece are still warm; otherwise, both pieces can warp as they cool. Although this is relatively simple to fix, proper fit may be impaired in the long term.

Leave the ash and the tobacco remnants in the pipe for a while as these will absorb moisture like a sponge. Cleaning should only be carried out after (complete) cooling.

Do not leave your pipe unattended outside, and never leave a pipe out in the rain.

At first, you may own just one pipe. Although you can smoke a pipe several times a day without causing any damage, this does not do the pipe any good in the long run. In fact, we would advise newcomers against this: since most beginners unintentionally smoke tobacco that is too moist, the pipe needs time to recover. If you enjoy the meditative aspect of pipe smoking, we would recommend acquiring a second pipe: a small pipe collection makes the everyday life of a pipe smoker much easier.

Finally, an important word of advice: As mentioned at the outset, pipe smoking is not a science, but a skill that requires practice. Please do not be discouraged if you encounter teething troubles, make mistakes or find that the taste is not like you may have heard. Many people need a few months to develop a palate capable of distinguishing at least the basic tastes. Pipe smoking is a learning process that can be highly relaxing because, and not in spite of, its ritualistic and meditative nature. The journey is the reward.