Maple Syrup instead of Honey

[shortlid]

I wanted to know if I could use Maple Syrup instead of Honey to sweeten my pipes?

 

[Woo]

Hi there,

I'm only vaguely familiar with what I think you're talking about, so, I'll leave the answering to more experienced smokers.

In regards to sweetness, I'd personally be more interested in softening my pipe - they'd probably break my teeth if I tried eating them.

 

[Wascal]

If you're talking about a sour smell or taste from your pipe the easiest way is whiskey. Just pour a small amount in the bowl and shake. Pour out the excess. Let dry. Clean your pipe before each use and let it rest a day or two between smokes and you won't have that problem.

 

[psyktek]

What Wascal said...and if you can get Everclear or 151 rum, it will work even better (plus you don't use your good drinking whiskey).

If it's an estate pipe, you also want to clean the shank and the stem. Dip a pipe cleaner (bristle works best) in the hooch and run it thru the stem. I increased the diameter of the stem bore on an estate Peterson by at leaast a third by doing this. I don't think the prior owner had EVER cleaned it!!

If you want to get REALLY compulsive about getting a pipe ready for use Google for "Pipe Cleaning" or Pipe Restoration. There's a page somewhere that describes a procedure using boiling alcohol. :0

 

[Wascal]

I read that article Bob, something about alcohol and a open flame scares me. Images of Richard Pryor flash in my mind. :0 I recomended whisky do to the sour taste, at least I asumed it was sour. For just cleaning I use Everclear also.

 

[Qualls07]

http://www.pipes.org/Articles/PipeSweet.html

I have never tried this so I cannot personally recommend it, but let me know how it works if you do

 

[Steve*R]

I wanted to know if I could use Maple Syrup instead of Honey to sweeten my pipes?

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Maple syrup and honey are not used as pipe sweeteners. A dilute amount of either is used to dampen the bowl before a new pipe is filled for the first time. It assists in building cake in the bowl. Personally, I don't like the practice, opting instead to just dampen the bowl's chamber with a little distilled water.

 

[rangerdoug]

been breaking in a new pipe with just tobacco. Always smoke it 3 times full before it settles down. Sometimes folks use a small amount of honey in the bowl something of a very light glaze works. I prefer just plain smoking it with my regular tobacco.

 

[mitchshrader]

I havn't tried it, but the tip that ran by me (likely Here somewhere) about kosher salt and everclear, (pack the bowl, fill it with everclear, let it sit overnight and dump and wipe out) ..

seems ideal. if i have an old estate pipe i'll try it.

'sour' pipe is either overly smoked and not cleaned ..

or the wrong (or way too moist) tobacco..

If you smoke aromatics you're more at risk of a sour pipe, especially drugstore aromatics..

Get it clean, let it rest a few days, try a different blend with less casing..

putting things IN to hide a foul taste doesn't work.

 

[atuck]

I use maple syrup on all my new pipes. I think that it works better and tastes better than honey. It is also not as gooey so it is easier to spread.

 

[rangerdoug]

ok, so two things are going on here. To get a good cake going in the bowl using either honey or maple syrup is ok only in very thin small amounts. You just want some of the cake to build up and not creat a mountain. To sweeten the pipe I use a inexpesive brandy and will let is sit over night being very careful to sit the pipe somewher it can not be knocked over. If the alcohol gets on the finish of the pipe your already in the bad. I also use golden grain to clean all my pipes and have for years. It works very well and does not leave a lingering flavor from some of the other cleaners out there.

 

[nortmand]

Anytime I get a used pipe and once every couple months, I do the pipes.org method and have had fantastic results.
In brief: fill the bowl with flake style Kosher salt, pour in alcohol (I've used Scotch, Bourbon and rum with equal success)until the salt is wet and let sit until dry, or one or two days. More patience= more sweet.


It makes a big difference, helps reset the pipe, and you'd be amazed at the crud it pulls out of the pipe.

 

[Sunward]

.... pour in alcohol (I've used Scotch, Bourbon and rum with equal success)...

found half bottle of HC7 yesterday... gives me an idea :whistling:

 

[Lima Whisky]

I have bought several estate pipes and I try to choose an alcohol that has the same or similar taste with the tobacco I will be smoking in that bowl. For instance one of my pipes I smoke a cherry aromatic tobacco I use a cheap cherry brandy. I first reamed the bowl, if necessary, and then filled it with the brandy and let it sit for an hour our so poured it out and let it dry for a few days then smoked a half bowl. It has great taste and aroma. However, you can do this with just about any tobacco/ liquor combo. I found it does ad to the smell and taste.