From: ??????????????????????? (Elias Mazur)
Subject: Re: Heel Cake.

Martin Lodahl writes:

>... (snif!) ... I can't seem to develop a good heelcake!  The sides of
>the bowl seem to break in just fine, but the heel never seems to follow
>suit.  It always seems to get too damp down there.  I've tried different
>tobaccos, smoking slowly, smoking more quickly, cleaning less often, more
>often, burning match after match even after nothing down there seems to
>light, and still it stays slick & clean!  Any suggestions?

Martin, I had the same problem for many years. But recently a light appeared
at the end of the tunnel (no politics :-) ). My personal problem was that I
didn't smoke the whole tobacco in the bowl. In the book of Richard Hacker
(Steve, please repost my message about the book), he indicates that a bowl
of tobacco should be smoked untill the last possible puff, because the pipe
tobacco doesn't loose its flavour, like others do. He also suggests that a
fine coating of honey on the inside of the bowl helps the development of a
uniform cake on new pipes. I suggest that you trim your uneven cakes, using
a pipe rimmer, and rub a 'very thin' coating of honey around the inside of
the bowl, covering the heels and side walls.  I did this with my older pipes
and worked just fine. If you never trimmed your pipe bowls before, let me
know. I did many times and could help with some hints.

Good luck !


+----  Elias Mazur -------+---------------------------------------+
|  302-23 Ivy Ridge Rd.   |   e-mail:  ???????????????????????    |
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[Here's some mail you sent about Hacker's book. Never let it be said
that your hard-working moderator is less than totally diligent. It's
true, just don't let it be said! :-9 If this isn't the letter you
meant, let me know and I'll try to dig it out of my mailbox. -S.]

    About the Hacker's book, I bought it in Lake Placid. They have an
excellent pipe shop called 'With Pipes and Books'. It is worthy to
spend a weekend in Lake Placid just to visit the shop, and of course,
buy a new pipe. Besides the Adirondack region is really beautiful. I
have the address at home and will send you later on a separate
message. I am sure you can mail order it from them. I truly recommend
the book. It is fun reading, and full of valuable information about
pipe smoking. From the book I got the address of Peter Dunn who runs
the Cotterie of Pipe Smokers and is the editor of the Ephemeris. I
sent him a letter and he sent me a copy of the Ephemeris. I will send
his address along with the pipe shop in Lake Placid.

[Both the book and the shop sound worthwhile. Do others have tales of
their favorite tobacco shops? (I've been looking for a good one in
central NJ, without much luck so far.) -S.]

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( Pipe smokers will rule the world!      *   ??????????????????????	 (
 ) (if they don't run out of matches...) *   Steve Masticola, moderator	  )
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