In case anybody is unclear, I’m talking about a pipe that is used to smoke tobacco.
I recently was gifted a nice, new Lorenzetti briar pipe. It appears to be tobacco-ready, but I’ve always ever seasoned my pipes with honey. This one seems to have a coating in the bowl that indicates that it may not need seasoning.
Little help here? Do Lorenzetti pipes need seasoning with honey, or can I just load it with my favourite tobacco, and smoke it?
Just put it your pipe and smoke it! 
Sorry had to.
Have you googled the company name or emailed them?
My Daddy would’ve seasoned his. I’m not sure I remember him using honey.
I’m sure he used rum.
Is that coating “cake” or an artificial type thing?
No, Beck, it seems to be artificial. “Cake” comes around after a few smokes. It’s the carbon that builds up.
Which is why I’m wondering about seasoning. I typically use honey, because that, being a sugar, has a lot of carbon, and I’ve used it in a lot of my “bare briars,” when they’re new. Like my Dad taught me with his pipes. A good carbon cake, whether honeyed or not, will ensure a good smoke.
Problem is, that I don’t want to go to the supermarket, and spend the money on honey when I only need a fingertip-full. I guess I can, but I’d rather not. Hence my question:
Does a Lorenzetti pipe need seasoning with honey?
Could you go out for pancakes and request honey? Drizzle a bit in your bowl?
It’s been years since I’ve smoked a pipe. But I never seasoned any of mine. I think maybe you’re following an unnecessary tradition.
Switching gears:
How many dollars was the pipe? How many dollars was the shipping and tax on the pipe? How many dollars is the smallest bottle of honey at your grocery store?
From a money POV, the honey is probably a rounding error.
Do you have neighbors or cow-orkers with whom you’re friendly enough to borrow a smidgen of honey? Many people keep honey for their tea; you may find your office, or the one next door, has some you could have a bit of.
In reverse, is there anyone to whom you could give a just-opened not-quite-full jar of honey?
Do you have any fast food joints that serve (American) biscuits (as opposed to British biscuits AKA cookies) up there in the Great White North? Many of those type places have single serving packs of honey available (like ketchup or mustard packets). Could be worth investigating.
Okay, I actually googled this and discovered this at a pipe smokers web site : “I believe seasoned briar means that the briar was aged and dried prior to being carved into a pipe.” The gist of the discussion seemed to indicate that the “seasoning” basically happens in the developmental stage of the briar itself, not after t was turned into a pipe.
Do you perhaps have a local smoke shop, where you buy tobacco and pipes? They might know better.
I’m pretty sure those ‘honey’ packets here in the states are all artificially flavored high fructose corn syrup. Might still work for the OP’s needs, since the OP says the point of using honey is because it’s a high carbon content sugar, but it just wouldn’t seem right to me to season a fine pipe with a combo of HFCS and flavor chemicals.
Oh, my uncle, who actually has this type of pipe, says that Meerschaum pipes do age with use: “As it ages, meerschaum colors a rich honey-brown, improving both in appearance and taste. Meerschaum Pipes - with a minimum of proper care - will last for a lifetime. They will not burn out as briars do.”
So, @Spoons, forget about briar and go with Meerschaum.
12 oz of honey at Walmart is $3.74.
Some groceries sell honey in straws, though I’d check the ingredients and the price is going to be higher than a squeeze bottle shaped like a teddy bear.
Starbucks will give you honey packets. They don’t put them out with the cheaper sweeteners, but they’ll give them to you if you ask. Well, you probably need to buy a coffee, too.
Is tupelo honey available in your area, OP?
Can’t speak to all of the fast food franchises, but the nearby Bojangles where I tend to get my biscuits & honey have the packets labeled as 100% natural honey. I will certainly allow that YMMV.
Interesting. I was mainly thinking of KFC “honey” packets, which according to this site contains:
High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Honey, Corn Syrup, Natural Flavor, Caramel Color.
So, it actually does have a bit of real honey, and has natural, not artificial flavoring. Still, probably not something you’d want to season your pipes with. Hopefully the OP has a Bojangles near them.
Real, REAL pure honey is hard to find in a FF joint. Some may have it.
How’s about your pub hang out? Maybe they’ll give you squirt or two, if they keep it.
But, I still love @kayaker idea. That tickles me.
Hell, you can go into KFC and request honey.
See two posts above yours:
Do you have any friends with honey? I have a collection of honeys, from local beekeepers, from friends who keep bees, plus a few specific varietals. I’d never miss the amount you need.
The pipe would cost about $100 (Canadian), I’m guessing, as it was a gift. But that’s in line with what Lorenzettis cost locally. They’re a nice, mid-priced pipe. Here’s what I’ve got:
Beautiful, isn’t it?
Anyway, I took the plunge when I went to the supermarket recently, and got some honey. Pure honey, not what any fast-food place calls honey. I have seasoned the bowl, but it won’t be ready for smoking for 24 hours, at least. I figure that if the pipe is ready for smoking, then a little honey coating won’t hurt it. (I can put the rest of the honey on my breakfast toast.) And I’d feel better if it was seasoned with honey. Thanks, Dad; you taught me well.
Going to use a 9mm filter in it, and I’ve got a nice English mixture to put in it. But no smoking it for 24 hours—let the honey settle in, like Dad always advised. I’ll let you all know how it smokes in a subsequent post.