When I bought my first 6 pipes (GBDs and Georg Jensens), there was no-one who could tell you, or maybe who bothered to tell you how to "break-in" your new pipe. The Tobacconist probably assumed I will do it right and eventually the cake / carbonised layer will be formed. Well, he was actually right. I (and all who I knew smoking a pipe at the time), was so excited with our new pipes, we just filled it to the rim, lit it and smoked. The first smoke, I went all the way to the ashes at the bottom; other times half way, lit again etc. But no special care was given to a "method". To be honest, I didn't even knew that it should not get too hot; I thought it was normal for a new pipe.