Pipes with Carburetors: How Frustrating?

[mikethompson]

There are a few old pipes I have my eyes on with a carburetor, the little hole on the bottom of the bowl. Do these get in the way at all? Was it just a gimmick to sell pipes 100 years ago?
Does anyone have a pipe with a carburetor and use it day to day that can offer an opinion?

 

[jmagen]

I have a Kaywoodie lovat with a carb. It gurgles. Alot. This one's ghosted by lakeland, so lately I've just used it for GH blends and it's been ok. I'm probably less irritated by the gurgling than by the relights (due to GH blends being 70% water, my living in 90% humidity, and not having placed said flakes in the oven to dry bf smoking).

 

[jaytex1969]

My one Kaywoodie carburetor does not get regular use. When it does, it smokes OK.
The issues I have with mine include not burning myself on the carb mid-smoke and having to exert a bit more effort for cleaning around the carb fixture inside the bowl.
HERE's a link to a short review of my one Kaywoodie.

 

[acidpox]

I have a Duncan hill aerosphere that has a carb on the stem, I've had to problems with that pipe. But I doubt I buy another pipe with a carb.

 

[mso489]

I have only had one of those E. Careys. The carburetor didn't contribute anything. It diluted the flavor somewhat. I finally taped it over, but it wasn't a great pipe. I finally gave it away. I think carburetors were one of those features added as a gimmick to sell pipes that didn't improve the smoke for most people. If you doubt this, try one.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Carburetors and stingers, over-engineered pieces of crap. Sorry, did I say that out loud? ::

 

[bnichols23]

Carburetors and stingers, over-engineered pieces of crap. Sorry, did I say that out loud?

That you did. } Frankly, just for me personally, I've never seen the sense in them.
B

 

[cortezattic]

Pipe smokers back in the day must have had enormous problems getting a decent smoke; otherwise, why so many gimmicks? Maybe it was the result of a cultural fascination with technology. ::

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Back in the days before forums, guys had to order their pipes from the back of comicbooks. There they we were, carburetors and stingers, between the Sea Monkeys and Xray vision glasses. ::

 

[mso489]

Most of my stingers I've just pulled and saved as curiosities or thrown out. However, I have one Kaywoodie Drinkless with a stinger that smokes well, and the stinger is part of the screw-on stem, so no problem.

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

What better ways for a company to make sells than to offer something "new and improved!" All those gimmicks did was sell a new idea that didn't really change anything. Now maybe some people collect them for the nostalgia factor, who knows. Never tried a pipe with either of these two things in it, and you never really see any new pipes with them installed, so that tells you how "useful" they were.

 

[cortezattic]

http://www.wishbookweb.com/FB/1948_Sears_ChristmasBook/#42

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

Wow! A full on MM cob set for $0.98! That's a steal! Even has their Bulldog shape!

 

[seldom]

Carburetors are common on marijuana pipes. I suppose I can see how a carburetor would help if the intention is to get a shot of smoke fully into the lungs and clear the pipe of smoke. For slowly smoking tobacco it doesn't make sense to me.

That Sears catalogue is amazing. I like the pipe rack/lamp combo.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Thanks Cortez, that rocks!!

 

[ophiuchus]

Carburetors are common on marijuana pipes.

They're not particularly useful in this application, either ... I've heard. :roll:
A carburetor on an otherwise nice pipe just makes me sad.

 

[mikethompson]

I assumed it was a gimmick. I don't need another thing to work on with my piping that's for sure.

 

[mso489]

The carburetor pipe makers ought to just send along a non-carburetor stem. It would increase the price just a couple bucks and would make them so much more functional.

 

[snagstangl]

I have a couple. its fine. If they are pipes you want, I wouldn't use it as a reason to not buy it. Just ignore it and it will get filled over with cake and you won't have to worry about it.

 

[mikethompson]

Tom I didn't know that some makers put carburetors in the stems. The one I was looking at had it I the bowl.
Snag, that's a good idea but I don't let cake build up on principal! :wink: