I'm interested in clay pipes, as they are an older style of pipe, and they often seem to be very artistic in nature! I know they are essentially clean the next time you use them, but I'm curious to know how popular these pipes are!
Clay Pipes - A worthy investment?
- Thread starter chalbach72
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I think that almost every pipe smoker who ever lived has had at least on clay pipe in their life time. I have 3 but none of them get used much more than once a year or so. I just don't like the way the clay feels in my mouth, but that is just a personal thing. They do provide a very nice smoke. If you run upon a clay pipe at a price you think is good, then by all means pick it up and give it a shot. There is something about smoking a clay that tends to bring the history of pipe smoking alive. It almost helps you to connect to the pipe smokers of old.
Also, welcome to the forum.
Also, welcome to the forum.
I have a Gouda 14" clay pipe my sister transported unbroken on a trans-Atlantic flight and shipped
cross country as a gift. It's fun to smoke and has a plastic mouthpiece to keep the clay from adhering
to the lips. For ease, you might want a shorter version that is easier to handle. This 14" version really
requires you be sitting down and have a place to put it down, to not knock it into things. Clay makes an
interesting pipe, and it's well worth the modest price. But once you have a few briars, cobs, Meerschaum,
etc., clay pipes will only be an occasional smoke, in all likelihood.
cross country as a gift. It's fun to smoke and has a plastic mouthpiece to keep the clay from adhering
to the lips. For ease, you might want a shorter version that is easier to handle. This 14" version really
requires you be sitting down and have a place to put it down, to not knock it into things. Clay makes an
interesting pipe, and it's well worth the modest price. But once you have a few briars, cobs, Meerschaum,
etc., clay pipes will only be an occasional smoke, in all likelihood.
I have smoked clay pipes extensively until I discovered in the 1980s you could buy meerschaums that looked just like them! If you are going to smoke clays please do go for the short 'cutty' pipes and make sure they have a glazed yellow or red tips otherwise lip cancer will figure prominently in your future. Try not to clench as well, otherwise you will end up with 'pipe notches' which I have, caused by the clay pipe wearing down your teeth until you have a circular hole between your jaw and top set. My dentist once inquired of me about how the 1850s must be different from today as he had only read about 'pipe notches' at dental school and never seen them on a patient! Outside of those caveats enjoy clays and have a ball testing out tobaccos in the pipes.
I have several cutty style clays I use regularly for testing my own blends or for new aromatics. Best part about cleaning these is tossing them into your fireplace/fire pit for an hour or so.
I will defer to Condor's knowledge on the subject, but I do coat my stems with pure beeswax (I don't have any glazed stem ones) to keep it from taking part of my lip with it when smoked.
Welcome to the forums.
I will defer to Condor's knowledge on the subject, but I do coat my stems with pure beeswax (I don't have any glazed stem ones) to keep it from taking part of my lip with it when smoked.
Welcome to the forums.
Jeez, Condor! I'm like terrified about clenching anything after I read your post. You've got lip cancer in there and circular holes and scared dentists. I need a drink... 8O
I've got a long clay pipe and the draw is poor. I wouldn't mind getting the shorter one they make. That said, I'm not the biggest fan of the way they feel in the mouth. I still down own a meerschaum, and I'm thinking of opting for one of those over another clay.
"Jeez, Condor! I'm like terrified about clenching anything after I read your post. You've got lip cancer in there and circular holes and scared dentists..."
This reminds me of the disclaimers you hear in television commercials for ethical pharmaceuticals: May cause rash, blurred vision, hypertension, drowsiness, and erections lasting longer than four days. Do not operate heavy machinery while taking this medication! Some patients have reported cancer, dental carries, halitosis, and death. But aside from this you should find this medication to be safe, effective, and well tolerated.
This reminds me of the disclaimers you hear in television commercials for ethical pharmaceuticals: May cause rash, blurred vision, hypertension, drowsiness, and erections lasting longer than four days. Do not operate heavy machinery while taking this medication! Some patients have reported cancer, dental carries, halitosis, and death. But aside from this you should find this medication to be safe, effective, and well tolerated.
Thats nothing! You should hear my dentists lecture about my chewing tobacco habit - he absolutely hates people that chew stuff like Levi Garrett. On a more amusing note if you google 'pipe notches on Victorian teeth' you get some pretty neat pictures. No wonder my UK dentist asked me how the 1980s contrasted with the 1850s!
Here's the only image which I could find:
This makes me wonder if Mr. Holmes sometimes whistled when he spoke!
This makes me wonder if Mr. Holmes sometimes whistled when he spoke!
That picture shows exactly what happens if you smoke clay pipes over a long period of time - I have it on my right hand side a couple of teeth down.
I use a clay whenever I'm at the fish or deer camp. Best way to lite it is to pick a coal off the fire and put it in your pipe....
I love my Markus Fohr clay. It tends to be my goto pipe since I only smoke 1-2 bowls a week right now.
I have several clay pipes and I smoke them pretty regularly. People either love them or hate them, judging from various conversations. My oldest one was extremely nasty when I finally decided to try the "cleansing by campfire" method, which worked very well. I would never consider them to be something one should clench in their teeth; that's just asking for trouble, I just hold them by the stems when smoking.
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