How To Hold Pipe In Mouth
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Holding a pipe in your mouth comfortably can depend on factors other than what you are doing. For example, a wide flat bit is easier to keep steady, while a bit with a curved surface is not stable. A large sized bowl, or one that weighs a lot, can be uncomfortable.
Personally, I tend to hold a pipe slightly loosely between my upper and lower fangs because I don't want to chew up the stem. So I use a mid sized bowl of lighter weight with a flat bit. Larger bowls, or older pipes with a rounded bit shape I hold in my hand between puffs. I'm not a clencher.
Many pipesters prefer bents for smoking hands free. They find them more agreeable for this purpose.
Personally, I tend to hold a pipe slightly loosely between my upper and lower fangs because I don't want to chew up the stem. So I use a mid sized bowl of lighter weight with a flat bit. Larger bowls, or older pipes with a rounded bit shape I hold in my hand between puffs. I'm not a clencher.
Many pipesters prefer bents for smoking hands free. They find them more agreeable for this purpose.
There is a learning curve to this, for sure. But you'll get the hang of it soon enough. Pun intented. I prefer group 3 and 4 pipes up to 35g for clenching. I find using the pipe this way, hands free that is, slows down your cadence and allows you to become "one" with the pipe. In the sense of piping synchronizing with your natural breathing. It enables one to maintain a cool smoulder, just nursing the ember along. Almost subconsciously. I find I get the most flavor from a given leaf this way. Many years ago, when I first started piping, I'd hand hold the pipe. Then I started watching old black and white movies with pipemen in it, and I noticed those guys were all clenching their pipes, and managing their lines quite well with pipe in place. I then took up clenching and its the best thing I've ever done to improve my technique and learn to slow down. You'll also find you never have to relight.
I find that P-Lip bits are problematic for clinching.
However; I've never really worried about it.
However; I've never really worried about it.
Bent pipes are much easier to clench.
The most important thing is to get the correct end in you mouth.
I'd offer more advice, but I'm still working on that one.
Do it like the little happy face. :
:
The most important thing is to get the correct end in you mouth.
I'd offer more advice, but I'm still working on that one.
Do it like the little happy face. :
:I tell this to all my friends who have tried smoking a pipe because eventually this comes up. They say how do you make it look so easy. The key is to find something to do outside that really frustrates you. Working on the car, lawnmower ect. Put your pipe in your mouth not filled, clench your pipe while you are working and cursing under your breath. Eventually you will forget you have a pipe in your mouth. Rinse, Repeat until comfortable you will not drop your pipe or spill the contents in the fuel line. Oh the other thing, do not do the above with a lit pipe in your mouth while pouring gasoline. Results may vary but current experiments have left me bald with little in the way of eyebrows. :rofl:
The other thing you might consider is placing a small ring of thin surgical rubber tubing just in front of the button, where your teeth go. This'll give you something to grip on without damaging your stem. Works for me.
Kashmir, your advice is Golden :puffpipe: Thank you this helps tremendously for beginners and experienced as well!
I use the rubber on my pipes that are made of acrylic, not so much to protect them, but the hard acrylic seems to hit a nerve in my teeth that hurts. The rubber seems to insulate that. On my vulcanite stems, I have worn a notch where my canine holds the pipe on the bottom of each stem, and that seem to be the only mark. I figure that my pipes will be buried with me, so I'm not so much worried about marks ...just you guys make sure they have my Oscar Tiger Savinelli in my mouth at the viewing, and check to see that it's loaded with a PS Luxury Twist. :wink:
Thanks jservant. You can pick this up at any decent hardware store. Works wonders for clenching pipe.
+1 Kashmir! You can buy the softee bits from your B&M or online dealer, but it's cheaper and easier just to get some of that surgical tubing like Kash said.
Yep, I'm with james80, I also highly prefer half/full bent pipes. There are only 2 pipes in my rotation that are not, and both of them are very light.
Another "tip": Don't actually bite heavily on the stem if you can, but try to find a position/tooth, where you can kinda "hang in" the pipe. For me personally, that works the best.
Another "tip": Don't actually bite heavily on the stem if you can, but try to find a position/tooth, where you can kinda "hang in" the pipe. For me personally, that works the best.
I appreciate all the posts and ideas, do you guys put the pipe farther back in your teeth than a bent pipe? I see people hold them and talk with them in there mouths and make it look so easy I guess it will take time to figure out just like the pipe hobby. I really want to try a straight nose warmer type they look like they might be easier
When i first started i had the problem but it seem to fade as i got the little rubber thing to put on the end of the stem to bite on and i got a very bent stem pipe so the weight was closer to my centre of mass there for requiring less energy to hold it compared to a pipe sticking out of your mouth.
Back when I smoked straights I recall that I kept the bit deeper in my mouth. I don't clinch my pipes, I let them ride in my mouth with my jaw set normally, the teeth do not touch when my mouth is at rest, this let the weight of the bowl drop down forcing the bit up against my back molars. With my bents, nearly all of my present collection, the bit rides a touch behind my canines on the front molar.
I find the P tips ride nicely against the front upper molar on either side of my mouth. Regular, fishtails, ride further back on the molars. The most comfortable straights for me were the Crosby's, for what that's worth.
It's a matter of balance for me and it's a reflex now as to where I feel the pipe is natural in my mouth.
Not sure I explained my technique very well, but feel is the key for me. There's little to no pressure exerted my the jaw and pipe feels natural in my mouth. When I talk with my pipe in my mouth there's is very little jaw movement sort of like the English.
I find the P tips ride nicely against the front upper molar on either side of my mouth. Regular, fishtails, ride further back on the molars. The most comfortable straights for me were the Crosby's, for what that's worth.
It's a matter of balance for me and it's a reflex now as to where I feel the pipe is natural in my mouth.
Not sure I explained my technique very well, but feel is the key for me. There's little to no pressure exerted my the jaw and pipe feels natural in my mouth. When I talk with my pipe in my mouth there's is very little jaw movement sort of like the English.
after I mulled this over I thought I would share some wisdom...
This is how not to smoke a pipe... I didn't light it yet geesh... can't smoke it if I don't light it...
For Clenching, this is a general idea and in no way hard or fast how to do it. A guide more or less for straight pipes. Blue is for those times your holding your pipe or the pipe is bent either half or full. The Red is for a general guide for a straight pipe you would want the stem further back in your mouth hanging out of a corner the idea being the center of gravity being more toward you than away as it will be easier to clench for longer. Experimentation is your best ally in this try different positions until you find one you like. It took me a few weeks but I can clench my round stem clay pipe pictured above which I was choking on to take that photo after a lot of just trying different things.
I've used electrical tape as well for my pipes for clenching because I have very sharp k9's so I chew through pipe bites in a matter of days so these days I buy them in bulk another alternative to the surgical rubber tubing mentioned above.
This is how not to smoke a pipe... I didn't light it yet geesh... can't smoke it if I don't light it...
For Clenching, this is a general idea and in no way hard or fast how to do it. A guide more or less for straight pipes. Blue is for those times your holding your pipe or the pipe is bent either half or full. The Red is for a general guide for a straight pipe you would want the stem further back in your mouth hanging out of a corner the idea being the center of gravity being more toward you than away as it will be easier to clench for longer. Experimentation is your best ally in this try different positions until you find one you like. It took me a few weeks but I can clench my round stem clay pipe pictured above which I was choking on to take that photo after a lot of just trying different things.
I've used electrical tape as well for my pipes for clenching because I have very sharp k9's so I chew through pipe bites in a matter of days so these days I buy them in bulk another alternative to the surgical rubber tubing mentioned above.
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