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Just Ordered A New Churchwarden... Gandalf Style... Somewhat

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carolinachurchwarden

carolinachurchwarden

Lifer
May 9, 2018
1,687
86
Raleigh, NC
So I'd been searching for a new churchwarden for some time now. Specifically something all wooden and I had been tossing around a couple of options and finally made a decision last night.
I was in between MacQueen pipes and a guy I found on Etsy that makes a very simplistic style, all wooden churchwarden. I continued to hold reservations over the MacQueen pipes concerning the aluminum tenon. Might not be an issue, but I also wanted the briar bowl and at $85 I didn't want to have it wear out too soon. That said, the other guy on Etsy has a simple friction fitting between stem and bowl and offers replacement stems for $15, but at a price of $59 and free shipping for his, I was sold.
So my new churchwarden comes from GormancraftWoodworks:
il_570xn991237115_qe9l.jpg

You could order it with a Walnut, Maple, or Briar bowl, and a Maple, Walnut, Walnut with Maple stripe, or a Maple with Walnut stripe stem. I chose a briar bowl with a Maple stem and might buy a few other stems for replacements or to just change up the look when I want to. I should have it within 2 - 3 weeks and can't wait to pop a little Old Toby inside for a nice little smoke.

 
carolinachurchwarden

carolinachurchwarden

Lifer
May 9, 2018
1,687
86
Raleigh, NC
Cool, then you can smoke it while you are going over your books of spells and necromancy. :puffy:
Click to expand...
Hahaha, yeah, in my wizard robes while I read the Hobbit and the LotR. Might start casting spells during my pipe sesh, smoking 1/3 of a bowl of one blend then tapping it to turn it into something entirely different!
Cool. Watch this video Matt.
Click to expand...
Not gonna lie, that's somewhat interesting and a little creepy all at the same time. :rofl:

 
aro222

aro222

Can't Leave
Mar 17, 2018
455
114
47
Toronto Ontario, Canada
@carolina

I’ve been on the fence about getting me a churchwarden for a while and haven’t pulled the trigger yet

Always think they are sort of gimmicky and eventually will just collect dust on the shelf.

How do they smoke?

Are they comfortable to hold ?

Would you recommend one ?

 
carolinachurchwarden

carolinachurchwarden

Lifer
May 9, 2018
1,687
86
Raleigh, NC
Thanks Cortez!
Will do acid! Plan to take many pictures when it comes in.
How do they smoke?

Are they comfortable to hold ?

Would you recommend one ?
Click to expand...
The ones I currently have smoke great!

They are excellent to hold, especially when just relaxing in a comfy chair. You can hold the bowl in your hand while resting your arm on the chairs armrest and never have to bend your elbow. Plus, it keeps the smoke out of your face while you read, if you want. I would highly recommend getting one. I have a Nording churchwarden that smokes outstandingly well and I love it.

 
cosmicfolklore

cosmicfolklore

Lifer
Aug 9, 2013
34,000
75,780
Between the Heart of Alabama and Hot Springs NC
You can hold the bowl in your hand while resting your arm on the chairs armrest and never have to bend your elbow.
Click to expand...

Perfect pipes for Tyrannosaurus Rex's :puffy:
I found that in the beginning, I forced myself to set and smoke my churchwardens, which are very nice, made by Ian Walker of Northern Briars, but after a few years... it was just too much work to force myself to continue. They don't offer a cooler smoke, and they are way more likely to gurgle if pushed the slightest, and cleaning them is a biatch, and the pipe cleaners for them are a lot more expensive. So, I just stick to smoking real pipes, and the churchwardens are just very expensive decoration for my smoking room. They are an interesting novelty.

 
winton

winton

Lifer
Oct 20, 2010
2,318
771
I smoked my churchwarden last Sunday. I don't pick it up often. My son only has churchwardens.
I agree that the video was kinda creepy. She whispered the entire dialogue. The green fingernails were distracting.

 
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olkofri

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,049
14,667
The Arm of Orion
How do they smoke?

Are they comfortable to hold ?

Would you recommend one ?
Click to expand...

Well, obviously I'm not CCW, but I love churchwardens, so I'll pipe in. :P
They smoke just like any other pipe: fine if they're well crafted. Some might smoke cooler than 'normal' pipes, but it's not always the case. I have two, and one is a gurgler; the MacQueen didn't gurgle, and it might be because it takes balsa filters –the other one is filterless.
Yes, they are comfortable to hold. Upon the whole, churchwardens have smallish bowls, so weight is hardly an issue. They're not for clenching, though. Although I've clenched mine for short moments.
I'd definitely recommend getting one, even if it doesn't become your daily smoker. They do have their place.
Churchwarden cleaners are indeed more expensive than their short counterparts, but not outrageously so. You pay ~3 cents for a single BJ short cleaner, whilst the churchwarden one is ~6 cents; double the price, yes, but it's also double the length, basically.

 
anthonyrosenthal74

anthonyrosenthal74

Lifer
Jan 8, 2013
7,493
733
I love it CCW! I checked out his Etsy page, and he makes a lot of cool things. I need to get a few of those little, itty bitty chairs... you know, for the pipe fairies.

 
tulsagentleman

tulsagentleman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 7, 2019
206
39
I have two Rigoletto Church Wardens I got years ago from Pipes and Cigars that I smoke regularly. They don't sell them anymore although the Savinelli's look nice. Mine have a decent sized bowl and smoke very cool. Of course, they are well broken in by now. I sit in a recliner and rest them on my belly basically smoking them hands free while I read or waste time on this forum. I do think that the long stem might make them smoke a little cooler. As for gurgling, my pipes only gurgle when I slobber in them. My cellphone is in the car right now or I would shoot you a photo of them. They are handsome pipes. They predate LotR so are not Gandalf style but have long black stems.

 
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