A Churchwarden or just a long pipe?

[kennerth]

I like churchwardens. I like other big pipes. In your opinion, how long does a pipe have to be a churchwarden and not just a long pipe? Or are there other characteristics that distinguish a churchwarden from a long pipe?
I am adding a 4+ inch replacement stem to a LJ Peretti billiard that has a long body. It will total 8.5 inches. So, what is it? (PS: It is very cool, that much I will tell you. When I finish the rustification, I will post pictures, before and after.)

 

[pipeinhand]

Interesting question. In looking at all mine and a search online shows all the churches to have a bent shank. Now, making a billiard, presumably a straight shank, longer would not "make" it a church.
That is not to say there is a style guideline but, if you search the churchwarden, or Lesepfeife, as it came from, you will see what I mean.
So for me, it would just be a really long billiard. With that said though, I like most all long pipes. ::

 

[nemrod]

To me the limit is somewhere around 25-30 centimeters (in real measurements, 10-12" in what you use) so your pipe would be more like a mini churchwarden.

Haven't really thought about pipeinhand's theory about bent vs. straight though, pretty interesting.

 

[philip]

Churchwarden according to Pipedia

 

[tobakenist]

Thank you Philip, always thought my long straights were Church'ies as well as my long bents..

 

[kennerth]

I may have made it just under the wire at 8.5"!! I smoked it last night in its transitional state and it was great. I am a bug guy (6'4", 300lbs.) and it felt my sized! I think I will be extending more estate pipes that come my way to this size range.
PS: My cobwarden and a Savinelli bent bulldog now have straight stems of over 10", so I guess they meet the warden's standards

 

[kennerth]

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb376/kennerth1/perettiwhole.jpg[/IMG]]
This is the pipe project as it started. Broken bit, many fills, but long shank and good feel.

 

[kennerth]

 

[kennerth]

After getting a shell blank with no tenon and only hand tools and a power drill, I sanded by hand until the bit went from about twice this diameter to what you see. I had no tenon, so I used a nylon spaced from my local hardware shop. Still a little to go. I like to smoke my projects to see if I am wasting my time. As shown, it smoked great. Next is to finish the stem, and rusticate to eliminate the appearance of the fills. Basically the pipe version of a street rod! I love the length, and will do more pipes that length.

 

[kennerth]

 

[pipeinhand]

Ken, I was cruzing around and found this on on one of our sponsors pages. So you may have done it up right.
Churchwarden

 

[kennerth]

Thanks PIH, gettin there