Air Hole

[puffy]

Not to be confused with air head which is what I feel like when the discussion turns to how a pipe is engineered.I've always just bought them and started smoking them.One thing that I think though is that the air hole is usually smaler in the stem than in the shank..Is this true?.If it is could someone explain the reason for it?

 

[cortezattic]

I love this hobby! Always something "on-topic" to discuss.
The national economy has tanked; real estate has become worthless;

Social Security and Medicare are on the brink of total collapse;

gasoline is bobbing between $4 and $5 a gallon; we're engaged in

three wars; China has the U.S. by the financial short hairs;

unscrupulous corporate pirates (think Bernie Madoff, et al.) have

managed to steal tens of billions of dollars; Lady Ga-ga can earn millions;

unemployment is pandemic; floods have ravaged the Midwest; monster

tornadoes have decimated the South and leveled Joplin, Mo.; the perceived

threat of terrorism has public transportation in total disarray; and

we sit around wondering why a pipe's draft hole is smaller in the stem

than in the shank!
Well, I WANT TO KNOW WHY TOO, DAMN IT! :rofl:

 

[eaglerico]

There is a cupojoes.com video on uTube that talks about the Peterson system. Apparently the Peterson system does this much more then others brands. According to that video this causes the smoke to slow down as it it is drawn up the stem for a cooler smoke. Also, this prevents having tom draw on the stem like younger drowning. If the hole was as big or bigger on ther stem you would have to puff ridiculously hard.
Cupojoes.com Peterson System

 

[salewis]

Puffy:
The air hole is very important to enjoying your pipes. I have four Petersons and have drilled all of them since their air or draft wholes are too small, what a difference. Do yourself a favor and read "In Search of Pipe Dreams" by Rick Newcombe. He is a staunch advocate for opening up your pipes and even offers dimensions for altering your pipes. It is very easy if you have a full set of drill bits. If I can drill my pipes anyone can do it.
Some pipes makers are already "mechanically" correct for me. By mechanically correct, for me, the air hole has to be centered and at the bottom of the bowl. Try this, when you stick a pipe cleaner in a pipe at the Pipe Shop see how centered and how close to the bottom of the bowl it is. Costello pipes, albeit expensive, are very mechanically correct. My Radices are usually also fairly good mechanically as well as Ser Jacabo. I am sure some other pipe manufactures are also usually pretty good mechanically.
Take it from me, my personal pipe enjoyment factor is multiplied by a 4X because the tobacco burns more more thoroughly, you don't have to puff as often and the moisture at the bottom of the bowl is reduced. I smoke English blends and can smoke two bowls in the same pipe because I have opened up my pipes. Try this experiment with one pipe, what do you have to lose?

 

[jimbo]

eaglerico said, "If the hole was as big or bigger on ther stem you would have to puff ridiculously hard."
Huh? I think it is the opposite. Try it yourself. Smoke your pipe without the stem. It is so easy to draw, you may be overcome by all the smoke. A smaller diameter in the stem than the shank restricts the smoke as well as increases its velocity (which with my experience with a P-lip, directs the smoke upward, burning the hell out of the roof of my mouth).

 

[james]

http://www.naspc.org/Archives/ronni.htm
This article seems pretty helpful on the subject. I was going to try it on a couple of my knock-arounds to see if it works.

 

[jasongone]

i say open them up. i have opened a few of my straight pipes and it is so so so much better.

 

[smokindawg]

Shortly after taking up pipe smoking, I started refurbing my own pipes and then found that opening up the airways on both the pipe and the stem helped my smoking enjoyment. Now I've started dabbling in the making of pipes and I drill my blocks and stems much more open that most factory pipes. I use a tapered bit on the stem which still makes the airway smaller in the stem, but I then funnel the button end into the airway which pretty much evens it out and makes a pipe smoke fantastic.
Answer: I guess because it works for them!