Bent Pipe Technique

[stanlaurel]

I really love bent pipes. I have and smoke a number of them. But I do find them more of a challenge to get a good smoke from. I am still a new piper (about 16 months). I have been having very good luck with my open draw straight pipes. I can lean on the fact that they will easily pass a pipe cleaner mid-smoke to absorb any unwanted moisture or to clear a blockage.
My bent pipes on the other hand are either hard to pass a pipe cleaner through or in some cases downright impossible. My strategy with these pipes so far is to smoke tobacco that is well dried and to pack it loosely. This works often but certainly not always. If things go south mid-smoke I just have to give it up.
I will continue to work on my technique, but I was wondering if there is any advice to be had from seasoned bent pipe smokers out there. I would like to be able to smoke my bent pipes any time with any blend with the same success rate as with my straight pipes.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Stan-
I make sure all my tobacco is dry enough, so whether in a straight or fully bent, I seldom have a problem with moisture.
Good luck!

 

[clickklick]

are you smoking machine made bents or hand made bents? And do they pass a pipe cleaner? If they do, use cleaners during your smoke!

 

[stanlaurel]

smoke straight billiards

I do, I do. I love to smoke straight billards and apples. I also have princes and authors and other slight and half-bent pipes that are great smokers.

are you smoking machine made bents or hand made bents?

Some of each. I'm mostly referring to full-bents that do not pass a pipe cleaner.

 

[pitchfork]

I like full bents and though they sometimes gurgle, especially if the tenon and draft hole don't line up, I just accept it. Sometimes the airway can be "ramped" toward the tenon and the tenon can be chamfered. This usually helps, but isn't perfect. I think pipe boards like ours cultivate an expectation of perfection that isn't bad in and of itself (who doesn't want a perfectly drilled, dry-smoking pipe?), but I take pleasure from my less than perfect pipes.

 

[shutterbugg]

I've never had an issue with a bent pipe because I've never bought one without making sure (or getting the store clerk to do it if I'm buying online) a pipecleaner passes all the way to the draft hole. Ser Jacopos are all drilled for an easy pass, if you don't mind bowls that hold half a tin of tobacco.

 

[foggymountain]

Except for Oom Pauls, bent pipes usually will pass a pipe cleaner (except some Petersons also). Bend the tip a little at the end. About 1/3 inch. Insert as far as it will go then very gradually turn the pipe cleaner as the end scrapes the briar around the draft hole. Usually you will find an entry point to the draft hole. Different pipes may require longer bent ends or ends at different angles. I have some bent billiards from which I never have to remove the stem.

 

[tmb152]

Been smoking bent pipes since the early '70's. No problems yet. If you can't get a cleaner through yours, I would say it is the pipe. Get another. Occasionally, I have to work a bit harder with a few stems, especially if they have a stinger. Some bent pipes will juice up easier, others do not, with certain tobaccos. Straight pipes are great too, less trouble overall, but if everything was easy, life would be boring!

 

[literaryworkshop]

Not being able to pass a pipe cleaner is a classic sign of trouble. The junction between the two airways, at the bottom of the mortise, is a common culprit. As was said above, sometimes it can be corrected with some careful work--usually by chamfering. I've successfully used a countersink tool (by hand!) to fix this.

 

[mso489]

Since my first pipe was fully bent (I still own and smoke it), and about a third of my pipes are fully bent, I can say I don't have much of a moisture problem with fully bent pipes. I don't clench them a lot, which likely helps, both breathing and drolling into them less continuously. Driving and clenching, for example, or taking walks or hikes with a pipe (lunting) will sometimes produce a gurgle for most people. Dry tobacco, a fully dried pipe, and smoking your fully bent pipes seated and in hand (for a while) may help restore your faith in them. I smoke fully-bent regularly, and excess moisture and gurgling isn't a problem, just as a reference point. But yes, straight pipes stay dryer and give fewer moisture problems.

 

[ophiuchus]

... Bend the tip a little at the end. About 1/3 inch. Insert as far as it will go then very gradually turn the pipe cleaner as the end scrapes the briar around the draft hole. Usually you will find an entry point to the draft hole. Different pipes may require longer bent ends or ends at different angles. I have some bent billiards from which I never have to remove the stem.

A good suggestion is worth repeating. Works for me ... most of my pipes are bent, and I've pipe cleaner'd them all into submission. :wink:

 

[jpmcwjr]

Mine, too. I threatened them with an 18" stiff and thick pipe cleaner, so they yielded to the normal 6" regular girth ones with nary a shrug after that.

 

[weezell]

Bent Pipe Technique

I like to lay her on her side (Had to!) :rofl:

 

[mayfair70]

I just started smoking a bent billiard Suffolk coming from straight pipes and I love it. I actually got more gurgling from the straight pipes than this one. It has not made a noise yet. I don't dry my tobacco, don't clean them enough, and don't let them rest either. I'm pretty cruel to them now that I think about it.
My full bend (pretty sure its full) was an estate and one of the first things I had to do was clean it the way that has been suggested: bend the tip of the pipe cleaner slightly and work it up to the draft hole and into the chamber. What helped the most was taking a little flashlight and looking into the shank to see EXACTLY where the hole was then bend the cleaner accordingly. I knew nothing about bents, but they drill twice: One larger straight drill for the shank, then the smaller drill hole angles off the first one and into the chamber. I plugged my draft hole once from cleaning the larger bore first. I used the stiffest bristly cleaner I could find and really reamed it good and now the cleaners pass a lot easier.
I have four bents now and can't wait to smoke them all. The moisture tends to collect in the larger chamber in the shank for me and the draft hole stays pretty clear. I hope we've been able to help.
Let us know how things are going.
- Michael