i notice that im always doing something while smoking - working on my comp, reading, playing w my phone etc, and i always tend to clench and have both hands free. some of my current pipes are just way to heavy and i feel like at this rate ill need some dental work if i keep clenching. any reommendations on either very light pipes or styles/designs that tend to be better suited for clenching?
Best Pipe for Clenchers?
- Thread starter rdoss16
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Just pay attention to weight. I rarely buy a pipe over 30 grams.
Neerup has some great shapes. Plus their stems are a little thicker, gives you more confidence when clenching.
IMO 98% of the pipes on the market can be clenched just fine. Some people have weaker jaws and necks, where anything over 2oz will snap their pencil necks like a twig... JK... I think that 2oz and under probably makes for the most comfortable clenchers, but I have quite a few in the 3-5oz range that are well balanced enough to clench just fine. It is going to be more about YOUR personal preferences.
Short shanks and stems make for less leverage against the teeth, as do deeply bent pipes like Hungarian/Oom-Paul. Lighter weight pipes are of course the best clenchers. I'd say 1.5 ounces is tops if you are really serious about it, and there are plenty of pipes at about 1 oz or somewhat less that still have sufficient bowls for a good smoke. MM cob makes some short pipes with acrylic stems (for longevity) and ample medium bowls that also fill the bill. In briar, there are many choices, the Stanwell bulldog 32 for one of hundreds of examples, available in various finishes and series.
For me since I work with my hands as a mechanic, Weight is the biggest factor. I like thinner narrow bits. Probably the 2 pipes I own the most of for that reason are Savinelli’s 701 Lovats and good ole MM cobs.
Come on guys, work on those jaw muscles. Get a crowbar and practice clenching it for a few hours a day, and then work your way up to those large pipe-wrenches. Then soon you too can clench like the captain.
You younger guys, defined for this purpose as under age 50 or so, probably wonder what the problem is about clenching heavy pipes. Well, here's a clue. My wife and I often quote a friend of hers who said, "After a certain age, having teeth is fiscally irresponsible." The advantage of light weight pipes is explained in two words: Old teeth.
I find that the more extreme the bend in the stem, the easier it is for me to clench. Maybe keeping that bowl weight closer to my huge melon has some relation to that?
I have come to prefer bent pipes for this very reason. My best clenchers are half or full bent billiards. Shapes like Stanwell 83, Savinelli 602 and 614.
If it is bent and well balanced, you can afford a little more weight. Lightweight pipes can be a little demanding to smoke as they'll get hot very easily.
If it is bent and well balanced, you can afford a little more weight. Lightweight pipes can be a little demanding to smoke as they'll get hot very easily.
My mother, rest her soul, instilled in me, at a very young age, great habits for oral hygiene. I have my 32 allotted, age 73, and clinch using only the back molars. Little to no jaw pressure is required as the pipes seem to rest just fine without clamping most of the time. If I am working a chainsaw or some such, a bit of pressure is required to keep the pipe in place. Most of my pipes have comfortable indentations after a few years and find their place. In my youth I would sometimes chew through a bit but, they were easily replaceable so no, no harm.
All that said, I only have pipes that are bent to some degree or another as I find them the most comfortable.
All that said, I only have pipes that are bent to some degree or another as I find them the most comfortable.
I agree with the Bent, short and light pipes, but I do find having a slimmer bit helps. When something is a bit chunky and the jaw has to be held a little open I find it more demanding. The slimmest bit I have ever seen is my Dr Boston bulldog and it's amazing.
I find my Canadian very clenchable. The Vauen bent billard I have though clenches so so so easily. If their other pipes are as light they should also be a great clencher. I don't tend to clench for long but with the Vauen sometimes I do just cause it works so wonderful, how could I not.
actually have a twin bore thats gonna arrive on thurs this is good news.
yup, slimmer the bit the better for me. def something im going to keep in mind when purchasing pipes moving forward
For me, it's the weight, and where the weight is; the closer to the body, the less it will pull. Thus, full bents and Hungarians even if over 50 grams can be good clenchers.
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