I like the red! I tried clear on a black pipe.
Maybe the black clay doesn’t hold to the polish as well, or maybe I needed to let it cure for more than a few hours. Now seeing your pipe with the snazzy red, I may be inspired to try again.
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Maybe the black clay doesn’t hold to the polish as well, or maybe I needed to let it cure for more than a few hours. Now seeing your pipe with the snazzy red, I may be inspired to try again.
Never thought of that, and haven’t heard it on the forums ever. Makes sense, especially in light of the recent discussion of not smoking when you have a sore, cut etc in your mouth.
Pipe smoking is associated to lip-, mouth- and tongue cancer anyways, no matter for a wounded mouth mucosa.
@woodsroad Nice clay; I'll have to get a churchwarden! I had a long stem clay pipe but unfortunately it got broke. Meant the blacksmith had to come nearer to me to light my clay from his forge
You definitely need to let the polish set 24 hours between coats, then - few days before smoking. I did three coats.
I got a little wooden box from the craft store to put my two clays in. I keep it in a padded bag inside the box. I only smoke them at home - if I want to smoke on the go, I bring a cob.
I thought about having them glazed (at least the lip of the stem). There's a guy locally near me that makes pottery. I thought about asking him to glaze them for me, but haven't bothered yet.
I thought about having them glazed (at least the lip of the stem). There's a guy locally near me that makes pottery. I thought about asking him to glaze them for me, but haven't bothered yet.
Did you catch that boys and girls?
Revlon Pearlescent Red when he’s all alone. LOL
Shhhh we won’t give his secret away.
Any acrylic paint in thin coatings will do the job. Maybe with primer before and high gloss lacquer as a finish.
And no, never thought of carrying my clays around, since I broke one while doing that. And no clenching either.
And no, never thought of carrying my clays around, since I broke one while doing that. And no clenching either.
Starting with the advice of @woodsroad I am painting 2 out of 4 clays. That leaves me with 2 to smoke while I wait for the first two.
The clay seems to be really absorbing the polish, and I do not have the steady hand that I thought I did...
The clay seems to be really absorbing the polish, and I do not have the steady hand that I thought I did...
@UB 40 I've lost count of how many clays I've broken...
I suppose as I'm the Clay King I must be more prone to breaking them; I'd never been to Nantwich before but left a broken clay pipe behind
Currently smoking Ennerdale Flake in the Pollock clay pipe; had a peaceful and relaxing smoke in Cromford churchyard this afternoon. Wore my Redcoat (AKA smoking jacket)!
Something sad happened: I dropped the OD Jamestowne.
Only got ~8 bowls out of this one.
Interesting to me how the discoloration went into the walls of the clay, I had expected it to be on the surface only.
Only got ~8 bowls out of this one.
Interesting to me how the discoloration went into the walls of the clay, I had expected it to be on the surface only.
I smoke clay pipes more than anything else and I’d never broken a clay before I read this thread. I thought, “these guys are a bunch of hamfisted goons. Clay pipes aren’t THAT fragile.” Then, sure enough, I shatter my favorite pipe this morning. Sorry I judged you, gentlemen.
I'm sorry for your loss.
I was being rough with it partially to learn the limits when it does break. I I had hoped the stem would break and I'd just have a shorter pipe, no such luck.
I was surprised a few times when it didn't break. I was thinking the same way as you, "Maybe these aren't as fragile as I have been told" until the one pictured above dropped out of my pocket onto a tile floor.
Perhaps it could have survived the fall if I had "ruggedized" the bowl by wrapping it in twine... Or maybe I should be a normal person and just accept breakage as part of life.
Clay's were sometimes shortened so they would fit in a waistcoat pocket, so when you find a Clay with a broken stem it is likely that it was broken on purpose. 
@aspiring_sage I've lost count of how many clays I've broken...
Only been to Nantwich once but left my mark there when I broke a clay pipe tipping the ash out on a pub ashtray. The Sealed Knot re-enactor I was smoking my clay with showed me how to tap the ash out of a clay pipe by gently tapping it against the back of your hand!
For traveling, I put a clay pipe in a Tupperware, along with a bag of tobacco and a handful of pipe cleaners, which act as padding.
For cleaning, put the clay in hot coals and let it cook clean
For stems: clay pipe stems can have awkward ridges. I grind them off with a stone until the stem feels good in my mouth.
As for the tendency of clay to stick to the lips: give the stem a big sloppy lick, and it won’t stick
For cleaning, put the clay in hot coals and let it cook clean
For stems: clay pipe stems can have awkward ridges. I grind them off with a stone until the stem feels good in my mouth.
As for the tendency of clay to stick to the lips: give the stem a big sloppy lick, and it won’t stick
I need a clay for my Aros, I don’t have pipes to dedicate, nor do I want to dedicate.
But I’m tired of blends ghosting a nice pipe, that I smoke various VAs and VaPers in, and then you have to do some Burley or Latakia Smoking Ghost Exorcism to rid it.
Time for another bloody clay, my first one didn’t live long... LOL
This Old Dominion Dutchman looks like a good one, but with shipping, close to $29, hmm maybe a bit pricey, need to watch and see if prices come down.
www.smokingpipes.com
But I’m tired of blends ghosting a nice pipe, that I smoke various VAs and VaPers in, and then you have to do some Burley or Latakia Smoking Ghost Exorcism to rid it.
Time for another bloody clay, my first one didn’t live long... LOL
This Old Dominion Dutchman looks like a good one, but with shipping, close to $29, hmm maybe a bit pricey, need to watch and see if prices come down.
The Dutchman Clay Pipe - Old Dominion Pipes | Smokingpipes
Enjoy the old-school charm of colonial-era pipes, with this The Dutchman clay pipe from Old Dominion.
www.smokingpipes.com
I am loving the clay with Aros the past few days! I have one meerschaum that doesn’t ghost, and one that does, but neither of them smoke as cool as these cheap clays.I need a clay for my Aros, I don’t have pipes to dedicate, nor do I want to dedicate.
But I’m tired of blends ghosting a nice pipe, that I smoke various VAs and VaPers in, and then you have to do some Burley or Latakia Smoking Ghost Exorcism to rid it.
Time for another bloody clay, my first one didn’t live long... LOL
This Old Dominion Dutchman looks like a good one, but with shipping, close to $29, hmm maybe a bit pricey, need to watch and see if prices come down.
The Dutchman Clay Pipe - Old Dominion Pipes | Smokingpipes
Enjoy the old-school charm of colonial-era pipes, with this The Dutchman clay pipe from Old Dominion.
Just be sure to get a few of them to make up for breaking