Clay Pipe Suggestions

[Day2Day]

In the years I've been smoking a pipe I have never smoked a clay. I've kinda had an aversion to what it might taste like.

Long story short I'm looking to finally find out and looking for a little input on, straight clay or clay bowl and acrylic stem, good clay makers ones to steer clear of any advice will be appreciated.

 

[OzPiper]

A few old threads on clays with suggestions, pros&cons of various brands.
Sorry I am a tech dinosaur and don’t know how to cut and paste or do attachments

Pros:
1) Cheap
2) They look cool
3) Perfect for reenactment buffs (ask @The Clay King)

Cons:
1) While they are as cheap as cobs, they are a lot more fragile and very prone to breakage
2) They have thin walls and can get very hot unless you sip slowly
3) The clay stems take getting used to. Known to cause tooth erosion and notches
4) New clays can impart a clay-ey taste until broken-in

Get back to us with your choice of clay and your impressions

 

[MisterBadger]

Both these makers have been recommended in these forums:

Old German Clay Pipes - buy online! | Cigarworld.de

Old German Clay Pipes of first-class quality at Cigarworld.de ✔︎ Largest assortment in Europe ✔︎ Shipping within 24 hours!

www.cigarworld.de

Studio Devona - Clay Tobacco Pipes

Studio Devona Clay Pipes for Sale. Previously Dawnmist Studio Clay Pipes, and now since 2025 Studio Devona Clay Pipes. This is the main sale page for clay tobacco pipes made in Devonshire UK. New Clay Pipes for Sale.

studiodevona.co.uk

Have seen nothing Stateside - sorry (but I haven't looked very hard - I'm a Brit in the UK).

I've always smoked whatever clays I can get new, and have noticed no difference in quality (I suspect those have all been British). I just put in an order from Devonia for a couple more this evening.

To my mind, clay rivals Meerschaum or cob for a clean, cool smoke in a pipe that can't be ghosted. Its neutrality, unlike briar, means it's not biased in flavour by whatever you've smoked in it before. They are perfect for trying out a new blend - and you don't need to rotate or dedicate.

As OzPiper said, they can be fragile, so knock your clay out gently and find something to carry it in - I wrap mine in a cloth to carry in my coat pocket, but some prefer a pipe case.

They burn hot, so avoid touching the bowl. I hold the shank between two fingers, as one would a cigar or cigarette.

Many clays - most over here - come with a protective varnish on the mouthpiece, which prevents your lips sticking to the clay and possibly skinning them, as can happen with an untipped cigarette; the two manufacturers listed above do not varnish their mouthpieces so I'd advise, if you do buy from them, that you paint the last inch with a clear nail varnish - either that, or get one with an acrylic stem.

 

[Scottmi]

Easy to find in the USA. Smoking Pipes has plenty: Old German Clay shows a bunch. I picked up 3 or 4 a few years ago thinking they might break, but still working with the first one. Haven't had any problems with it at all, and quite enjoy it. I wet sanded the stem with some 400 grit paper where my lips come in contact and that made it much more comfortable for me.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Buy a lower priced clay from SP to get the experience of smoking a Clay. If you like it, pursue more expensive ones. Clay pipes provide an unique experience and the taste from the tobacco is good. They're also a PITA as the bowl gets very hot and you're definitely not getting a high quality stem. I didn't find the trade offs worth it. You won't know unless you spend $25 or so and find out for yourself.

 

[EveningSmoke03]

In the years I've been smoking a pipe I have never smoked a clay. I've kinda had an aversion to what it might taste like.

Long story short I'm looking to finally find out and looking for a little input on, straight clay or clay bowl and acrylic stem, good clay makers ones to steer clear of any advice will be appreciated.

Personally, I actually really like smoking clays, one of my favorites pipes in my current rotation is an Old German Clay, which I've had a couple of since I started smoking. They're a bit fragile and can burn kinda hot if you don't hold them right and aren't careful in how you smoke them, but every clay I've had has been as good as or better (speaking purely by smoking quality) than my briars. For me durability is the only major con,.

The OG Clay in my current rotation (which I mainly use for English mixtures), for example, is already probably nearing the end of its useful lifespan after about a year of very heavy use (and being dropped and slightly chipped a couple times due to my own clumsiness). They're not actually all that much more fragile than most lower end briars, in my experience, I just tend to get harder on my clays and use them as traveling pipes or "beater pipes".

But clays are also very cheap to replace when they do break, so...do with that information as you will.

Having had models both with clay stems and acrylic, the clay stem actually wasn't that bad and I got used to it after awhile.
And there is a bit of a breaking in process, but it never takes more than a smoke or two if you're putting a strong mixture through it.

In short, I really recommend trying them.
A standard clay-stemmed one on P&C costs about $10 before shipping (and yes I know people hate P&C), although I paid $20 for my acrylic stemmed model when it was on sale awhile back, so it's worth the risk..