Clenching without...clenching?

[RookieGuy80]

When I first learned to smoke a pipe, I definitely did not start by clenching. But I soon figured it out. Hooking the button in my top forward molar right next to the canine didn't feel steady or secure. But damned if it didn't stay there the whole smoke. The weight wasn't bad because it's not being held by by teeth or lower jaw, it's just balancing. Balancing pretty securely. Bent pipes are just as easy. Except they hook into the lower molar.

Using a totally bought and not picked up along the tracks railroad spike, I can give impromptu half asses you-get-the-idea illustrations with the head of the spike representing the button and my hands as your teeth. (Photo credits to my 6 year old daughter)






You see how the "button" fits into the hollow of your molar, represented by a cupped hand in the second pic. The first one is resting on the bottom hand, which represents a tooth on your lower jaw.




Your lower jaw is still the pivot point. But now it's not touching your upper jaw at all. It's hooked to your lower jaw and resting on your chin.

Anyways, for me that's the best way I've found to clench. Ymmv

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It's really simple.... practice. I keep a pipe in my clench all day, most days, whether lit or not. Start off with just going about your day with an empty pipe clenched.

In the beginning, biting too hard did cross my mind, but I have found that I never bite down hard, nor have I ever made a mark on a stem.

I have a pipe clenched for so long, that occasionally I have found myself walking around the grocery store with my pipe lit. Everyone is also just so used to seeing me with a pipe, that they never notice either. Just let it become a part of you and who you are. It helps to be an old guy, ha ha. Also helps to be in the South where everyone is too polite to say anything.

 

[brian64]

Can you please post a link to the tape you use? Hoosierpipeguy(I think) also uses tape and I'm very interested. I hate how fat the soft bits are.

Black Non-Adhesive Dry Vinyl Tape 0.75 in x 100ft (1 roll)

www.tapecase.com

 

[HRPufnstuf]

You sure you're not with CIA? Removed all the teeth to hide the true identity?

P.S. Too much whiskey for one night. Paranoid setting in.

They hide the tracker in your teeth, seen "12 Monkeys"?

 

[ssjones]

I'm lip balancer myself. I do not like biting down on my vintage estate pipes (nearly all with vulcanite stems). If I'm walking around, I choose a pipe with an acrylic stem, I don't feel bad clamping down on those.

 

[Chasing Embers]

They hide the tracker in your teeth, seen "12 Monkeys"?

An explosion destroyed mine along with taking my right eye.

 

[Papamique]

This is why I like the larger buttons of Castello and Ashton. They “lock” into my teeth. I do notice that there is more pressure on my upper teeth when not biting down and letting it “hang” loosely as the stem acts as a lever and presses outwards on the teeth. I clench and bite down and with a larger button to lock it in it doesn’t take much force and there is less lever action on my teeth.