Clenching?

[Paterfumeus]

Up to this point, my habit has been to hold my pipe whenever I'm not actively drawing and only leave it in my mouth when I need two hands for a moment. Seeing all the discussion about clenching on a couple of threads, so I gave it a shot today. It turns out that I'm what y'all call a 'wet smoker,' so it wasn't great, but here are my questions all the same:

1. How do you get a good draw while clenching? Mine seem a lot more shallow than when I'm not.
   
   
2. Any tricks for breathing without inhaling the smoke accidentally? Or is this one of those things that you actually have to be able to breathe through your nose for?
   
   
3. Does clenching change y'all's cadence? If so, how so?

I look forward to hearing from y'all.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Any tricks for breathing without inhaling the smoke accidentally?

Same way you drink from a straw. The vacuum created in your mouth is independent from breathing.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

I'm hands free 95% of my smoke.
The only real tip I can give is to use a light weight/smaller pipe and/ or half bent to full bent.

As far as the technical aspects go, it just comes down to practice I guess. Suppose it's what comes natural to me. I never gave it much thought.
I don't inhale, but I constantly retrohale.

 

[Coreios]

You can put your tongue over the hole and stop the smoke.

 

[Paterfumeus]

Same way you drink from a straw. The vacuum created in your mouth is independent from breathing.

Thanks. What about breathing with the pipe in my mouth in between draws?

 

[Call Me Late]

I have no problem clenching and breathing. Just don’t take huge breaths. Breathing through you nose definitely helps though. I find the right spot when the stem kinda hangs on my teeth. I’ll bring the pipe to the corner of my mouth as well. I also use my lips as a cushion between my teeth and the stem sometimes. I wouldn’t be worried about a lighter draw, It’s probably better. Look into the breath method. I find it works well for clenching.

 

[El Capitán]

Thanks. What about breathing with the pipe in my mouth in between draws?

Use your nose holes. Little drunk. Can't think of right words.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Thanks. What about breathing with the pipe in my mouth in between draws?

Just close off the airflow in your mouth just as you would with a mouthful of food or drink.

 

[Paterfumeus]

Fair enough. Thanks folks.

 

[proteus]

Breath through the nose and close the mouth around the stem. It's the breath method. Inhaling through nose brings a bit of air through the pipe. Practice with an empty pipe. You should be able to draw air with the nose through pipe while in a closed mouth. I also drill out my pipes to 11/64 in the stummel to increase air flow. And taper the stem to 9/64 in the stem tenon and 5/64 at the stem tip. Don't use the pipe like a straw in a milkshake. You can also try drawing with mouth without a tight seal around stem so you get air in around the sides. But I would just learn the breath method.

 

[VDL_Piper]

Lighter pipe, smaller bowl for a shorter smoke, this will decrease the wetness for you. Try to forget the pipe (hard to do but just focus on the flavour and the sip), so find a shape that kinda just sits right in your teeth or if you want to ”hang” the same and so a little experimentation is needed. Cobs come in cutty/Anse all the way through full bent almost and the’re cheap so you can play with what suit you. Just remember it’s the smoke you’re after and a little smoke goes a long way. Take your time and if it goes out………stop, cool and try again. If I was to recommend a pipe for this I’d say a cutty as it’s a proven shape used by sailors through the ages in all weather, there is something in that, it’s an outdoor pipe for men who do things with their hands. Like all pipe smoking it’s a craft and the more you do the better you’ll become.

 

[Doctor Chopper]

Use your nose holes. Little drunk. Can't think of right words.

NOSTRILS

 

[Chasing Embers]

NOSTRILS

anterior nares

 

[bullet08]

Practice breathing through nose while drinking water with straw. Smoking while breathing through nose is easier. One benefit of started smoking at 12 years old was, never really thought about these things.

 

[Doctor Chopper]

anterior nares

I am a stupid surgeon, where exactly are the posterior nares????

(Shhh, don't tell @Chasing Embers but I have seen the posterior nares many times. I just want to see the response.)

 

[Chasing Embers]

where exactly are the posterior nares

Rear nostrils

Anatomy and physiology was my favorite area of study though I majored in architecture and interior design.

 

[Doctor Chopper]

Rear nostrils

Anatomy and physiology was my favorite area of study though I majored in architecture and interior design.

You better quit the mexican buffet every lunch if you breathe through your rear!

 

[Chasing Embers]

mexican buffet

Not enough calories to keep up with the nuclear blast furnace I call a thyroid.

 

[Paterfumeus]

Thank you, everyone. Once I got the hang of it, I pretty easily clenched for about the last 2/3 of the bowl yesterday. It's the best smoke I've had so far! I think the last think is figuring out where to put my tongue to get the best taste, but that will come with time.

 

[brian64]

Not enough calories to keep up with the nuclear blast furnace I call a thyroid.

Not enough calories in beans and tortillas?