OK this has been getting me more and more curious every time I read about you not having teeth: how did you lose them?
Clenching
- Thread starter wernerat
- Start date
Factory chemical explosion. Third degree chemical burns on face, destroyed my teeth and lost my right eye.
Embers you are consistently more open about yourself than I could ever be with regard to impertinent questions.
Don't know if I should be envious of your openness or concerned for you? My hero!
Don't know if I should be envious of your openness or concerned for you? My hero!
Everyone's different. And there are number of different ways to clench. Of course, you can clench with your hand, but that won't help with smoking. There are two primary ways. Pipe up, or down. You can have it stick out between fingers, but that might look too much like giving birdie.
As to clenching with mouth/teeth, I don't use teeth to bite down. Never put force on it to stress the jaw. The button rests on upper teeth, and stem front of button rests my lower lip. Pipe just hangs there. I clench mostly when I'm smoking.
As to clenching with mouth/teeth, I don't use teeth to bite down. Never put force on it to stress the jaw. The button rests on upper teeth, and stem front of button rests my lower lip. Pipe just hangs there. I clench mostly when I'm smoking.
I have thied clenching maybe two or three times, and it didn't work. Back then I thought I was doing it wrong, and after reading this thread I couldn't be more sure about it. The only pipe I can clench is MM Mini Ozark, which I smoke seldom if even then. :D
Otherwise, I'm afraid of either my teeth cracking or twisting, or, much worse, about leaving teethmarks on the stem. But maybe I digest the information you shared and give it a try. I would like to be able to clench, because, as pointed out here, sometimes it's at least practical.
Otherwise, I'm afraid of either my teeth cracking or twisting, or, much worse, about leaving teethmarks on the stem. But maybe I digest the information you shared and give it a try. I would like to be able to clench, because, as pointed out here, sometimes it's at least practical.
I don't clench my pipe for long periods and prefer to hold it.
I am mostly a holder because being a wet smoker I would flood my pipes within a minute, even with my Peterson systems, when working in my workshop, mainly working on Guitars, I do clench when on a big job, for this I use a Falcon Dental that I have had for over 40 years, this just hangs in between my teeth with hardly any pressure and just a quick turn of the bowl it I can empty spit straight on to a sponge on my bench, the sponge rinses easily ready for the next time.
Left side. Right side. In hand. All.
Stains the bottom teeth though.
Stains the bottom teeth though.
I find myself with my pipe hanging from my top teeth and resting on my bottom lip. I used to clinch more with my bottom teeth but found I was waring through my stems fairly fast. By fast I mean 10 years lol. I just want the most life out of every pipe. That’s why I modified my hold. If I’m sitting relaxing I may also rest my bent pipes on my upper chest.
Almost entirely in my hand, mainly because when I smoke I'm sitting down and relaxing. 
Get an acrylic stemmed pipe for practice. You’ll either learn how to clench without excessive pressure or you will be visiting a periodontist
The master clincher.
Personally I’m not a good clincher. I can’t imagine chooching and holding down the MG’s like our good friend Donald D Dunn. RIP Duck, you were tops.
It's often been said by those that know me that I'm quite mad. I've considered replacing my matching prosthetic eye with a solid black one just to mess with people.Don't know if I should be envious of your openness or concerned for you? My hero!
I only clench for a moment if I have to fiddle with something quickly. Clenching causes a saliva flood in my mouth and that drives me nuts. Even without clenching, without smoking even, I salivate alot. Smoking a pipe just increases the production alot.
Everytime I go to the dentist, they let me know how crazy my salivatory glands are.
"I know Doc. It drives me crazy"
Everytime I go to the dentist, they let me know how crazy my salivatory glands are.
"I know Doc. It drives me crazy"
That would be so awesome. LmaoIt's often been said by those that know me that I'm quite mad. I've considered replacing my matching prosthetic eye with a solid black one just to mess with people.
There was a guy who used to show up at the Christmas parties at one of the animation studios I used to work for in New York many years ago that had an all black prosthetic eye—it was very creepy and unsettling.It's often been said by those that know me that I'm quite mad. I've considered replacing my matching prosthetic eye with a solid black one just to mess with people.
I only smoke at home when relaxing, so I mostly hold the pipe. If moving around, then I will just let the pipe rest on the bottom teeth, and the button held by the top teeth. I don’t believe that I’ve ever actually “clenched” the stem.
I'm typically relaxing when smoking, so I prefer to hold the pipe. I try to clench every now and then, and I don't mind it too badly, but I do salivate more than I care to, and I haven't found an effective way to deal with that.
I do like using rubber bits on my pipes, and that does help me with clenching a lot. I know not everyone likes them, but for me, they are very useful.
I do like using rubber bits on my pipes, and that does help me with clenching a lot. I know not everyone likes them, but for me, they are very useful.
Wow, I didn't realize it was that serious. Glad that you made it through, and not just because of the knowledge and sweet pipes you share.
If you really value your pipes, you should learn not to clench them too tightly. And especially make sure you don't get in the habit of chewing them. I smoke pipes every day that I've had over 50 years and they hardly have any teeth marks at all.