Death of the Softy Bit

[delro]

Hello All,

Recently I have been finding myself removing the softy bits from all my pipes, why? Now I must say I am the type of person who is almost obsessive when it comes to keeping things in pristine condition. (Things I am passionate about) However lately I have been smoking my pipes without their protective bits...even my more expensive ones that I would never dare risk a chip to.

I find myself enjoying the feeling and sound of the stem more and more. It may sound strange I know, but now I dislike having some sort of cover over the stem at all. I know some people don't like the bits because it can impart a rubbery synthetic taste and I found that it only happened on one particular pipe for me.

Anyway I just wanted to see if anyone else went from using softy bits or tubing to taking them off and having more satisfying smokes. Take care all I would love to know your thoughts.

 

[ericthered]

When I first started out on the pipe I bought a pack of softie bits thinking that I would prefer the softness and protection of the mouthpiece. I soon realized that the softie bit was causing my jaw to be held open wider than a regular stem and button would, causing significant discomfort. I haven't used them since.

 

[voorhees]

Funny you ask. I have been removing mine as well. In particular, my Growley Rhodesian. I put a softly on it to protect the stem. Pipe smoked well, but I never enjoyed the stem. I removed it and realized how wonderful Brian's stem work is. So comfortable.

I have removed them from several for this reason alone.

 

[mso489]

I have never used softies to preserve my pipes in pristine condition. I like the actual stem itself in most cases. I use a softie on one or two cobs where I have not replaced the stem with a Forever stem, since the stock MM cobs come with rather soft plastic stems that get nicked and chewed up by me fairly quickly. If I had dental sensitivities, I might use softies, or with very large pipes that put a lot of torque on the teeth. But yes, I agree, in most cases, especially with light weight pipes, I enjoy having the stem to smoke on, whether vulcanite, bamboo reed as with Old Dominion cobs, or acrylic/lucite.

 

[buroak]

I occasionally use softy bits on heavier bent pipes I clench, but mostly I use them to cover damaged buttons on my "beater" pipes.

 

[framitz]

I always viewed them like a dental dam. Ruined the taste and feeling of the pipe they also hold germs.

 

[johnnyreb]

I don't have many pipes that I want anything on; just a couple. I went from softies to tubing 3/8OD x 5/16 ID I think, for a tight fit. The problem with the tubing is that it feels thick and it turns hard on the stem rather quickly. It's cheap and easy to replace but I've pretty much given up on the tubing.

 

[briarhillgeoff]

I use them on my pipes when I don't have any hands free, like if I'm am working on the computer, or modelling at the same time. But if I'm watching TV and have a hand free to hold my pipe while I smoke, then I tend not to have them on.

 

[drezz01]

I liken it to cell phones. Humour me here. Industrial designers and material engineers go to obsessive lengths to shave millimeters from new devices and incorporate high quality materials like aluminum and glass that justify the high end price tags -- and then people go an slap a 15 cent neoprene case on it and shoddily adhere a cheap plastic screen protector (leaving bubbles and cat hair as they lay). Instead of the tactile qualities of a streamlined, well engineered, and expensive product you feel sticky plastic. And to what end? so that the device is in pristine condition when you trade it in for the new model? Meanwhile you've never even fully enjoyed the old one.
As voohress mentioned, you're not experiencing all of the thought and effort that went in to a well crafted stem when you cover it in a $0.02 piece of rubber.
I will concede however that, like a good cellphone case, it has its utility for the cumbersome or, in this case, chompy among us. I too have a softy on my yardwork cob to avoid biting through the stem; but when it comes to using one to protect a valued pipe -- I'd rather get the full experience of it.

 

[mrenglish]

Hate them. I bought a Ponomarchuck, a gorgeous apple nosewarmer, but the stem was too narrow to clench properly. So, used the softy bit on it and it was OK, but the feel and taste of the bit was off putting. It' didn't get smoked much. Tried it without the bit and was happy but managed to drop the pipe and snap the stem at the shank. Sigh. Dropped it off at Tim West for repair and had him make a wider bit for it as well. If they could only make a tasteless bit that was a bit thinner I would probably use them.

 

[blueeyedogre]

I tried using the soft bits but they made the button seem huge and stopped using them. My stems show a little chatter but I'm a clencher and have yet to seriously damage a stem. Most pipes I have re-stemmed are all done in lucite now rather then vulcanite and any new pipes I look at I lean toward acrylic stems to offset any damage I do clenching.

 

[lochinvar]

I tried them once, to extend the life of an Ashton with a bit that was cracked. The taste and mouthfeel was so off putting I cut it off and threw the rest of the pack away.

 

[kane]

Never tried them. I like the feel of a nice vulcanized rubber, or Ebonite, stem bit. I clench, but not too hard. I can't see ever biting through a bit. I don't mind light teeth marks as these are my pipes that I will continue to smoke. However, if I was in the habit of selling pipes I can see the benefit to keep it pristine.

I like drezz's cellphone analogy, but I keep my phone in a Lifeproof case as it's a work tool that sees hard use and I don't want to worry about it. I have much more love for pipes.
I used to use a patch of black electricians tape on the top of hard rubber saxophone mouth pieces for a better grip and protection. That may be a better solution than tubing for those who want protection but not such a thick layer of tubing. Never saw the need for this on a pipe bit, though.

 

[lestrout]

A couple of pipesters at Morley's use food grade heat shrinkable tubing. It's much thinner than Softies and tastefree.
hp

les

 

[delro]

Great cellphone analogy - granted I use a case because like kane mentioned - it sees hard use. At first I did mind light teeth marks, now it doesn't bother me at all. Great responses all around, glad to see people who have experienced the same change with the softies or tubing. Also its very true - the pipe maker spends a lot of effort and time perfecting his/her stem and it needs to be enjoyed naked! :clap:

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

I still use a softy on one Nording Billiard I have, it clenches well and my pointy teeth would drill through the stem quickly if I didn't use the cover.

I basically just don't clench anything else.

I do prefer thin buttons that allow me to keep my jaw as closed as possible as well.

 

[okiescout]

I did not use them for a long time, but now I have them on everything. I slide them just over the button. I don't use them to protect the stems, being a clincher, I believe they are easier on my old teeth. Maybe wrong but I have become used to them and do not like biting down on a hard bit. Whatever works for ya :D

 

[ericthered]

The cell phone analogy brings up a major (to me) beef that I have with the designers that engineered all of the phones I've ever owned. Without some sort of case, neoprene, leather, otterbox or otherwise, all of my phones have been as slippery as a wet bar of soap to hold onto. Would it be so hard to inset a rubber piece or at least coat the edges of the phone so that a person could hold onto it? So, like mrenglish's experience, from a cell phone standpoint, I would definitely cover up all that intricate design work if it makes using the device easier.

 

[drezz01]

That's a good observation ericthered and it is certainly mirrored in the to-softy-or-not-to-softy question. For some people, comfort and utility are more important or of more concern and the softy is a great option for them. I certainly have friends who work in environments that would spell out certain death for naked phones and as I have said, I too use a softy on my yard work cob to keep it comfortably in my yapper. It just seems a shame to squander all the hard work and design under a chunk of plastic in the name of protecting the hard work and design :lol:

 

[darwin]

I use Softys exclusively due to the peculiar nature of my dental anatomy but I do take them off after every smoke and rub down the stem to eliminate any staining and to avoid trapping moisture. Whether or not they impinge on my enjoyment of a pipe is irrelevant since not using them would mean I couldn't smoke a pipe at all. Another big help is that they are available in two sizes which will accommodate virtually every stem I own.