Do You Avoid Heavier Pipes?

[grimpuffer]

At first I enjoyed the bits, but man, those things will get nasty so fast that I couldn’t even get the chemical taste off of them so I stopped using them.
Even on my most uncomfortable stems I can’t bring myself to use them.

 

[Civil War]

Every pipe has its place and sometimes you just want to smoke a BFP. Tonight I am smoking a 1lb meerschaum. Over the top, maybe, but I'm enjoying it.

 

[floridapipeman]

Pic please

 

[warren]

I clench them, don't lick them, so I've never been aware of a chemical taste on "softies." They serve their purpose when needed for me.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

I prefer the silicone self-adhesive tape or parafilm tape to those softy bites but even use of those I have found uncomfortable yet unpractical.

 

[jaygreen55]

For me it depends on the shape. The deeper the bend the heavier it can be to comfortably to clench. I have an Oom Paul/bent ball hybrid that weighs in at 3.25 oz (92 gms) that clenches comfortably but a straight Dublin weighing 2.25 oz (64 gm) that is uncomfortable to clench for more than 30 seconds

 

[disinformatique]

Most of my pipes are under 30g and some under 50g, they work best for me. I tend to avoid ALL pipes above that mark.
Cheers,

Chris

 

[Chasing Embers]

Anyone use these gizmo's?

Yep

 

[floridapipeman]

I use them but hate them, sometimes I take them off. I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't.

 

[kola]

Yes.
Unless I'm wearing my leather mask and gloves. And grunting. Then it's Boswell Jumbo time.

 

[mso489]

Softies can have a negative influence, since they are springy. Like perhaps a lot of people, I tend to flex my jaw and teeth against them, actually pumping up my jaw muscle and causing more pressure rather than less. Folks who are a little tightly wired anyway may have this problem more, I don't know. I do have one softy on a MM cob that has the standard plastic stem, since I seem to chew through those. It's a light weight pipe, so the jaw pumping isn't a problem.

 

[disinformatique]

@mso Yup, After 5 years of smoking pipes with softies, I now abhor them! Cant stand them at all.
Cheers,

Chris :puffpipe:

 

[fitzy]

I use the bits.
Also there's no reason not to clench other than having pipes that make it uncomfortable.

 

[jpmcwjr]

If you don't remove them and wipe down the stem after a smoke, the button end will become discolored. And gross looking. Don't ask how I know.

 

[crashthegrey]

I despise those things.

 

[cigrmaster]

The majority of my pipes fall in the 40-55 gram weight range. I do have some heavier ones that I hold while smoking. I always look at the weight of a pipe before buying as it is a big deal for me.

 

[thomasw]

If you don't remove them and wipe down the stem after a smoke, the button end will become discolored. And gross looking. Don't ask how I know.

With ebonite this is very true, but with acrylic it is not a big deal.
I have very sensitive teeth and I find any stem material very hard to clench. So the softie bits have been in use on my pipe stems for the last few years; they have allowed me to smoke my pipes with pleasure over the last few years -- I am very thankful that they exist. I've experienced no chemical taste with softie bits at all. There is a texture difference and this is what some find so deplorable.

 

[mrmotoyoshi]

As a rule I usually don’t go for a pipe that’s over 2oz unless it’s balanced perfectly for my clenching or it’s a real stunner.