Do You Smoke Clay Pipes?

[anantaandroscoggin]

The ones which have been glazed are more properly thought of as "porcelain pipes" rather than clays. I've always owned at least a couple of clay pipes over the years, in various lengths or kinds of decorations embossed into (or standing out from) the basic pipe shape. I have yet to own one with what amounts to a tiny statue of "whatever" attached to the bowl/stem, though I've got my eye on one lately.
One problem some (including me) find with the clay pipes is that the stem is so very, very round -- if one stops paying attention while smoking and clenching, the pipe can quickly roll over and dump out its load of coals and ash into one's lap.
I have owned a (now broken) hollow-walled porcelain pipe with a double-bent (S-curve) vulcanite stem. The originally pure-white bowl colored (greys mostly) more than any of my clay pipes have done.
I would like to try one of the clay-bowl with reed-stem pipes out, but who knows how long 'till I succumb to that particular temptation . . .

 

[jpmcwjr]

Here are some antique pieces from the Greenwich (England) Museum. The early clay pipes in the US came from England. Wonder when the first Colonial pipes were made.

 

[mso489]

My sister got a fourteen inch clay pipe home from the Netherlands and to me out-of-state in one piece, so I consider it a lucky pipe. There has been a health issue about the advisability of smoking a clay pipe with a bare clay stem, with its potentially starting a process with the cells of your lip. Mine has a thin plastic coating to address this, and some clay pipes have stems of alternate material. They smoke hot, so hold them by the stems. They are a lovely old tradition reminiscent of previous centuries, the colonial period in the U.S. and elsewhere, and the coffee houses of Eighteenth Century England, and so on. It is a special occasion thing for me, not at all part of my rotation. Boy this post goes back a ways! I didn't check all of the posts, but I may have something in the "early years."

 

[molach95]

My collection of clays there. I'm happy to give better, closer pictures and descriptions of any of these if anyone is interested.

 

[oldmansmoking]

Just love the skull one further photos would be great!

 

[molach95]

Here is a small album of pictures for the skull pipe.

It's one of my favourites, I call it Boney, named after the posh talking skull from that low budget UK kid's program Trapdoor. (Skip ahead to 0:57) It's a Scottish made clay pipe from the 1950s or 60s, I don't know what the stem is made of. It was unsmoked when I got it but I have smoked a lot of erinmore in it since then

 

[haparnold]

I love the Peterson System pipes made out of clay. Nice collection, Molach!

 

[64alex]

I have a Lepeltier which is my favourite pipe along with a Morta. Lepeltier differs from tavern clay pipes as they are double walled so they are not too hot and can be hold by the bowl, and they have a vulcanite stem. In addition they are also glazed. The smokes fantastic, cool, dry (never need to use pipe cleaner while smoking) perfectly neutral and do not ghost.
molach95: the calabash one in front is very nice, is it double walled?

 

[jrenko]

Nothing beats the beauty of a good briar so no, i would not smoke a clay pipe even if i got it for free.

 

[lasttango]

I just smoked my first last evening. It was a Lepeltier.
As advertised, it was a great experience. I had a bowl of Royal Yacht followed by a bowl of Semois/ La Brumese.
Flavor was great. The pipe was easy to use and it performed very well.

 

[haparnold]

Nothing beats the beauty of a good briar so no, i would not smoke a clay pipe even if i got it for free.

You mean you wouldn't smoke clay because of how briar looks?

 

[jpmcwjr]

My answer is no, I won't again smoke a clay. Did so, don't care for the fragility, look or taste of a clay pipe. Interesting historically, though.

 

[The Clay King]

My clay pipe got smashed last night; I'm currently pipe-less. I've decided to quit now!

 

[geejay61]

Good morning,
Yes I do smoke a claypipe sometimes.

I use one of my Zenith pipes

Never heard of them?? Here is a picture who's tell you all.

https://imgur.com/a/zNtXv9x

 

[jeffro]

I like the one clay pipe I have .

It is a clay pipe that pipes/cigars calls "The Old German" clay pipe. It is a Cutty shape with a vulcanite stem.

I got it couple years ago so I don't know if they still sell them. I mostly smoke Gawith, Lake land style tobaccos in it.

or sometimes use it to try out new tobacco. It does not ghost flavors. And parts of the bowl are getting a nice brown patina.

The bowl itself gets very hot. So I hold it by the stem army mount when using the pipe.

When smoking the clay pipe it tastes very clean much like my meerschaum pipes and much different than my briar pipes.

 

[The Clay King]

I've bought a replacement clay pipe now; I'm told it dates from the 1890s and has a heel on the base of the bowl. It appears to be slip cast.

 

[bluegrasspipe]

I love VaPers in my clay.

 

[davem]

I plan to purchase a couple of clay pipes from Penn Valley but I have to lay low for a few days... I ordered 5 pipes and a bunch of tobacco today... don't want the wife to catch me!

 

[mindglue]

Just bought a few weeks ago a Lepeltier clay pipe. Its well done, not getting very hot when smoked, smokes cool and dry. Taste wise, I am not sure, I tried 3 different blends, and I like them more in briars. Will see.

 

[lasttango]

Over the past couple of weeks, I have found myself reaching for the Lepeltier Clay pipe most often. It's extremely comfortable with a nice ebonite mouthpiece. It's lightweight and doesn't get hot.
It's great for relatively shorter smokes.