How and Why do you Clench?

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ophiuchus

Lifer
Mar 25, 2016
1,647
2,485
I usually have the pipe in the clench, or hanging from incisors. Over time, it’s become second nature. Rods and reels mostly take both hands. Mowing the lawn is more safely done with both hands. Reading a newspaper in sunlight takes both hands, especially if there’s any breeze. I admit to smoking a pipe while I cook. I don’t always have both hands on the wheel, but I like the free hand ready. I often type with a pipe hanging out of my mouth.

I think I accidentally learned something akin to breath-smoking and breath-snorking as the result of perpetual clenching. I don’t smoke as often as I used to, but when I do, the damn pipe becomes part of my head. I never set out to be a pipe clencher; it’s a pattern of practice that just developed naturally over time.

puffy
 

minerLuke

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 2, 2023
293
582
Vancouver BC
I clench my pipe to be able to smoke hands free while I work.

As for the drooling, when I first started clenching I noticed I did that too, but just keeping at it and clenching my pipe, after a while it just went away and now I rarely have problems with moisture when smoking a pipe.
 

bullet08

Lifer
Nov 26, 2018
10,264
41,547
RTP, NC. USA
How? There are number of different ways clench. Simplest way is to just bite right front of the button. But that will damage the stem. Some use rubber thing to prevent damaging the stem. Then there are those who put their teeth on the stem, but don't bite it. Light scratches can occur. And some like me park the stem behind the upper teeth, and rest it on the lower lip. I'm sure there are other methods.

As to why.. Sometimes, you might need both hands to do something. Sometimes it's nice to just park the pipe, lean back and relax.
 

irishearl

Lifer
Aug 2, 2016
2,260
4,053
Kansas
Smoking a pipe is downtime for me.
So I almost always smoke while seated with pipe in hand.
And my paraphernalia spread out on a table in front of me.

No need to clench unless I am lighting up or need both hands to read the papers.

Occasionally I will clench for a while if I’m smoking a nosewarmer, Lovat, full bent or one of my small(er) old Brit-woods

I find that it is more comfortable clenching with silicon pipe bits.
Also because I dislike tooth chatter on my stems
Yup, only smoke while relaxing in my chair in the den and no need to clench. Find it uncomfortable to do so.
 
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tmcg81

Lifer
May 8, 2020
1,034
16,163
NJ
I think I clench a lot because I'm a cigarette smoker and I leave the cigarette in my mouth for most of the smoke as well. Never really thought about it.
 
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Nov 20, 2022
2,751
27,859
Wisconsin
I am clenching almost always, pipe in the left side of my mouth with my canine tooth just behind the bit.

My pipes have a small divot where my tooth hits it, and it is firmly held in place with little pressure from the jaw. I have bumped the pipe and nearly ripped my jaw off a couple of times, pipe holds firm even when I don't necessarily want it to. I don't care at all about the small divot, it's my pipe and most would not even take notice of it.

I clench for the same reason most do - because I have a busy life and want to smoke while doing other things. My hands are rarely idle.

Gurgle occurs rarely, and has more to do with smoking a moist aromatic or puffing too fast, not my spit.
 

Choatecav

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 19, 2023
509
1,367
Middle Tennessee
As to clenching.............. the artist Norman Rockwell was a well know piper that obviously clenched as he painted. in many of his photos and paintings that included self-portraits, he is shown clenching with the pipe hanging almost straight down. How he did that without a high level of gurgle and build up, I do not know. Perhaps it happened and he just got used to it.

mainnormanrockwell1959getty538347881.jpgN Rockwell.jpg
 

Sobrbiker

Lifer
Jan 7, 2023
4,055
53,084
Casa Grande, AZ
As to clenching.............. the artist Norman Rockwell was a well know piper that obviously clenched as he painted. in many of his photos and paintings that included self-portraits, he is shown clenching with the pipe hanging almost straight down. How he did that without a high level of gurgle and build up, I do not know. Perhaps it happened and he just got used to it.

View attachment 324240View attachment 324241
I do that often, especially after getting a p-lip or two. I “choke up” on the stem so the button rides closer to the roof of my mouth than my teeth and the bottom canine/bicuspid is just a fulcrum.
 

Snook

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 2, 2019
290
882
32
Idaho
If I need both of my hands, I will clench. I try to avoid it, though, because I don't want to ruin my stems. The corncob is a different story. That's the "driving pipe".
 
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VelourThunder

Lurker
Jul 5, 2024
21
40
USA
In the paddock, cattle yards, fencing I clench because I need my hands. Causes no problems mechanically for me and the button generally sits behind the eye tooth and the next molar, certainly no slobber!
That is where I try to keep my pipes but I find my jaw starts to hurt fairly quickly as well as my mouth getting overly wet.