How Do You Hold Your Pipe In Your Mouth?

[Civil War]

So, typically I hold my pipe in my teeth towards the front side of my mouth with the stem opening pointing towards my tongue/cavern of my mouth. I tend to get the most flavor that way, but it makes my jaw tired if I clench it for a while. I recently saw the movie "The Dig", on Netflix, and noticed that the main character appeared to hold his pipe in his back teeth. I also noticed that Kevin Costner did the same on Hatfield and McCoys. So I gave it a try, and while my jaw did not get tired and it was easier to talk, the smoke was pointed in a different direction and I did not get much in terms of flavor. I was wondering if they did this just for the movie, while acting, so that they could keep the pipe in their mouth for a long time while saying their lines. All of this got me thinking, where do other pipe smokers hold their pipes in their mouths and why did they choose that location.

 

[stokesdale]

Canted outward at about 30 degrees from the front teeth, gripped just behind the upper eye tooth. The lip usually ends up somewhere and inch or so back from the tip of my tongue. I never grip with my front teeth or eye teeth. I chose that location simply because it was most comfortable for me.

 

[Old School 3319]

Mine hangs to the left

 

[Fiddlepiper]

Mine hangs to the left

I also dress to the left...

 

[Grangerous]

The thin end, but knew a gal once....

 

[ray47]

I sense this is going to be a fun thread with plenty of home spun humor.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I had an uncle who would clench a pipe on the porch while taking a nap. It would just dangle freely, with a thin wisp of smoke emanating from it. Never once did he drop a pipe while sleeping. All of his pipes had a hole in the stem where he would sink a tooth into it like a grappling hook. I still have one of his pipes, but I can't smoke it, because my tooth doesn't fit the same way.

 

[stokesdale]

Mine hangs to the left

So I guess the left one is slightly larger than the other...

 

[lukasstrifeson]

Depends on the pipe and the stem I guess, but my preference is for a firm molar clench - either hanging or straight, again depending on weight, shape and a lot of other factors.

 

[Old School 3319]

So I guess the left one is slightly larger than the other...

View attachment 64168

I never really paid attention but the older I get the father down they hang

 

[markus]

I'm not much of a clencher, but more to the front left, just behind the canine seems to be the most comfortable for me.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

I gently but firmly clench down with my molar ?, usually on the left side with a 30 degree down angle for maximum comfort. However, most of the time I handle my pipe. ?️

 

[mordy18]

I generally move it side to side and try to vary the depth, sometimes just the tip and sometimes halfway down the stem.

 

[tschiraldi]

Button locks in just behind the right canine. Angled to the right.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I think I have different ways that I hold different pipes, to corelate with the weight, distribution, and hang. But, I always think it's so odd when I see an actor in a recent movie or series that just has a pipe hanging straight out under his nose. You can really tell when someone has never actually smoked a pipe before.

 

[Pondfisher]

Yeah..this looks...unnatural..plus......where is the bushy beard and gruff demeanor?

 

[Civil War]

Yeah..this looks...unnatural..plus......where is the bushy beard and gruff demeanor?
View attachment 64186

Agreed, that just looks wrong.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I clinch at an angle. I switch right and left sides, this is easier on my tongue and teeth.

 

[Civil War]

Button locks in just behind the right canine. Angled to the right.

Yeah, that's similar to how I hold my pipe, other than I tend to clench it just in front of my right canine.

 

[krizzose]

I clench with my canine and first bicuspid on the stem just in front of the button, either side of my mouth. It's what has felt the most comfortable and secure for me. A softy bit with the button cut off and placed right in front of the stem button is the perfect size to prevent me from (1) destroying a vulcanite stem with my teeth, or (2) destroying my teeth with an acrylic stem.