After they've been smoked a bit they dun stick as much -- though after you fire them you'll have to be reaaly careful.
licking the tip, putting on a wax coating, or buying them coated all work -- the bear thing would work well too, and if you like the taste would impart at least some it to your smoke, though I can't say how much without trying it, and I hate beer so I won't be doing that. The cleanliness of the pipe would also affect how much the beer soaked in.
Clays start off tasting -only- of the tobacco in them -- well and just a tiny bit of clay, which seems like a totally different thing rather than melding with the normal tastes.
Be careful clenching. . . you think lip lining hurt, what happens when you break the stem would likely be worse ha ha.
they take certain kinds of abuse very well, and certain others very poorly.
Still, on the all I'm starting to like them more than briars, and they can be smoked repeatedly without rest. My favourite, though I've only had it about a week is already starting to season well.
