Pipe Geometry - What to Look For

[whsergent]

At the risk of stirring up some controversy, I thought I'd give this a share, only because this conversation has been driven towards how much impact engineering has on the smoking experience. I'm not quite sold on this, but its worth some thought, especially for those who can afford to purchase multiple high-end pipes to test the theory

Airflow: The Key to Smoking Pleasure - Pipedia

pipedia.org

Yep, good drilling and an even unobstructed airway are important for a good smoke.
I had a bent lane era charatan that i chipped the end of the tenon, maybe an eighth of an inch chip, and ever after that pipe had a tendency to gurgle, probably because the ragged tenon end was causing water vapor to condense out of the smoke.
Technique is important, but you can only do so much with bad tools.

 

[cigrmaster]

I need a pipe cleaner to pass not because of excess moisture as all my pipes smoke dry, but need one to clear the airway when a piece of tobacco gets stuck. This happens on occasion and I need a pipe cleaner to clear the blockage. Just the other day it took mt 3 bristle cleaners to clear a blockage and that was a first. I normally just use a fluffy and will be done with it on the first try.

There are all kinds of engineering issues that make some pipes smoke better than others. I have been told many over the years but forgot them all except one. If you have turbulence going through the stem, the pipe will gurgle.

Before Rad Davis retired he explained how much time he took smoothing the inside of the stem and shank.