Pipes With Thin Or Narrow Mouthpieces?

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Jrsower

Lurker
Jun 13, 2020
14
18
Southeast United States
The typical pipe has a flat, wide stem. I’m wondering if there are pipes that have a narrow stem.
I suspect that most have a wide stem so you can clench without it breaking.
Just wondering what’s out there in production that has a skinny or more narrow stem.
 
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M

MARC52

Guest
The Savinelli Petite and Falcon have a narrow flat stem and low profile button. I own both and find them comfortable and easy to clench.
 

Toast

Part of the Furniture Now
Feb 15, 2021
660
1,312
UK
I find too wide uncomfortable - & a touch of curve helps it it sit in my teeth better - but mouths & teeth not being standard...
 
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makhorkasmoker

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 17, 2021
564
1,356
Central Florida
I’m interested in pipes with narrow stems too. The various sizes of Missouri meerschaum stems work perfectly for me (so much so that the material, plastic or acrylic, doesn’t matter to me). Even a round stem on a clay works for me, tho it isn’t the most comfortable. But I keep trying different briars and the stems just aren’t right for me—and I think it’s the wide-ness and relative flatness of the stems.
 
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Rpink53

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 31, 2020
294
3,627
Pittsburgh, PA
I would say in general the smaller the pipe, the better the chance of having a more narrow stem. Stick with vulcanite too.

I've seen the widest stems used to support heavy pipes. I have a 20 gram Group 2 Dunhill with a very narrow stem
 

badbeard

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 9, 2017
284
585
Kentucky, USA
Not in production, but as mentioned above virtually all the Dr. Grabows in the Westbrook, Starfire lines had very thin profiles, particularly anything in saddle. Also Thin Bite which is known for this particular trait. Many French production pipes have petite stems on the button end(both low profile and narrow).
 
Feb 12, 2022
3,405
46,970
31
North Georgia mountains.
Its pretty regular as far as width, but i have a few older Comoys that have quite thin stems. Id have to dig em up to give you years on them, but a few of them are super thin while others are like the standard Comoys stem.
 

bluegrassbrian

Your Mom's Favorite Pipe Smoker
Aug 27, 2016
5,974
51,375
41
Louisville
I love not only a thin bit, but a fairly narrow taper too. Not very common these days in production pipes or even most independent carvers. Most seem to embrace the FT style.

The smallest mouthpiece I've experienced on a contemporarily made pipe was a Tom Eltang Liverpool. Not a full custom one, but the sort of mid-line ones he was doing a couple years ago. I was surprised how small they were.
Also, Gus Cunha (MarTelo) can and does implement a wonderfully narrow taper at the bit.

As far as the older English marques go, in my experience, smaller sized BBB and Loewe pipes from 1910-1950 frequently had very compact bits (especially orific ones).

Im nearly exclusively a clencher and my premolars facilitate a flush fit with the aforementioned pipes.
 
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didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
9,895
31,635
34
Burlington WI
I wish more companies measured the width of the stem and button. Pipes of the "freehand" style have a stem that's too wide for me. I've found Grabow/Kaywoodie/ Savinelli are all in my good range.

Had a Scotts burner, but the stem was more rounded and very thin. Too uncomfortable for me so I sold it.
 
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K.E. Powell

Can't Leave
Aug 20, 2022
493
1,781
37
West Virginia
I find my preference varies with mood and circumstance. I do like the typical fishtail stems, and I am the kind of person also to be inclined to put softie bits on most of my stems. At the same time, I got a cob with a very narrow stem that I used to hate, but now I rather enjoy it and see its value (it's still a bitch to pass a pipe cleaner through, though). And I've come around on P-lips and enjoy them.

I guess I'm just not super particular about stems. Acrylic or vulcanite, wide or thin, I can make 'em work and see the value of all of them. I guess if I was forced to choose just one type, I'd go fishtail.
 

VDL_Piper

Part of the Furniture Now
Jun 4, 2021
943
10,235
Tasmania, Australia
Tom Eltang pipes are renowned for their buttons and stems and Tom takes great care in finishing them. They are fine and very neat and feel small in the mouth but like all hand made artisan pipes they come at a price.