Rubber or Vinyl "Tips" for Pipes

[mongoose108]

Hello everyone,
Another newbie question, hope it helps someone besides me. So, I see from my Youtube research that many pipe smokers put a rubber or vinyl sleeve over tip of the pipe. Is this a common practice? Does it make it more difficult to clean the pipe? Sanitary or unsanitary? I'd like to hear what you guys do, if you have tried it, stopped for any reason etc.

Thanks
Gary
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[darwin]

I use 'em exclusively. Many hate 'em. I like them because they go easy on my teeth and the pipe but they do require maintenance. They aren't unsanitary if you are the only one using them but if one salivates overmuch then wiping the pipe and the rubber bit down after every smoke is recommended. In addition if one is a heavy clencher then the likelihood of tooth marks on a stem is drastically reduced.

 

[voorhees]

I use them on pipes for different reasons. Some for clenching and others for preventing chatter. As for cleaning, I pull the stem and run hot water through the stem followed by a few pipe cleaners.

 

[mso489]

I like softie bits for my Missouri Meerschaum pipes that do not have Forever acrylic stems added. The

stock stems on MM cobs are soft plastic and chew through too soon otherwise. I haven't noticed any

sanitation problems, only if you smoke only a few cobs and nothing else. I think the softie bits are

also easier on the teeth and might be a good idea for larger pipes where there is a lot of pressure

and leverage on your teeth either just lighting and relighting, or if you clench a big pipe. My larger pipes,

I usually smoke in-hand. If you have any dental sensitivities or problems with the teeth that you use

to clench a pipe, I'd recommend the softies on all your pipes.

 

[phil67]

I avoided the softie bits for a long time as I couldn’t stand the way they felt when I clenched. Hard to describe other than to say that it just felt very alien to me. I then decided to cut off the ‘lip’ on the softie bits and it greatly improved the way they feel to me and I now have them on all of my pipes. However, I always, and without fail, remove the softie bit when I’m finished with the pipe and wipe of the end of the stem with a cloth and the inside and outside of the softie with a dab of alcohol when I first noticed just how much saliva accumulates on the bit and on the inside of the softie bit. There is no way on earth I’m going to let a pipe sit like that over time!
If by chance you have a difficult time in placing a softie bit on a stem like a wide fishtail stem there is a simple little trick. Simply rub a very small dab of ChapStick on the end of the stem, rub it around with your fingers and the softie bit will then easily slide on.

 

[johnnyreb]

Whenever I want one I just use surgical tubing from the hardware store. 5/8" OD x 1/2" ID is the size I think for most wide saddle bits. You want a tight fit and soaking the tubing in hot water helps to slip it on the bit after cutting to length. It's not as durable as a softie bit but at $0.59 a ft who cares? And it doesn't have the lip on it either.

 

[admin]

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Thanks for being a member and participating.
Thread title fixed.
Please see rule 9 here along with the rest of the forum rules
- Kevin

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[jmill208]

Use 'em. Like 'em.

 

[saltedplug]

I avoided them in that they felt out of place in my mouth. At that point a pipe that I'd smoked over and over developed two small tooth marks. But then I really started damaging stems, for whatever reason chomping harder, and now I have softies on all my pipes. It didn't take much time to accommodate to them, and now I love them, as they make clenching easier.

 

[natibo]

I'm a vulcanite hater, so my stems are mostly acrylic. I use them on the heavier pipes. You get used to them. I actually like them. An acrylic stem with a rubber bit is easier on the teeth than a vulcanite stem without one.

 

[tallguy]

A rubber bit came in (for free) with a MM corn cob I ordered 2 weeks ago. Loved it. I feel it is much easier to hold the pipe in place in my mouth.

This week, I ordered a few rubber bits so that I can put on the remainder of my pipes.

 

[darwin]

I keep plenty on hand, in two sizes, so when I bite through one I can replace it immediately. I even have a few clear versions for use on colored stems.

 

[tallguy]

Nice to know there are some clear one... but have not seen these anywhere. Where do you find them?

 

[darwin]

Ebay
Softy
They're more translucent than clear but they do look better on colored stems.

 

[pipestud]

I am really surprised at the number of people chiming in saying they use the "softy bits." I go to pipe shows and see maybe one person in 200 using one. Not a single member of my local pipe club ( monthly meetings number between 15-20 people) use them. After 40 years of smoking a pipe I reckon its time to try one... but only in the privacy of my own home when no one's watching, of course. 8O
Pipestud

 

[darwin]

Us old guys with problematic choppers find them quite handy. They allow me to clench which is something I can not do without them. I suppose they can be considered a necessary medical device.

 

[haroldt]

Hey Mongoose. I posted a similar question when I first joined the forum. While I'm sure you have your answer already, if you'd like to check out the replies I got, here is the link http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/where-the-rubber-meets-the-teeth
In that link, Kashmir had an interesting thought. He uses surgical rubber. I bought some at my local Ace Hardware store, It works great. I use both this and the black ones made for pipes that you can buy at many places.
I guess I have had them on my pipes for about a year and I've just replaced them last week. I will begin replacing them sooner in the future as I could tell a big difference when I put new rubber on.

 

[carytobacco]

Use them, for clenching.

 

[tallguy]

Darwin, thank's for the information.