Salivating When Clenching

[RPK]

I agree with K.E. Powell. I could never hold a cigarette, cigar or even a toothpick in my lips or mouth without having the saliva start.

Tried the rubber piece and seemed to only make it worse ? ?

I would add that the picture of me with the pipe in my mouth in my avatar was strictly for the picture.

 

[The Libertine]

I used to salivate a lot but once I started smoking cigars I don't have that problem.

 

[kcghost]

I used to have a very modest problem with salivating, but it went away after a reasonable amount of time,

 

[thomasw]

My dentist told me that having active saliva glands is a good thing for breaking down stuff; so I see it as a positive aspect. Now as for dealing with it in your piping, there have been some great suggestions mentioned:>

1. Use fluffy pipe cleaners to absorb moisture while you puff; don't treat them like $20 bills; use them frequently -- use them whenever you sense gurgling or obstruction. You may use 3 or 4 during a smoke if you have extremely active saliva glands.

2. use pipes with a mass you find "goldilocks"; it will be what works best for you. For example, I used to like larger briars but I am now firmly in the less than 60g group, and most of my main rotation is 40g to 25g in mass. This helps me as a clencher. Another aspect to this will be the shape; some shapes can be more massive yet still hang or be clenched without provoking saliva flow. YMMV

3. puff with a slow sip. keep the heat to a minimum so that your saliva does not need to get super active to rinse your mouth etc.

4. with practice you will get better at managing your saliva flow, as with most things we practice.

hope this helps...

 

[bullet08]

Do Marl Brando. Stick a wad of cotton ball in each cheek. I sounds like a possible solution, but I'm sorry to say it was just a joke.

I do drool when I clench. Since i don't smoke as often, I carry paper towel with me. Not to stuff 'em in my mouth, but to wipe off drool.

Good news is, it will drool less as time goes on. But keep your hankie with you at all time.

 

[dingdong]

Maybe if the mouth is too dry, then saliva automatically came out to wet/cool the mouth cavity etc..? I had some issues in the past, nowadays i always have some drink around

 

[Searock Fan]

You have the Pavlov effect. It should lessen in time.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Luckily, never had a drooling into the stem problem, or if I did, it was so long ago I done plumb fergot.

(sp intentional)

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

There isn't much to understand, to be honest. It's like sweating, i.e. some people sweat a lot and others don't. Conditioning can help some but not all.

I can only speak for myself, but having anything in my mouth for more than a minute makes me salivate. I've tried to condition myself out of it, but the effect has been minimal.

 

[Jahman7]

I think pipe design makes a difference here as well, with respect to salivation. A larger, bent pipe may be more conducive to collecting saliva in the stem than a smaller billiard design, for example. Something to consider. Also the way the pipe is held. If clenching just behind the button and allowing the pipe to have a downward cant, also more conducive. If a smaller, lightweight, straight billiard is clenched a little farther back with the sides of the teeth finding a comfortable spot which reduces weight on the teeth and keeps the pipe more upright, i'd think this would both be a more comfortable position for longer clenching and less conducive to the collection of saliva in the process due to position and orientation.

In addition, over life things change as well. I never was much of a clencher for most of my piping years until relatively recently. My tastes trended toward larger, chunkier danish styles and slowly gravitated toward lighter, Italian briars and finally i'm starting to really appreciate smaller bowls and clenching became a natural part of that experience. Also find myself smoking more pipes while driving these days, which used to be a time when i'd smoke more cigars. Things change, preferences evolve, techniques develop, the discoveries never end, hence we call it the pipe journey.

I second this. I generally avoid bent pipes and large pipes for this reason.