So What Constitutes a Good Pipe?

[wayneteipen]

That's a touchy question, pitchfork. I made a vow to myself to never disparage or criticize another pipemaker's work unsolicited openly on social media so I have to tread lightly. Besides, who am I to be the judge. Every pipemaker started out making "turd pipes" and almost all of them (myself included) put some on the market early on mostly out of ignorance of what a quality pipe should be. A poorly made pipe is one that lacks a certain level of quality in all of the categories you mention. There is less room for variation in terms of how a pipe should be properly engineered to maximize performance. Here's are some things I would identify as qualities of a well made pipe.
Engineering:

-airway diameter between 9/64" and 5/32" or metric equivalents

-airway diameter in the bowl equals the airway diameter tapered in the stem

-V-slot at least 3/4" deep in the stem that widens at least to the width of the airway (9/64" or 5/32") to eliminate restrictions in the airway

-slot height of 3/64" to 1/16"

-stem airway that is smooth and preferably polished

-airway in the bowl terminates in the center of the bottom of the mortise or is ramped to properly meet at the center of the mortise in bent pipes when the design doesn't allow drilling to terminate in the bottom center

-countersunk airway at the end of the tenon

-approximately 1mm gap between the end of the tenon and the bottom of the mortise

-airway in the bowl line up with the airway in the stem/tenon without lips, burs, steps, etc that could cause turbulence

-airway that terminates bottom center of the tobacco chamber

-bowl walls at least 1/4" thick in all areas

-tobacco chamber diameter between 11/16" and 1 1/8"
Fit and Finish/Comfort:

-bit thickness between 0.17" to 0.14" behind the button

-slot edges rounded and smooth

-button height and depth not too small or big (I don't know an acceptable range here but know the range I like mine)

-no sharp points on the button but still crisp in appearance

-stem and shank face polished and finished

-No scratch/tool marks on a smooth finish and stem

-slightly rounded and polished outer edge of tenon (prevents wearing the walls of the mortise over time resulting in a loose fitting stem)

-no sharp edges around the outer edge of the tobacco chamber at the rim

-stem thickness typically between approximately 3/4" and 1" (give or take)

-finish even without blotchiness and polished smooth with no overbuffed areas

-No known natural flaws that go deep enough to violate the 1/4" wall thickness rule and definitely no flaws that go all the way from the outside of the bowl to the inside of the chamber

-no flaws in the tobacco chamber more than sand specks

-tobacco chambers sanded smooth

-stain doesn't bleed on hands when held and smoked

-airway in the briar isn't burnt while drilling

-airway is deburred where it enters the tobacco chamber

-mortise is chamfered slightly at the shank end
Aesthetics:
This one is tougher to nail down because beauty is in the eye of the beholder but there are certain things that definitely help so I'll list a few that are often discussed on the pipemaker's forum.
-stem angle follows the visual line of the shank

-stem length proportionate to the overall design of the pipe (this one is complex and the general rules one can follow would take too much time to describe)

-bend in the stem compliments the lines/curves of the pipe visually. Typically slightly underbent is better than overbent.

-symmetrical designs are actually symmetrical from left to right and often front to back as pertains to the bowl

-shape compliments the grain and lines up optimally with the shape

-certain size and number of surface flaws result in a rusticated or sandblasted pipe rather than left smooth and/or filled

-bowl size is proportionate to the shank and stem size

-even finish whether smooth, rusticated, or sandblasted

-transition between shank and bowl is cut properly (common mistakes are making the transition too sharp or not removing enough material)

-adornments are well proportioned (ie. shank rings aren't too thick or significantly bigger in diameter compared to the shank, shank rings that are too thick, etc.)
I'm sure I've missed a lot here but it's a pretty good place to start. Also, slight variations from some of these points may not result in a bad pipe in and of themselves but can pose other problems. For example, some like an 11/64" airway for a more open draw but the draw back is that tobacco can get in the airway a bit easier.

 

[wayneteipen]

It's simply, to me at least, not very ethical to pass down a defective pipe.

I agree. That being said, a pipe that doesn't smoke well for one piper may smoke great for another. If there are obvious and unacceptable defects it shouldn't be put back on the market. There are some compromises in quality that have been accepted by the pipe community though that aren't considered "defective." Full disclosure is always the best way to go in those cases.

 

[sparrowhawk]

You're quite right, there are genuine differences that doesn't mean a pipe is defective. Mine was detected as having cracks inside the bowl. I can't imagine how the fellow detected that. But I would have never put it for sale if I knew that.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ok, here is one bit of pipe lore that has been a topic many times on here. A bent stemmed pipe is more subject to condensation, because of the turbulence of the bend. The stem then acts as a condenser, causing condensation to form from the water that is a natural bi-product of combustion no matter which tobacco, how dry it is, or weather. All of the danish pipes that I have handled from Nording to Former have a draft come out a little above the bottom of the chamber. Every single one at The Briary is drilled this way. When I ask Skip, bless his heart, he just says that the Danish don't have the same sense of quality as the American buyers expect. But, when I asked Eric Nording, it is to give the water droplets somewhere to evacuate the stem, so that it doesn't gurgle. If it were drilled flush with the bottom, it would gurgle. That s just the nature of bent pipes. Putting stones in the bottom of the pipe to raise the tobacco for the purists who want to smoke that very last puff from the dottle is common in land of Vikings, and Nording even markets a stone for this purpose.
So, are Danish pipe makers less quality savvy than the US pipe smokers, or is this just a myth amongst the American pipe market?
I can see an issue f there is a half an inch of space, but I learned to expect at most a quarter inch of space to eliminate the gurgle. My Tinsky bent bulldog has a very flush draft, and it gurgles when pushed, but I have learned to smoke it very slow, eliminating this problem. The draft is practically smooth to a polish. And, the transition from stummel to stem in the draft is very well done. I see my Danish pipes as being much easier to smoke, and the dottle is just a small issue, not enough of an issue to bother me. Why do we have the word like dottle, if it doesn't happen? And, my Tinsky can be smoked very well, just slower.
For me, the consumer, I think both are of equal quality, just different. But, for me, the smoker, it is me coming to how the pipes want to be (or should be) smoked, rather than expecting all of my pipes to smoke the same. Therefore the quality is subjective.
Sure, stems should fit, but not too tight. Sure, I have my preferences for stem feel. But, the engineering of the pipes are different, which to me is where the designer makes the biggest impact. Someone relying on all pipes to smoke the same, would have issue. But, for someone who sees these things as subjective wouldn't.
Besides, if an artisan consistently makes pipes that a market expecting "objective" quality deems inadequate smokers, our free market would catch on, especially in forums, pipe clubs, and just between repeat buyers. This is what has driven the US market in many areas or consumerism. However, people still drive cars that have been reported to turn over. People still buy cars that have been reported to take off on ignition and jump through garages. People still drive small cars that kill everyone in it on simple wrecks that are minor to most other cars. The market sees quality as subjective. I learn how to drive my Jeep, Audi, or MG in a way that the cars demands for safety and comfort. Bad cars have not disturbed any other part of the automobile market. Their drivers are usually emphatic about these cars.
The point that was made in the book that I mentioned is that every motorcycle, fro BMW to Hondas have their areas of quality, and even among the same model and make, different drivers demand a different level of maintenance. Therefore words like good, quality, and best are abstract concepts, subjective in nature and essence. The book applies this philosophy to various aspects of his life. It's a very good read. The rider comes to the bike, not the bike to the rider. It's a great read.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Dang this ten minute edit period. Grrrr.... I tried to add that the Danish and Tinskys are both of great quality to me, therefore while different engineering are both of great quality, but different and just subjective to the way it is smoked. Thus, who can deny when someone says there Rad Davis is a bummer to them, while others love the Rads?

 

[wayneteipen]

I'm still not buying that quality is really subjective but that's okay. To me, a Yugo is very different in quality to a Ferrari.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Haha, me too on the Yugos, but there may be that one guy in Oklahoma....

I've enjoyed the debate. And, I don't have to change anyone's mind. Articulation of the issues helps both sides, IMO.

I liked your lists above. Good stuff. We are lucky to have you o the forum with us.
Happy smokes!! ::

 

[wayneteipen]

Thanks cosmicfolklore. I agree. And the best takeaway is that we can have discussions and even disagree and still show each other respect. The inability to do so is some folks downfall. We all have our moments though. ::

 

[pitchfork]

That's a VERY thorough answer, Wayne. Much appreciated. Much of what you describe I had noticed in good pipes, but perhaps hadn't been conscious of. Some things I had never known were even an issue (e.g., rounding the tenon end a bit to avoid damage to the mortise). And of course I understand that you'd want to be circumspect as much as possible, but I think anyone can "reverse engineer" this and get a better idea of what kinds of pipes Johnson and others had in mind.
Again, I really appreciate the post -- I certainly learned a thing or two about my own pipes and about pipes in general.

 

[sablebrush52]

All of the danish pipes that I have handled from Nording to Former have a draft come out a little above the bottom of the chamber. Every single one at The Briary is drilled this way. When I ask Skip, bless his heart, he just says that the Danish don't have the same sense of quality as the American buyers expect. But, when I asked Eric Nording, it is to give the water droplets somewhere to evacuate the stem, so that it doesn't gurgle. If it were drilled flush with the bottom, it would gurgle.

Not just the Danes. All of my acorn shaped bent Barlings have the draft hole at least 1/8 inch above the bottom of the chamber. To quote myself in the "bad pipe" thread:

Drilling the airway flush with the bottom of the bowl is not advised with an extreme bent unless you like slurping brown juice with your smoke. It's like sticking a straw in the bottom of the glass. For those concerned, that's why pipe rocks were created.

I'm afraid Skip is wrong on this one.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Like what you smoke, and smoke what you like. ::
Yep, Skip is a talker, great guy. This is why sometimes we end up debating long past closing. Lora's phone call is what usually saves me, ha ha.

 

[jorgesoler]

You're quite right, there are genuine differences that doesn't mean a pipe is defective. Mine was detected as having cracks inside the bowl. I can't imagine how the fellow detected that. But I would have never put it for sale if I knew that.

Of course you wouldn't: that's what they call "morals," but some individuals don't seem to have any. It happened to me once. What happened was, I bought this Instagram pipe that looked amazing with a small hole against the air hole inside of the bowl. Like I am saying in the description, this is due to going a bit too far when drilling the air hole. The pipe maker who made it explained he wanted to keep it for himself, but that he needed the money, so he put it up for sale. If it was me, I'd never put that up for sale but, rather, I would have kept for myself. You can still smoke this pipe as the damage is minimal + the cake will cover it all up, but it wasn't fit for selling anyway. Because of this and other problems, I have committed myself not to buy any more Instagram "turds." Now I will only buy from reputable pipe makers, like Ian Walker (Northern Briars), Michel (Blakemar Briars), etc.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

It is true that most of the Instagram pipes are just crap, but I don´t see how BriarWorks, for instance, can justify the price tag they put on most of their pipes.

Part of the price tag is the name. Whether or not you like Todd he is a big name and has been for quite some time.
I'm sure another part of the price tag is the fact that the pipes are made here in the US. I mean you can't even get a Danish made Stanwell any more. Most Peterson's are made in Spain. Even Brigham has shipped production overseas.
Then there's the engineering. The bowls are on an 18-22mm taper. The bit is cut thinner than most and makes for a much more comfortable clench. The draft whole is flared out at the button which I can't recall seeing on any other factory pipe. I believe they've also opened the draft hole up slightly creating a much more effortless draw.
I also believe they're a bit more selective in the briar they use than most factories. From the examples I saw on the table at the West Coast Show I don't recall seeing a fill in any of the bowls.
I don't think they're outrageously priced either. The Icarus line runs between $120 and $220. The Neptune line I think starts around $150 and does go into the few hundred dollar range, because they're using an even more selective briar for it.
I will say this about Briarworks, you won't find a factory pipe in their price rage that has this much attention to the engineering and detail.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Are the Split Beard pipes an instagram pipe? I barely have any ideas what instagram is, except my youngest daughter uses it, and my oldest daughter says that it's for children. I guess there are grown men on there too, whateva.
Anyways, at my pipe club meeting last night there were six fresh Split Beards there for us to examine. We've started meeting at different cigar shops and this one had a bunch of these (what I call trucker/biker pipes). The Split Beards were damn fine pipes, and cheap as hell. The most expensive was $130 down to $85. But the buttons were better than most artisans, very similar to my Tinsky, except it was handmade, whereas a Tinsky stem is mold injected.
The whole display were these different Nashville guys, (I'm guessing probably self-taught) lots of flames, skulls, rebel flags and such. Most of us just walked by them, but I was curious if this was what the turd reference was being made to. Zack had mentioned the Nashville riff. But, anyways, none were even close to $300, much less $500, and the details looked great. Except, they just weren't my aesthetic. I wouldn't want any design on the side of my pipe, much less a... Anyways, if these are the turds referred to, I'd watch my step. The guys buying these pipes just might mess up your year or more, ha ha. But, they were a great group to hang with a enjoy a night of smoking and talking about tobaccos, ha ha.
It's sometimes nice to get out and meet new folks.