Stem Etiquette

[saltedplug]

I see all of these people with those rubber stem condoms on. I also see guys with plastic seat covers in their trucks, my grandma with her plastic covered sun room furniture, people buying and using things like they're prepared to sell them off at a moments notice without a hint of themselves on the things. I don't understand this at all.

The sentiment and examples are fantastic!

 

[Fiddlepiper]

It’s never been a concern for me. I don’t actively gnaw on my stems but neither do I coddle them. Pipes are there to be smoked and enjoyed. Plus stems can always be replaced...

 

[jpmcwjr]

I dunno about that analogy. Have you ever gone at it with a woman with such passionate ferocity that you've broken the bed, busting apart the frame, sending the both of you to the floor, without interrupting the action? Screaming, clawing, the downstairs neighbors pounding on their ceiling, then coming upstairs to pound on the door and you don't stop for nobody? I sure have.

And I still don't like tooth marks on my stems.

Same.

Only when my lady and I broke the bed we went into paroxysms....... of laughter!

 

[dcicero]

I dont think I take a draw unless the pipe is clenched. I don't clench the entire time, but when I go for a puff I clench it at least for that period of time. I really wanted the rubber, I think because I thought it would be more comfortable on my teeth. But really they were just way too uncomfortable. Though they are thin, they felt thick to me and in the way. I tried them on 2 separate occasions and tossed them for the same reason. If my stem gets marks, screw it.

 

[anotherbob]

If you had scrappy uneven teeth you understand the bit condoms. I use to be the guy with seat covers on my new truck when my passengers were two GSPs.

two whats?

 

[anotherbob]

oh only have tooth marks in two of my pipes the falcon and the Italian Canadian. That said I find wear too be part of the charms of pipes. I don't like pristine pipes. I like polished cared for pipes but a few tooth marks and some build up around the rim are nice. You know like scratched furniture makes me happy because it says a kitty has been here and marks on a pipe say this pipe has been enjoyed.

 

[ChuckMijo]

I’m hard on my walking around pipes. It just is what it is. My high end expensive pipes.. I baby.

 

[sablebrush52]

Same.

Only when my lady and I broke the bed we went into paroxysms....... of laughter!

We did as well, after we finished, while surveying the destruction of the bedroom.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Those rubber bits are totally uncomfortable, I can't see it. I thought they were one of those jokes, like condoms and lifejackets.. But I see that people use them. I have a friend who swears by em.. Makes you wonder how many Times he's had gonorrhea and if he can swim.

I live tiny teeth marks.. My teeth are sharp. I'd bet each person leaves a different level of damage due to the way their teeth are laid out.

 

[telescopes]

I thought this thread was about the etiquette of using your pipe stem to punctuate your conversation. You know, a pointer.

 

[Peter Peachfuzz]

two whats?

German Shorthaired Pointers sometimes wet and muddy.

 

[rushx9]

German Shorthaired Pointers sometimes wet and muddy.

Don't Google "GSP slang" like I did... ??

 

[krizzose]

As someone who uses the pipe rubbers, I do so mostly for reasons of comfort.

Ditto for me on most of my pipes. I personally don't care much what the outside of my pipes look like. I have an equal amount of concern for opinions on softy bits from those who don't use them, as fascinating as those opinions are and so gratuitously given.

 

[spike]

I see all of these people with those rubber stem condoms on. I also see guys with plastic seat covers in their trucks, my grandma with her plastic covered sun room furniture, people buying and using things like they're prepared to sell them off at a moments notice without a hint of themselves on the things. I don't understand this at all.

It's my damn pipe, I'll bite it if I want. That said, I don't tend to mar up my stems, but if I did, so f'n what? It's way better than being scared to enjoy the things you own.

I use the “condoms” to protect my TEETH not the stems. All but two of my 32 pipes have acrylic stems, so i don’t worry about disfiguring them.

 

[anotherbob]

I use the “condoms” to protect my TEETH not the stems. All but two of my 32 pipes have acrylic stems, so i don’t worry about disfiguring them.

don't worry he's just venting because his wife still makes him wear a condom, which is confusing cause she won't let him get it anywhere near her. You're just the target of his misaimed dissatisfaction. Or at least that's what I assume since the hostility doesn't make sense any other way.

 

[F4RM3R]

I try not too chew the things up, but I'm not too concerned. I'm a little more rough with the stems that can be easily replaced though, like a cob or 9mm filter style.

 

[Kottan]

I leave chatter on my stems over time. A pipe I've owned for decades looks almost new. It's a Bari, a discontinued Danish factory pipe.

Yes Bari was a good brand. I have an estate from 1996 and no problems with clenching - right or left side.

 

[burleybreath]

I only use rubbers on my car pipes, for secure clenching. Hated them initially. My other pipes have varying degrees of indentation, especially my Dunhills, which were acquired before learning that anyone anywhere cared. I still don't care. And I like filthy bowl rims. Ever seen Mark Twain's Peterson? Perfect pipes annoy me and look weirdly anal, probably owned by communists or lepers. Other than that mild quibble, each to his own, I say.

 

[tobefrank]

I'm a sit down, pipe in hand kinda guy, so no need for rubbers for me (I guess that could be read the wrong way ?).

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

I was actually thinking about getting a few until learning their called "rubbers"!! LOL!!