Although I'm sure that there are thermal differences in wood, if your pipe is heating up in only one area, I would guess that it's because the tobacco is burning hotter in that one area and it coming from improper packing or lighting.
Straight Grain: Better Heat Transfer/Conduction
- Thread starter F4RM3R
- Start date
I think it's all a part of the magic of pipes. Obviously something that defies science and reason has been placed upon some of the more alluring straight grains. It's harder to find witch doctors these days like our grand pappy's used to use back in the old days. But, we are left with wondering whether these pipes have had intentional spells cast upon them, or if the pipemaker had inadvertently triggered the wrath of evil spirits. 
So......scientific proof? Looks as though straight grain pipes will transfer heat better than other types of grain.. well it's not specifically talking about briar though.
I do realize many people have argued against this point(and continue to! Haha) and I'm not saying straight grain pipes smoke hot or non-straight grain smoke cool, or that the quality of the smoke is even noticably different. Just wondering if anyone else had the same observations.
These observations are of pipes with different shapes, bowl sizes and amounts of cake. They should perform quite differently, but seem to have the same quality of quick transfer of even heat. Could be just "good pipes" or "bad pipes" depending on who you talk to.
Thanks for all the responses!
Yeh, on a forum like this, it's cool and fun usually to discuss things like this, but to keep your sanity, you just have to realize that on some issues you aren't going to change anyone's minds. If you find straight grains to burn hotter, then by all means allow this to affect your personal decisions on what type of pipe to purchase next. But, on something like this, we most likely aren't going to be able to change the "hive mind."
I'm not sure why, but lately, I've found that this forum has some issues that it isn't willing to keep an open mind about. Issues that in the past would have been more entertaining and educational to discuss.
I'm not sure why, but lately, I've found that this forum has some issues that it isn't willing to keep an open mind about. Issues that in the past would have been more entertaining and educational to discuss.
I figure I'll post this question here as it's relevant- The exterior of the bowl is getting hot as hell but the pipe is smoking cool and fine... any ideas? what can be done? it's as hot as a clay exterior
It's difficult to compare briar to pine because of the differences of density and silica content. But I would say yes, straight grains are proven scientifically superior (just because it will make peoples head explode lol)
Heat conductance is a property of matter, and varies with the matter itself.
In a block of matter, one should expect heat conductance to be uniform only if the block of matter itself is uniform. If the block of matter varies in characteristics such as density, then the heat conductance of that block of matter will also vary with the distribution of density.
If you expect a block of wood, which is far from uniform, to have physical properties that only apply to a uniform block of matter, maybe you already used that pocketknife on yourself and have just forgotten the experience. Perhaps your nurse needs to clean up your drool now.
Now, whether or not that difference in heat conductance is enough to feel in the hand is a matter for experiment.
Out of curiosity as to whether there was a device of some sort to test thermal properties, I use the Goog... 
You'd think that there would a be a handheld device of some sort that you could use to test on various pipes, but... Surely there is a better way. How do they get so many RF factors for different materials used in construction?
I guess they just use one of these. Anyone have one we can use?
You'd think that there would a be a handheld device of some sort that you could use to test on various pipes, but... Surely there is a better way. How do they get so many RF factors for different materials used in construction?
I guess they just use one of these. Anyone have one we can use?
This is what seems to make sense if there's anything to it all all. I could see the heat following the grain, as it would Birdseye, vs across the grain.
For the fun of conjecture, what if it is because on a crosscut grain pipe, the oils from the wood have more easily dried, making those short grains more insulated, and on a straight grain pipe, the oils have not been able to easily dissipate, making the oils more conductive.
I know, I know, the wood should have been dried up before making the pipe... but it has always baffled me that it seems to be straight grain that comes up in these types of posts. Otherwise, I would have the same thinking about the heat following the grain.
Oooo, or if on a crossgrain the heat just more easily dissipates... and on a straight grain, since the grain fibers are longer, slowing dissipation of the heat, they just emanate the heat from the side more slowly, causing the heat to build up.
Just brainstorming...
Please, somebody make a controversial political comment so this thread can be locked!
Has anyone ever used one of those thermal imaging things on a pipe? It seems like it would be interesting to play with. Hell, they are like $2000+
I believe that the density of the briar would play a larger role of how heat is held or disbursed. I agree with Cosmic, a smooth bowl tends to be warmer to the touch than rusticated. I would also take into consideration the coatings, varnish, shellac, could trap the heat in the wood.
From a corn cob pipe view, I can definitely say the coated cobs get hotter for a longer period of time than the natural. The natural will get a little warm if you're freight training, however it cools quicker.
From a corn cob pipe view, I can definitely say the coated cobs get hotter for a longer period of time than the natural. The natural will get a little warm if you're freight training, however it cools quicker.
Of course a smooth bowl feels warmer to the touch, your fingers are contacting a much larger surface area.
I definitely agree with that. But I wonder if the heat is really just being trapped by the coating. Unless it is a very rough texture in the rustication, your fingers are still making a lot of contact to the surface. I wish I had an unfinished briar to compare.
I just smoke ‘em the way they want to be smoked! These guys probably have sound systems that can produce “accuracy” beyond the ability of the human ear to discern it. Yowzer!Hysterical, really.
see the thing is you'd have to make a bunch of pipes that are all the same in nearly everyway that have different grains to test this. Which you know is one of the funny things about science. There isn't really a reason to sink time and material and all that into figuring this out. Too much for for knowing if this is just what people think or if it is what is really happening. The thing is obviously the internal structure of something would effect it's thermal properties. Like how you pack a pipe for example. Now if it effects it like we think that's where it gets confusing.
Had a bowl in sorta straight grain pipe. But smoked English blend in it. Not sure if it was the grain or blend. Didn't get hot at all. I need a flaming hot Va to test.
Actually, I just want to see a few different pipes types being smoked through a thermal imaging device. We can post the video of it everytime someone like F4RM3R here has a notion to bring attention to his precious "straight grain" pipes.
JK... science, yeh.... it's science.