Sucking On Acrylic - Tastes When Not Lit?

[PipeIT]

I find that I occasionally have a habit of drawing on my stem when it’s not lit, to enjoy the flavors I’ll notice.

Sometimes it’s quite pleasant, and I’ll experience different flavors.

But, I’ve noticed quite often, when it comes to Acrylic stems, I get a plastic chemical taste, that I don’t experience with Vulcanite/Cumberland stems, when I do this.

I’ve come to realize too, if sucking on a Vulcanite/Cumberland stem when the pipe is not lit, it’s a better, cleaner taste. This also makes me wonder, the differences when smoking the pipe, if Vulcanite/Cumberland helps to deliver a cleaner smoking taste.

We always hear people talking about the comfort between Acrylic and Vulcanite, but I’ve never heard before any talks about taste differences, and now I’m starting to wonder.

Hmm anyone else notice these things between the different materials?

 

[Briar Lee]

It makes sense, because while hot rubber stinks, a tire shop full of new tires smells wonderful.

New plastic, in any larger quantity, smells bad, plasticy, a gassy odor.

There have to be reasons why vulcanite stems are still vastly more popular than acrylic.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Makes sense, but I've honestly never experienced it with any acrylic pipe stem, new or used. I still remember the smell of cutting plastic in "shop" back in junior high days while making a letter opener, lol, but smell or taste has never been an issue with pipe stems for me.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

There have to be reasons why vulcanite stems are still vastly more popular than acrylic.

They are softer and more comfortable for many. Some acrylic stems seem "clacky" to me to bite down on, don't affect me physically, but just a little different. The couple of pipes I have that I really notice that with are in the Nording Hunter series, and others in that series, no issues, maybe more about the design/shape of the stem on a couple and the straight ones more noticeable than bent, not sure.

 

[PipeIT]

I can’t be the only one that draws on the stem when the pipe isn’t lit... hmm

I swear I’ve noticed this with a lot of pipes with acrylic stems.

It’s also like, when the pipe is new, the plastic/chemical taste coming through the stem is stronger, but dissipates as it gets older with time.

 

[bullet08]

I don't usually clench or draw on unlit pipe. I have cigarettes for that.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I can’t be the only one that draws on the stem when the pipe isn’t lit... hmm

If you were, would it matter? If it's something you enjoy doing, run with it.

 

[PipeIT]

If you were, would it matter? If it's something you enjoy doing, run with it.

Nope...

I just assumed others would suck on their pipes unlit too...

Happy New Year Chasing!

 

[Chasing Embers]

Nope...

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

Hot acrylic definitely smells bad when you're drilling it, but at room temperature I don't notice any smell/flavor.
Oppositely you can just about always taste Ebonite.

 

[J-Evverrett]

I do sometimes when I can’t smoke, it helps me think. Otherwise, I’m probably smoking it. The vast majority of mine are acrylic. I can’t say I’ve ever noticed a taste from acrylic though. Maybe there are different grades used? Or, ones which were hand cut as opposed to molded? I have both, and never noticed anything.

 

[Davy]

I`ve never noticed any chemical or bad taste with acrylic stems.
On the other hand, oxidized stems are not the greatest, especially when it's the lower quality vulcanite.