The Longer Stem The Cooler Smoke?

[viktor]

I got this pipe (a Ukrainian product by the way) for my birthday. Nice long thing I didn't notice the smoke being cooler, is it a legend or truth? Came with a pouch of Danish tobacco, really nice.

 

[renfield]

The length of the stem has far, far less to do with the temperature of the smoke stream than does how the smoker packs and smokes their pipe.

Nice looking pipe, hope it gives you many happy smokes.

 

[upnorth1]

I believe stem length has no effect on smoke temperature.

 

[verporchting]

The length of the stem has far, far less to do with the temperature of the smoke stream than does how the smoker packs and smokes their pipe.

This ^^^

 

[VDL_Piper]

Myth

 

[OlJawBone]

I remember in a thread someone broke it down using the laws of thermodynamics showing that the stem would have to be much longer than any pipe to actually cool the smoke

 

[shanez]

Myth. Most stem materials have good insulating properties making them ineffective at cooling over the distance especially considering how quickly the smoke travels through the stem.

Nice pipe though. I enjoy churchwardens myself.

 

[ThomasS]

Nope.

Now.... I tried making a long stem out of .25 mm brass. The *smoke* was cooler, but I will not call the end result an improvement.

 

[captainsousie]

The conductivity of rubber (vulcanite) or plastic is not sufficient to diffuse or dissipate a significant amount of heat before it reaches the mouth, especially because of the moisture content of the smoke. Maybe one could try a 30-100 foot stem and see if that's enough.

 

[captainsousie]

Cone to think of it, clay or meerschaum may actually be able to make a measurable difference over a length similar to a churwarden.

 

[denholrl]

I think if you measured the temp at the end of the shank and at the end of the mouthpiece you'd find a slight difference. I don't think I can tell just by smoking.

 

[kcghost]

Nothing that I have noticed but that isn't a very scientific test.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Definitely cooler! But the difference in temperature is minuscule, probably less than a tenth of one degree. A few have said they noticed a difference, but it could well have been imagination.

 

[anotherbob]

only way to test it really would be to make two or more stems for one pipe. No matter what though technique certainly has an effect on temp.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Only way to test it really would be to make two or more stems for one pipe. No matter what though technique certainly has an effect on temp.

And with very sensitive thermometers! Probably no one will undertake such a test, as other factors are way more important, as you said.