What Makes A Good Pipe ?
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First off aesthetics . If you don't like the look no mater how well it smokes it won't be a favorite.
Internal engineering , Proper drilling and sizing of the chamber and smoke channel.
Material. I like briar(what can I say)The bit material as well. some like acrylics, some don't.
For some weight is also a major factor.
There you have a few ideas.
Internal engineering , Proper drilling and sizing of the chamber and smoke channel.
Material. I like briar(what can I say)The bit material as well. some like acrylics, some don't.
For some weight is also a major factor.
There you have a few ideas.
1) styling; it must fit my aesthetic sensibilities and feels good. (I have to like the pipe.)
2) good drilling (draft hole must be centered and the combustion chamber must be centered for even heat distribution and it must be free of defects and smooth.)
3) must pass the pipe cleaner test (easily pass a pipe cleaner from bit to bowl, straight or bent. No exceptions.)
4) good tight straight grain... (for me anyhow)
These are what I look for in a pipe. YMMV
2) good drilling (draft hole must be centered and the combustion chamber must be centered for even heat distribution and it must be free of defects and smooth.)
3) must pass the pipe cleaner test (easily pass a pipe cleaner from bit to bowl, straight or bent. No exceptions.)
4) good tight straight grain... (for me anyhow)
These are what I look for in a pipe. YMMV
As already said, 1) I have to like the way the pipe looks. 2) The pipe needs to smoke good and to do that, it has to have a good open draw.
I like to have the drilling dead on center and for it to pass a pipe cleaner easily as well, but those two aren't a sure deal killer. I've seen pipes that were neither and they still smoked great.
I like to have the drilling dead on center and for it to pass a pipe cleaner easily as well, but those two aren't a sure deal killer. I've seen pipes that were neither and they still smoked great.
I'd say Peterson, oh wait you asked what not who lol. Honestly I'd say asthetics first as most people have. After that you should make sure it has been drilled well and has a good draw to it.
Jaybird, it just occurred to me that you might wonder; what is so important about the pipe cleaner test.
Well, IMHO (in my humble opinion) there are two reasons: (Others may have other reasons. I'd be interested in hearing them too, by-the-by.)
First: It demonstrates that there was some maker's skill involved in the manufacturing of the pipe, good planning/design, and most importantly the desire to manufacture a quality product or attention to detail. In other-words the pipe maker has pride in his product.
Second: When one desires to run a pipe cleaner through the pipe just to collect any moisture that may develop in the stem and shank, you do not have to disassemble the pipe to do so. Furthermore: disassembling a warm pipe can, over time, cause the stem to loosen.
Well, IMHO (in my humble opinion) there are two reasons: (Others may have other reasons. I'd be interested in hearing them too, by-the-by.)
First: It demonstrates that there was some maker's skill involved in the manufacturing of the pipe, good planning/design, and most importantly the desire to manufacture a quality product or attention to detail. In other-words the pipe maker has pride in his product.
Second: When one desires to run a pipe cleaner through the pipe just to collect any moisture that may develop in the stem and shank, you do not have to disassemble the pipe to do so. Furthermore: disassembling a warm pipe can, over time, cause the stem to loosen.
I agree that proper engineering is vital to a good pipe.
Equally important, I think, is the use of quality materials. It all starts with a good piece of briar that's been properly cured. Personally I don't have a preference for air curing, oil curing, etc. but a poor quality, uncured pipe will burn inconsistently.
Finally the stem must be properly cut BY HAND. Precut, machine made stems are too chunky for my liking and usually have an airway that's way too narrow. I prefer ebonite but acrylic, too, must be thin enough to be comfortable yet strong enough to support the weight of the pipe. Paul Hubartt of Larrysson pipes makes an INSANELY good stem; thin, comfortable, the airway "trumpets" out and he even polishes the inside of the stem to reduce turbulence of the smoke. Honestly, I have no idea if this makes a difference, but I'm so psyched that he pays attention to detail and does all this!
This is a good question!
Equally important, I think, is the use of quality materials. It all starts with a good piece of briar that's been properly cured. Personally I don't have a preference for air curing, oil curing, etc. but a poor quality, uncured pipe will burn inconsistently.
Finally the stem must be properly cut BY HAND. Precut, machine made stems are too chunky for my liking and usually have an airway that's way too narrow. I prefer ebonite but acrylic, too, must be thin enough to be comfortable yet strong enough to support the weight of the pipe. Paul Hubartt of Larrysson pipes makes an INSANELY good stem; thin, comfortable, the airway "trumpets" out and he even polishes the inside of the stem to reduce turbulence of the smoke. Honestly, I have no idea if this makes a difference, but I'm so psyched that he pays attention to detail and does all this!
This is a good question!
It's kind of like what makes a good car. It has to look good, fit you personally (Bootleg can't fit in a Civic, I can't see out of a Tundra), run well with a moderate amount of maintenance, and reliably get you from point A to point B. It also has to fit your personality - I smoke like I drive, fast and hot. 
Put me in a 4 banger car and I'll be MISERABLE.* I drive a Durango with a Hemi (V8 5.7) and I like that just fine.
However, while many people hate the Durangos with 4.7 V8 Hemis, it's mainly because they fail if you don't take care of them. They have a tendency to burn up if you're not anal retentive about maintenance and making sure to get the car serviced whenever something "feels wrong." It's the same with the '97 Dodge Ram vans. I own all three and while I can beat the shit out of my daily driver, the other ones need love and care. All of them you could roll down a hill, yank out the dead bodies, and drive it off.
Consider basket pipes the equivalent of Chevy Cavaliers, Hyundais, and Kias. You'll get about 50k miles out of it where it's fine, but after that it's going to be more expensive to fix than it's worth. They're disposable cars and God forbid you have an accident in one.
*Dad recently finished rebuilding an old Honda Civic 4cyl and it gets 135HP now. Being 2 strong men could just pick it up and move it, it's like driving a go-cart on the interstate. The sucker will get up and GO.
Put me in a 4 banger car and I'll be MISERABLE.* I drive a Durango with a Hemi (V8 5.7) and I like that just fine.However, while many people hate the Durangos with 4.7 V8 Hemis, it's mainly because they fail if you don't take care of them. They have a tendency to burn up if you're not anal retentive about maintenance and making sure to get the car serviced whenever something "feels wrong." It's the same with the '97 Dodge Ram vans. I own all three and while I can beat the shit out of my daily driver, the other ones need love and care. All of them you could roll down a hill, yank out the dead bodies, and drive it off.
Consider basket pipes the equivalent of Chevy Cavaliers, Hyundais, and Kias. You'll get about 50k miles out of it where it's fine, but after that it's going to be more expensive to fix than it's worth. They're disposable cars and God forbid you have an accident in one.
*Dad recently finished rebuilding an old Honda Civic 4cyl and it gets 135HP now. Being 2 strong men could just pick it up and move it, it's like driving a go-cart on the interstate. The sucker will get up and GO.
I didn't know Kaywoodies and Grabows were considered basket pipes. Lets put those in the Grand Marquis category. (I got 350k miles out of the Grand Marquis but there at the end, it was a rough ride.)
(I got 350k miles out of the Grand Marquis but there at the end, it was a rough ride.)
I think what Cyndi is stating is more about very low quality pipes just not being manufactured to a very good standard at all. I think of basket pipes as being the seconds of seconds of seconds from some well known pipe makers.
While I, myself, do not like Grabows and Kaywoodies, they do have a much higher standard in their manufacturing, allowing for a very large following amongst pipe smokers.
While I, myself, do not like Grabows and Kaywoodies, they do have a much higher standard in their manufacturing, allowing for a very large following amongst pipe smokers.
In addition to the above, I also look at two other things:
1) The shape and size of the button - if the shape is wrong, I won't reach for the pipe.
2) Balance (assuming your in a B&M) - I tend to clench, so I'll hold the button pinched between my thumb and forefinger, gives me a pretty good idea how it will hang.
As for the accidents, the cars that scare me the most are the Smart Car, if you were rear-ended by a rig, your head would become a permanent fixture of the grill.
Well, that and idiot kids in overpowered race-cars, when they don't have the skill to handle a Geo Metro...
1) The shape and size of the button - if the shape is wrong, I won't reach for the pipe.
2) Balance (assuming your in a B&M) - I tend to clench, so I'll hold the button pinched between my thumb and forefinger, gives me a pretty good idea how it will hang.
Hey, thanks for reminding me, I need to pick up gear oil for my Dakota before I take off this weekend.
My wifes first car was a Chevy Cavalier, she retired it to a third owner with 750,000km on it (the third owner is still driving it, odo reads in the 900's now). My brother-in-law races a Hyundai Pony (dirt rally). Kia builds military vehicles for many of the worlds armed forces, and although the first cars to hit N.A. were crap (I had a Rio, I know all about 'em), maintenance wasn't the issue, but rather a huge lack of power...something I find with most vehicles that don't sport a large V6, at a minimum. In the 250,000km I put on the Rio over three years, I never had to do anything above and beyond the usual preventative maintencence. Guess what I am saying is that even the "low end of the spectrum" doesn't always mean crap...and just like the aforementioned cars, low end and basket pipes can serve you well, they just require love. Of course, I also wouldn't buy a basket-pipe, nor a Hyundai, over the internet based on pictures - I would go over it with a fine-toothed comb, ensuring I am getting something workable.
As for the accidents, the cars that scare me the most are the Smart Car, if you were rear-ended by a rig, your head would become a permanent fixture of the grill.
Well, that and idiot kids in overpowered race-cars, when they don't have the skill to handle a Geo Metro...
maybe my pipes don't smoke all that well. Couldn't tell you. Ain't never smoked another mans pipe. Figuratively or literally.
A good pipe for me would be a combination of Uncle Arthur's and Lawrence's requirements (however, I can be more forgiving on the tight grain). The pipe cleaner test is important enough for me that I don't buy bent pipes online because they can't be tested. Every bent pipe I own, I touched, took apart, inspected, and tested before buying.
Yes, you need to take care of that Dakota! Dad says Dodge means "to avoid" but I've always found that their trucks and large vans are decent quality. (I'm a mechanics daughter, which means all cars are pieces of crap and all owners are idiots.)
I've been out of the car business for 3 years now, so I'm mostly basing my comments about Kias and Hyundais (the American versions) on the early generations. For a while, it was impossible to find a loan company who would finance them because they wouldn't last the length of the loan. I had a friend buy a Hyundai and the first day the entire electrical system failed. Bootleg and I were rear-ended by a Hyundai full of Puerto Rican ministers when we were driving our Tundra to ATL. We had a dented fender - their car went up under the truck and it peeled the hood back like a banana peel. (The odds for ATL commuters is that you'll be in a major car accident every 3 years.)
I guess after all that typing and thought - what I mean to say is that every smoker is different in what they value in a pipe. I'd own a Crown Vic (police package, of course) before I'd own a Ford Focus, just like I'd own a Savinelli before a Carey Magic Inch. It's just my personal preference.
I've been out of the car business for 3 years now, so I'm mostly basing my comments about Kias and Hyundais (the American versions) on the early generations. For a while, it was impossible to find a loan company who would finance them because they wouldn't last the length of the loan. I had a friend buy a Hyundai and the first day the entire electrical system failed. Bootleg and I were rear-ended by a Hyundai full of Puerto Rican ministers when we were driving our Tundra to ATL. We had a dented fender - their car went up under the truck and it peeled the hood back like a banana peel. (The odds for ATL commuters is that you'll be in a major car accident every 3 years.)
I guess after all that typing and thought - what I mean to say is that every smoker is different in what they value in a pipe. I'd own a Crown Vic (police package, of course) before I'd own a Ford Focus, just like I'd own a Savinelli before a Carey Magic Inch. It's just my personal preference.
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