What's the Appeal of a Churchwarden?
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Just to clarify: it is NOT my purpose that people think I'm a wizard or a hobbit. I like churchwardens because I think they are cool in themselves, Tolkien or no Tolkien, LOTR movies or no LOTR movies; I also happen to find them practical and amenable to my smoking habits. I don't parade up and down the street with a pensive expression and puffing out rings to be noticed. I favour long-stemmed pipes in the same way I favour the colour blue or a Swiss wristwatch.
There's also the lone wolf factor that pushes some of us into trying to differentiate ourselves from others, whether it is for the vane pleasure of standing out or for the annoyance that we experience by being tossed into a given, stereotypical bunch. Yes, I am aware that many times this results in one joining the bunch of those who don't want to be one of the bunch—with so many people in the world that is inevitable.
It seems to me now that the purpose of your post was more about bashing a given shape you happen to dislike than honest enquiry as to what the appeal of said shape is. Two can play at that game, and if I were interested in doing so, I'd point out that, personally, I think cobs make someone look like a bumpkin, yet there are many who not only swear by them, but smoke nothing else and won't care to let my personal opinion register in their radar.
I like the feel of a churchwarden when I'm sitting. The hand with a bowl just lies on an armrest and moves only so slightly when I need to make another sip. They are not the easiest to carry around. But for those quite cozy nights with no need to hurry churchwarden and latakia is the way to go for me.
Wait, some pipesmokers think churchwardens look silly? bah ha ha... we all look silly with hunks of wood smoldering tobacco in them shoved in our faces.
It's like hearing some clowns with big floppy shoes, fake red hair, and red noses arguing with that one clown who wants to wear a cape... "Bongo, you look like you are trying to look like a superhero in that cape. It's just silly."
It's like hearing some clowns with big floppy shoes, fake red hair, and red noses arguing with that one clown who wants to wear a cape... "Bongo, you look like you are trying to look like a superhero in that cape. It's just silly."
i really would like to see some research on the whole cooler smoke thing because i don't buy it for a second. do you think the smoke in your house's chimney would exit the top cooler if it had an extra row of bricks or two on it?
I smoke fish a lot. like i've probably spent weeks of my life doing it if you add it all up. mostly cold smoke. i've developed a fairly keen intuition for the way the thermodynamics of this stuff plays out. a churchwarden is not going to deliver you noticeably cooler smoke. you're probably smoking it more carefully.
I smoke fish a lot. like i've probably spent weeks of my life doing it if you add it all up. mostly cold smoke. i've developed a fairly keen intuition for the way the thermodynamics of this stuff plays out. a churchwarden is not going to deliver you noticeably cooler smoke. you're probably smoking it more carefully.
It wasn't very scientific, but if you take into consideration just how fast a gentle puff, the gentlest of sips, actually moves down a stem, it is astronomically fast. I believe it was Pipestud (I might be wrong) who did some calculations or comparisons, and you'd need a length of stem that is several "feet" long, comparable to a garden hose to make much of a difference.
But, I can see where it could be a mental thing to think it's cooler... and the mind is a powerful thing. Heck, the whole of the universe exists in our minds. So, to those individuals, it can be cooler if think so.
I just don't want you clowns to start thinking I'm trying to look like a super hero.
I always figured the churchwardens made you look more like a super villain. I don't own one, but I will eventually.
Churchwardens are about the most comfortable pipes for smoking seated with your elbow resting on the arm of the chair, so you don't even have to lift your arm to sip and cogitate. I don't find the smoke any cooler or milder. It's mostly the luxury of the postural support, to get fancy about it. My wife gave me my first 'warden, a Sav 601, and I have bought two others since. If you tend to be a little kinetic and hyperactive, which I sometimes am, a churchwarden is a good way to gear down.
Perhaps we’re hitting a terminology hiccup here. The “smoke” itself may not be cooler, but a churchwarden certainly adds distance between the mouth and the ember. Like standing right up to a firepit or taking a step back. Perhaps the action of smoking is indeed noticeably cooler, rather than the actual physical smoke itself? Just a thought.
as a sidenote anyone interested in a 1960's / 1970's Peterson Churchwarden with box/papers/pipecleaners?
I do think the appeal has a lot to do with Tolkien and LOTR. As many have already hinted at, churchwardens are just a little kitschy taking into account the whole Tolkien thing, though @cosmicfolklore 's comparison above is on point: many people will think pipes themselves are kitschy and anachronistic, regardless of the length of the stem.
Despite the somewhat cartoonish aspect of the churchwarden, I like them aesthetically, and the only reason I haven't tried one is because I don't want to have to get longer pipe cleaners just for a churchwarden.
Despite the somewhat cartoonish aspect of the churchwarden, I like them aesthetically, and the only reason I haven't tried one is because I don't want to have to get longer pipe cleaners just for a churchwarden.
I think a lot of it has to do with the Lord of the Rings. Every once in a while a thread starts asking how you got started in pipes. The top two answers are always a) my grandfather/uncle/dad/male role model smoked a pipe, and b) Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings.
I have a few... I always forget about the couple of wardens in the back of a drawer that were gifts from my daughters, cheap f^%king LOTR pipes. Ha ha.
But, one my wife got me, the first pipe she ever bought me. It is a Northern Briars pipe. Ian made the stem by hand, and the bowl is rather massive. A very impressive pipe for a churchwarden, if I may say so myself.
To make it even more interesting, the brindled stem, makes the design of Edward Munch's, The Scream. I showed Ian when he was down here last, and he said he never noticed it. But, now it is known as my Screamwarden.
Do you see it?
That said, the pipes smokes exceptionally well. I wouldn't have kept on the rack it if it were one of those wardens with a cast or manufactured stem. But, coming in at a 2 to 3 hour smoke, I really only use it on a movie or series binge night. And, even then, I have so many other pipes that can smoked for that long.
I don't find it cooler, nor really any different, except that the damn thing is precarious to hold and smoke. It sucks to try to read a book or even use the internet with it, because it just gets in the way for me. I find that clenching a pipe just gives me a better melding with the instrument, whereas this thing becomes like trying to carry a 12 foot 2x4 up a stairwell.
Whether someone will like having a nice churchwarden, would be up to them, completely. But, don't throw all of your standards for what makes a good pipe for you, out the window. Most have cheap ass manufactured stems. If that doesn't matter for you on your regular smokers, then proceed. But, if it would violate your pipe standards on one pipe, hold fast to it for your churchwarden.
But, yes, they make smokers look stupid... just like regular pipes do.
But, one my wife got me, the first pipe she ever bought me. It is a Northern Briars pipe. Ian made the stem by hand, and the bowl is rather massive. A very impressive pipe for a churchwarden, if I may say so myself.
To make it even more interesting, the brindled stem, makes the design of Edward Munch's, The Scream. I showed Ian when he was down here last, and he said he never noticed it. But, now it is known as my Screamwarden.
Do you see it?
That said, the pipes smokes exceptionally well. I wouldn't have kept on the rack it if it were one of those wardens with a cast or manufactured stem. But, coming in at a 2 to 3 hour smoke, I really only use it on a movie or series binge night. And, even then, I have so many other pipes that can smoked for that long.
I don't find it cooler, nor really any different, except that the damn thing is precarious to hold and smoke. It sucks to try to read a book or even use the internet with it, because it just gets in the way for me. I find that clenching a pipe just gives me a better melding with the instrument, whereas this thing becomes like trying to carry a 12 foot 2x4 up a stairwell.
Whether someone will like having a nice churchwarden, would be up to them, completely. But, don't throw all of your standards for what makes a good pipe for you, out the window. Most have cheap ass manufactured stems. If that doesn't matter for you on your regular smokers, then proceed. But, if it would violate your pipe standards on one pipe, hold fast to it for your churchwarden.
But, yes, they make smokers look stupid... just like regular pipes do.
I still need to read all the replies 'cause it looks like there are some pretty good ones here! I like them because they look unique, they keep the smoke out of my face, and, contrary to popular opinion here, they DO smoke cooler -IF you "breath smoke". So often folks say the extra mm of space in the stem isn't enough to make any difference in the temp of the smoke, and they're right if you're just continually sucking smoke, but if you breath smoke and just let the smoke trickle out of the stem, then the smoke you actually get has been sitting in the long stem cooling and waiting for the gentle pull of your breath instead sitting in a hot chamber or not even being created until you pull as with a shorter pipe. Also, I'm definitely a wizard so it just seems right?
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I only ever breath smoke, and I do not find churchwardens cooler at all... for clarification.
If you find it cooler, then I can't argue with that at all,
but when you assert that I am doing something... then you are wrong.
How we use our words is important
Also, most of my churchwardens are in the "demi" or "semi" category.. between 7 and 9 inches. I have one full length 12 incher and it's a bit of an oddball because it's a straight Billiard. The demi size is nice because you get most of the benefits without it being as awkward to carry around.
GotchaI only ever breath smoke, and I do not find churchwardens cooler at all... for clarification.
If you find it cooler, then I can't argue with that at all,
but when you assert that I am doing something... then you are wrong.
How we use our words is important
Okay, so the way -I- breathsmoke, I just let the smoke slowly roll out of the mouthpiece, almost on it's own volition, there is enough smoke sitting in the long churchwarden stem that I'm only getting the smoke from the stem into my mouth and no newly created smoke. I breath several breaths through my nose before allowing any more smoke to flow into my mouth. Then I let a small amount flow again. IMHO, I'm never getting fresh smoke in my mouth, only smoke that has cooled in the stem for as long as I want. That's my reasoning for why what I'm doing gives me a cooler smoke. YMMV.
Thank you for not taking me for a jerk in saying that. That shows that you have very good character. I totally believe you when you say it smokes cooler for you. You are not alone. Many say the same, but many also say it doesn't. There are so many other reasons to love these lanky things, and this is just one small one, IMO.
I only have one. I kind of liked it but felt that i needed eye protection to smoke it, kept misjudging the length of the stem.
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