Why Some Pipes Deliver More Nicotine

[Briar Lee]

It could be, however, that a pipe fits your smoking style so well, that you are able to slow down enough to absorb more nicotine as your smoke. But, that is less the pipe doing that, than it is your smoking style.
Other pipes may just be more difficult for you to smoke, due to your smoking style.

I know it’s my technique.

My pipes all quit gurgling about forty some years ago. They also quit biting my tongue. And almost magically they were always packed correctly, not too loose or too tight.

But today I got in the mail a fifteen dollar, delivered, Marxman “Big Boy” that I know started life as a huge plateaux of the most ancient Algerian briar Bob Marx could find.

I’m smoking Velvet in my new Big Boy and it’s got a wallop like Five Brothers in some lesser pipes the poor folks smoked 75 years ago.

As telescopes points out the bore is huge, a full .880”.

And the pipe was almost pristine and has aged another 75 years, which can’t hurt it.

And I might just have an addiction to Marxman pipes lovingly bench made at 27th West 24th Street New York City.

But whatever causes it, am I just barely igniting the Velvet, or am I burning it just a bit hotter?

 

[Briar Lee]

I wrote out a response... and hit delete instead of "post Reply." Wrote out a second, and did the same. Then a third time. It's really hard expressing how wrong someone can be without giving even an inkling of insult.

All my life I’ve never intended to give offense but I’ve gored so many sacred oxen ruminating out loud about the mysteries of life I know I have.

When you think about it, who was the first guy to ever take some wild tobacco and decide to smoke the stuff?

Sort of like the first fellow walking along a beach and finding a clam and thinking maybe the insides are tasty.

The reason old time Campbellites in Southwest Missouri dominated the dairy industry for the very best was our Scottish curiosity to get the most value.

I have photos somewhere in my father’s Grade A milk barn of his grandmother and his aunt in a brand new shiny buggy loaded with butter that fetched 30 cents a pound from the butter buyers at Humansville, over $9 in our money.

Yes they were pretty, but that butter was extra good, too.

Bob Marx intended his pipes smoked worth the money.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

All my life I’ve never intended to give offense but I’ve gored so many sacred oxen ruminating out loud about the mysteries of life I know I have.

When you think about it, who was the first guy to ever take some wild tobacco and decide to smoke the stuff?

Sort of like the first fellow walking along a beach and finding a clam and thinking maybe the insides are tasty.

The reason old time Campbellites in Southwest Missouri dominated the dairy industry for the very best was our Scottish curiosity to get the most value.

I have photos somewhere in my father’s Grade A milk barn of his grandmother and his aunt in a brand new shiny buggy loaded with butter that fetched 30 cents a pound from the butter buyers at Humansville, over $9 in our money.

Yes they were pretty, but that butter was extra good, too.

Bob Marx intended his pipes smoked worth the money.

My thinking is that instead of just saying, "you're wrong, blah blah blah..." I will just say, "sure, and the red color of my handlebars makes my bike go faster." I reread that, and think, 'surely, no one would find offence." It makes saying "you're wrong" so much nicer, more pleasant. But, low and behold, someone would come along and post for the first time saying, "you think I'm stupid because I have red handle bars on my tricycle. And, my blue stemmed pipes smoke way better for me." Then, I have to bite my tongue from making an actual insult. But, then several other people come along, tag me in actual insults, then I respond, and along comes a moderator who doesn't have time to read the whole thread, and admonishes us all... Then I apologize, while the others don't because they feel vindicated and justified in having insulted me. Then I get this reputation as a jerk and arguer, while real jerks get to walk around with clear consciouses, ha ha. But, that's ok.

Is a Presbyterian a Campbellite? My grandfather was a Presbyterian, but the Baptist avoided them. My Grandmother was Baptist. I think this was because the Presbyterians drank in moderation occasionally, and the Baptists don't know how to dance. Or, something like that.

I'm glad you like your pipes.

 

[OverMountain]

Perception is reality Briar Lee. Enjoy accordingly.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Your data is not conclusive by any means. It represents confirmation bias. It could be you were gulping air in with the larger bowl/draw and that caused the hiccups. Or, the time of day. You can't be certain.

Logically one would think the larger the bowl/draw, the more tobacco that can be burnt simultaneously thereby delivering more nicotine. How does that work though when the draught hole is the same diameter for your 1 1/4" bowl ID as the 3/4" bowl ID? That would likely be the limiting factor. If you think the larger pipe gave you more nicotine and your primary objective is more nicotine, smoke the larger pipe and have a happy.

 

[Briar Lee]

Your data is not conclusive by any means. It represents confirmation bias. It could be you were gulping air in with the larger bowl/draw and that caused the hiccups. Or, the time of day. You can't be certain.

Logically one would think the larger the bowl/draw, the more tobacco that can be burnt simultaneously thereby delivering more nicotine. How does that work though when the draught hole is the same diameter for your 1 1/4" bowl ID as the 3/4" bowl ID? That would likely be the limiting factor. If you think the larger pipe gave you more nicotine and your primary objective is more nicotine, smoke the larger pipe and have a happy.

The nicotine hit is real.

My best thoughts (today) why that is is that good, old, pre 54 Algerian briar is a much better insulator than other briar.

My old Algerian briar pipes,,,,all of them regardless of size or brand,,,don’t get as hot to hold as others.

To say briar is briar is like saying Old Crow is Blanton’s. They are both good bourbons, but different.

Bob Marx was extremely skilled at buying Algerian briar and selling those pipes at high enough prices we find large examples in smokeable condition today.

What I can’t decide is am I puffing a bit easier or bit more to get that goodie from the pipe.

 

[anotherbob]

This evening I fired up a huge Marxman on my back porch Virginia Slices and halfway through a glorious bowl I started getting a mild case of hiccups. Oh, glory, I was glad. Me and Vitamin N go back over fifty years.

The same pipe yesterday made generic Smoker Friendly Black Cavendish a nicotine rich experience.

It can’t be the tobacco. The same stuff in other pipes doesn’t give that nicotine rush I crave.

And all my Marxman pipes deliver more nicotine than Lees or Kaywoodies.

I’m the one doing it, subconsciously, rewarding myself by puffing exactly right to release more nicotine. It’s a well known phenomenon among filter cigarette smokers, and the do gooders outlawed labeling them as Lights or Ultra Lights.

I think it’s because the sponge soft Algerian briar Bob Marx used is a better insulator. A Marxman simply doesn’t get hot to hold. It’s sort of like smoking a small thermos bottle.

Somehow, I can control the temperature of the ember just right to release more nicotine, and I think the flavor is way better as well.

But am I puffing easier, and making a lower temperature or does the insulation in the bowl walls help retain heat, and I’m burning the tobacco a little higher temperature?

I suppose it could be I’m so proud of my Marxman pipes made in downtown New York City by old craftsmen that causes it.

But I think it’s the briar. It’s repeatable.

Any thoughts about this?

lots of thoughts many things can effect the bioavailability of any vitamin. Including things we have not even considered considering.

 

[sham]

In the name of science, mail me your marxman pipes and I will give you my verdict.

 

[telescopes]

The important thing to remember here in this thread is that you are talking to an Ozark Lawyer, who while he may or may not fish, appreciates and understands the importance of a good yarn. Arguing with him would be akin to telling Aesop that he‘s full of shit because animals can‘t talk. The story isn’t the truth, the truth is in the story.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

The important thing to remember here in this thread is that you are talking to an Ozark Lawyer, who while he may or may not fish, appreciates and understands the importance of a good yarn. Arguing with him would be akin to telling Aesop that he‘s full of shit because animals can‘t talk. The story isn’t the truth, the truth is in the story.

It's obvious he is an attorney and not an engineer. He likes to manipulate the facts to fit his story with a large amount of ambiguous bullshit.

 

[Cloozoe]

Perception is reality Briar Lee...

Amen... I mean...oooooommmmmmmm

 

[Cloozoe]

...a large amount of ambiguous bullshit.

Gotta stand up for our boy, Briar Lee here; that's unfair...nothing ambiguous about it

 

[Briar Lee]

I can remember as a child thinking they should outlaw feeding kids hominy grits at school because they tasted foul and the smell would make a stone horse cry.

I felt the same about the fried liver the school cooks tried to feed us, too. You’d cut into a nice tenderloin and it tasted like rotten meat.

But most of the other kids scarfed down the hominy and the liver and seemed to like it. They must have grown up eating it.

The pipes we love the taste of might gag and choke a first time smoker.


And we all must have different tastes or else there would be no Limburger cheese sold.


But I’m sure there is good and bad hominy, liver, and limburger cheese.

After over fifty years of addiction to tobacco and pipes I don’t think there are any bad tobaccos and no bad briar pipes (except big Danish pipes especially often require a painful break in period).

I firmly believe there are subtle taste differences in otherwise identical pipes and some pipes smoke some tobaccos better,,,or do some tobaccos like different pipes? It’s all a slight mystery why.

But my newest big, ugly Marxman is a keeper.

The only reason anybody would spend a nickel on something else was to show off.

 

[Tate]

My best smoking pipes so far have been Marxman pipes. They do be hitting.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I can remember as a child thinking they should outlaw feeding kids hominy grits at school because they tasted foul and the smell would make a stone horse cry.

I felt the same about the fried liver the school cooks tried to feed us, too. You’d cut into a nice tenderloin and it tasted like rotten meat.

But most of the other kids scarfed down the hominy and the liver and seemed to like it. They must have grown up eating it.

The pipes we love the taste of might gag and choke a first time smoker.


And we all must have different tastes or else there would be no Limburger cheese sold.


But I’m sure there is good and bad hominy, liver, and limburger cheese.

After over fifty years of addiction to tobacco and pipes I don’t think there are any bad tobaccos and no bad briar pipes (except big Danish pipes especially often require a painful break in period).

I firmly believe there are subtle taste differences in otherwise identical pipes and some pipes smoke some tobaccos better,,,or do some tobaccos like different pipes? It’s all a slight mystery why.

But my newest big, ugly Marxman is a keeper.

The only reason anybody would spend a nickel on something else was to show off.

We can at least agree that fried liver may well be the worst food on the planet. Never seen it smelt hominy grits but I will accept your judgment of them.

 

[milk]

We can at least agree that fried liver may well be the worst food on the planet. Never seen it smelt hominy grits but I will accept your judgment of them.

Maybe. I have such fond memories of my grandma’s chopped chicken liver sandwiches though. It’s another thing entirely I guess. When I was a kid I used to sing, “50 ways to eat chopped liver” as she prepared it in the kitchen. It was heavenly.

 

[mso489]

There may be mystical properties in some pipes regarding nicotine. But my basic nicotine producers are bigger chambers, stronger blends, faster smoking, and lack of hydration and food in your stomach..

I tend to like the beginning of a buzz without nausea, fatigue, light headedness, hiccoughs.

 

[yohanan]

"But most of the other kids scarfed down the hominy and the liver and seemed to like it. They must have grown up eating it."

I hate fried liver and despise hominy grits, maybe the reason them other kids scarfed it all down is because it may have been all they had to eat at the time during the 60's, an empty stomach doesn't care what goes in the mouth. I guess I was one of the lucky ones, raised on pintos and potatoes of every description, also didn't have Lee and Kaywoodie or Marxman pipes in the rack, just cobs and tobacco out of the field. Consider yourself blessed. YMMV

 

[lestrout]

Yo Bri - I'm with you on good insulating briar helping in the better taste department. My guess is that you are smoking slower, since the ember isn't losing a lot of heat through the walls. The point of pipe smoking is not combustion of the tobacco, but rather pyrolysis. A fast burn would tend to reduce the organics being blown off by the smoldering tobacco. Including nicotine.

 

[telescopes]

My boss and i use to order fried chicken liver and wine before board meetings. North St Louis had some crazy good restaurants.