Tobacco Pipes are made up of three major parts.

The bowl – this is the chamber at the end of the pipe where the tobacco is placed

The shank – this is the thin stem that leads from the bit to the bowl

The bit – this is the mouthpiece of the pipe

Pipes are made from a variety of materials, some of the most popular materials include:

Briar – this is the most common of all pipe materials, mainly because it is a wood that is resistant to fire, it also does not absorb moisture

Corncob – this is one of the cheapest pipe materials but also very effective

Meerschaum – this material along with clay was very popular before briar was used. Meerschaum is a mineral that is easily carved into lovely shapes, there are numerous beautifully shaped meerschaum pipes on the market

Clay – These mainly come in two types; cheap and expensive.  If you opt for a clay pipe it’s well worth spending the money for a decent one as the cheaper models tend to add bad flavours to smoke.  Expensive clay pipes are thought to give a pipe smoker a purer smoke

Wood – if you want a wood pipe, its best to add honey and water in the bowl to prevent it from burning.  After the pipe has been used a few times the mixture creates a burn resistant barrier

Glass – these kind of pipes can look very beautiful and intresting.  Glass pipes come in a variety of colours and styles.  Glass pipes do not affect the flavour of the smoke

No Responses so far | Have Your Say!