| The material and shape of a pipe has a | | | | Washington, Missouri in the USA [2]. |
| profound influence upon the aesthetic of | | | | Missouri Meerschaum has produced the |
| a smoke. | | | | pipes since 1869. General Douglas |
| Briar | | | | MacArthur and George Lincoln Rockwell |
| The majority of pipes sold today, | | | | were perhaps the most famous smokers of |
| whether hand made or machine made, are | | | | this type of pipe, along with the |
| fashioned from briar ((French) bruyere). | | | | cartoon characters Popeye and Frosty the |
| Briar is a particularly good wood for | | | | Snowman. |
| pipe making for a number of reasons. The | | | | Corncob pipes remain popular today |
| first and most important is its natural | | | | because they are inexpensive and require |
| resistance to fire. The second is its | | | | no "break-in" period like briar pipes. |
| inherent ability to absorb moisture. The | | | | For these two reasons, corncob pipes are |
| burl absorbs water in nature to supply | | | | often recommended as a "Beginners pipe." |
| the tree in the dry times and likewise | | | | But, their enjoyment is by no means |
| will absorb the moisture that is a | | | | limited to beginners. Corncob pipes are |
| byproduct of combustion. Briar is cut | | | | equally valued by both learners, and |
| from the root burl of the Tree heath | | | | experienced smokers who simply desire a |
| (Erica arborea), which is native to the | | | | cool, clean smoke. Pipesmokers who wish |
| rocky and sandy soils of the | | | | to sample a wide variety of different |
| Mediterranean region. Briar burls are | | | | tobaccos and blends also might keep a |
| cut into two types of blocks; ebauchon | | | | stock of corncobs on hand to permit them |
| and plateaux. Ebauchon is taken from the | | | | to try new flavors without "carryover" |
| heart of the burl while plateaux is | | | | from an already-used pipe. |
| taken from the outer part of the burl. | | | | Image:Piece.jpg |
| While both types of blocks can produce | | | | Metal chamber bowl, removable cap not |
| pipes of the highest quality, most | | | | pictured. |
| artisan pipe makers prefer to use | | | | Metal |
| plateaux because of its superior | | | | Metal pipes are more generally |
| graining. A synthetic material called | | | | associated with cannabis and other drugs |
| brylon is also in use. Brylon has many | | | | than tobacco use. Though steel was a |
| similar properties as briar. | | | | common material, aluminium and brass are |
| Meerschaum | | | | more popular materials now. The |
| Meerschaum (hydrated magnesium | | | | advantages of a metal pipe generally |
| silicate), a mineral found in small | | | | include interchangeable parts for |
| shallow deposits mainly around the city | | | | optimization and certain components are |
| of Eskisehir in central Turkey, is | | | | limited to fit only a metal pipe, such |
| prized for its plasticity which allows | | | | as a threaded metal bowl with optional |
| it to be carved into many decorative and | | | | cap via thread interface that will |
| figural shapes. It has been used since | | | | prevent spills or accidentally blowing |
| the 17th century and, with clay pipes, | | | | the cannabis from the bowl ("blow |
| represented the most common medium for | | | | outs"). Their retention of heat can make |
| pipes before the introduction of briar | | | | them uncomfortably and even dangerously |
| as the material of choice in the 19th | | | | hot but most have rubber or plastic |
| century. The word "meerschaum" means | | | | grips on the outside of the pipe. |
| "sea foam" in German, alluding to its | | | | Another common method for burn |
| natural white color and its surprisingly | | | | prevention is one or more rubber rings, |
| low weight. However, meerschaum is a | | | | which can be placed at the base of the |
| very porous mineral that absorbs | | | | threadded area and prevent conduction of |
| elements of the tobacco during the | | | | heat. Another drawback of the metal pipe |
| smoking process, and gradually changes | | | | is its typical top heavyness which makes |
| color to a golden brown. Old, | | | | it prone to spills. This is compensated |
| well-smoked meerschaum pipes are prized | | | | for by flat or squared ends on the |
| for their distinctive coloring. | | | | 45° or 90° angled elbow |
| Clay | | | | piece. Perhaps the most attractive |
| Clay in this case is almost always a | | | | aspect of a metal pipe over a glass |
| very fine white clay. Low-quality "clay" | | | | piece in many users' minds is that they |
| pipes are actually made from porcelain | | | | are, in all normal circumstance, |
| slip poured into a mold. These are | | | | basically indestructible. |
| porous, of very low quality, and impart | | | | Metal bowls are usually overlooked by |
| unwanted flavors to a smoke. Top-notch | | | | tobacco smokers because metal bowls |
| clays, on the other hand are made in a | | | | require a break-in period of resination. |
| labor-intensive process that requires | | | | During that time, smoke passing though |
| beating all air out of the clay, | | | | the piece has an aftertaste when used |
| hand-rolling each pipe before molding | | | | with tobacco. Cannabis smoke usually |
| it, piercing with a fine wire, and | | | | does not have an odd after-taste and |
| careful firing. Traditionally, clay | | | | resinates the piece faster. A type of |
| pipes are un-glazed. Clays burn "hot" in | | | | metal pipe usually associated with |
| comparison to other types of pipes, so | | | | Marijuana is the chamber pipe, which has |
| they are often difficult for most | | | | an accessible central chamber, which is |
| pipe-smokers to use. Their proponents | | | | usually packed with Marijuana to |
| claim that, unlike other materials, a | | | | resinate, adding extra THC content when |
| well-made clay pipe gives a "pure" | | | | smoked. Also, loose bits of the |
| smoke, with no flavor addition from the | | | | Marijuana fall down into the chamber and |
| pipe bowl. In addition to aficionados, | | | | also resinate, speeding up the process |
| reproductions of historical clay styles | | | | of resination. The biggest drawback to a |
| are used by some re-enactors. Clay pipes | | | | metal-stemmed or -bowled pipe is that |
| are traditionally disposable items and | | | | the metal also creates a lot of |
| the large quantities discarded in the | | | | condensation in the stem, making for a |
| past are often used as an aid in dating | | | | very wet smoke. |
| by industrial archaeologists. | | | | All metals create odors when heated and |
| Calabash | | | | although the metals themselves can |
| Calabash gourds (usually with meerschaum | | | | withstand tempertures of thousands of |
| or porcelain bowls set inside them) have | | | | degrees they still release harmfull |
| long made prized pipes, but they are | | | | toxins when heated. Steel has the least |
| labour-intensive and nowadays quite | | | | odor followed by brass which tastes |
| expensive. Because of this expense, | | | | horrible and irritates the throat after |
| pipes with bodies made of wood (usually | | | | just a few uses, followed by aluminum, |
| mahogany) instead of gourd, but the same | | | | on the bottom of the list is copper |
| classic shape are being sold as | | | | which is extremely reactant and can |
| calabashes. Both wood and gourd pipes | | | | create malicious chemicals when |
| are functionally the same. They both | | | | triggered by one of the thousands of |
| have an air chamber beneath the bowl | | | | chemicals inherent in any smoke[citation |
| which serves to cool, dry, and mellow | | | | needed]. Gold is inert and has no taste |
| the smoke. There are also briar pipes | | | | and is sometimes offered as a bowl |
| being sold as calabashes. These | | | | plating. Metal pipes are typically short |
| typically do not have an air chamber and | | | | because the metal absorbs the heat from |
| are named only because of their external | | | | the smoke extremely well whereas long |
| shape. | | | | pipes or roomy glass pipes use their |
| The construction of a Calabash pipe | | | | larger air space to cool the smoke. |
| generally consists of a downward curve | | | | Glass |
| that ends with an upcurve where the bowl | | | | Hand-blown glass pipes are one of the |
| sits. This low center of gravity allows | | | | most common kinds of hand-blown glass |
| for the user to easily hold the pipe by | | | | today. They can be quite elaborate. One |
| the mouth alone, leaving his hands free. | | | | reason for their appeal is that since |
| This advantage was often used by actors | | | | the glass is completely inert, it does |
| who wanted to depict their character | | | | not affect the flavor of the smoke. As |
| smoking while permitting them to do | | | | the pipe is used, black tar build-up |
| other business simultaneously. That is | | | | provides for a more contrasted |
| why the character Sherlock Holmes, who | | | | background. Glass pipes sometimes have a |
| never used this kind of pipe in the | | | | small hole on the side that, when |
| stories, is stereotypically depicted as | | | | covered, enables continuous inhalation. |
| favoring it because early dramatic | | | | When inhalation is completed, the hole |
| productions, especially those starring | | | | may be uncovered to flood the smoke with |
| William Gillette made this artistic | | | | air thus lending it the name carburetor |
| decision. In fact, Sherlock would have | | | | or "carb" (also 'choke', 'rush', or |
| probably disliked the calabash because | | | | 'shotgun'). Due to their lack of |
| of the above-mentioned mellowing effect. | | | | porosity and tendency to retain heat, |
| He preferred very harsh tobaccos. | | | | glass pipes are usually used to smoke |
| Corncob pipe. | | | | cannabis and other substances besides |
| Corncob | | | | tobacco. The added space inside a glass |
| On the other end of the scale, "corncob" | | | | pipe as compared to a metal one, |
| pipes made from maize cobs are cheap and | | | | combined with proper use of the carb, |
| effective, even if some regard them as | | | | result in the potential to take a much |
| inelegant. The cobs are first dried for | | | | larger and smoother-feeling inhalation |
| two years. Then they are hollowed out to | | | | of smoke, which also appeals to cannabis |
| make a bowl shape. The bowls are dipped | | | | users. Glass pipes are usually more |
| in a plaster-based mixture and varnished | | | | expensive than ones made from plastic or |
| or lacquered on the outside. Shanks made | | | | metal. They are also highly prone to |
| from Pine wood are then inserted into | | | | irreparable damage. There is also a |
| the bowls. The first and largest | | | | chance of the pipe cracking as it gets |
| manufacturer of corncob pipes is | | | | too hot. |
| Missouri Meerschaum, located in | | | | |