In This Day And Age Are Clay Pipes More Of A Novelty?

ghostsofpompeii

I was just watching an older YouTube video from Matches860 in which he was smoking and discussing a clay pipe; and it got me wondering if any of the members here own a clay pipe, and if so is it part of your regular pipe rotation or simply more of a novelty conversation piece in your collection?

In the 40+ years I've been smoking and collecting pipes I've only owned three clay pipes (all were gifts) and unfortunately as careful as I tend to be with my pipes the delicate nature of the clay pipe proved to be quite unforgiving. They started out looking like a Churchwarden but ended up no longer than a nose warmer. And from my experience the bowl of the clay pipe tended to very hot to the touch. But to be frank, at the time I owned the pipes I hadn't mastered the art of sipping a pipe rather than puffing like a chimney - so the excessive heat may have been my own fault. 

So if there are any clay pipe aficionados out there who find it just as viable a smoker as pipes made of briar, meerschaum, cob, or any alternative wood material please comment and let me know your feeling. And since many old German clay pipes tend to be quite decorative please post a picture.      

piperdave

@ghostsofpompeii I really enjoy watching John (matcheeeesssss860) he has a really good camera presence. I have several clay pipes (non of them tavern like John's) that I purchased from the Chicago Pipe Show over the past few years. I work them into my rotation normally when I have loads of time to enjoy my pipe because of the slow cadence that is needed with them. They do get hot around the bowl but I usually hold them on the stem with my fingers like a pencil. The other issue I've run into, when I began with them, was my lips literally stuck to the pipe stem, the clay being dry and having no glaze it was like putting your tongue to a frozen flag pole in winter (took some skin off). I combat that with either beeswax rubbed into the stem or I have used shrink tube on the end, a couple layers and it actually allows me to clench the stem if needed. I like the fact that when I need to run a pipe cleaner down the stem for moisture it goes all the way to the bowl with no issues. I know that P&C has some German clay's for sale, I think they get them from the same company I bought mine from at the show Old German Clay Pipes Markus the owner is a wonderful person to talk to and hear the story of the clay pipe molds he uses as well as a pleasure to meet. I will try to get a couple of images posted of my pipes some simple others have some decoration.

piperdave

The link for Old German Clay Pipes the United States distributor.

PappyJoe

I have a clay pipe I was given as a Father's Day gift. I find it perfect for trying new tobacco when I want to get the pure flavor from it. I just wipe the bowl out after smoking to keep it from building any cake.

Like @piperdave said, it's best to put a little wax on the stem to prevent a lip stick problem

Thinking about buying a couple of more. 

xDutchx

Since pipe collecting is my hobby, it is obviously mandatory to have at least 1 clay in my collection. If I were to say that a clay were my "go to" pipe, I doubt anyone would believe me. Like meers, they have a place. Like PappyJoe, I enjoy sampling new blends in a clay, the same way I do meerschaum I just reach for one when the mood strikes me, and when a hunch tells me that a particular tobacco might be well suited to a clay.

If I were sitting down to watch Heart of the Sea, The Wolfman, or Game of Thrones, I would most likely reach for a clay

piperdave

Took me a while to get the image attached but here are some of my clay pipes. The one is still new but ready with the shrink tube.

xDutchx

@piperdave, I like the one in the middle, very unique!

piperdave

@xDutchx Thanks, it has some intricate details around the shank it is supposed to be a wine maker with a wine barrel and it has grape leaves with grapes by where his feet are. I like the fact that it is all black, Markus told me it is in the way that they bake them and not letting oxygen in; it leaves the clay all black because it absorbs up carbon.