@RockyMountainBriar, @PappyJoe, @mapletop, @vtgrad2003, @Londy3, @Zouave; Here is my report on the maiden voyage of my new Neerup Churchwarden. I couldn't video it. I asked two neighbors that have smartphones if they would and they both looked at me as if I had confirmed their long held belief that I am crazy. I loaded it with Scotty's Peachtree Street. My observations are as follows; It requires that one hand be on the stem or bowl during the entire smoke (da). It is too heavy to clinch. It delivers a cool smoke and the bowl doesn't get very hot. I smoked two bowls and noticed that near the end of each bowl it tasted as if the briar was burning a little. Maybe it needs more break in time? It is a pipe that you smoke when yo can totally relax and have both hands free.
I think it is a very attractive pipe. Overall, I like the pipe. The long stem will take a we bit of getting used too.
As good a smoker as I think it will become, it isn't worth getting a haircut and putting on deodorant for a video.
@opipeman thanks for the write up. Gotta say I think I have pipe envy now. That's a stunner. I love the contrast stains on the bowl. You know your going to have to buy a bigger rack to hold that now right?
@Zouave, @RockyMountainBriar, @vtgrad2003; I thought I really controlled myself when I didn't commit on the need for a bigger rack. You rascals are as bad as meself.
My opinion on Churchwardens is they are more of a novelty than a practical smoking pipe. I have two in my collection. They both smoke well. Might even smoke a tad cooler - perfect for that blend with a tendency to burn the tongue. But Churchwardens are awkward, impossible to clench unless you have jaws of steel, and a pain in the ass to keep clean if you live in an area like mine where it's tough enough finding a smoke shop that carries standard size pipe cleaners, let alone the extra long pipe cleaners required for a Churchwarden. I think it's safe to say I've only smoked the pair less than a dozen times between the both of them.
@ghostsofpompeii Good points. I think you are correct about them being more of a novelty than practical at this point in time. My belief is that the Churchwarden pipes were far more common in the past until the mid-1800s.
@opipeman I do like using a churchwarden when I do civil war reenactments in the summer months, but your right. It's definitely not one for on the march, more of a relaxing by the campfire type of pipe. When I smoke one at home it's when I have some extra time to sit for a while with no inturuptions. That being said I do prefer them, I just don't use it as much as I would like. The smaller bowled ones I have do seem to work good with a flake tobacco.
@opipeman Don’t get me wrong. I personally have six Churchwardens that I routinely smoke - including the one I bought from @Corey562. I would never say they are a waste of money.
For a long time I've observed a lack of churchwardens in the estate pipe section of SP, particularly in the Sav section which is what I pay most attention to. There can only be three reasons for that, either people who buy them like them enough to never sell them, they break and get thrown away, people don't buy them in the first place.
I don't think it's the latter because right now, Sav alone has around 70 (3 pages worth) on SP's new pipe site...you wouldn't stock that many new pipes if there wasn't a robust demand for them, so, it has to be one of the first two reasons.
I mention this because regardless of whether they are 'novelty' pipes or not, a ton of people purchase them and you must, thereby, reasonably conclude that a ton of people like them.
Kick back and enjoy the damn thing already! You made a good purchase that a gazillion others have done as well. Plus, it's a pretty pipe you bought there and makes you look more sophisticated! The only thing that would make you look even more sophisticated is if you grew more hair out of your ears like @PappyJoe has growing out of his!
I have 3 churchwardens 2 of which I modified myself, I'm a "Sipper" and I find them easy to use when leaning back in my chair in cool weather out on my porch. I find many arts and crafts store stock long, white cotton pipe cleaners they use in decorations. Read the package as the colored ones and some white ones are not cotton. You can also find spools of pipe cleaner online that you cut to length.
I have a churchwarden that I picked up at an estate sale. It's a Peterson, unsmoked, for like 8 dollars. The stem broke in the shank and I still have the pipe but have never gotten around to trying to get the broken piece out or the pipe fixed. It's been 4 years, so I'm guessing that means I'm not a fan, LOL.
@mhajec You can put the pipe bowl in the freezer for awhile, then use a 3” drywall screw and lightly turn it into the broken tenon and wiggle it carefully out. I would then find some ~1/8” stainless steel tubing and cut an inch+ or so repair sleeve. Drill the back side of the broken tenon not quite all the way, figure out how deep to drill the stem, just enough for the rest of the SS tube. Lightly sand the tubing and clean with alcohol then use some Locktite 380 “BlackMax” to fit it back together. The repair will be almost invisible. Sounds like you got a very good deal once it is repaired. I have somewhere around 150 Peterson’s, but I have not pulled the trigger on a churchwarden yet.
Comments
Here is my report on the maiden voyage of my new Neerup Churchwarden. I couldn't video it. I asked two neighbors that have smartphones if they would and they both looked at me as if I had confirmed their long held belief that I am crazy. I loaded it with Scotty's Peachtree Street.
My observations are as follows; It requires that one hand be on the stem or bowl during the entire smoke (da). It is too heavy to clinch. It delivers a cool smoke and the bowl doesn't get very hot. I smoked two bowls and noticed that near the end of each bowl it tasted as if the briar was burning a little. Maybe it needs more break in time? It is a pipe that you smoke when yo can totally relax and have both hands free.
I think it is a very attractive pipe. Overall, I like the pipe. The long stem will take a we bit of getting used too.
As good a smoker as I think it will become, it isn't worth getting a haircut and putting on deodorant for a video.
Nice…”peachy” 🙂
Well, thanks for the review sir. What a great looking pipe you have! Let us know how she breaks in brother.
I thought I really controlled myself when I didn't commit on the need for a bigger rack. You rascals are as bad as meself.
I'll keep you posted, Brother.
Good points.
I think you are correct about them being more of a novelty than practical at this point in time. My belief is that the Churchwarden pipes were far more common in the past until the mid-1800s.
You have described churchwardens better than I could have come up with. Wish i had known before I spent all that money.
😳😬
I don't think it was a waste of money either, but I wish I hadn't spent as much as I did. Who knows in time it may become a favorite.
my porch. I find many arts and crafts store stock long, white cotton pipe cleaners they use in decorations. Read the package as the colored ones and some white ones are not cotton. You can also find spools of pipe cleaner online that you cut to length.
I tend to procrastinate myself. I can't promise that you will love it if you get it prepared, but you might.
You can put the pipe bowl in the freezer for awhile, then use a 3” drywall screw and lightly turn it into the broken tenon and wiggle it carefully out. I would then find some ~1/8” stainless steel tubing and cut an inch+ or so repair sleeve. Drill the back side of the broken tenon not quite all the way, figure out how deep to drill the stem, just enough for the rest of the SS tube. Lightly sand the tubing and clean with alcohol then use some Locktite 380 “BlackMax” to fit it back together. The repair will be almost invisible. Sounds like you got a very good deal once it is repaired. I have somewhere around 150 Peterson’s, but I have not pulled the trigger on a churchwarden yet.