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== '''Materials and Construction''' == | == '''Materials and Construction''' == | ||
The material and shape of a pipe has a profound influence upon the aesthetics and smoking qualities. Tobacco pipes come in many shapes and styles. For an excellent | The material and shape of a pipe has a profound influence upon the aesthetics and smoking qualities. Tobacco pipes come in many shapes and styles. For an excellent overview of these shapes see [[Pipe Shapes]] by Bill Burney. | ||
=== Parts Nomenclature === | |||
Bill Burney and A.S.P. have kindly permitted us to use the A.S.P. Pipe Parts Charts showing the parts and nomenclature of the pipe: | |||
<gallery widths=400px heights=500px perrow=2 caption="A.S.P. Pipe Parts Charts, by Bill Burney, Copyright 2003-2011 (used by permission; all rights reserved)"> | |||
File:Parts1.gif|Page 1, Overview (click image for full size view) | |||
File:Parts2.gif|Page 2, Mechanics (click image for full size view) | |||
File:Parts3.gif|Page 3, Stems (click image for full size view) | |||
File:Parts4.gif|Page 4, Mortise Fit (click image for full size view) | |||
</gallery> | |||
The basis for this section is from the Wikipedia entry [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_pipe_%28tobacco%29 Smoking Pipe (tobacco)]. | The basis for this section is from the Wikipedia entry [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_pipe_%28tobacco%29 Smoking Pipe (tobacco)]. | ||
'''A Comprehensive list of Pipe maker | '''A Comprehensive list of Pipe maker material and suppliers can be found here''': [http://pipedia.org/index.php?title=Pipe_Making#Materials_and_Supplies Materials and Supplies] | ||
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=== Alternative Woods Used For Pipe making === | === Alternative Woods Used For Pipe making === | ||
Although briar pipes are by far the most popular, various other woods are also used by pipe makers. See [[Alternative Woods Used For Pipe making ]] for a list of the many wood types and examples of pipes made with these woods. Many thanks to pipe maker [[Elie]] for suggesting this section. Also see [[Pipes in Other Woods]] an article written for The Collector by [[Tim Fuller]] | Although briar pipes are by far the most popular, various other woods are also used by pipe makers (one example would be cherry wood). See [[Alternative Woods Used For Pipe making ]] for a list of the many wood types and examples of pipes made with these woods. Many thanks to pipe maker [[Elie]] for suggesting this section. Also see [[Pipes in Other Woods]] an article written for The Collector by [[Tim Fuller]]. Also see [http://www.pipe-aqualong.com/tradizioni.html Vecchie tradizioni contadine] | ||
Also see [http://pipedia.org/index.php?title=Pipe_Making#Other_Materials Other Materials] section in, in the "Stummels" section in "Pipe Making" | |||
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=== Meerschaum === | === Meerschaum === | ||
[[Image:Meerschaum.jpg|right|thumb|Meerschaum Pipes]] | [[Image:Meerschaum.jpg|right|thumb|Meerschaum Pipes]] | ||
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meerschaum Meerschaum] (hydrated magnesium silicate), a mineral found in small shallow deposits mainly around the city of Eskişehir in central Turkey, is prized for its plasticity which allows it to be carved into many decorative and figural shapes. It was used as early as the 17th century in Turkey in the production of various utilitarian articles, but the first use as a pipe was not earlier than, according to translated documents, about 1725-1750. Along with clay, meerschaum represented the other common medium for pipes before the introduction of briar as the material of choice in the mid-19th century. See [[Antique Meerschaum Pipes]]. | [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meerschaum Meerschaum] (hydrated magnesium silicate), a mineral found in small shallow deposits mainly around the city of Eskişehir in central Turkey, is prized for its plasticity which allows it to be carved into many decorative and figural shapes. It was used as early as the 17th century in Turkey in the production of various utilitarian articles, but the first use as a pipe was not earlier than, according to translated documents, about 1725-1750. Along with clay, meerschaum represented the other common medium for pipes before the introduction of briar as the material of choice in the mid-19th century. See [[Antique Meerschaum Pipes]] and [http://www.pipe-aqualong.com/fossili.html Materiali Fossili, Schiuma di mare] | ||
The word "meerschaum" means "sea foam" in German, alluding to its natural white color and its surprisingly low weight. Meerschaum is a very porous mineral that absorbs elements of the tobacco during the smoking process, and gradually changes color to a golden brown. Old, well-smoked meerschaum pipes are prized for their distinctive coloring. | The word "meerschaum" means "sea foam" in German, alluding to its natural white color and its surprisingly low weight. Meerschaum is a very porous mineral that absorbs elements of the tobacco during the smoking process, and gradually changes color to a golden brown. Old, well-smoked meerschaum pipes are prized for their distinctive coloring. | ||
In selecting a meerschaum pipe it is advisable to determine if the pipe is indeed carved from a block of meerschaum, and is not made from meerschaum dust collected after carving and mixed with an emulsifier then pressed into a pipe shape. These products are not absorbent, do not color, and lack the smoking quality of the block carved pipe. It is not always obvious. Some collectors believe that some pipes marked "solid block meerschaum" may not be genuine. With no uniform grading authority, it is difficult to be sure in the case of an unknown maker, unless you are purchasing it from a trusted, well informed tobacconist. Be wary of inexpensive pipes from untrusted sources. Also look for the quality of the carving. Better carvers are unlikely to waste time carving composite meerschaum. | In selecting a meerschaum pipe it is advisable to determine if the pipe is indeed carved from a block of meerschaum, and is not made from meerschaum dust collected after carving and mixed with an emulsifier then pressed into a pipe shape. These products are not absorbent, do not color, and lack the smoking quality of the block carved pipe. It is not always obvious. Some collectors believe that some pipes marked "solid block meerschaum" may not be genuine. With no uniform grading authority, it is difficult to be sure in the case of an unknown maker, unless you are purchasing it from a trusted, well informed tobacconist. Be wary of inexpensive pipes from untrusted sources. Also look for the quality of the carving. Better carvers are unlikely to waste time carving composite meerschaum. | ||
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=== Morta === | |||
[[Image:Morta tobacco pipe.JPG|thumb|right|75pxl|Morta Pipe]] Morta, also known as Bog Oak or Abonos, is another form of wood used to make tobacco pipes. This wood, however, has been preserved by being buried in peat bogs, sometimes for hundreds of years or more. The material represents the early stages of wood's fossilization, and as a result the material is nearly 12% mineral in content, making it highly resistant to burnout. It is also praised for a neutral taste caused by the removal of all tannins, resins and the like from the wood during its long period of submersion. | |||
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=== Clay === | === Clay === | ||
[[Image:pollockclaypipes1.jpg|thumb|right|75pxl|Fox & Grapes, [[Pollock Clay Pipes]]]] Clay in this case is almost always a very fine white clay. Low-quality "clay" pipes are actually made from porcelain forming techniques known as slip, and poured into a mold. These are porous, of very low quality, and impart unwanted flavors to a smoke. Top-notch clays, on the other hand are made in a labor-intensive process that requires beating all air out of the clay, hand-rolling each pipe before molding it, piercing with a fine wire, and careful firing. Traditionally, clay pipes are unglazed. Clays burn "hot" in comparison to other types of pipes, so they are often difficult for most pipe-smokers to use. Their proponents claim that, unlike other materials, a well-made clay pipe gives a "pure" smoke, with no flavor addition from the pipe bowl. In addition to aficionados, reproductions of historical clay styles are used by some Historical re-enactors. Clay pipes were once considered disposable items and the large quantities discarded in the past are often used as an aid in dating by industrial archaeologists. | [[Image:pollockclaypipes1.jpg|thumb|right|75pxl|Fox & Grapes, [[Pollock Clay Pipes]]]] Clay in this case is almost always a very fine white clay. Low-quality "clay" pipes are actually made from porcelain forming techniques known as slip, and poured into a mold. These are porous, of very low quality, and impart unwanted flavors to a smoke. Top-notch clays, on the other hand are made in a labor-intensive process that requires beating all air out of the clay, hand-rolling each pipe before molding it, piercing with a fine wire, and careful firing. Traditionally, clay pipes are unglazed. Clays burn "hot" in comparison to other types of pipes, so they are often difficult for most pipe-smokers to use. Their proponents claim that, unlike other materials, a well-made clay pipe gives a "pure" smoke, with no flavor addition from the pipe bowl. In addition to aficionados, reproductions of historical clay styles are used by some Historical re-enactors. Clay pipes were once considered disposable items and the large quantities discarded in the past are often used as an aid in dating by industrial archaeologists.<br> | ||
[[File:Selmec.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Selmec Clay, courtesy Geoffrey Mogilner, [http://www.racineandlaramie.com/ Racine & Laramie Tobacconist]]]The Hungarian clay pipe is famous. The illustration (to the left) is a 19th Cent. example with the seal of the town of [[Selmec]] on the front. The seal represents two salamanders which legend tells us led residences to the gold deposits. Hammer and pick are also represented. These clays represent an entirely different clay pipe tradition from the English clay pipes. These shapes are based on Turkish clay pipes which entered Europe from the East. | |||
*See [[Selmec]] for additional information on Hungarian clays | |||
*For additional information see, [[A Short History Of Clay Pipes]], by Heather Coleman | |||
*An excellent article from the Colonial Williamsburg Journal entitled "[http://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/Winter03-04/pipes.cfm Hunting for a Little Ladle]", Tobacco Pipes by Ivor NoÔl Hume | |||
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'''Calabash Interpretations''': Also popular with some collectors are Calabash shaped briar pipes, or Calabash interpretations. Fred Heim has written an interesting article on collecting these called [[Calabash, Calabash, Wherefore Art Thou Calabash?]], The Genesis of a Collecting Motif By Fred Heim, with photography by Joe Harb. | '''Calabash Interpretations''': Also popular with some collectors are Calabash shaped briar pipes, or Calabash interpretations. Fred Heim has written an interesting article on collecting these called [[Calabash, Calabash, Wherefore Art Thou Calabash?]], The Genesis of a Collecting Motif By Fred Heim, with photography by Joe Harb. | ||
===Corncob=== | === Corncob === | ||
[[ | [[File:MM Pipedia 468x60 Woodworker.jpg|thumb|400px|Pipedia thanks [http://corncobpipe.com/ Missouri Meerschaum] for their underwriting support]][[File:Country-Gentleman-Corn-Cob-Pipe-Bent-296.jpg|thumb|left|185px|Country Gentleman Bent, courtesy, [http://corncobpipe.com/ Missouri Meerschaum]]][[File:MacArthur corncob.jpg|thumb|]][[File:Diplomat-5th-Avenue-Corn-Cob-Pipe-Straight-1950.jpg|thumb|left|185px|Diplomat 5th Avenue Straight, courtesy, [http://corncobpipe.com/ Missouri Meerschaum]]]On the other end of the scale, "corncob" pipes made from maize cobs are cheap and effective, even if some regard them as inelegant. The cobs are first dried for two years. Then they are hollowed out to make a bowl shape. The bowls are dipped in a plaster-based mixture and varnished or lacquered on the outside. Shanks made from pine wood are then inserted into the bowls. The first and largest manufacturer of corncob pipes is [[Missouri Meerschaum]], located in Washington, Missouri in the United States.[http://www.corncobpipe.com/]. Missouri Meerschaum has produced the pipes since 1869. General Douglas MacArthur and George Lincoln Rockwell were perhaps the most famous smokers of this type of pipe, along with the cartoon characters Popeye and Frosty the Snowman. | ||
On the other end of the scale, "corncob" pipes made from maize cobs are cheap and effective, even if some regard them as inelegant. The cobs are first dried for two years. Then they are hollowed out to make a bowl shape. The bowls are dipped in a plaster-based mixture and varnished or lacquered on the outside. Shanks made from pine wood are then inserted into the bowls. The first and largest manufacturer of corncob pipes is [[Missouri Meerschaum]], located in Washington, Missouri in the United States.[http://www.corncobpipe.com/]. Missouri Meerschaum has produced the pipes since 1869. General Douglas MacArthur and George Lincoln Rockwell were perhaps the most famous smokers of this type of pipe, along with the cartoon characters Popeye and Frosty the Snowman. | |||
Corncob pipes remain popular today because they are inexpensive and require no "break-in" period like briar pipes. For these two reasons, corncob pipes are often recommended as a "Beginners pipe." But, their enjoyment is by no means limited to beginners. Corncob pipes are equally valued by both learners, and experienced smokers who simply desire a cool, clean smoke. Pipe smokers who wish to sample a wide variety of different tobaccos and blends also might keep a stock of corncobs on hand to permit them to try new flavors without "carryover" from an already-used pipe, or to keep a potentially bad tasting tobacco from adding its flavor to a more expensive or favored pipe. | Corncob pipes remain popular today because they are inexpensive and require no "break-in" period like briar pipes. For these two reasons, corncob pipes are often recommended as a "Beginners pipe." But, their enjoyment is by no means limited to beginners. Corncob pipes are equally valued by both learners, and experienced smokers who simply desire a cool, clean smoke. Pipe smokers who wish to sample a wide variety of different tobaccos and blends also might keep a stock of corncobs on hand to permit them to try new flavors without "carryover" from an already-used pipe, or to keep a potentially bad tasting tobacco from adding its flavor to a more expensive or favored pipe. | ||
For great additional information see [[The Complete Corncob primer]] courtesy of | For great additional information see [[The Complete Corncob primer]] and [[Missouri Meerschaum Corncob Buying Guide]] courtesy of John Patton (tiltjlp). | ||
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Includes various Falcon aluminum-stem pipes, plus Kirsten, Yello Bole, Dr. Grabow (Viking) and many others. | Includes various Falcon aluminum-stem pipes, plus Kirsten, Yello Bole, Dr. Grabow (Viking) and many others. | ||
[[File:EastmanPipe.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Eastman Pipe]] Flyer, courtesy Doug Valitchka]]An interesting book on the subject: Back From The Ashes, Uncovering The Lost History Of G. L. Hunt and the Falcon Pipe, by K. A. Worth ~ Winner, 2008 Illinois Historical Society Book Award. Available from the author: [http://facebook.com/worthyworkspress Worthy Works Press] and $2.99 Color eBook (Updated and Expanded for 2012) at: [http://www.amazon.com/Back-Ashes-Uncovering-History-ebook/dp/B006VOOFNC/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326245898&sr=1-5 Amazon.com.] For more info. see [[Books/Publications]] page... | |||
Build your own custom Kirsten Metal Pipe at [http://www.kirstenpipe.com/customize.shtml Kirsten Pipe Company] | |||
[[Kirsten Pipe Company]] - An article by Dave Whitney | |||
Metal pipes often incorporate means of trapping moisture that can cool the smoke before it reaches the mouth. Some say this can reduce the "Bite" and make smoking more enjoyable. Kirsten and Falcon pipes are still in production and deliver an excellent smoke. Beware though, there are many different metal pipes out there, of varing styles and brands, and collecting them can be very addictive. | |||
[[Eastman Pipe]] - By Eastman Scientific. Not sure how long these were in production, or any of the details with the exception of the flyer. If you have additional information, please click on the blue link and add the information into an article for us. | |||
[[Sweetheart]] - Looks similar to Kirsten, but is a seperate company that was located in St.Paul Minnesota, | |||
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=== ''[[the pipe]]'' (pyrolytic graphite/phenolic resin) === | |||
[[File:pipedia_thepipe.jpg|thumb|left|Billiard Maroon '''''the pipe''''' with white Fashion Stripes, | |||
courtesy Billie W. Taylor II, Ph.D]]In 1963, Super-Temp Corporation began making plastic pipes with pyrolytic graphite bowl liners. They were called '''''the pipe'''''. In 1965, Super-Temp contracted to market their unique pipes through Venturi, Inc., the company which sold Tar Gard cigarette filters. Colors and stripes began to be offered circa 1967. About 1970, '''THE SMOKE''' pipes were added to the line - they were non-traditional shapes with a less expensive bowl liner. Venturi pipes were added around 1972 - they had no liner in the bowls at all. The pipes were out of production by 1975. | |||
See the excellent [http://www.thepipe.info/ the pipe website] by Billie W. Taylor II, Ph.D | |||
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[[ | === Brylon (High Temperature Resin and Wood Flour) === | ||
[[File:Lancer.jpg|left|thumb|Medico Lancer made of Brylon]]In 1966, [[S.M. Frank]] developed a material called "Brylon" made of a high temperature resin combined with "wood flour", which is pulverized wood of varying consistency. The pipes were cheaper and more durable, but heavier in the mouth and had a tendency to smoke hot and wet. They are still made today, and favored by some for their inability to be burnt out or otherwise damaged without significant effort and the ease of cleaning the pipe. For more information see [[S.M. Frank]]. | |||
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