The Trying Triad

I continue to read up on pipes and have noticed two major controversies. The effects of finish on the pipe and the effects of the size of the airway. It is these two hotly debated topics that the Trying Triad tobacco pipes are comparing. All three pipes are within a half inch in length with each other, with similar bowl sizes and exterior thicknesses. All three are Italian Briar with german Vulcanite stems. 

This first pipe has the airway that I normally use and a carnauba wax finish which is also my most typical finish.

The next pipe has an enlarged airway but than has a Buffed Oil finish which I have heard causes the pipe to stop breathing. 

This last pipe also has the enlarged airway but the finish is a Spray Lacquer. 

So this is by no means a scientific test but I am smoking the same tobacco out of these there pipes to see if I can detect a difference in the way they perform. I will keep you up to date on the results. 

A Couple of Experiments

The two pipes I'm posting today are both experimental pipes that I myself have been smoking from. There are three primary experiments on the first tobacco pipe. It is an Apple-wood pipe made from an apple tree my brother in law took out of his backyard. This pipe has a longer stem than a regular pipe, but not as long as a churchwarden stem. Also I used a varnish finish on it instead of a carnauba wax. 

The Second pipe also has three things I'm trying on it. This pipe is a cherry wood pipe, with a squared out tobacco chamber and has been finished with shellac. 

The different woods change the flavor of the smoke at least in the early break in smoking. The apple wood is quite crisp, and the cherry has a bit of a rolling flavor. The downside to these woods is that I noticed the wood already taking some of the burn. Hopefully that will stop or slow as I get the cake built up. 

I like the longer stem. It is a little cooler when it smokes and has a comfortable reach. 

The square tobacco chamber looks great but is a little more tricky to build the cake on. 

I am not satisfied with either finish. The both start to feel a little tacky while I'm holding them but I haven't had any issues with the finishing bubbling from the heat. Next time I'll spray them instead of brushing them on. One issue I had with the shellac was it reactivated the die and spread it around. I'm hoping that spraying it will eliminate the die movement. 

The Spoon

The Spoon is another weird pipe I made to try to get a hang for sanding and finishing crevices. All in all a pleasant little 1/4 bent pipe that looks a bit like an egg on a spoon. It was a bit of a learning experience as I dropped it and broke the first stem I made and had to refit a new one. 

I am beginning to feel pretty comfortable with my technique for drilling the various holes. I am not altogether satisfied with the finishing process. Thus far I have been using a buffed on Carnauba wax, which looks great for a short period of time and then starts to look dull. On the first two pipes I made I used a acrylic based polyurethane which I sprayed on and the both still look fantastic. I have been trying to read up on the subject. Pipe maker Stephen Downie speaks of using non wax finishes but won't reveal his secrets. I just recently discovered the blog site of pipe maker Trevor Talbert, and in particular this article which I found to be very helpful. So I think I'll be trying out a couple more finishes, probably at first just on experimental pipes but if it works out then well see them on my other pipes.