Today, we have decided to give you all the secrets of bent shaped pipes. Whether you already smoke the pipe or not, it is very interesting to learn more about this pipe silhouette.
The benefits of a bent pipe:
The main benefit of a bent pipe? It is before all how you can easily hold it in the mouth. Compared to a straight shaped pipe, a bent pipe will be more pleasant to hold in the mouth. But it is not the only reason, and you can choose a bent pipe just because it caught your eye...
A feeling of lightness:
As we mentioned above, a bent pipe easily holds in the mouth. Of course, the smaller the pipe, the more it should be lightweight. The weight of a pipe is to be considered if you like to smoke your pipe while doing something else for example. Being able to keep your pipe in your mouth will therefore be very convenient depending on what you do: if you like to tinker and smoke the pipe at the same time, a bent pipe is for you! Your hands will be free, and you will not even feel the pipe in your mouth. A smoker who prefers to keep his pipe in his mouth should therefore definitely choose a bent pipe.
If you are a beginner or if you want to offer a pipe as a present, it is best to choose a half-bent model. As the name suggests, it is between a straight pipe and a bent pipe. It will therefore have the benefits of both. Here is more information to help you find the pipe that fits you best: "How to select the right pipe?"
Claire, La Pipe Rit
More fragile teeth:
It is easier to hold a bent pipe in the mouth because it is well-balanced. It will therefore be an excellent choice for someone who has teeth problems. A bent pipe will indeed be more comfortable in the mouth because you will not have to clench your teeth to keep it in your mouth.
If you recognize yourself in the situation described above, make sure to get the lightest pipe as possible. Ideally, it should not weigh more than 35 grams, and a pipe equipped with a saddle stem will be even better.
Bastien, La Pipe Rit
Photos taken in the pipe shop in Saint-Claude © Benjamin Becker
The manufacturing of a bent pipe:
Making a bent pipe has its specificities. It is therefore worth to explain them to understand everything about these pipes.
Pipe makers' techniques:
If the pipe is to be very bent, then the pipe maker will have no other choice but to make two different drilling holes (two different axes). Drilling must be precise since it determines how the smoke will flow in the pipe. It must be in the middle of the shank as most as possible in order to have a good thickness of briar all around the hole. Then why do we say that there are actually two drilling holes?
- The first drilling is made to create the mortise, meaning the part that will be fitted with the tenon of the stem, and a filter if there is one.
- The second drilling is for the air passage and is most of the time made with a smaller drill with a diameter of 4mm. It must precisely meet the bottom of the bowl. If it is not well made, the combustion of the tobacco will be more difficult. The air will not flow as it should, and the tobacco will not burn.
If a pipe was cut in half, this is what you could see:
Drilling of a bent pipe
If you want to know more, we have made a special blog article to explain the main steps of the manufacturing of a briar pipe.
Bastien, La Pipe Rit
The Irish brand Peterson actually became famous thanks to the way the pipe makers drill the shank to make the "reservoir", allowing a smoke even more pleasant in the mouth.
Peterson's pipes reservoir: how it is made
Filters and drilling:
From the beginning, the internal drilling determines if the pipe can be equipped with a filter or not. Depending on the pipe and its shape, the pipe maker always thinks about the filter before making the pipe. This means that the mortise will be drilled depending on the filter. If a bent pipe can therefore be smoked with a metal filter, this means that it can not be smoked with a 9mm filter. On the contrary, it is sometimes possible to smoke a 9mm pipe with a metal filter, but it is always better to try before.
In the 70s, only a few pipe makers (like Butz-Choquin) used a single bent drilling, and the shank was drilled only once. This kind of circular drilling required a very precise know-how and special machines. Nowadays, bent pipes are always drilled twice.
Jean, La Pipe Rit
Cleaning a bent pipe:
More humidity will tend to accumulate in a bent pipe. This is truer if you always keep your pipe in the corner of your mouth. And it is even truer if your tobacco is a little bit too humid. The smoke will indeed flow with a little bit more difficulty because of the two drillings, and your pipe may start to "gurgle". Cleaning your pipe is very important, but you already know that, don't you? If your pipe is properly maintained, your tobacco tastings will be even more pleasant.
For a bent pipe, and if you do not know how it is made, this can be quite destabilizing at first. Indeed, unlike a straight pipe, you have to incline your pipe cleaner so that it can go through the second drilling. A beginner might therefore try to put the pipe cleaner in the shank without being aware of that second drilling, slightly inclined (and will therefore think that the pipe is clogged or that there is a design flaw). Now that you know how a bent pipe is made, you can clean it properly!
Do you know what is the pipe cleaner test? If a pipe cleaner can go through the pipe (from the end of the stem to the bottom of the bowl) without disassembling the pipe, it means that the drilling was perfectly made and that the air will flow properly. Of course, you can try it if there is no filter in the pipe.
Bastien, La Pipe Rit
The quintessential traditional pipe: Saint-Claude's bent pipe.
Buying a bent pipe:
According to a lot of people, a bent pipe is synonymous with elegance. It is actually what one might imagine: a man with a bent pipe at the corner of his mouth... You had a crush on a bent pipe. Now, which one will you choose for your father? On www.pipeshop-saintclaude.com, we help you to find the pipe that you want, depending on the shape, the price, the finish... Of course, if you still have questions on some pipes, do not hesitate to contact our team that will give you recommendations to help you find the pipe that suits you best!
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