Churchwarden Style Pipes
- Thread starter Johnny_Z
- Start date
Are you talking briar or clay churchwarden? They're probably not the best choice for a starter pipe, though they're not really a *bad* choice mind you, just sub-optimal. Clay churchwardens are very fragile, and though briars are more rugged they still have the other liabilities of the style. The length makes them somewhat cumbersome and they need special (x-long) pipe cleaners. Most of them have quite small bowls (generally group 1 or 2 size), so they're somewhat limited in what they smoke well, some tobaccos do better with larger bowls. But they do look neat, and if you really want one then go for it. Stanwell makes some neat looking "Hans Christian Anderson" churchwardens, though I don't have personal experience with them. I've got a Dunhill and an Ashton churchwarden, and a large-bowled (Grp 6/ODA size) Radice with an 8" bamboo stem extension.
Some guys claim that the longer stem makes a churchwarden smoke cooler. This is true with clay churchwardens but isn't really true with briar churchwardens. The "heat" in the smoke really comes from the moisture in the smoke. If you remember your high school physics, the heat in steam comes in three separate phases: the heat to get the water up to the evaporation point (1 Kcal/gram-degC), the heat to vaporize the water (540 Kcal/gram), and the heat to raise the temperature of the steam to whatever it gets to beyond that (0.48 Kcal/gram-degC). When it cools the water dumps whatever heat it contains as it transfers through these three phases. Of these three the heat of vaporization is by far the largest. Six extra inches of lucite may cool the steam down a few degrees but it's still steam and when it hits your mouth and condenses (dumping the heat of vaporization into your mouth) the 1-2 Kcal/gram less energy from the lower steam temperature doesn't really matter compared to the 540 Kcal/gram that the steam dumps in your mouth just because it's steam. Clay churchwardens smoke cooler because the clay is absorbent and those extra inches in the stem allow the pipe to absorb more moisture from the smoke so there's less of it hitting your mouth to begin with (this is also why clay churchwardens get so hot, but better the pipe than your mouth). This is also how those balsa and paper filter pipes and peterson system pipes cool the smoke, by absorbing (filter pipes) or condensing (peterson system) the steam before it gets to your mouth. But briar churchwardens use non-absorbent lucite or vulcanite for the stem. If you can find a bamboo-shanked churchwarden it may smoke cooler, depending on how the bamboo is reinforced (some just reinforce the ends, some use a steel or brass liner, some are filled with some sort of plastic and then the air hole drilled through it).
Some guys claim that the longer stem makes a churchwarden smoke cooler. This is true with clay churchwardens but isn't really true with briar churchwardens. The "heat" in the smoke really comes from the moisture in the smoke. If you remember your high school physics, the heat in steam comes in three separate phases: the heat to get the water up to the evaporation point (1 Kcal/gram-degC), the heat to vaporize the water (540 Kcal/gram), and the heat to raise the temperature of the steam to whatever it gets to beyond that (0.48 Kcal/gram-degC). When it cools the water dumps whatever heat it contains as it transfers through these three phases. Of these three the heat of vaporization is by far the largest. Six extra inches of lucite may cool the steam down a few degrees but it's still steam and when it hits your mouth and condenses (dumping the heat of vaporization into your mouth) the 1-2 Kcal/gram less energy from the lower steam temperature doesn't really matter compared to the 540 Kcal/gram that the steam dumps in your mouth just because it's steam. Clay churchwardens smoke cooler because the clay is absorbent and those extra inches in the stem allow the pipe to absorb more moisture from the smoke so there's less of it hitting your mouth to begin with (this is also why clay churchwardens get so hot, but better the pipe than your mouth). This is also how those balsa and paper filter pipes and peterson system pipes cool the smoke, by absorbing (filter pipes) or condensing (peterson system) the steam before it gets to your mouth. But briar churchwardens use non-absorbent lucite or vulcanite for the stem. If you can find a bamboo-shanked churchwarden it may smoke cooler, depending on how the bamboo is reinforced (some just reinforce the ends, some use a steel or brass liner, some are filled with some sort of plastic and then the air hole drilled through it).
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I have a clay churchwarden that I purchased a dozen years ago and have somehow managed to not break...it is a fun break from 'the usual.'
About six months ago I got a Stanwell churchwarden in black sandblast. It doesn't necessarily smoke any cooler than my other pipes, but like the clay, it is a nice alternative to my usual pipe rotation, and it makes for a great smoke while laid back in the recliner.
As mparker762 stated, don't forget the extra-long pipe cleaners!
About six months ago I got a Stanwell churchwarden in black sandblast. It doesn't necessarily smoke any cooler than my other pipes, but like the clay, it is a nice alternative to my usual pipe rotation, and it makes for a great smoke while laid back in the recliner.
As mparker762 stated, don't forget the extra-long pipe cleaners!
I'm glad to see that MParker takes the same diligent approach to his other hobbies as he does with razors!
- Thread starter
- #5
I have clay and briar churchwardens that were given to me by my brother-in-law who used to smoke them. I agree with mparker, they're not very convenient to smoke, especially because I clench my pipe while I'm working.
Commander Quan
Commander Yellow Pantyhose
I would not choose a Churchwarden as a primary pipe, just because they aren't good if you are going to be up and moving around, and like Chimensch said, you're not going to be clenching that bad boy. However are great for just sitting around, and especially for reading, the long stem keeps the bowl out of your line of sight. Johs make a couple that are actually sitters, which is an incredibly cool concept to me considering how long they are.
I have a meerschaum churchwarden that I rarely smoke. It was a gift. Not really a good starter pipe.
It sounds to me like you are interested in a churchwarden for romantic reasons and, as such, I see no reason not to get one. If you smoke every day then certainly it's not the ideal pipe but if you are a weekend guy and you want to sit on a log or on the porch with a fine single malt or what-have-you then churchwardens are delightful. I have a Peterson that I really like a lot. Beware, PAD will set in and you soon have a collection on your hands. 
