P-Lip adventure

[Benzadmiral]

I find it hard to believe, but --

I loaded my new-to-me Peterson 440 straight billiard last night for this morning. After breakfast, I lit up a Swan Vesta and set the leaf alight. Draw was a little sluggish; I thought maybe I'd packed it too tightly, or a flake of tobacco was in the s\airway. A pipe cleaner would fix the latter. So I bring up the pipe cleaner . . . and can't find the opening. Huh?

Then I realized. I had the stem in upside down! A 180-degree rotation brought the P-Lip to the top and the pipe cleaner slid right in.

With a curved stem you'd never have this problem; but with a straight, it's possible.

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

A new pipe can take a little getting used to sometimes. Good to hear there wasn't something wrong with the pipe.

 

[Benzadmiral]

A new pipe can take a little getting used to sometimes. Good to hear there wasn't something wrong with the pipe.

No, just with the nut behind the pipe.

 

[gpjoe]

No, just with the nut behind the pipe.

This was the first time you have smoked a P-Lip? Curious to hear your thoughts on how it smoked, and how different it is from a fishtail.

I've been thinking of buying a Peterson and can't decide which style of bit to get. If I get a fishtail, I'll know what I'm getting, but won't know what I might be missing.

 

[Benzadmiral]

This was the first time you have smoked a P-Lip? Curious to hear your thoughts on how it smoked, and how different it is from a fishtail.

I've been thinking of buying a Peterson and can't decide which style of bit to get. If I get a fishtail, I'll know what I'm getting, but won't know what I might be missing.

Oh, no -- I've had a Peterson 307 with a P-lip since the 1980s. My major pleasure with P-lips is that the button is easy to clench between the teeth. That's not my usual practice while puffing, but I do it off and on during a session, and it located very nicely behind the teeth.

When I used to get tongue bite, before I learned here how to slow down and breathe with the pipe, it could happen with any style of bit and any pipe. The P-lip is supposed to keep the smoke flowing toward the roof of your mouth instead of the tongue. I guess it does that.

 

[gpjoe]

Oh, no -- I've had a Peterson 307 with a P-lip since the 1980s. My major pleasure with P-lips is that the button is easy to clench between the teeth. That's not my usual practice while puffing, but I do it off and on during a session, and it located very nicely behind the teeth.

When I used to get tongue bite, before I learned here how to slow down and breathe with the pipe, it could happen with any style of bit and any pipe. The P-lip is supposed to keep the smoke flowing toward the roof of your mouth instead of the tongue. I guess it does that.

...but then you burn your palate instead of your tongue?

I'm still new at this, and have worked on my cadence, but as a former cigarette smoker, I probably over-puff compared to more seasoned pipers.

If I'm understanding you correctly, you prefer the P-Lip bit for comfort, but there is no huge difference in the way the pipe smokes?

Thanks for the input, or anyone else that wants to comment.

 

[Benzadmiral]

...but then you burn your palate instead of your tongue?

I'm still new at this, and have worked on my cadence, but as a former cigarette smoker, I probably over-puff compared to more seasoned pipers.

If I'm understanding you correctly, you prefer the P-Lip bit for comfort, but there is no huge difference in the way the pipe smokes?

Thanks for the input, or anyone else that wants to comment.

Basically, yes. Maybe I'm missing something. But I don't recall ever burning the roof of my mouth with pipe smoking (thank goodness!), P-lip pipe or not. My suspicion is that I'm not as slow a smoker as I should be -- my average-sized bowls tend to run me about a half hour, sometimes close to 40 minutes, but not more, whereas some folks here say they get an hour form a given blend and pipe. But I like these 2 Petersons with their P-lips, and the Dry System sandblast Savinelli I've also had since the '80s with the same feature.

I wouldn't turn a pipe down if it had a fishtail, though. My Christmas pipe from '21, the Peterson Arklow straight pot-bowl, has that, and it is a pleasure to smoke too.

 

[luvmysuper]

...but then you burn your palate instead of your tongue?

I'm still new at this, and have worked on my cadence, but as a former cigarette smoker, I probably over-puff compared to more seasoned pipers.

If I'm understanding you correctly, you prefer the P-Lip bit for comfort, but there is no huge difference in the way the pipe smokes?

Thanks for the input, or anyone else that wants to comment.

I think you'll find that for the most part, how you draw is the most significant way to prevent problems.
Drawing hard, too frequently etc can't really be "fixed" by bit type.
In fact, any bit can still deliver harsh results.
A P lip supposedly directs smoke up and back, but if you drop the front of the pipe you have a jet stream almost straight up.
It's unfortunately just one of those things that you have to pick up over time and through experienced situations.
I move the pipe around a lot. I'm not one who has the pipe clenched in one position constantly.

 

[gpjoe]

I think you'll find that for the most part, how you draw is the most significant way to prevent problems.
Drawing hard, too frequently etc can't really be "fixed" by bit type.
In fact, any bit can still deliver harsh results.
A P lip supposedly directs smoke up and back, but if you drop the front of the pipe you have a jet stream almost straight up.
It's unfortunately just one of those things that you have to pick up over time and through experienced situations.
I move the pipe around a lot. I'm not one who has the pipe clenched in one position constantly.

That's what I figured.

My cadence is good enough to prevent bite, but I was curious if the P-Lip genuinely made a difference. It appears that, as with shaving, technique is still king.

I'll likely just stick with a fishtail...no...wait...

...one of each!

"Honey, it's the only way I'll know for sure!"

 

[luvmysuper]

That's what I figured.

My cadence is good enough to prevent bite, but I was curious if the P-Lip genuinely made a difference. It appears that, as with shaving, technique is still king.

I'll likely just stick with a fishtail...no...wait...

...one of each!

"Honey, it's the only way I'll know for sure!"

I think it's just a matter of comfort, and bit type comfort is very likely to be influenced by pipe shape and weight.

 

[Kentos]

If you retrohale a lot the p-lip kinda helps with that teeny bit. If you like to direct the smoke onto the tip of your tongue then it impedes that. If you smoke hot, it will singe the roof of your mouth vs the tongue as you mentioned.

It’s one of those “you have to try it to know it” things. I like them. I like regular stems as well.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I enjoy smoking the one P-lip I have (Peterson Barrel), but wouldn't go out of my way to get another.

 

[Columbo]

I think you'll find that for the most part, how you draw is the most significant way to prevent problems.
Drawing hard, too frequently etc can't really be "fixed" by bit type.
In fact, any bit can still deliver harsh results.
A P lip supposedly directs smoke up and back, but if you drop the front of the pipe you have a jet stream almost straight up.
It's unfortunately just one of those things that you have to pick up over time and through experienced situations.
I move the pipe around a lot. I'm not one who has the pipe clenched in one position constantly.

This. Learn to sip, and the bit configuration won’t matter much. Newer pipe smokers are prone to faster puffing and too much air movement, for a variety of reasons. And that results in hotter, less pleasant smokes no matter the bit.

Beverage pairing and palate cleansing is also helpful as you develop your technique, and/or encounter new and challenging blends. So are filtered pipes early on, which will cover some of the early miscues that beginning smokers make.

I tend to clench on one side, but will often ‘spread the wealth around‘ as the bowl progresses. But there are no right or wrong ways to do any of this.

 

[Crixus]

Doesn't the P-Lip sort of fall into that category of products where the marketers are going to help remedy a malady that you didn't even know you had until they pointed it out to you and pledged to make your life just a little better?

 

[ctr]

First time I tried a p lip didn't care for it. But some very nice pipes come with a p lip as the only option. Tried it a few years later and found it is fine. In some ways better, in others no.

 

[luvmysuper]

I personally don't find it better or worse, just different.

 

[gpjoe]

Doesn't the P-Lip sort of fall into that category of products where the marketers are going to help remedy a malady that you didn't even know you had until they pointed it out to you and pledged to make your life just a little better?

Feels like that. Still, I may like to try at least one at some point, though it's not at the top of my bucket list.

 

[nortac]

For me the P-lip is a Peterson classic feature. Not necessarily a better smoking experience than a fishtail. It does make clenching a jaw hanger easier as you can hold it behind your teeth with less jaw strain, in my limited experience. But I'm not a big clencher in general.