Pipe Science

Doctors and Masters of Pipes: A Timeline

Doctors and Masters of Pipes: A Timeline

May 16, 2025 by Chuck Stanion

8 Comments

Those who regularly visit the Daily Reader may have noticed occasional mention of Doctors of Pipes and Masters of Pipes, designations awarded by the Chicagoland Pipe Collectors Club. We've published profiles of several Doctors here because they are interesting people with decades ... Read More

Common Tobacco Pipe Materials: Briar, Meerschaum, and More

Common Tobacco Pipe Materials: Briar, Meerschaum, and More

July 7, 2023 by Chuck Stanion

26 Comments

Modern pipes are made from a number of materials: briar, meerschaum, clay, various woods like cherrywood and olivewood, corn cobs, morta (also called bog-oak), and gourds are the most popular. They've withstood generations of use and have proven to be good performers. For someone just deciding to explore pipe ... Read More

Airflow in Peterson System Pipes: A Conversation with Dr. Dunn

Airflow in Peterson System Pipes: A Conversation with Dr. Dunn

September 23, 2022 by Chuck Stanion

15 Comments

In physics and engineering, fluid dynamics is the field that describes and measures the flow of fluids, including air and other gasses, as they move through various environments. One such environment is that found inside of a tobacco pipe. Air must move efficiently from the bowl, through the shank and stem, and out of ... Read More

The Many Shapes and Styles of Tobacco Pipes

The Many Shapes and Styles of Tobacco Pipes

September 9, 2022 by Chuck Stanion

23 Comments

You may have noticed that pipes appear in a large number of different shapes. One might even say that the number is infinite, especially when accounting for variations. Most traditional shapes, for example, can be straight or bent, with varying proportions, different stem configurations, different capacities, different balance, rounded or flat rims, varying curvature of bowl, length of stem ... Read More

Vulcanite vs Acrylic Pipe Stems: What's Right for You?

Vulcanite vs Acrylic Pipe Stems: What's Right for You?

July 14, 2022 by Davin Hylton

14 Comments

While pipe smokers are a friendly lot, pipe smoking as a whole inspires serious debate and discussion. Much of the contention can be attributed to the passion the hobby elicits as well as the sheer diversity of options available. The merits of various shapes, artisans, tobaccos, finishes, etc. are always considered and weighed, and comparison inevitably arises ... Read More

How Tobacco Pipes Work

How Tobacco Pipes Work

June 10, 2022 by Chuck Stanion

10 Comments

Pipes are simple devices. Reduced to their fundamental essence, they are blocks of wood with two holes drilled in them (we'll be concentrating on briar pipes without filters for our purpose here, though the concepts also apply to non-wood mediums like meerschaum). One hole is the tobacco chamber and the other is the draft hole ... Read More

The Art of Tamping

The Art of Tamping

February 24, 2021 by Truett Smith

21 Comments

As indicated by the title, it's clear that this article concerns tampers, and if you remember Chuck's earlier piece, The Irresistible Tamper, you know well that our Editor's thoughts on and passion for tampers extend beyond those of even the most avid fan at Comic Con. ... Read More

Halloween Pipe Horrors: How Not to Treat your Briars

Halloween Pipe Horrors: How Not to Treat your Briars

October 31, 2014 by Andrew Wike

20 Comments

Deep within the pipe library there is a mysterious box — a box filled with unspeakable horrors. From misshaped, broken briars to charred, chewed off meerschaums, some truly terrible monsters call this cardboard box their final resting place. ... Read More

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