Do you use soft rubber/vinyl bits on your pipe?

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Originally Posted by MrMotoyoshi

2. That nasty nasty. Drool, tobacco juice and whatever else is going to collect under there. If you're using the rubber bits they become destroyed by constantly putting them on and taking them off (in addition to the biting while clenching). If it's a bit that you're leaving on, all that saliva and juicy goodness stays there and festers.

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This is my main concern, after which is the comfort of the thing.

The only thing I can think of is a very stretchy rubber bit which is taken off and cleaned every time. And as for the rubber ones, don't they taste like... rubber?

I only have a few softee bits on pipes. Some of the pipes were estates that I restored, but the bit end of the stems were too damaged to make good as new, and the soft bits hide the heavy bite marks. On a couple others, I have them on pipes I'm inclined to clench if I'm doing something that needs both hands. Usually I don't clench, so most of my pipes have uncovered bits.

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Originally Posted by Ropey

This is my main concern, after which is the comfort of the thing.

The only thing I can think of is a very stretchy rubber bit which is taken off and cleaned every time. And as for the rubber ones, don't they taste like... rubber?

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I don't worry about the spit. Who cares. It's mine. Also, the vinyl tubing I use is see-through, and you'd be amazed at how little spit actually gets under there while smoking.

I use food grade vinyl tubing that has 0 flavor too it. I have chewed through one once and it had absolutely no taste to it at all.

The tubing is thick, and takes time to get used too. If you think softie bits are uncomfortable, then the tubing will be unbearable to you.

I used them when I started out for a bit, but then realized they were kind of pointless since I rarely clench anyway.

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Originally Posted by MrMotoyoshi

I used to use them but I have given up except for my birth year Dunhill. I would like that pipe to stay pristine.

My reasoning is multifaceted.

1. A work of art. The stem is one of the most used parts of the pipe, if not the most. The pipe crafters (the good ones) take their time to make it comfortable and a work of art on its own. Putting that rubber/vinyl piece on goes against all the hard work that went into making it. I also don't like the look of it.

2. That nasty nasty. Drool, tobacco juice and whatever else is going to collect under there. If you're using the rubber bits they become destroyed by constantly putting them on and taking them off (in addition to the biting while clenching). If it's a bit that you're leaving on, all that saliva and juicy goodness stays there and festers.

3. Stems with character. After all they are my pipes and I think a pipe with teeth marks has character and looks loved. Besides, you can always clean your vulcanite stems. It's part of the stewardship of a pipe IMO. Estates with chatter are commonplace so why should I not enjoy my pipe to the fullest while it's mine?

These are just my thoughts. For all the people that use them please don't take this as me bashing you. Everyone enjoys their pipes differently.

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Originally Posted by LandonColby

No. I think they look tacky, and make the stem to large and uncomfortable to clench...I prefer thin or saddle bit stems so when I clench I'm actually biting down on more of the stem than just the very end. This is more comfortable IMO as I don't need to really bite it just hangs there, also meaning I don't have an issue with tooth marks.

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@MrMotoyoshi and @LandonColby, will you two guys get out of my head! I thought that I wrote your posts but you wrote mine! :)

I'm a dedicated clencher and I've owned most of my rotation for around 30 years. I groove every one similarly but of the hundreds of pipes that I've smoked (about 40 in my current rotation) I've never bitten through one but I have cracked the button twice.

The shape of your teeth is key - some mentioning that they punch holes in the stems sounds like they have sharp teeth. How hard you clench is a factor too. It comes down to what you're comfortable with and with anything on my bits, I'm not. I've tried, but I get that chalk on blackboard squeak and I have to run and pee. :)

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Originally Posted by NeverBend

@MrMotoyoshi and @LandonColby, will you two guys get out of my head! I thought that I wrote your posts but you wrote mine! :)

I'm a dedicated clencher and I've owned most of my rotation for around 30 years. I groove every one similarly but of the hundreds of pipes that I've smoked (about 40 in my current rotation) I've never bitten through one but I have cracked the button twice.

The shape of your teeth is key - some mentioning that they punch holes in the stems sounds like they have sharp teeth. How hard you clench is a factor too. It comes down to what you're comfortable with and with anything on my bits, I'm not. I've tried, but I get that chalk on blackboard squeak and I have to run and pee. :)

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I agree with the alignment of your bite being key to a comfortable clench. There is a place on the right side of my mouth that the button of a stem fits nicely, and comfortably. But there is a different spot for the left side since my teeth have been allowed to grow naturally...they're straight, but not perfect.
I classify myself as a clencher, but only take the pipe out of my mouth for short intervals to swallow just so I don't drool down the stem too much over time.

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Originally Posted by NeverBend

I've tried, but I get that chalk on blackboard squeak and I have to run and pee. :)

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I thought that was just me. They also made my teeth itch.

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Originally Posted by mooster

I thought that was just me. They also made my teeth itch.

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Yesss, that too.

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Very much a personal thing akin to whether you like broccoli.

I used shrink tubing for a while, which is actually fairly nice -- at first. After five or ten smokes it starts getting nasty and I got sick of putting on new ones. The nubbies were uncomfortably fat for me, though. I haven't even thought about it in a few years, and it never even occurred to me before that.

i use em on all of my pipes. the bit feels nicer in my mouth and easier to bite down on and easier to clinch