Pimpin the Clay

[Bruck]

I picked up some clays from ebay a little while ago. Clays are a bit different to smoke, but I'm always up for a novelty. Here's the "before" picture:



I picked up some aniline dye earlier this year with the intention of colorizing some briars, which I haven't done yet, but I thought, why not add some color to a clay?
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This one's yellow - the color in the pic is a little distorted. I shined it up just a bit with carnuba as well, not sure if you can see that in the pics.

I did an earlier one in yellow, and it worked, but the yellow bled off a little onto my lips (the absorbing properties of clay work both ways). A couple other things I find a little off-putting about clays is that they're kind of gritty on the teeth and the clay pulls moisture out of your lips, causing them to adhere slightly until you get the end sufficiently saturated with spit. There's got to be a better way, I thought.



So I coated the mouth end with paraffin - about 2". That solved the first and third problems, but not the second - still feels a little gritty.



Anyway, fun little project. I've got some other colors and plenty of clay pipes to work with. I'll post pics as I proceed.

[Lostmason]

You could try a small piece of clear rubber tubing.

[Lynn]

the things a BUM will do, to pass the time....why the yellow????....

[BryGuySC]

I can't see the pics.

- edit - Now I can.

Nice job.

[Tobias Lutz]

Very nice, Bruce!

[Desertlifter]

Very nice! I have a clay tavern pipe that I am fond of. As to the mouth piece (so to speak), I've seen clays coated/painted with something or other on the tip of the stem - that would seem to do nicely.

[Chad Vegas]

You could try a small piece of clear rubber tubing.

I think this should solve your problems. Let us know!

[Bruck]

You could try a small piece of clear rubber tubing.

That's not a bad idea. I'll have to give that a try. My thinking on the subject was more along the lines of, how to mount a conventional stem.

I do like smoking a clay, but the grittiness on the teeth and the fact that it's rather difficult to hold in your mouth detract from the experience.

I've got it - heat shrink tubing. I hope it's non-toxic

- - - Updated - - -

the things a BUM will do, to pass the time....why the yellow????....

Bcs I'm a Michigan grad/fan. Blue is next

[Lostmason]

I was thinking along the lines of the tubing for aquariums, it would be non-toxic.But heat-shrink should do nicely.

[Bruck]

BTW, a public service announcement, when smoking a clay, don't touch the bowl!