Thoughts on Churchwarden Pipes

Why I love churchwarden pipes

I love churchwarden pipes. There's something wonderful about the long, slender stem that adds a real touch of grace and style to the pipe. A finely-crafted churchwarden is a beautiful pipe indeed.

          A churchwarden pipe from my own collection.

But they're also a real pleasure to smoke. Because of their length, they cannot be held by mouth alone; you must hold the pipe. For this reason, they are absolutely perfect for relaxing in a comfortable chair while reading a good book, chatting with friends, or watching TV.

Some believe the long stem also helps the pipe to smoke cooler. This is because the smoke travels farther before it reaches your tongue/mouth and has an opportunity to cool a bit. Like all pipes, if smoked improperly, even a churchwarden will fry your tongue. But all things being equal, they provide a cool, comfortable, and flavorable smoke (with any pipe, a cool smoke = more flavor.

Due to the extra work and material involved in crafting the stem, most new churchwarden pipes sell for over $100. Of course, depending on the maker and style of the bowl, they can be much more expensive than that. You may be able to find a churchwarden estate pipe, but in my experience, they are harder to locate. Also beware of estate churchwardens that haven't been properly cared for. Because of the cooling effect of the long, slender stems, tar buildup is often more pronounced in churchwarden pipes. If not regularly and thoroughly cleaned, the stem can become very nasty, and because of the length, they can be difficult to clean and sanitize.