I've heard them called tavern pipes as well. This comes from the time when pipes were clay. The idea was that a longer pipe smoked better but could be cumbersome so they would be smoked in the tavern where you'd be sitting and relaxing while shorter pipes would be smoked while out and about. The long stems would also be broken off at the end as the tip became bitter. Some pipes were made with pre-segmented stems to make it easier to break off cleanly. The pipes were often left in the rafters of a tavern where you could retrieve it next time you came in, the pipes would also be left in place after the person died as a memorial. There are taverns in Europe with clay pipes in the rafters where they were left by their owners hundreds of years ago.
mose717 - That’s really cool information my friend, I heard about the part where taverns would supply long churchwardens made out of clay and patrons would smoke the pipe while in the tavern, then set it down, leave, and when a new patron came in, they would snap the end off of the pipe, fill it with their brand of tobacco, and smoke away. I had someone comment once that, that was not true, because people of that time thought it was unsanitary, then I got to thinking, these people never bathed, the thinking was the dirtier you were the safer you were from disease, they threw chamber pots full of piss into the streets, garbage as well, they primarily drank beer because drinking beer didn’t make you sick, but drinking water would, you think they are going to worry about smoking a pipe after someone else smoked it, no, I don’t think so. 👍👍👍
I hadn't heard that but it makes sense. Just like now, different people have different standards so one person wouldn't care while the next person would bring his own pipe to avoid those owned by the tavern. I'm also sure different establishments all had their own ways of doing things. It also needs to be remembered just how cheap and easy to replace clay pipes were. I have several clay pipes and really enjoy them along with the history they represent. And yes, the countryside wasn't too bad but cities were horribly filthy. While I love history I am also really fond of hot and cold running water that's clean, soap, broad spectrum antibiotics, toilet paper, insect poisons, and central heat and air conditioning.
Hello Muttnchops, I'm a 59 year old pipemaker, and I am very partial to churchwarden pipes. I have made quite a few of them. Usually, I make my own stems, but the last couple of churchwardens I made, I used Erik Nording stems. I can buy replacement Nording stems, both long and short, so they can be used both ways. They are very high quality acrylic, which I've come to prefer over vulcanite, for many reasons. I learned to make pipes from the late Arizona pipemaker, Horace DeJarnet. Horace was a very kind gentleman, with a keen wit. I was in my late 30's, and Horace was in his early 70's when I apprenticed under him. He desperately wanted to pass on his knowledge of the dying art/trade of pipe making, and I was in the right place, at the right time, with the right attitude. Horace learned the trade from Andrew Kovacs (Jandrew pipes), another American pipe maker. It's now my time to pay it forward, but I've yet to find a candidate who is willing to devote the time and effort to see it through. So far, while I've met many people who like to watch a pipe being made, they lose interest when they see the equipment investment, and the labor intensity that goes into making a whole pipe from scratch. I fashion my churchwarden pipes, so that they sit on my lower chest, while I'm reading a book, or my tablet. It keeps the pipe out of my face, for easy reading. Sometimes it is necessary to adjust the curve of the stem, by heating it with hot (not boiling) water, and gently shaping it to the desired curve, to sit comfortably on my chest.
I have never owned or smoked a churchwarden pipe, however, I think I may have to get one now that I have been elected as one of the wardens of my local Parish Church here in the UK.
In Dutch a churchwarden is also called a "leespijp", a reading pipe. The stem is so long because if you have a normal pipe en look down to read a book smoke comes in your eyes and the pipe is blocking part of your view. By extending the stem these problems are fixed. So it's probably to make it easier to read big/heavy books that you can't hold up for extended periods of time.
I have several Churchwardens and I love smoking them. A story I am familiar with regarding its purpose is that the churchwarden was responsible for monitoring the congregation during the worship service. If someone began to nod off during the preacher’s sermon, the churchwarden could stand in the isle and use the long stem of the pipe to reach that person sitting in the pew and poke that person in the shoulder to stir them back to consciousness. Thanks for another great and informative video.
I always presumed that they were called “Churchwardens” because they resembled the candle snuffers that Churchwardens used to snuff out the candles after services etc. Because some of the candles could be quite high up so the snuffers had a long stem to allow the Churchwardens an extra bit of reach. 🤷♂️
Do you know in which book it says? I am currently reading book number three (guess they say it in the first book) but can't remember reading about Gandalfs pipe.
makes sense, cause Gandalf was traveling all the time, si keeping a short handy pipe makes more sense than a long stem one. That said, I love the idea of the wise friendly wizard with a long pipe, as portrayed in the movies.
@@Ulghart I recently found out that in the LOTR movies (especially in Fellowship) you can see that Gandalf hangs his churchwarden between the "roots" on the upper end of his staff. Maybe churchwarden seemed impractical to travel with to the filmmakers as well, so they invented this neat way to store it when Gandalf isn't smoking.
I have a custom made 21 inch churchwarden so I can hold the bowl in my lap and have the stem reach my mouth. This makes the smoke very relaxing and natural for me as if I am not holding a pipe at all but still smoking a pipe. I had looked everywhere for a churchwarden that’s exactly 21 inches and the most I could find was 16. That’s why I had it custom made. I call it the Grandwarden and I feel like I’m the first to have such a thing since I have never seen such a long churchwarden even with me looking for months. I would consider a “grandwarden” any pipe that is at least 20 inches while most standard churchwardens are 10 inches. Hope someone sees this and gets one because it is my favourite churchwarden like pipe that I have, and I don’t think any churchwarden I buy in the future could ever be better than it.
Great video.. Churches were never locked back in the day and pipes were smoked in church. Actually some old collectable pipes have a small knob on the bottom to help hold or rest on a pew. Yes the stem keeps smoke from your eyes and face so u can read and see. Thank u again for your video
The most credible story i heard is, that it is linked to clay pipes. Clay pipes burn quite hot and don't absorb the heat good. Thats why clay pipes had long stems. You couldn't hold the bowl and the smoke had a long smoke channel to cool down and not burn your mouth. Clay pipes where the main type of pipe until the early 1900s when the shorter briar pipe became affordable and more common. It is possible that the long pipes became associated with the Churchwardens, who were mostly older and quite conservatively/traditionally minded gentlemen that kept preferring the old aesthetics of a long pipe long after the shorter pipes were the norm. In their office of Churchwarden they worked at a church where most of the community would see them regularly and smoking their long pipes, as opposed to maybe the old Librarian who mostly sat inside in his Library.
Talking about LotR and you get a glimpse of those early 80s Darrell K. Sweet covers in brown (The Hobbit), blue (Fellowship), green (The Two Towers) and red (Return of the King) in the bookshelf. Well played, sir. And great videos, love them all.
Sir, I have been looking high and low, for a pipe but now, thanks to you, I have found my one. I, am 55, a "gas station cigar smoker" and desperately want to switch over, to the bright side. My, Grandpa was a pipe smoker. I, wish that I had kept track of his piece but that's neither here nor there . Ok, back to reality I, wan't the corn cob,as I'm on a budget. I'm, from the deep south and now I live in southern Colorado. That, piece would be a perfect gift to myself; my first pipe and it would also remind me of home. Corn cob pipes are the staple of heritage(and jokes😒!)Georgia,Alabama, Tennessee, North and South Carolina's, Mississippi, Arkansas, Te'jas, Louisiana and Kentukee!
Michael Page I'm glad you like it my friend, it's nerve racking sometimes recommending tobacco blends, they might not agree with some folks, glad you find it a pleasant smoke. 👍👍👍
I've always been more of a traditionalist when it comes to my pipes. Bent styles are my preferred and the shorter type. But, yesterday I saw a churchwarden that I couldn't pass up, and it's fantastic. Really, that cool smoke is worth it alone. Just gotta keep a supply of long pipe cleaners on hand!
Christopher Watt - oh, don't worry, I don't plan on not putting out videos, it's spring so I had a honey-do-list a mile long, but I'm pretty much done now so back to the videos. 👍👍👍
thanks for this video. I recently purchased my first churchwarden and have been enjoying it on the back porch while reading. it takes a little extra thought not to poke myself in the eye with the longer stem, but the extra length definitely helps to cool the smoke and the "breathe method" seems most effective with the extra length. Your videos are always a pleasure to watch. thank you.
I've been a pipe smoker for a year. I do it for a relaxing therapy. I do have a churchwarden. Love using that one the most if I'm setting outside in a chair. Fells in to place. Love it
Love the story about sticking the churchwarden out the window! Haven't heard that one before, but makes the most sense. Any club members ordering a new churchwarden don't forget the churchwarden pipe cleaners! With all the extra length it's kinda hard using a normal length pipe cleaner. I'm sure there's tricks out there, but how expensive are pipe cleaners. 🖒🖒
Hi friend!!!! the most common story i've heard about churchwardens pipes was that Churchwardens were in charge of copy the books in the monastery, so, when they where reading and copy books they need a pipe with a long steam so the smoke don´t get in their eyes. Thanks for your video. Best Regards! FV
I've got my own little 11" pearwood churchwarden, great airflow with a decently deep bowl that cools the smoke right down. Best pipe related purchase I've made!
I bought a church warden made in Eastern Europe. The second bowl of mellow tobacco, it burned out the bottom and I had a handful of fire. I like the elegance of long stem pipes. I like the ease of a nose warmer.
Mr. Muttnchop, thank you for your videos! I just got in to pipe tobacco smoking and watched the majority of your videos and they have helped me immensely. I think education is so important to this hobby because people generally give up pipe smoking due to lack of knowledge. When can I smoke with you?! Lol
Justin Wissinger - your absolutely right, tongue bite is the biggest reason for quitting, I hope by using the breathe method more people will stick with it. 👍👍👍
My churchwarden is an all-wood LOTR replica, and is my favorite pipe to smoke. I find the smoke cooler, and enjoy having the smoke a certain distance from my face.
One of the reasons the churghwardens were created was to keep the smoke out of the way while reading documents and/or books. I heard that’s why they were popular among librarians and writers
Muttonchop, I try to catch all your videos. They are always informative for newbe pipe smokers. I am still working on the breath method. Keep up the great work, Take care brother.
I have one now, it is my favorite pipe!! I love it. The smoke never comes out to hot, for some reason it's easier to slow down with, and it's relaxing the read with.
Thanks for bringing the topic up Chris. From what I gathered over time, there seems to be many origins to the churchwarden pipes, including the ones you quote about putting the long stem out of the window so they would not smoke inside the church. To all these stories, we must add that the Hussars (cavalry troops) from Poland and Hungary who fought along Napoleon did smoke them and some paintings and illustrations represent them with a churchwarden or as they were called then the "Hussar pipes", which finds its origin in the Ottoman Empire. Now, in Germany, they are called a "reading pipe" (Lesepfeife) because you can obviously smoke without having smoke block your view. Whatever the origin, I just love them - one pipe out of four that I own is a churchwarden. My favorites are two Auenland pipes from Vauen (9mm filtered), in which I had memorables bowls.
Bonapiper Wow, that's some great information, I knew that the Ottoman Empire smoked churchwardens, but as I recall I think they were thinner, and more feminine looking, I could be wrong, but I do recall seeing a picture or 2 depicting the scene. 👍👍👍
Sweet! Been waiting for you too upload a good in-depth Churchwarden video! Ordering my FIRST pipe(a Churchwarden from Peterson) and some tobacco that was recommend by you. Thanks for all the help and advice. Cant wait to get my pipe and tobacco so I can pack a bowl and watch LOTR. Anyways, thanks for the help man.
You may need more than a bowl to get through the films...I like to balance my pipe smoking and Lord of the Rings watching by eating Hobbit meals throughout the day. It's quite an event. As for myself, I too started smoking for similar reasons and it's proved a great joy and also the inspiration of many friendships. Good luck on your journey!
Check out The Hobbit audio book narrated by Rob Inglis. He beings such life to the original Tolkein story. So much of Jackson's movie is made up and not Tolkein's work at all.
While I do still enjoy the Lord of the Rings films (specifically Fellowship) I much prefer the books, and aside from the song that Billy Boyd preformed for the credits of the final hobbit film, I was exceedingly disappointed by Jackson's treatment of "The Hobbit." I read the series every year, and we do celebrate in September with friends by enjoying hobbit meal times and watching the films. There is much pipe smoking as well.
Great timing on this video. I ordered a Savinelli Quandale 626 rusticated this weekend. I love the Quandale series. I have my eye on a few others. Great video as always. Thanks for all you do!
Update: That Quandale 626 came in today. I'm smoking it now with some Frog Morton Cellar. I absolutely love it. Perfect size and shape for me, beautiful cool smoke. It makes me wish I had my own channel to show it off. I definitely see another one in my future and would highly recommend the Quandale series to any pipe smoker.
I bought also a Savinelli, a Qandale Smooth (602). Love that series ... It smokes really smooth. @Muttnchop: Tx for all that vids, I really learned a lot of smoking a pipe because of you! Succes with the new vids, gr from Holland
Just bought my first pipe, which just so happens to be a churchwarden made by H.I.S. Looks good, smokes good (for all I can tell), and the price was right for a beginner. Thanks for the videos!
Just found your wonderful page! Fantastic information and advice! I've subscribed and will most assuredly view all your content. I'm a fairly new pipe smoker, it's an attempt to quit cigarettes.. so far so good
Never been a happy owner of one of those huge stemmed gigants,smoked yes, there's many who love them, I find them difficult to smoke. I think it's only pipe model I don't understand. Good video as always so thanks. Have a great start for the week and as always cool smokes mate.
As some others have said, the German name for churchwardens is 'Lesepfeife', or 'reading pipe'...and the common thread of the dozen or so stories I have heard about 'the reason for churchwardens' is to keep the bowl 'away from the body'...both for reading clearance, AND to keep ashes off of their 'Sunday-best clothes' while walking the property and grounds (in event of wind...doing much the same job as an Old Army Old 21 Pipe with its 'wind cap').
thanks for video Sir, i always wanted to have one of those pipes, in addition to LOR and Habbit, Sherlock Holms is one of my favorite characters who sometimes use long pipes. i searched of long pipes from other cultures, and i reached to "Kiseru" from Japan. from information and data i read about it, it is very interesting. Kiseru is also a long pipe, but made of special metal, there are stories of people in ancient times who used longer version of this pipe, and also they use it as weapon for self defense. Happy Piping everyone.
I have a hard time with the breath method since I don't enjoy clenching my pipes. Churchwardens are definitely a favorite for all the reasons mentioned (especially smoking at church)
Anytime I am looking for a new pipe or blend I always refer to and enjoy your videos.... being a big LOTR nerd- yes Gandolf smoked a pipe like that in the movie, however, in the book it refers explicitly to a "Short Clay" pipe.
I was watching your video on churchwarden pipes from my hometown in Belgium. Churchwarden pipes over here are often referred to as Reader pipes. The story goes, especially for the Netherlands, that due to the long stem, the bowl of the pipe could rest on a table while reading or talking to other people. Don't know if it is true, but that is the story I heard.
Great video, mister. I am a fan of Churchwarden pipes because they cool down the temperature of the tobacco thanks to their long stem and also because I love the look they have to them. I've heard all of these stories except for the one that says you could sit your pipe on your chest. Regarding to the church, I think there are different and contradictory stories, I've heard the one you mention about the smoker being able to keep the bowl outside through the window but also another one that says the contrary: that pipe smoking was apparently common during church services and the long stem enabled people to sit the pipe on top of the next pew in front of them. Thanks for the video and happy piping! Héctor
@Muttnchop Piper hello and thank you greatly for a nice informative story i love that style of pipes it cools the burning tobacco making the flavor smoother without the burning of the tongue also yes you can rest it on your upper belly when in a reclined position specially when sitting on the ground reclining against a tree . mmmmmmmh i miss pipe smoking and the good quality Tobacco
Muttnchop, great video as always. I have a few churchwardens myself, two of them I carved. They are great fun to smoke, especially for their cooling effect. I also really enjoy my clay tavern pipe, though am keen to try one that has the wax coating on the stem near the smoking hole (apparently this helps keep ones lips from sticking to the stem).
Churchwardens are the perfect lazy house pipe. You have no idea how much physical movement you perform while smoking a pipe until you've sat back with a churchwarden, smoking without even having to support the weight of the stummel. Relaxing to the max!
It appears from the limited research I did it has everything to do with line of sight. Primarily a churchwardens night watch of the church and to not obscure line of sight with smoke while reading.
I like my long stem pipe. If i cross my arms while i recline, I can rest the bowl on my arms, or even lean it against my shoulder when i'm sitting down if I look somewhat to the side. Smoke doesn't get in my eyes if i'm not mindful of how hot i'm getting sometimes. An excellent small bowl option for smoking and driving. Long stems are awesome for that.
Hi Chris, I could be wrong, but I have the feeling that the main reason for churchwardens having so long stems was to cool down the temperature of the smoke coming from the pot in order to avoid the tongue bite plus as well as there were no filters at that time the long stems were doing the role of those filters by reducing the amount of the moisture reaching the tongue of the smoker. Thanks.
I always guessed that churchwardens were made long because of the hats that the clergy often wore. Regardless of origin, I just love them. Compared to a poker, the cooling is a nice bonus. I have a churchwarden that's Italian but I know nothing else about it. Anyways, I really enjoy your videos. Happy 4th from Cape Cod, MA!
It's always fun to imagine whenever there are gaps in history! When you get a minute, please see my comment about blends in the comments section of your corn cob video. I'm in a bit of a fix looking for something better to smoke.
Interesting topic and informative as always. I have a few churchwardens but haven't picked them up recently because of the difficulty of clenching such a long stem. I'm going to give them another try.
Hi. Thanks very much for your informative videos. I have now watched many your videos. But, I would like to see an informative clip on various shapes of pipes and how they would affect pipesmoking.
One thing I have to pay attention to with a churchwarden. My tendency is to hold them by the stem. What happens is I don't have that "feedback" that I might be smoking too hot, because I am not in touch with the bowl. With a regular pipe I gauge how hot I am smoking by constantly holding the bowl and feeling if it gets too hot. I burned out a churchwarden pipe for just this reason, I couldn't tell I was smoking it too hot, because I held it by the stem and the smoke was cooler. If I hold the church warden by the bowl, or at least grasp the bowl frequently, everything is fine. Just sharing my experience.
I Love Churchwardens when smoking strong mixtures, although I don't own none but Savinelli Bing favorite pipe which combinate churchwardes and straight billiard in one,being more suited to everyday use ,as Your Savinelli here, I do know very well this savinelli type Bowl and I love it, very versatile , I have one Savinelli 313 prince which has this bowl shape,yet good quality churchwardens are not cheap pipes, very good model recommedations you gave here,another pipe model I like is that of calbass pipe with meerchaum bowl, Calebass as churchwardens do provide smoker with the coolest smoking experience ever, Thank You and Have a Great Memorial Day, Greets, Paul
As Usual Churchwardens have bowls with big chamber capacity so I do find your suggested models are just what a new or intermediary pipe smoker need to look for,then Peterson manufactures one Churchwarden type which have smaller medium thick walled bowl similar to their 407 Princes,and of course on my personal experience I'd suggest to check out Savinelli Bings Favorite models, Thanks for posting, Paul
GTFiorano - it was something I did for a while, but thought pipe club members might be getting tired of, so I stopped for a little bit, they will be back. 👍👍👍
I love the smoking qualities of a good churchwarden pipe. My only issue with them has been the cleaning. With such a long stem it makes cleaning a little more difficult.
Arctic piper - I'm not sure if you are aware, but they make longer pipe cleaners specifically made to clean longer steamed pipes, but you're right, there is a lot more real estate to have to clean with a churchwarden. 👍👍👍
I have heard that the first churchwardens were actually candle snuffers. These tended to be more in the Oom Paul shape. The long stem made it easy to reach the candles that were higher than "head level", without having to use a step stool. This does make sense, but one wonders, which came first, the Oom Paul pipe used as a snuffer, or the snuffer converted into a smoking pipe?
I've heard them called tavern pipes as well. This comes from the time when pipes were clay. The idea was that a longer pipe smoked better but could be cumbersome so they would be smoked in the tavern where you'd be sitting and relaxing while shorter pipes would be smoked while out and about. The long stems would also be broken off at the end as the tip became bitter. Some pipes were made with pre-segmented stems to make it easier to break off cleanly. The pipes were often left in the rafters of a tavern where you could retrieve it next time you came in, the pipes would also be left in place after the person died as a memorial. There are taverns in Europe with clay pipes in the rafters where they were left by their owners hundreds of years ago.
mose717 - That’s really cool information my friend, I heard about the part where taverns would supply long churchwardens made out of clay and patrons would smoke the pipe while in the tavern, then set it down, leave, and when a new patron came in, they would snap the end off of the pipe, fill it with their brand of tobacco, and smoke away. I had someone comment once that, that was not true, because people of that time thought it was unsanitary, then I got to thinking, these people never bathed, the thinking was the dirtier you were the safer you were from disease, they threw chamber pots full of piss into the streets, garbage as well, they primarily drank beer because drinking beer didn’t make you sick, but drinking water would, you think they are going to worry about smoking a pipe after someone else smoked it, no, I don’t think so. 👍👍👍
I hadn't heard that but it makes sense. Just like now, different people have different standards so one person wouldn't care while the next person would bring his own pipe to avoid those owned by the tavern. I'm also sure different establishments all had their own ways of doing things. It also needs to be remembered just how cheap and easy to replace clay pipes were. I have several clay pipes and really enjoy them along with the history they represent. And yes, the countryside wasn't too bad but cities were horribly filthy. While I love history I am also really fond of hot and cold running water that's clean, soap, broad spectrum antibiotics, toilet paper, insect poisons, and central heat and air conditioning.
Hello Muttnchops, I'm a 59 year old pipemaker, and I am very partial to churchwarden pipes. I have made quite a few of them. Usually, I make my own stems, but the last couple of churchwardens I made, I used Erik Nording stems. I can buy replacement Nording stems, both long and short, so they can be used both ways. They are very high quality acrylic, which I've come to prefer over vulcanite, for many reasons.
I learned to make pipes from the late Arizona pipemaker, Horace DeJarnet. Horace was a very kind gentleman, with a keen wit. I was in my late 30's, and Horace was in his early 70's when I apprenticed under him. He desperately wanted to pass on his knowledge of the dying art/trade of pipe making, and I was in the right place, at the right time, with the right attitude. Horace learned the trade from Andrew Kovacs (Jandrew pipes), another American pipe maker.
It's now my time to pay it forward, but I've yet to find a candidate who is willing to devote the time and effort to see it through. So far, while I've met many people who like to watch a pipe being made, they lose interest when they see the equipment investment, and the labor intensity that goes into making a whole pipe from scratch.
I fashion my churchwarden pipes, so that they sit on my lower chest, while I'm reading a book, or my tablet. It keeps the pipe out of my face, for easy reading. Sometimes it is necessary to adjust the curve of the stem, by heating it with hot (not boiling) water, and gently shaping it to the desired curve, to sit comfortably on my chest.
Where do you live?
@@Bikes_Buggies I live in Glendale Arizona.
Boy I wish I was a bit closer. Ft huachuca area.....I'm trying to learn about the process!
Where can I get one of your pipes?
I am in Ontario Canada. And if we could ever work it out I’d love to apprentice. My equipment is limited but I am collecting gradually
I have never owned or smoked a churchwarden pipe, however, I think I may have to get one now that I have been elected as one of the wardens of my local Parish Church here in the UK.
YearsOfDecay - Yes you must, and you must only smoke a churchwarden while on the job, that would be so cool. Congrats on your appointment. 👍👍👍
YearsOfDecay if you look really close youll see smoking a churchwarden while on the job is part of the employment contract
The warden of my local parish is an avid pipe smoker.
I wonder if you are even allowed to smoke in a church
Dis you get one and smoke?
Legolas didnt smoke did he? Never trust an elf that doesnt smoke i always say. Now dwarves theres a hardy people you can admire and trust
Ain’t that the truth! Long live the dwarves!
Forget elf women, the DWARF WOMEN are where it’s at!
Bunny Butt69 eh... not into women with the same facial hair as myself
Knife ears get high off their own farts
Honestly in the books the elves were kinda sus at times lol
They are great for not setting a longer Beard on fire 🔥!
BearClawAK47 - HAHAHAHA, Very True my friend, very true. 👍👍👍
Genius
P0
In Dutch a churchwarden is also called a "leespijp", a reading pipe. The stem is so long because if you have a normal pipe en look down to read a book smoke comes in your eyes and the pipe is blocking part of your view. By extending the stem these problems are fixed. So it's probably to make it easier to read big/heavy books that you can't hold up for extended periods of time.
Ruben Scheer - that's some great information my friend, thanks for sharing that. 👍👍👍
German name is „Lesepfeife“. Means „reading pipe“ too…
in Hungarian they're also called reader pipes.
In French we call them "Liseuses" which also relate to reading.
I have several Churchwardens and I love smoking them. A story I am familiar with regarding its purpose is that the churchwarden was responsible for monitoring the congregation during the worship service. If someone began to nod off during the preacher’s sermon, the churchwarden could stand in the isle and use the long stem of the pipe to reach that person sitting in the pew and poke that person in the shoulder to stir them back to consciousness. Thanks for another great and informative video.
I always presumed that they were called “Churchwardens” because they resembled the candle snuffers that Churchwardens used to snuff out the candles after services etc. Because some of the candles could be quite high up so the snuffers had a long stem to allow the Churchwardens an extra bit of reach. 🤷♂️
Actually in The Hobbit book it says Gandolf smoked a short clay pipe. It was Bilbo that smoked a long churchwarden
Do you know in which book it says? I am currently reading book number three (guess they say it in the first book) but can't remember reading about Gandalfs pipe.
Uh! Sorry, you wrote "The Hobbit" book. I was thinking of LotR.^^
makes sense, cause Gandalf was traveling all the time, si keeping a short handy pipe makes more sense than a long stem one. That said, I love the idea of the wise friendly wizard with a long pipe, as portrayed in the movies.
I bought my Gandalf pipes one wood one ceramic acrylic black
@@Ulghart I recently found out that in the LOTR movies (especially in Fellowship) you can see that Gandalf hangs his churchwarden between the "roots" on the upper end of his staff. Maybe churchwarden seemed impractical to travel with to the filmmakers as well, so they invented this neat way to store it when Gandalf isn't smoking.
I have a custom made 21 inch churchwarden so I can hold the bowl in my lap and have the stem reach my mouth. This makes the smoke very relaxing and natural for me as if I am not holding a pipe at all but still smoking a pipe. I had looked everywhere for a churchwarden that’s exactly 21 inches and the most I could find was 16. That’s why I had it custom made. I call it the Grandwarden and I feel like I’m the first to have such a thing since I have never seen such a long churchwarden even with me looking for months. I would consider a “grandwarden” any pipe that is at least 20 inches while most standard churchwardens are 10 inches. Hope someone sees this and gets one because it is my favourite churchwarden like pipe that I have, and I don’t think any churchwarden I buy in the future could ever be better than it.
That sounds awesome. Can you find pipe cleaners long enough?
Custom from where? How much was it? I am also looking for one at least 20 inches long, but the most I found was a 16 inch $30 Chinese pipe.
These videos are the best to smoke to and relax
Great video.. Churches were never locked back in the day and pipes were smoked in church. Actually some old collectable pipes have a small knob on the bottom to help hold or rest on a pew. Yes the stem keeps smoke from your eyes and face so u can read and see. Thank u again for your video
The most credible story i heard is, that it is linked to clay pipes. Clay pipes burn quite hot and don't absorb the heat good. Thats why clay pipes had long stems. You couldn't hold the bowl and the smoke had a long smoke channel to cool down and not burn your mouth. Clay pipes where the main type of pipe until the early 1900s when the shorter briar pipe became affordable and more common.
It is possible that the long pipes became associated with the Churchwardens, who were mostly older and quite conservatively/traditionally minded gentlemen that kept preferring the old aesthetics of a long pipe long after the shorter pipes were the norm. In their office of Churchwarden they worked at a church where most of the community would see them regularly and smoking their long pipes, as opposed to maybe the old Librarian who mostly sat inside in his Library.
Talking about LotR and you get a glimpse of those early 80s Darrell K. Sweet covers in brown (The Hobbit), blue (Fellowship), green (The Two Towers) and red (Return of the King) in the bookshelf. Well played, sir. And great videos, love them all.
Thanks for the bit of history. It gives you a whole new appreciation of the pipe!
Thank you for this video, Churchwardens are my absolute favorite of all pipes!
Baelisch the Bard - I like them as well. 👍👍👍
Sir, I have been looking high and low, for a pipe but now, thanks to you, I have found my one. I, am 55, a "gas station cigar smoker" and desperately want to switch over, to the bright side. My, Grandpa was a pipe smoker. I, wish that I had kept track of his piece but that's neither here nor there . Ok, back to reality I, wan't the corn cob,as I'm on a budget. I'm, from the deep south and now I live in southern Colorado. That, piece would be a perfect gift to myself; my first pipe and it would also remind me of home. Corn cob pipes are the staple of heritage(and jokes😒!)Georgia,Alabama, Tennessee, North and South Carolina's, Mississippi, Arkansas, Te'jas, Louisiana and Kentukee!
Speaking of great to hear... Maltese Falcon is now my daily morning blend....even used it in my Peterson Donegal Rocky...just love it.
Michael Page I'm glad you like it my friend, it's nerve racking sometimes recommending tobacco blends, they might not agree with some folks, glad you find it a pleasant smoke. 👍👍👍
I've always been more of a traditionalist when it comes to my pipes. Bent styles are my preferred and the shorter type. But, yesterday I saw a churchwarden that I couldn't pass up, and it's fantastic. Really, that cool smoke is worth it alone. Just gotta keep a supply of long pipe cleaners on hand!
Love churchwarden and long tavern pipes. Cools the smoke and keeps it from collecting under the brim of a hat.
I was hoping you put out another video and low and behold I see this one show up in my feed. Another great video sir, keep them coming.
Christopher Watt - oh, don't worry, I don't plan on not putting out videos, it's spring so I had a honey-do-list a mile long, but I'm pretty much done now so back to the videos. 👍👍👍
Funny, I was smoking my Stanwell 30L reg. rusticated with some Margate when I clicked on your video today. Thanks for sharing as always!
i could listen to your videos for ages, sire!
Kónya Márton - thank you for the compliment my friend. 👍👍👍
Just ordered my first churchwarden; a brown rusticated Savinelli 601. Can't wait!
thanks for this video. I recently purchased my first churchwarden and have been enjoying it on the back porch while reading. it takes a little extra thought not to poke myself in the eye with the longer stem, but the extra length definitely helps to cool the smoke and the "breathe method" seems most effective with the extra length. Your videos are always a pleasure to watch. thank you.
Milan LeDuc - That's great to hear my friend, yeah, if you're not careful a churchwarden can Sure do some damage lol. 👍👍👍
From mutton chop pipe smoker to another; I always like watching your videos. Your humility and tone are top notch. Keep up the great works sir!
Valhalla1940 - thank you for the kind words my friend. 👍👍👍
I've been a pipe smoker for a year. I do it for a relaxing therapy. I do have a churchwarden. Love using that one the most if I'm setting outside in a chair. Fells in to place. Love it
I'm big on studying history. So this is very fascinating. A churchwarden may be my first pipe. God be with you. :)
Love the story about sticking the churchwarden out the window! Haven't heard that one before, but makes the most sense. Any club members ordering a new churchwarden don't forget the churchwarden pipe cleaners! With all the extra length it's kinda hard using a normal length pipe cleaner. I'm sure there's tricks out there, but how expensive are pipe cleaners. 🖒🖒
jbmopar1971 - great suggestion my friend, gots to have those extra long pipe cleaners. 👍👍😃
Hi friend!!!! the most common story i've heard about churchwardens pipes was that Churchwardens were in charge of copy the books in the monastery, so, when they where reading and copy books they need a pipe with a long steam so the smoke don´t get in their eyes.
Thanks for your video.
Best Regards!
FV
Fernando Villagran - That's a cool story, thanks for sharing that. 👍👍👍
Good information, I just joined your channel and I greatly appreciate the length of your videos and the content!
I've got my own little 11" pearwood churchwarden, great airflow with a decently deep bowl that cools the smoke right down. Best pipe related purchase I've made!
Great video.... I purchased a churchwarden several months ago and really enjoy it.
Michael Page - Great to hear my friend. 👍👍👍
I bought a church warden made in Eastern Europe.
The second bowl of mellow tobacco, it burned out the bottom and I had a handful of fire.
I like the elegance of long stem pipes.
I like the ease of a nose warmer.
oldsagerat - It sounds like your churchwarden was poorly made. 😒😒😒
Mr. Muttnchop, thank you for your videos! I just got in to pipe tobacco smoking and watched the majority of your videos and they have helped me immensely. I think education is so important to this hobby because people generally give up pipe smoking due to lack of knowledge. When can I smoke with you?! Lol
Justin Wissinger - your absolutely right, tongue bite is the biggest reason for quitting, I hope by using the breathe method more people will stick with it. 👍👍👍
My churchwarden is an all-wood LOTR replica, and is my favorite pipe to smoke. I find the smoke cooler, and enjoy having the smoke a certain distance from my face.
One of the reasons the churghwardens were created was to keep the smoke out of the way while reading documents and/or books. I heard that’s why they were popular among librarians and writers
Muttonchop, I try to catch all your videos. They are always informative for newbe pipe smokers. I am still working on the breath method. Keep up the great work, Take care brother.
Rovey 88 - thank you my friend. 👍👍👍
My first TRUE Churchwarden pipe is being shipped to me as we speak. I got the Wizard from MacQueen pipes. Excited to try it.
I have one now, it is my favorite pipe!! I love it. The smoke never comes out to hot, for some reason it's easier to slow down with, and it's relaxing the read with.
Thanks for bringing the topic up Chris. From what I gathered over time, there seems to be many origins to the churchwarden pipes, including the ones you quote about putting the long stem out of the window so they would not smoke inside the church. To all these stories, we must add that the Hussars (cavalry troops) from Poland and Hungary who fought along Napoleon did smoke them and some paintings and illustrations represent them with a churchwarden or as they were called then the "Hussar pipes", which finds its origin in the Ottoman Empire. Now, in Germany, they are called a "reading pipe" (Lesepfeife) because you can obviously smoke without having smoke block your view. Whatever the origin, I just love them - one pipe out of four that I own is a churchwarden. My favorites are two Auenland pipes from Vauen (9mm filtered), in which I had memorables bowls.
Bonapiper Wow, that's some great information, I knew that the Ottoman Empire smoked churchwardens, but as I recall I think they were thinner, and more feminine looking, I could be wrong, but I do recall seeing a picture or 2 depicting the scene. 👍👍👍
Rip lemmy
Sweet! Been waiting for you too upload a good in-depth Churchwarden video! Ordering my FIRST pipe(a Churchwarden from Peterson) and some tobacco that was recommend by you. Thanks for all the help and advice. Cant wait to get my pipe and tobacco so I can pack a bowl and watch LOTR.
Anyways, thanks for the help man.
You may need more than a bowl to get through the films...I like to balance my pipe smoking and Lord of the Rings watching by eating Hobbit meals throughout the day. It's quite an event. As for myself, I too started smoking for similar reasons and it's proved a great joy and also the inspiration of many friendships. Good luck on your journey!
Chris Schmitt - you are very welcome my friend. 👍👍👍
Check out The Hobbit audio book narrated by Rob Inglis. He beings such life to the original Tolkein story. So much of Jackson's movie is made up and not Tolkein's work at all.
While I do still enjoy the Lord of the Rings films (specifically Fellowship) I much prefer the books, and aside from the song that Billy Boyd preformed for the credits of the final hobbit film, I was exceedingly disappointed by Jackson's treatment of "The Hobbit." I read the series every year, and we do celebrate in September with friends by enjoying hobbit meal times and watching the films. There is much pipe smoking as well.
Great timing on this video. I ordered a Savinelli Quandale 626 rusticated this weekend. I love the Quandale series. I have my eye on a few others. Great video as always. Thanks for all you do!
RedBriar - Not a problem my friend I enjoy doing it, and congrats on your new pipe. 👍👍👍
Update: That Quandale 626 came in today. I'm smoking it now with some Frog Morton Cellar. I absolutely love it. Perfect size and shape for me, beautiful cool smoke. It makes me wish I had my own channel to show it off. I definitely see another one in my future and would highly recommend the Quandale series to any pipe smoker.
RedBriar - Awesome, congrats my friend. 👍👍👍
I bought also a Savinelli, a Qandale Smooth (602). Love that series ... It smokes really smooth. @Muttnchop: Tx for all that vids, I really learned a lot of smoking a pipe because of you! Succes with the new vids, gr from Holland
Just bought my first pipe, which just so happens to be a churchwarden made by H.I.S. Looks good, smokes good (for all I can tell), and the price was right for a beginner. Thanks for the videos!
Tony Page - You bet tony. 👍👍👍
I just added a Maqueen Ranger pipe to my collection, got the briar option and I love the way it smokes & looks.
heiðinn - Awsome, I love those pipes. 👍👍👍
I like the first story the best. The unobstructed view makes sense.
Just found your wonderful page! Fantastic information and advice! I've subscribed and will most assuredly view all your content.
I'm a fairly new pipe smoker, it's an attempt to quit cigarettes.. so far so good
I love my churchwarden, once I discovered them I almost never go back to my others. They smoke much much cooler. I love it.
Never been a happy owner of one of those huge stemmed gigants,smoked yes, there's many who love them, I find them difficult to smoke. I think it's only pipe model I don't understand. Good video as always so thanks. Have a great start for the week and as always cool smokes mate.
Olle Wahlroos - yeah, they are not the easiest things to smoke, but, I enjoy them non the less. 👍👍👍
my favourite all time pipe so far
i raja - I like them as well. 👍👍👍
As some others have said, the German name for churchwardens is 'Lesepfeife', or 'reading pipe'...and the common thread of the dozen or so stories I have heard about 'the reason for churchwardens' is to keep the bowl 'away from the body'...both for reading clearance, AND to keep ashes off of their 'Sunday-best clothes' while walking the property and grounds (in event of wind...doing much the same job as an Old Army Old 21 Pipe with its 'wind cap').
Awesome vid. To many channels out there with the only content being YABO's. Thx again.
thanks for video Sir,
i always wanted to have one of those pipes, in addition to LOR and Habbit, Sherlock Holms is one of my favorite characters who sometimes use long pipes.
i searched of long pipes from other cultures, and i reached to "Kiseru" from Japan. from information and data i read about it, it is very interesting.
Kiseru is also a long pipe, but made of special metal, there are stories of people in ancient times who used longer version of this pipe, and also they use it as weapon for self defense.
Happy Piping everyone.
Amir Parvin - Thanks for all the info, it’s very interesting. 👍👍👍
I have a hard time with the breath method since I don't enjoy clenching my pipes. Churchwardens are definitely a favorite for all the reasons mentioned (especially smoking at church)
just getting into smoking pipes, learned alot from your videos so thanks and one request, please make higher quality videos so we can enjoy it more 😊
Ghalib Al-Raisi - I'll try my friend, but there is an old saying "You can Dress a pig up in a tuxedo, but it's still a pig. Lol, lol. 👍👍👍
my first pipe was a cobbit shire. it is my favourite everyday pipe for relaxing and pondering the world.
Stephen Waters - Awesome, just awesome. 👍👍👍
Anytime I am looking for a new pipe or blend I always refer to and enjoy your videos.... being a big LOTR nerd- yes Gandolf smoked a pipe like that in the movie, however, in the book it refers explicitly to a "Short Clay" pipe.
I was watching your video on
churchwarden pipes from my hometown in Belgium. Churchwarden pipes over here are often referred to as Reader pipes. The story goes, especially for the Netherlands, that due to the long stem, the bowl of the pipe could rest on a table while reading or talking to other people. Don't know if it is true, but that is the story I heard.
I love my Savinelli churchwarden pipe and my Missouri Meerschaum ‘Cobbit’ churchwarden. Both are excellent smokers
Just bought my first churchwarden today!
Churchwarden will be my first pipe thank you! Its a badass pipe!
I really liked the Corncob Churchwarden. A potential purchase, perhaps. Great video, as usual 👍👍👍
SpookyBaba - Thanks, Yes, it’s my favorite cob. 👍👍👍
Great video, mister. I am a fan of Churchwarden pipes because they cool down the temperature of the tobacco thanks to their long stem and also because I love the look they have to them. I've heard all of these stories except for the one that says you could sit your pipe on your chest. Regarding to the church, I think there are different and contradictory stories, I've heard the one you mention about the smoker being able to keep the bowl outside through the window but also another one that says the contrary: that pipe smoking was apparently common during church services and the long stem enabled people to sit the pipe on top of the next pew in front of them.
Thanks for the video and happy piping!
Héctor
Héctor Rey - Cool, thanks for the added info my friend. 👍👍👍
No way you done a vid on churchwarden it's my favorite thanks also i think it cools the smoke down having to traveling so far down the long stems
Hi Chris, interesting explanations of the term. I have two and they smoke well. Take care, Janez
Pipe&Tobak - Thank you my friend. 👍👍👍
In the books, Sherlock Holmes was always said to favor a churchwarden, when he wasn't doing cocaine that is.
Coffee, tobacco and coco leaves was old sherlocks diet 😉
Mix it up and smoke some crack
@Muttnchop Piper hello and thank you greatly for a nice informative story i love that style of pipes it cools the burning tobacco making the flavor smoother without the burning of the tongue also yes you can rest it on your upper belly when in a reclined position specially when sitting on the ground reclining against a tree . mmmmmmmh i miss pipe smoking and the good quality Tobacco
Getting my first savinelli in two days, it happens to be a churchwarden. Looking forward to a nice cool smoke
I’m sure it might have been mentioned but my understanding was it helped them to maintain their night vision while watching the grounds at night.
Excellent vid Chris. Congrats. I liked it a lot. Thanks.
Love your videos Muttnchop. Very nice relaxing and informative vibe! A churchwarden is on my imminent 'to get' list!
The Bristolian Pipester - Thank you for your kind words my friend, and Thank You. 👍👍👍
Muttnchop, great video as always. I have a few churchwardens myself, two of them I carved. They are great fun to smoke, especially for their cooling effect. I also really enjoy my clay tavern pipe, though am keen to try one that has the wax coating on the stem near the smoking hole (apparently this helps keep ones lips from sticking to the stem).
Jonathan Clark - I have a couple of clay pipes, but don't usually smoke them, I think I'll have to break them out and give them a smoke. 👍👍👍
Great video and stories Keep up the good work
Eric Yoder - Thanks Eric. 👍👍👍
Churchwardens are the perfect lazy house pipe. You have no idea how much physical movement you perform while smoking a pipe until you've sat back with a churchwarden, smoking without even having to support the weight of the stummel. Relaxing to the max!
QBG - True, very true. 👍👍👍
It appears from the limited research I did it has everything to do with line of sight. Primarily a churchwardens night watch of the church and to not obscure line of sight with smoke while reading.
I personally like that the churchwarden doesn’t burn your tongue as bad as the short stem.
Hello Sir,
You are my lovely channel so far.
mine as well.
I like my long stem pipe. If i cross my arms while i recline, I can rest the bowl on my arms, or even lean it against my shoulder when i'm sitting down if I look somewhat to the side. Smoke doesn't get in my eyes if i'm not mindful of how hot i'm getting sometimes. An excellent small bowl option for smoking and driving. Long stems are awesome for that.
Hugo G. - That’s very useful information my friend, thanks for sharing it. 👍👍👍
I have one from flogglewerks it's made of Maplewood smokes really cool. thanks for the great content .
three d - Thats great to hear my friend, I have heard of those pipes, I might have to check them out myself. 👍👍👍
Can we get a review on the LOTR pipe in the video?
Very informative, another good video.
Tony Dolton - thanks Tony. 👍👍👍
Hi Chris, I could be wrong, but I have the feeling that the main reason for churchwardens having so long stems was to cool down the temperature of the smoke coming from the pot in order to avoid the tongue bite plus as well as there were no filters at that time the long stems were doing the role of those filters by reducing the amount of the moisture reaching the tongue of the smoker. Thanks.
I always guessed that churchwardens were made long because of the hats that the clergy often wore. Regardless of origin, I just love them. Compared to a poker, the cooling is a nice bonus. I have a churchwarden that's Italian but I know nothing else about it. Anyways, I really enjoy your videos. Happy 4th from Cape Cod, MA!
Брандон Веракка - There is not a lot of true history on the Churchwarden, so you could be right. 👍👍👍
It's always fun to imagine whenever there are gaps in history! When you get a minute, please see my comment about blends in the comments section of your corn cob video. I'm in a bit of a fix looking for something better to smoke.
Great video and very informative. Thank you!
Insight Video - You bet my friend. 👍👍👍
As a fantasy/mythology nerd, churchwardens are 💯% my favorites
You should have a meet and greet. A bunch of the pipe community can come together and enjoy a bowl together
Interesting topic and informative as always. I have a few churchwardens but haven't picked them up recently because of the difficulty of clenching such a long stem. I'm going to give them another try.
Tom Sawyer - I can't clench my churcwardens, I just hold them as I smoke them. 👍👍👍
Hi. Thanks very much for your informative videos. I have now watched many your videos. But, I would like to see an informative clip on various shapes of pipes and how they would affect pipesmoking.
Al - I’ll consider it, thanks for the suggestion. 👍👍👍
That Savinelli quandale is a very handsome pipe!
One thing I have to pay attention to with a churchwarden. My tendency is to hold them by the stem. What happens is I don't have that "feedback" that I might be smoking too hot, because I am not in touch with the bowl. With a regular pipe I gauge how hot I am smoking by constantly holding the bowl and feeling if it gets too hot. I burned out a churchwarden pipe for just this reason, I couldn't tell I was smoking it too hot, because I held it by the stem and the smoke was cooler. If I hold the church warden by the bowl, or at least grasp the bowl frequently, everything is fine. Just sharing my experience.
Ersontilly - Great tip my friend, thanks for sharing your experience. 👍👍👍
As a new pipe smoker I really like my shire cobbet pipe
Great video thanks for sharing that story! I had a good laugh 😆 👍
Memory Hole - Thank you my friend. 👍👍👍
I'm no smoker but if I ever would start to pipesmoke a churchwarden would be my choice. Very beautiful type of pipe
Johnny Johansson - You’re right they are, lots of history, and just an Awsome pipe. 👍👍👍
Great video about churchwardens I have the cobbit shire churchwarden always smoke it. Have a Happy Memorial Day muttonchop 🇺🇸
George Tiedemann - cool, thank you my friend, and you do the same. 👍👍👍
I Love Churchwardens when smoking strong mixtures, although I don't own none but Savinelli Bing favorite pipe which combinate churchwardes and straight billiard in one,being more suited to everyday use ,as Your Savinelli here, I do know very well this savinelli type Bowl and I love it, very versatile , I have one Savinelli 313 prince which has this bowl shape,yet good quality churchwardens are not cheap pipes, very good model recommedations you gave here,another pipe model I like is that of calbass pipe with meerchaum bowl, Calebass as churchwardens do provide smoker with the coolest smoking experience ever, Thank You and Have a Great Memorial Day,
Greets, Paul
Paul The Scandinavian - thanks for the information my friend, very interesting. 👍👍👍
As Usual Churchwardens have bowls with big chamber capacity so I do find your suggested models are just what a new or intermediary pipe smoker need to look for,then Peterson manufactures one Churchwarden type which have smaller medium thick walled bowl similar to their 407 Princes,and of course on my personal experience I'd suggest to check out Savinelli Bings Favorite models, Thanks for posting, Paul
I do enjoy your videos. all the history you pull out. one question where did the riddles go?
GTFiorano - it was something I did for a while, but thought pipe club members might be getting tired of, so I stopped for a little bit, they will be back. 👍👍👍
Is there a minimum length for the stem or does it just have to be longer than an average pipe?
I love the smoking qualities of a good churchwarden pipe. My only issue with them has been the cleaning. With such a long stem it makes cleaning a little more difficult.
Arctic piper - I'm not sure if you are aware, but they make longer pipe cleaners specifically made to clean longer steamed pipes, but you're right, there is a lot more real estate to have to clean with a churchwarden. 👍👍👍
I have heard that the first churchwardens were actually candle snuffers. These tended to be more in the Oom Paul shape. The long stem made it easy to reach the candles that were higher than "head level", without having to use a step stool.
This does make sense, but one wonders, which came first, the Oom Paul pipe used as a snuffer, or the snuffer converted into a smoking pipe?
3.14159265'd Piper (Pied Piper) - very interesting information my friend, thanks for sharing that. 👍👍👍