Clenching and Dribbling

[Dudditz]

I started this pipe smoking thing years ago because I saw my Grandfather with his pipe in his mouth reading the paper and thinking..."that's cool as hell, and smells awesome." "I want to be just like him."

However, the minute I put my pipe in my my maw and look at my wife with a "you know I'm cool" look, I start salivating and dribbling down the stem like a Great Dane in front of a filet mignon...What gives? Anytime I start to sit quietly with a pipe clenched (no matter what style...straight, bent, cockeyed...) I dribble,,,

I'm sure I have opened the door to a multitude of comments... But , what the hell? Am I doing something wrong...

 

[minerLuke]

Not necessarily doing anything wrong. When I first started clenching I had the same thing happen and thought there was something wrong with me. But I just kept playing around with it and now I don't have any trouble clenching a pipe.

 

[Bbailey324]

Nothing wrong, just the way it goes. I can mostly clench and not drool on myself but some days it just seems to happen.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

It just takes time. For some clenching isn’t second nature & some were meant to fondle their pipes.

I’d suggest a lighter pipe with a vulcanite stem for comfort. I prefer MM cobs as they are light and clench easily. Drooling is natural at first. I mean the stuff we sip on tastes lovely at times so it stands to reason you may go . However, many seasoned pipers don’t clench cause it’s simply not comfortable…nothing wrong with using your hands. ️

 

[serpentx]

I have the same problem, and I'm not going to give up clenching anytime soon. I'm afraid my only advice is to grow a beard

 

[telescopes]

No issues here. Practice make perfect

 

[Chasing Embers]

But , what the hell? Am I doing something wrong...

Just occasionally swallow.

 

[bullet08]

I still drool on occasions. It surprises me. But since I'm by myself, I just pretend like it didn't happen.

 

[sardonicus87]

You might get accustomed to it, or might not. I can hold a pen light in my mouth sometimes for 10 min with no issue, sometimes I start drooling within seconds.

I don't really clench my pipes, I prefer to hold them in hand. That said, I have clenched before without drooling (fishtail bits). The only time I drooled with a pipe was when I tried some of those soft rubber bits, gushed like crazy.

You could try clenching further back, using your molars. Or if that's already where you're clenching, you could try clenching further forward on your canines. It probably helps if you don't bite too hard? Just spitballing here since I don't know for sure as I'm not a clencher.

 

[K.E. Powell]

I'm of the opinion you can't really do much about it. I salivate a good deal if I clench longer than a couple of minutes, and I've been doing this long enough to know what I'm doing.

We're wet smokers. It is what it is. It's not as if there is a faucet on us that controls the flow, so to speak. Over time, you may salivate less or find ways to cope. For myself, I never liked clenching for long periods anyway, and if I'm smoking a pipe then I am probably sitting down or going for leisurely stroll at most. So it's not a big deal to me most of the time.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I always have a pipe in clench, even when it is finished or not lit yet. Maybe practice just walking around all day with your pipe clenched. Surely this dribbling can be unlearned, or trained away.

 

[gervais]

Some people's salivatory glands just flow better than others. At least you probably don't suffer from dry mouth!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

You could try clenching further back, using your molars.

Absolutely +100. I see guys who will sometimes walk around with their pipes out front in clench, but that just doesn't look right to me. I clench just behind my eye teeth. Anything that sticks straight out looks silly and could be the reason you salivate. Chocked back in the molars, with my lips closed, I've never had an issue. I can even sort of talk with my pipe in clench, although, when smoking, I'd rather not be bothered.

 

[CoffeeAndBourbon]

It's your body's natural instinct. The only thing your body expects in the mouth is food, hence saliva. So, give it some time. Just like people with braces. he first bit is slobber city until you get used to the hardware in your mouth

 

[VDL_Piper]

No problems here and I use the eye tooth as my hook/depth gauge and put the button behind the eye tooth and on the first molar.

 

[Cloozoe]

I did (drool) initially. I'd smoke outside so I could spit. Then, a long time ago, I didn't anymore. Damned if I know why. My body/brain somehow "learned" not to, same as I "learned " to smoke a pipe in general. If I wasn't a clencher I wouldn't be a pipe smoker, so I'm glad it proved to be a start-up glitch.

 

[anotherbob]

I started this pipe smoking thing years ago because I saw my Grandfather with his pipe in his mouth reading the paper and thinking..."that's cool as hell, and smells awesome." "I want to be just like him."

However, the minute I put my pipe in my my maw and look at my wife with a "you know I'm cool" look, I start salivating and dribbling down the stem like a Great Dane in front of a filet mignon...What gives? Anytime I start to sit quietly with a pipe clenched (no matter what style...straight, bent, cockeyed...) I dribble,,,

I'm sure I have opened the door to a multitude of comments... But , what the hell? Am I doing something wrong...

I found that practicing sipping on the pipe instead of puffing really reduced the drool factor. Also found that it takes a while no matter what you do for that physiological response to chill out with clenching. Also might just be you and not much you can do about it. Just one of those things that bodies do. But the cooler the smoke the less your body will respond that way.

 

[El Capitán]

I came, I saw, I drooled. Part of the experience really. You're body will get used to it eventually.

 

[kcghost]

Experience is what it takes.

 

[warren]

Some smoke wet and others smoke dry. Some can clench and others? Well. they just have to take the pipe out of the mouth now and then to swallow or spit. You'll just have to cope.