DIY Dept: Making a gourd Calabash, and why...

[Capn Jimbo]

I believe it was da'Rum who mentioned three pipes of special interest:

The Falcon, the Cob and the the Calabash, aka the "Sherlock Holmes" pipe. This latter was the pipe that many actors of the day chose as being most representative of the famous detective - which may have been true on the stage, but in fact, in those lovely stories, Holmes is much more likely to be smoking a long-stemmed cherrywood or clay pipe. No matter.

The true Calabash - made of gourd (and not one of the briar copies whose only resemblence is the shape alone) is known for being an amazing and pleasant smoke. The notion is that the tobacco is actually burnt in a rather average or small sized chamber, with the smoke exiting and expanding into the relatively large and open interior of the curved gourd, and only finally really exiting through a long, graceful and curved stem.

Well used gourds develp a lovely dark coloring around the base and curves. They do seem delicate, and they are absolutely not a clencher. A true calabaish is condered hard to make accurately, with lots of custom work, as no two gourds are alike.

Personally, I think its a beautiful and also very practical pite for those whose dogs do bite (credit Peter Sellers).


Are they costly?

That depends, but in general they are notably more expensive than the run-of-the-mill briars in standard shapes, that are easier to make and use less material. Accordingly, it was inevitable that some individual would - yup - make his own, and the following is the very intrguing effort - with instructions - by a young man from Athens, Greece. How appropriate...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwdI6dKtd34

My questions: I'm not likely to try this - though I might - but I wondered?

1. How do they really smoke? Are they as dry and cool as you read? How bout the dreaded dog bite?

2. Are the bowls - in general - removeable for cleaning? Doesn't the gourd accumulate lots of nasties? And if so, how to clean the gourd itself?

3. Last is delicacy? Are these easily broken or ruined? What care and feeding are required?

[da'rum]

I can't answer how they smoke but the bowls are removable and replaceable and easy to break. The bowls are traditionally made from meerschaum so, drop it and it's knackered. It wasn't me who mentioned calabash pipes, I said Falcon, cob, meerschaum.