Pipe Anatomy

Pipe anatomy covers the parts of a pipe and the names given to them. Though seemingly a simple object, a pipe is made up of two main parts: the body (stummel), which contains the tobacco chamber and shank, and the mouthpiece (stem), taken into the mouth. Knowing these terms makes it easier to understand shape names and to follow discussions of care and smoking technique.

The Body: Bowl, Chamber and Shank

The body's most visible part is the bowl: the outer shell that surrounds the tobacco chamber, held in the hand while the pipe is filled and smoked. On most of today's pipes, the bowl is carved from briar. The cavity inside the bowl is called the chamber; tobacco is packed and lit here, and the chamber's diameter and depth directly affect the smoking character. The top surface of the bowl is called the rim, and its lowest point the heel. The heel matters both for cleaning and for the even development over time of the protective layer of carbon (cake) that builds up through smoking.

The section connecting the bowl to the mouthpiece is the shank. Running through the inside of the shank, from the base of the chamber to the end of the mouthpiece, is the smoke channel (draft hole). How straight and centered this channel is drilled is considered one of the primary measures of a pipe's craftsmanship.