See NICOTIANA, BOTANY Index, and SNUFF.

TOBACCO-Pipe-Fish. See FISTULARIA, Ichthyology Index.

TOBACCO Piper, Manufacture of. The art of making tobacco-pipes, or, as it is commonly called, pipe-making, though one of the simplest species of pottery, is sufficiently curious to merit description in a dictionary of arts and sciences.

The process of pipe-making may be divided into six stages; viz. 1. Beating or preparing the clay; 2. Rolling; 3. Moulding; 4. Trimming; 5. Drying; and 6. Burning.

Preparation of the Clay.—The fine white clay employed by the pipe-makers, is dug from the quarries in masses of about a cubic foot each. Before it can be used in the manufacture of tobacco-pipes, it must be reduced to the consistence of a tough paste. To effect this, after its outer surface has been cleared from dirt or dust, it is broken into small pieces about as large as a goose's egg, and thrown into a tub with such a quantity of soft water as experience has shewn to be sufficient to bring it to the proper consistence. After lying till it has soaked up all the water, which usually requires from 12 to 24 hours, it is taken from the tub and laid on a thick strong wooden bench. Here it is beaten by a heavy four-square iron instrument, in such a manner as to cut it from one end to the other into very thin slices. It requires considerable address to perform this operation, and it is surprising how thin the workmen will sometimes cut the slices, and how equally they will thus divide the clay. This beating is continued, alternately folding up the clay and slicing it, till the whole is perfectly smooth. It is then ready for rolling.

Rolling.—The operation of rolling reduces the clay into pieces of a proper size and length for making pipes, and almost to the proper form. The roller sits at a bench with a smooth board before him, and holds in his hand another smooth board about 18 inches long, four broad, and about half an inch thick, having one end rounded off on one side, so as to produce a corresponding hollow in the clay. He now takes a piece of the beaten clay, and rolls it out, first with his hands, and then with the board, till it acquire the form of a long slender cylinder, with one end considerably larger than the rest. This large end is to form the bole, and the cylinder the shank of the future pipe. The pieces of clay thus formed are laid beside each other on a flat board, and are now ready for moulding.

Moulding.—This is the most complex operation, and requires the greatest number of instruments. The principal of these is the mould, which is composed of two long pieces of iron, formed so as to join together, and having their corresponding sides cut into the shape of half a tobacco pipe, each piece being hollowed so as to form half a slender cylinder, with a larger cavity at the upper end, and at such an angle as it is intended the bole of the pipe shall make with the shank. Just above that part of each side of the mould which stands beyond what is intended to form the bole, there is a notch for admitting a knife to cut off the superfluous clay. To receive the united mould there is a vice, having at one end two upright posts, between which moves a long lever, and to this lever, near the posts, there is loosely attached a piece of iron ending below in a smooth-conical head, capable of entering the large opening of the mould, but rather smaller than that opening, so as that when forced down into it, a sufficient thickness of clay may be left between the cone and the sides of the mould, to form the bole of the pipe. One side of this vice is fixed, and the other moveable, towards the former. The moveable side has attached to it an iron screw with a very long lever as its handle, so that by turning the screw one way or the other, the moveable side of the vice may be forced nearer the fixed side, or suffered to return to its original position.

Besides these principal instruments, the moulder requires a slender steel wire, fixed in a handle at one end, and having its other extremity formed into a very small head; a saucer containing wool well impregnated with oil, and a small woollen or cotton brush.

When about to mould his pipes, he lays hold of the shank of one of the rolled pieces, and with great dexterity, which practice alone can teach, he passes up the oiled oiled wire through its whole length, till he finds it arrived at the commencement of the larger extremity of the clay. This extremity he then bends to the proper angle, and having oiled the inside of each part of his mould, he lays the piece of clay with the wire in it, into one part of the mould, and covers it with the other. He now puts the mould containing the clay into the vice, and with the left hand turning round the handle of the screw, so as to fix the mould firmly within the vice, he, with the right hand, presses down the lever with its conical head, and thus forms the cavity of the bole. He now withdraws the mould, cuts off with his knife the superfluous clay from the bole, opens the mould, takes out the pipe, and now only withdraws the wire. He then lays the moulded pipe on a flat board, in the same manner as the rolled pieces before described. The pipes thus moulded require to be trimmed, that is, to have the prominences arising from the joining of the mould, and other superfluous pieces of clay taken off, so as to render the surface smooth and round.

Trimming.—The operation of trimming is generally performed by boys and girls, as it requires very little skill. The trimmer has before him a smooth block of wood, about the length of the pipe, and of considerable thickness, elevated a little at the remote end. He has also a thick piece of smooth iron, one edge of which has across it two or more femicylindric grooves, capable of receiving half the shank of a pipe. Taking one of the rough moulded pipes, the trimmer carefully passes up the hollow of the shank, a wire similar to that employed in moulding, and holding the pipe by the bole, while the shank lies before him on the wooden block, he pares off with a blunt knife all the excrescences of clay, both from the shank and bole, and rubs the former, while lying on the block, with the grooved part of his iron, so as to render it as smooth as possible. He now cuts off the ragged piece at the extremity of the shank, withdraws the wire, and lays the pipe on the drying frame. One great object of the trimmer is, to see that the pipe is completely perforated, which he discovers by blowing through it; and if he finds the hole choked up, he must open it by pulling the wire as far as possible. If this does not succeed, he breaks the pipe as useless.

Drying.—The pipe has now received all the work that can be bestowed on it by the maker, previous to its being burned; but as the exposing of it to heat, while soft and pliable, would make it crack, it is necessary that it be properly dried. For this purpose, a frame is prepared, composed of three or four long pieces of wood, fastened to two end pieces in such a manner, as that the middle of the frame shall be the lowest, to give the thanks of the pipes that curve which they generally possess. After being trimmed, the pipes are laid beside each other in this concave frame, with their boles hanging down over the edges of the frame, and their thanks bending within its hollow. In this position they are exposed to the air till they are dry and firm. They are then ready for burning or baking.

Burning.—For burning or baking the pipes, there is to be prepared a kiln of a simple but peculiar construction. It is built in the form of a cylinder, close at the bottom and on the sides, and open at the top. Below the bottom is a grate for receiving the fuel, and round the sides are constructed vertical or spiral flues, opening at the top, and communicating below with the grate. The sides of the furnace on its interior are pretty thin, and are formed of a cement composed of clay mixed with fresh cow dung. In the middle of the cavity is placed a pedestal composed of the same materials, for the pipes to lean against. When the pipes are sufficiently dried, they are arranged round this pedestal, resting against it, and against each other, with their boles next the bottom of the furnace. They are thus placed in successive layers, till the furnace be sufficiently full, when the open space at top is filled up with bricks placed over each other, so as to leave interstices for the free circulation of the air, and of the smoke and flame which issue through the flues. In these interstices are laid several pieces of broken dried pipes, to serve as pyrometers for ascertaining the state of the included pipes during the burning. The fire is now lighted, and kept up, till, on examining the pieces of clay laid in the interstices of the bricks, it is concluded that the pipes within the furnace are sufficiently baked. The fire is then suffered to go out, and the whole to cool till the next day, when the bricks are taken down, the pipes removed, and packed in barrels for sale.

After being burnt, the pipes are sometimes glazed, which is done by rubbing them, while warm, with flannel and a little white wax. In some places the extremities of the thanks are rendered smooth by dipping them before burning in the ordinary potters glazing, which prevents that adhesion to the lips so unpleasant in new unglazed pipes.