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Hey all, I've been pondering the importance of making your button and bit the same for each and every pipe. I wanted to get your opinions. For the sake of this question, I'm mainly talking about button height, thickness and stem thickness just before the button.

Until recently, I've just always figured the width of your button should be comfortable and fit the style of your pipe.

Today I was watching some Eltang videos where he said that he learned from Bo Nordh (I believe) that the buttons and bits should be the exact same no matter what your design is.

I see the importance of being able to recognize a button and identify who made it. I also see the importance of being consistant so your repeat customers know what they're getting each time. However, I'm torn on making them all the same knowing that each pipe design will be different.

What are your thoughts? Is there room for creativity here, or should you make the same each time no matter what?

Brian.

I disagree with making the button and mouthpiece an exact size for every size or design of pipe. I will always make the button and mouthpiece proportional to the entire pipe. They do vary in thickness and width a little but for the most part it is a very small measurement.

I make all of my buttons aprox. .650 wide and .140-.150 thick behind the button. Never thicker than .150. If it's an especially large pipe, I'll make the button slightly wider. The reason I do this is that I want my customers to know exactly what to expect when they put one of my pipes in their mouth.

Rad

Depends on the pipe.

I just built a pipe and the specification was "how big can you do". So the thing is the size of a softball and weighs 1/2 a pound. The button is more significant on that pipe than it would be on a straight billiard at 35 grams. Totally different usage.

I keep the width and height of the button and thickness of the bit within a fairly tight range but not exactly the same on every pipe. I just work on it until I like the way it looks. Interestingly, I was looking back at my notes a week or so ago and they all fell within a very tight range anyway. Like others, I cut the bit thickness between 1.3-ish and 1.5. I do change up the style a touch to suit the pipe design. For example, I like to make the button concave on my paddle stems instead of flat.

RadDavis wrote:I make all of my buttons aprox. .650 wide and .140-.150 thick behind the button. Never thicker than .150. If it's an especially large pipe, I'll make the button slightly wider. The reason I do this is that I want my customers to know exactly what to expect when they put one of my pipes in their mouth.

Rad

As much as it pains me, I agree with Rad.

Mine are pretty much all the same. Slight variations, yes but essentially all the same.

I target .150 behind the button - but when it's a heavy pipe, I won't take it down quite as thin - I will stop around .160.

If you get a customer that is a clencher - even with bigger / heavy pipes - you reduce the risk of bite-thru. When I send a pipe, I really don't want to see it again!