The older the bush, the better and more resistant the pipe will be. Looking into every kind of pipe would be quite the task if not impossible, but much more extensive than what we can cover in these lines. Nevertheless, we can say that the pipes we are acquainted with, like the kind we associate with celebrities such as Sherlock Homes, are made of practically the same components. A mouthpiece at one end of the pipe is hermetically attached to the stem or the pipe's main body although it can be detached for cleaning purposes, generally by unscrewing it. The shape of the mouthpiece plays a key role in any pipe smoking experience.
All mouthpieces have an opening and can be straight and flat or round.
The pleasure of pipe smoking largely depends on the shape of the end of the mouthpiece, the part held between teeth or lips. The most common shape is known as fishtail and ends in a flat sharp angle where smoke passes in a relatively wide, direct current over the tongue. An opening has been carved in an upwards curvature so the smoke heads directly to the palate before hitting the tongue. The stem is an extension of the bowl and is generally just one piece. The function of the hollow stem, sometimes called the cannon, is to convey smoke from the bowl to the mouthpiece.