I know Gandalf uses a wood pipe but I'd never smoke bud out of a pipe like that unless it was glass. They have these exact ones at a place in my area for $45.00 and I'm getting the small one soon ish.
Thank you so much for that link. I've been looking all over our foryms and the web for a place I could find a gandalf pipe I like but I wasn't digging any I could find except some which were way over priced. I really like a few of the pipes on here as well as the price and free shipping Anyone know if a wooden pipe would really be that much harsher than a glass one? It seems like it'd be a problem for a spoon or sherlock but with something this long it has a pretty decent amount of time to cool some wouldn't it?
Wooden pipes generally need some form of coating to prevent burning, a lot of pipes these days are pre-treated when they are manufactured, but that's not always the case. Lighting with a match will prevent excessively high temperatures that may cause the wood to burn, leading to a harsh taste. Look for some kind of wax or coating for a smoother taste.
You can spread honey on the inside of a new pipe to do this, not alot just enough to coat it. This encourages resin build up and gives you that protective lair.