Pipe-Shape Matters???

[PiedPiper62]

Hello. Hope all are well. I've finally narrowed-down my favorite "go to" daily smokes: Northwoods for the black Cavendish, G.L. Pease's Westminster w/ some Latakia & Turkish/Orientals as a fav "English" blend and C&D's Pirate Kake for a pure, Lat bomb experience. Does the type of pipe bowl you smoke these tobaccos in matter? I've heard that the type of pipe bowl AND how you pack some tobacco blends does matter. Any general rule of thumb or personal experience, or knowledge on this topic would be greatly appreciated... Thanks, PiedPiper62

 

[Fr_Tom]

My own basic rule is that everything tastes better in a pot. I do seem to have better luck with wider bowls in general.

The truth is that some pipes just seem well suited to certain tobaccos. There are too many variables there to really quantify how it works and design the perfect pipe for a Balkan.

So this gives you a reason to smoke something you like in everything you have until you find a combo that consistently delivers. I am sure my own (lack of) packing technique is a factor, etc.

 

[KevinM]

Heed Fr. Tom. I’d say the rule of thumb is: deeper, narrower chamber, preferably with thick walls, for fine cut, hot burning Va’s. Shallow, wide bowls, also with ample briar in the walls, for aros and coarse cuts that deliver taste. Packing and smoking come with experience. Generally, pack looser, smoke slower. A Pot is a very versatile pipe design. But it’s the bowl dimensions that count. So one of my favorite “Pots” in my rotation is the latest arrival, a stylish Tomato with a wide, shallow bowl. Sav makes some handsome Pots. Pete’s 606 has a handsome utilitarian appeal. Try some E. Hoffman Spilman Misture in a Pot? if you’re partial to Lat.

 

[Richard Burley]

Too many variables.

 

[monbla256]

My own basic rule is that everything tastes better in a pot. I do seem to have better luck with wider bowls in general.

The truth is that some pipes just seem well suited to certain tobaccos. There are too many variables there to really quantify how it works and design the perfect pipe for a Balkan.

So this gives you a reason to smoke something you like in everything you have until you find a combo that consistently delivers. I am sure my own (lack of) packing technique is a factor, etc.

THIS for sure ! Over 1/2 of the 100 plus pipes I own are Pots with another 1/3 of the remaining pipes are bulldogs. I have smoked a wide variety of blends over the years settling for mostly straight va's and one Balkan today and find just about all of whet I've smoked did well in these two shapes. JMHO :twisted: :twisted:

 

[SpeedyPete]

My own basic rule is that everything tastes better in a pot. I do seem to have better luck with wider bowls in general.

The truth is that some pipes just seem well suited to certain tobaccos. There are too many variables there to really quantify how it works and design the perfect pipe for a Balkan.

So this gives you a reason to smoke something you like in everything you have until you find a combo that consistently delivers. I am sure my own (lack of) packing technique is a factor, etc.

THIS for sure !  Over 1/2 of the 100 plus pipes I own are Pots with another 1/3 of the remaining pipes are bulldogs. I have smoked a wide variety of blends over the years settling for mostly straight va's and one Balkan today and find just about all of whet I've smoked did well in these two shapes. JMHO :twisted: :twisted:

Yes!!

Pots and bulldogs for me as well :cheers:

 

[Corncobcon]

I recently obtained a Gianni Callabash. I like the design. It feels good in my hand and smokes great. This is one of my favorite shapes along with bulldogs and pokers and Dublins.

 

[KevinM]

 Over 1/2 of the 100 plus pipes I own are Pots with another 1/3 of the remaining pipes are bulldogs. I have smoked a wide variety of blends over the years settling for mostly straight va's and one Balkan today and find just about all of whet I've smoked did well in these two shapes. JMHO :twisted: :twisted:

Do you count as a Pot only billiards with shallow, wide bowls? ( I.e., classic Pot, outside and inside) Or would you include anything with a squareish bowl? I have an Ehrlich Supreme bulldog with a 1” x 1” bowl which I use like a Pot — i.e., coarse cut flavorful tobacco. Just curious.

 

[huffelpuff]

To me it's the inside demensions that make it a pot. Which works well at pulling the other flavors forward in Lakeland blends too. I try to avoid conical bowls if possible. Stacks are popular with some smokers for lat blends not really sure why. Tall narrow bowls seem to be preferred for Va. I find things like The Pipe work well for super fine shag cuts if you pack them very very loose. Unfortunately you will find that all of this is subjective and may or may not work for you.

Jim

 

[KevinM]

That’s exactly what my practice is — stacks and narrow bowled chimneys like Va’s. But as you say, YMMV.

 

[smoker13]

Pots, Dublins, Billiards, Princes......Yes, yes, yes, but I am only going to talk about one of my pots today, a Savinelli Corno straight that has been dedicated to Davidoff Medallion Flake tobacco since I first got it more than 2 years ago. I love it. In fact, I recently cracked the horn mount and painstakingly patched it up with Loctite glue and a C-Clamp. Not as pretty as it once was, but it still smokes like a dream. In fact, I just finished a bowl a couple hours ago.

Yes, I've got many, many more expensive pipes, but this one is near and dear to me and the thought of it being gone from the stable is heart-wrenching.

And thas' all I gots to say fer now.............

 

[wij]

Really good information here. I'm still a new and learning pipe smoker but it seems that I'm getting my best smokes from the 3 bulldogs in my rotation. It could be that a bulldog is easy to fill properly for a newbie.

 

[JensDK]

My two favourite smokes are full bodied flakes and English mixture heavy on oriental and latakia.
I just have a simple general rule: Medium to wide bowl with thin walls for mixtures, heavy walls for flakes (I am not a big friend of narrow bowls).

But then again it's so individual, each pipe seems to have a life of it's own. I just bought at beautiful pot with heavy walls. For some reasons it works excellently for mixtures as well as flakes. So basically you just have to try out the potential of each pipe, I guess.

 

[RDPipes]

I smoke what I like in what I choose, I see very little differences nor do I care much.
If a tobacco is going to smoke better in a pipe shape I don't care for, then what's the sense of smoking it?

 

[Fr_Tom]

Do you count as a Pot only billiards with shallow, wide bowls?  ( I.e., classic Pot, outside and inside) Or would you include anything with a squareish bowl? I have an Ehrlich Supreme bulldog with a 1” x 1” bowl which I use like a Pot — i.e.,  coarse cut flavorful tobacco. Just curious.

[/quote]

I consider the prince to be a pot variant as an example. For me it is the wider, more shallow bowl that really seems to work well.

 

[Corncobcon]

Most any tobacco smokes great in a corncob pipe! The burleys and ruff cut tobaccos work with my wide bowled pipes such as some pots and bulldogs, KS and X size bowls also.

 

[JensDK]

I smoke what I like in what I choose, I see very little differences nor do I care much.
If a tobacco is going to smoke better in a pipe shape I don't care for, then what's the sense of smoking it?

Valid point. Even more so after I looked up your pipes on your website. They are really beautiful. I might make a compromise or two in tobacco choice smoking a pipe like that  

Are they regular or made for 9 mm filter?

 

[RDPipes]

I smoke what I like in what I choose, I see very little differences nor do I care much.
If a tobacco is going to smoke better in a pipe shape I don't care for, then what's the sense of smoking it?

Valid point. Even more so after I looked up your pipes on your website. They are really beautiful. I might make a compromise or two in tobacco choice smoking a pipe like that  

Are they regular or made for 9 mm filter?

Thank you sir, at this point I only make non-filter pipes, maybe some day soon I'll give the filter ones a try.