What Makes A Pipe A Great Smoker?

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AJ

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Why do some pipes smoke so much better than others? I've been giving this some thought rencently and have tried to decide just what element of engineering has the biggest effect on how a pipe smokes. It is bowl material, shape of the chamber, the placement of the draft hole, the diameter of the draft hole, the shape of the stem, the length of the stem, the shape of the button, the transition between shank and stem, stem material or something else? Is it really one element or a combination of several or all of the elements that dictate how well a pipe smokes. Give it some thought and then tell us what you think. Serious replies only as this could become a great resource for fellow pipe smokers. Here's a chance to show how serious a pipe smoker you really are. Are you up to the challenge? :bounce:

AJ
 
AJ, I agree with what you stated, especially concerning the diameter and depth of the pipes chamber. Also, a 5/32" airway/draft I find smokes the best for me, I've opened the draft to 5/32" on a few of my pipes, including a Radice recently. The Radice now smokes much better, with lesss moisture at the bottom of the bowl.

One of the most important aspects of a superior smoking pipe is the age of the briar. Now, this is just my honest opinion on the regions of some of the best briar available today....for over a dozen years now I prefer Algerian or Grecian briar due to proper aging. But I'm sure other pipers have their favorite regions.



KEEP ON PUFFING!!!
 
It's probably impossible to give a reply here that doesn't have a bunch of exceptions, but I think what the last 20 years or so have seen is that if you build a pipe with special attention paid to the construction of the airway, making it smooth inside with very little in the way of open spaces (plenum spaces) or transitional points, you get a good smoke.

What are we trying to do except carry a fairly hot stream of molecules to the smoker's tongue? The "flavor" in smoke is big molecules, esters, oils. If these don't make it to the user, the smoke is.... steam. So you want to build a pipe that will not cause condensation in the smoke stream, no bumps, no lumps, no changes in the tube size (which would make for non-laminar flow and/or a pressure change). Keep all that tasty stuff in the smoke stream!

I think the American makers of the last 20 years really zoned in on this, and at this point, almost every serious pipe maker takes care to build a very decent airway.

Pipes that don't work well usually have some physical flaw in their build. I have owned probably 100 pipes, and the good ones are identifiable by build. Brand is basically nothing, construction is everything (that said of course, certain brands do a more uniformally good job in construction - Castellos for example are generally speaking a very nicely put together pipe, and the result is that lots of people think they smoke really well).

Briar is ... some factor. For sure not every piece of briar smokes or tastes the same, but for every person that like a super light piece of briar, you'll find another person that prefers more dense stuff. For everyone who swears by Greek briar, you'll find someone who prefers Italian. It's a very small difference, I think I could tell you on the first smoke or two if a block was Algerian vs Italian, but after 10 smokes? I don't think anyone can tell from the smoke.

I sought magic briar for years, bought and tried everything under the sun. At this point, I try to buy clean briar that is well cut, but I buy from multiple sources because they have all provided me with excellent looking and smoking pipes.

It's very, very difficult to sort this stuff out retro-actively - you'll find a guy with a 50 year old pipe that smokes great and it's stamped "Algerian Briar" so naturally he thinks that's the best - could be, or it could be that the airway in the pipe is super smooth after 50 years of pipe cleaners going in there, and the physics of the pipe are just really good.


My pipe making journey kind of began when I did get a really good pipe, a pipe that stood out as an excellent smoker - non gurgler, tasted good, seemed to stay lit effortlessly, seemed to smoke every kind of leaf well. What the hell could be going on? Once I got some of these ideas of constant volume airways etc under my belt, I started looking really hard at how pipes were built, and time and time again I found that they are built very sloppily, with mis-aligned drillings, rough finishes inside stems, poorly cut slots etc. And those pipes always smoked crappy.

So I will submit that a pipe is like... 95% physics, a fluid-dynamics equation, and 5% magic where things just.... work out "extra" right sometimes.
 
Lonecoyote":fj6680ih said:
AJ, I agree with what you stated, especially concerning the diameter and depth of the pipes chamber. Also, a 5/32" airway/draft I find smokes the best for me, I've opened the draft to 5/32" on a few of my pipes, including a Radice recently. The Radice now smokes much better, with lesss moisture at the bottom of the bowl.

One of the most important aspects of a superior smoking pipe is the age of the briar. Now, this is just my honest opinion on the regions of some of the best briar available today....for over a dozen years now I prefer Algerian or Grecian briar due to proper aging. But I'm sure other pipers have their favorite regions.



KEEP ON PUFFING!!!
Thanks for responding Ted. You've highlighted two good points. Like you I believe the 5/32" draft hole is optimum however I can't explain why one of my fine smoking Edwards has only 1/4" draft. There isn't really that much difference between the two sizes but other pipes with the 1/4" draft would gurgle like a brook in the Sprigtime.

Your comment on the age of the bria,r in my opinion, is spot on. The older the briar the better the smoke.

Okay we'ver got a good start so let's hear from the rest. We need some of you long time pioe smokers to chime in. PeterD, Richard Burley, monbla256, Blackhorse I know there has to be hundreds of years of experience available. Share your treasured knowledge. I've just named a few but there are many others and one doesn't have to have tons of years of experience to reply. Tell us what you know. :)

AJ
 
Thanks Sasquatch. You really made some good points. Your years of experience is a valuable resouce and it gives the rest of us a key to go buy in selecting a pipe. No doubt a smooth airway is crucial to a great smoking pipe. Again thanks for your input. :)

AJ
 
AJ,
Your Edwards pipe with the 1/4" draft was most likely drilled perfectly with the draft hole " spot on " at the bottom of the bowl. For if it wasn't your Edwards would GURGLE like my Radice prior to me opening the draft just a tad. The pipes I've made I make sure the 5/32" draft hole touches the bottom of the bowl, without the slightest gap. Takes patience and practice to make the proper/perfect tobacco pipe with the draft ending up exactly where you want it. If not placed at that sweet spot you made yourself a BUBBLE pipe!!



KEEP ON PUFFING!!!
 
This is what I know from experience, which isn't going to be much of a contribution to a thread like this. Older Caminetto, older Ascorti, older Radices, and older Charatans consistently provide the best smokes. I say older because I've never tried any of these makes made in the last 25 years. I suspect two things:

1) attributing the consistency of smoke with the consistency of craftsmanship, so when they drill, they more often than not get it spot-on and just right. Maybe not perfect, but if not, damn close. I'm betting all the fitting happening out of sight in the shank is tighter and more precise than most. It's not just that the stem hole lines up with the draw hole, but that the tenon is butt up against the draw hole, eliminating those plenum spaces like Sasquatch mentioned.

2) assume they all use the same diameter of draft hole.* It seems I prefer a smaller draft hole. I believe it concentrates the flavor and is more complimentary to how I puff. The bigger the draft hole, the less flavor I seem to get, and the closer it feels like breathing to pull smoke vs. a slow, deliberate pull. It's a better, more natural feel for me to stay clear of that regular breathing pull.

*has anyone ever bothered to document manufacturer draft hole diameters? I'm curious to know the numbers. I'm sure some of them have changed with eras of their making, and that too would be useful information.

--as an aside, my biggest fear in buying estate pipes is user modification. My goodness do I ever NOT want to buy a pipe with a draft hole made bigger.
 
Zeno Marx":3bi3dekx said:
as an aside, my biggest fear in buying estate pipes is user modification. My goodness do I ever NOT want to buy a pipe with a draft hole made bigger.
The ONLY reason I opened the draft to 5/32" was because the pipe did not smoke well at all prior. Very poor tight draw and moisture always on the bottom of the bowl which created the gurgle and most unenjoyable smoke. Also, the original draft hole was not smooth at all. So, by me doing what I did ( properly ) not only made the draft hole to a proper size, the draft hole was smooth.  Most pipe makers today choose the 5/32" draft.

Zeno...read this article when you have time

http://www.instructables.com/id/Tobacco-pipe-quotbig-borequot-mod/


KEEP ON PUFFING!!!
 
Zeno you have shown yourself to be one that pays attention to his pipes. Your observations about the old manufacturer's eye for detail in draftway qualities stands to reason. Like you I'd love to see the data on the different pipe maker's and manufacturer's draft hole dimensions evolution of the last 50 years. Thanks for taking the time to respond.  :)

Who's next?

AJ
 
Lonecoyote":mrset98p said:
wow. that guy really opened that one up. that looks like smoking through a McDonalds shake straw. NO THANK YOU.

As I was reading the last comments and reading that article, to put it in other words, I prefer some resistance when I smoke. It's not active resistance, but because it is different than how I breathe, for lack of a better way to say it, it is passive resistance. Just a tad more restrictive and deliberate, like when you drink whiskey or wine and know how to breathe to maximize flavor. It becomes muscle memory, but it is certainly different than the common breath.
 
Manufacturers range from something like 1/8" at the small end, with 9/64" being standard in a lot of pipes, especially older British stuff.

I think the American handmade standard is 5/32", and a few freaks even go as far as 11/64" (although when I do that, I do restrict the stem somewhat near the slot).

I'd suggest (and Premal Chheda wrote this elsewhere recently) that how the stem is cut, the transfer from the round diameter to the slot, is more important than the actual airway diameter.

There probably is such at thing as too small - at 1/8", a single water droplet will entirely occlude the tube. Gurgle city! At 1/4", you'll have no resistance and arguably no flavor concentration at all.


My current crop of smokers are all drilled around 5/32, tapered/restricted at some point in the stem but still "open". Mostly Castellos. The smallest is very small indeed, around 1/8" and I find that to be difficult to smoke without gurgling, it's a sweet enough pipe but a little muted for flavor - the other pipes are a size up from that for airway and they work better for me.

I have some monsters, 1" chamber, huge airway... can't get 'em to smoke the way I like at all. Someone else might though....
 
Sasquatch":pj78tdxf said:
I'd suggest (and Premal Chheda wrote this elsewhere recently) that how the stem is cut, the transfer from the round diameter to the slot, is more important than the actual airway diameter.
This begs another thing I've noticed about the group of makers I mentioned above. Especially with older Caminettos, you have to have a thin pipe cleaner to get it to go into, and down, the stem. I actually have to look through the bag of cleaners and find the least fluffy, thinnest cleaners of the lot. Otherwise, forget it. The hole at the lip is easily the smallest of all the manufacturers I frequent. They're frustrating to maintain for the above reason, but for smoking, they're it for me.

I think it is safe to assume there is a taper from bowl/shank opening to lip opening. It only makes sense to best concentrate flavors.
 
This is a great read!! I'm going to admit that in 53 years of pipe smoking I've never really spent much time thinking/dwelling on draft hole diameters!! That said, there are several references to 1/4" draft holes being opened to 5/32." I'm not a math wizard, but last time I checked 1/4"=8/32"!!! Don't you mean a 1/8" or 4/32" being opened to 5/32"? Or am I missing something here (quite possible!!)

Sasquatch's comment caught my attention. I do feel that it's the combination of great materials (briar, morta, meer, clay, etc.) plus great workmanship (drilling, sanding, well-made bit and button, etc.) that result in a great smoking pipe!! It sure ain't price or age. I have "seconds" that smoke like a dream and a couple of higher-enders that ought to be ashamed of themselves!!! I have two pipes that still have a "woody" taste in the bottom of the bowl and one meer that tastes like I'm smoking clay or cement at the bottom. For briar, I do feel that older is better; but that may be just stating the obvious. And by "old briar," I mean it was old when turned into a pipe!

Sometimes, buying a pipe turns into just plain bad luck!! I believe Banjo just mentioned one of his pipes burned out after three weeks; the shop owner replaced it with another one that's lasted 40 years!! Over 53 years, I've never experienced a burnout; one of my best buddies has had two!!

OK, enough of this!!! A few pipes, two or three tobaccos, and I are headed out to enjoy our nice WX and a few bowls of luxury!!! :cheers: FTRPLT
 
Zeno Marx":gx46opj0 said:
wow. that guy really opened that one up. that looks like smoking through a McDonalds shake straw. NO THANK YOU.
I agree, some pipes the draft hole is ridiculously to big. Most times if the hole is that big it's too compensate for poor craftsmanship and inaccuracy of the draft. Thought you would enjoy the read. Seems 5/32" is what many pipe makers use. Many Pete's are @ 1/8".

Also, never had a bad/poor draft hole drilled on any of my Estate pipes from the 20's through the mid 70's. After that you never knew unless you make sure before purchasing.



KEEP ON PUFFING!!!
 
Zeno Marx":jx0mo1uk said:
This begs another thing I've noticed about the group of makers I mentioned above. Especially with older Caminettos, you have to have a thin pipe cleaner to get it to go into, and down, the stem. I actually have to look through the bag of cleaners and find the least fluffy, thinnest cleaners of the lot. Otherwise, forget it. The hole at the lip is easily the smallest of all the manufacturers I frequent. They're frustrating to maintain for the above reason, but for smoking, they're it for me.
Yup, in that case, with your next tobacco order purchase a pack of thin pipe cleaners that are designed for Falcon pipes. Your issue...resolved.



KEEP ON PUFFING!!!
 
ftrplt":4mrr00xx said:
This is a great read!! I'm going to admit that in 53 years of pipe smoking I've never really spent much time thinking/dwelling on draft hole diameters!! That said, there are several references to 1/4" draft holes being opened to 5/32." I'm not a math wizard, but last time I checked 1/4"=8/32"!!! Don't you mean a 1/8" or 4/32" being opened to 5/32"? Or am I missing something here (quite possible!!)
Definitely it would be 1/8" opened to 5/32". You are a math genius for sure :cheers:

A draft opened to 1/4" can also be used as a straw... :lol!:

KEEP ON PUFFING!!!
 
Zeno your comment about liking a passive resistance is interesting. Like you I like to feel something when I draw on the pipe. So many times I've felt like I was just sucking air. I often have to tamp the tobacco down rather firmly to get the draw I prefer but this often calls for many relights. This isn't a real problem for me because I don't really mind relights as long as I have plenty of gas on hand for my lighter. However I've found most of my pipes gurgle if they have a draft diameter less than 5/32". A lot of my older pipes had smaller draft and I had to either send them off to be opened or open them myself.

Sasquatch you said that a draft hole that was too small could hinder the amount of flavor the smoker receives. I hadn't considered this but it certainly seems logical. I've learned something new. This is a perfect example of the benefits gained by a thread like this. One never knows how someone's simple, and likely thought unimportant, observation may enlighten or enhance another's smoking experience or knowledge.  

There's so much more than needs to be discussed like the comment about the transition from cylinder shape to flat as the stem reached the button, button design, chamber shape, and etc. I'm looking forward to reading more inputs by our membership.

AJ
 
Ftrplt you are correct. I did type the wrong measurements. Not unusual for me because I think fast and type very slowly and sometimes what I type isn't in time with  my thoughts at the moment. Thanks for pointing it out.  :)

AJ
 
I just took a quick shot of 4 pipes in a range of sizes, all the same brand, all simple-built (no stinger, no traps).  Top is the smallest pipe I own, it's around 5/8" in the chamber, the stem is drilled at less than 1/8".   I feel that it is too small in this regard.  Gurgles easily, seems to have no ability to deal with any excess moisture at all.  

Second down is the opposite - it's an elephant gun, chamber at .99", the shank airway is 11/64"+ and the stem is 11/64" tight.   Wide open.  This pipe will kill a horse if you smoke something strong, it's a big shot right between the eyes.  But I can't get it to simmer the way I like best.  It's like.. I have to make it smoke.  Tons of flavor but if you are burning a pound at a time there should be!  

The other two are more what I consider variations of normal - the lovat is 11/64 in the shank and 5/32 into the stem, I have no problem with the build, smokes itself.  

The dublin is 5/32 in the shank and 11/65 at the tip of the tenon, so larger there, but maybe accomodating for a bent drilling, keeping the airflow smooth in that way....also smokes with no effort, tastes good.  


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Diameter is 3.25 mm on the tiny one, 4.35 on the large.  So the area (which is also to say the volume of the tube) is 1.8 times bigger in the large diameter pipe... almost double.  So we are talking about very small measurement changes with a fairly significant result in how a pipe smokes, how it feels, how it draws.
 
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