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Pipes & Tobacco
General Pipe Discussion
What Makes A Pipe A Great Smoker?
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<blockquote data-quote="Sasquatch" data-source="post: 496664" data-attributes="member: 509"><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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). </p><p></p><p>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. </p><p></p><p>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. </p><p></p><p></p><p>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. </p><p></p><p>I have some monsters, 1" chamber, huge airway... can't get 'em to smoke the way I like at all. Someone else might though....</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Sasquatch, post: 496664, member: 509"] 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.... [/QUOTE]
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What Makes A Pipe A Great Smoker?
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