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Can A Pipe Be Too Large?

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mso489

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
I've wondered if a pipe can be too large. My two largest aren't too large. One is a Joh's 1/8 bent apple

and the other an Iwan Ries Exclusive bent billiard, both certainly Group 6. Despite their heft, and they

are both over 2 oz by a good bit, they provide a long smoke, and aren't burdensome on my jaw. They

aren't clenchers, of course, but they are great pipes for a leisurely smoke, and I'm glad to have them.

Both were Christmas presents from my wife. She spent much of her career living in Greenwich Village on

Manhattan, so it was only appropriate that she should give me "the Big Apple."

 
trailspike48

trailspike48

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 15, 2013
767
2
For my preferences, I prefer a size 4. I have pipes larger and smaller, but I don't enjoy the magnum size. The larger heavier pipes aren't comfortable for clenching, and I seem to be relighting often while smoking my largest pipes. For me a pipe can be to large. I'm also sure the Old Cajun will have a different opinion.
So, I figure the correct answer is "to each his own".

 
fishnbanjo

fishnbanjo

Lifer
Feb 27, 2013
3,030
64
Group 4 is a huge pipe for me and one I reach for very little, I would rather smoke group 1-3 sized pipes.

 
mso489

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
fishnbanjo, small pipes are a different style of smoking, but it surprises me how much (long) a smoke I can get

from a Group 3. Va/Per and easy sipping, it can go and go.

 
lostandfound

lostandfound

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 30, 2011
924
44
I also prefer a smaller pipe. Not sure about group sizes, so anything around 5 inches long, with a narrow chamber, is ideal.

 
W

wnghanglow

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 25, 2012
695
0
I can never finish my larger pipes, a smaller group 3 pipe will last me about 1.5 hours which is plenty for me.

 
sablebrush52

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,773
45,355
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Sometimes I'm in the mood for a good hours long smoke and I have a few capacious bowls for that purpose. But most of the time I'm happier with a medium sized bowl like a group 3-4 size. So, depending on circumstance, a bowl can be too big. Medium sized bowls are easier to keep in one's pocket, and to clench without biting off the button.

 
smokedragon

smokedragon

Might Stick Around
Jan 31, 2013
99
0
I think they can. I have a few large pipes, and I reach for them the least. Most often, I just don't have the 3 hours to smoke down my Brog XL. I feel like I end up either partially filling it or wasting tobacco. I think I'm most often smoking med to small bowls.

 
tbradsim1

tbradsim1

Lifer
Jan 14, 2012
9,104
11,066
Southwest Louisiana
You can cut a rope too short, you don"t have to load it full, you can smoke half a bowl, that being said I have #4 pipes for small smokes, even smaller I smoke my Parker's and the evil Bulldog, depends on what you like, I like big pipes, I am retired and have time for long smokes , but I would be remiss to tell everyone that I don"t smoke small pipes. My older Dunhills are on the smaller side, but I have 3 ODAs for the long haul.

 
cigrmaster

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
For my tastes pipes can definitely be too big. I have been in the process of weeding out my larger pipes because they were just sitting. I smoke flakes exclusively and a group 4-5 size is perfect for me. When I smoked English blends I definitely enjoyed group 6 and ODA's as they seemed to smoke that style of blend better.

 
canadianbiggame

canadianbiggame

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 24, 2013
155
1
Edmonton Alberta
I have mostly small bowled pipes which I prefer 45 minute to an hour smoke for me is perfect. I have a very large yello bole that I like smoking but the bowl is way way to large for me

 
delkhouri

delkhouri

Can't Leave
May 4, 2013
448
22
Columbus Ohio
I almost bought a pipe from an online vender recently. In his description he said the pipe was huge and that it would provide a looooong smoke. Well right before I bought it i asked for a picture comparing it to another average size pipe. The vendor gladly complied and sent me a picture of the pipe next to a group 4 dunhill. Well the pipe dwarfed the dunhill in size. It was like a stem sticking out of a softball. It also weighs around 130grams. I am not a clencher but that is still one big pipe. Too big for me so I didn't buy it. (although for some reason I am still thinking about it.)

 
jdto

jdto

Might Stick Around
Nov 11, 2012
89
0
I prefer a smaller pipe, group 2 or 3, though I have many that fall in the group 4 range, which I often only load to 3/4. I find I can t. Good 45-60 minutes out of them. When I want a long smoke, I reach for my large BST or my grandfather's huge old Brigham, but generally, 45-60 is good for me.

 
S

smokertruck

Can't Leave
Aug 1, 2013
423
0
Just ordered a savinelli long john - like a long shank -i dont hold a pipe in my mouth prefer to hold it & puff when i want. large bows are nice for a fuller taste over a longer period - i cant get a 45 min smoke even with larger bowl i guess i draw too often or too hard.

long shank can see a nice long pipe -

i have a modified racing canoe - can sit in back stern section in my solo seat looking at the whole canoe in front of me - nice streamlined & fast - same with a long pipe nice to see its whole length in front of me.
regards all

 
tennsmoker

tennsmoker

Lifer
Jul 2, 2010
1,157
7
Normally, a Group 4-5 does it for me. Gives me that 60-minute smoke on the deck quite well.
Bigger seems to work better in my mind. Group twos and threes seem like lite beer to me. You pour it out.
Can pipes be too big?
Yeah. I have one.
I own a Bjarne Nielsen pipe that is big enough to hunt elephants. I attended one of his trunk shows and saw the pipe and thought it would be good for sitting on the deck for long afternoons in the fall when I had lots of time, say a half day. If it failed, I could always use it as a hammer. Or a weapon.
Bjarne was a wonderful fellow to chat with. He talked me into buying the pipe.
I tried. Lord, I tried to smoke it. Too big, too heavy. Took a pouch to fill it. A box of matches to keep it going. It was like smoking a factory.
It sits in a rack as a reminder to me that things can get out of hand and Bjarne Nielsen was a good talker.

 
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