Different Kinds of Pipe Shapes Recommendations?

I like traditional shapes. I think bulldogs and their cousins, Rhodesians, are classics worth owning. I have a Rattrays Highland apple that I like a lot. It will accommodate a 9 mil filter but I do not use one.

Go for it. Then it will be time for an acorn, strawberry and any other food shape.

Among many shapes, I like billiards (you already have those) but also Dublins, authors, dimplomats, and

lately I have arrived at a new admiration for panels, both billiard panels and pot panels. But my taste for

variety is unending, alas. Bulldogs and Rhodesians have already been mentioned. And a good brandy,

bent or straights, is an excellent pipes. I think Johs makes a fine apple, as does Vuillard and Chocum.

Among many shapes, I like billiards (you already have those) but also Dublins, authors, dimplomats, and

lately I have arrived at a new admiration for panels, both billiard panels and pot panels. But my taste for

variety is unending, alas. Bulldogs and Rhodesians have already been mentioned. And a good brandy,

bent or straight, is an excellent pipes. I think Johs makes a fine apple, as does Vuillard and Chocum.

Pokers and Bulldogs my friend, pokers and bulldogs.
The lovat is such a wonderful shape that you don't see much of. Along with the Canadian.
Oh, look at me enabling :wink:

Hey Fred,

As far as apples go, my favorites are Peterson "03's". They are 3/4-full bent apples, I have 6 of them and love them!

I also like its big brother the "XL02".
As for bent Dublins, I have a Peterson "B-10" and a Sasieni "03", among a few others, both of which are 3/4 bent Dublins that I like very well.
I know you have had them, and don't really care for them, but I like straight and bent Pots as well. I have several of them such as 2 Peterson "606" straights, a Charatan "348DC" straight, a Savinelli "122" 1/8 bent and a Peterson "01" 3/4 bent to name most. I think you know where I got one of the "606's" and the "01", lol!
I also like Diplomats as well. I currently only have one, a Royal British "207", but I have my eye on a Dunhill Diplomat "Ruby Bark" at the moment as well.
As for Volcanos, I only have one but it's a great smoker! It's a Castania "312" Montana 3/4 bent with Cumberland stem.
Another shape, that I only have one of, is a 3/4 bent Acorn. Mine is a Jobey "355" Stromboli, and it's an excellent smoker!
Although I've only owned one, I really enjoy the Canadian shape as well, and plan on eventually adding a Peterson "264" to the collection at some point.
All in all, I'd have to say that my favorite shape to date is a straight billiard. They make up a big part of my collection! I think the last time I counted, I had somewhere around 15 of them.
I have a few other odds and ends as well, such as a Poker, a Barrel or two, a 1/8 bent Ball, a Calabash and maybe a few others as well. But for me, I'd say Straight Billiards, and Bent Apples would be my two shapes of choice if I could only pick two.

+1 on the Canadian. I really wish I owned more sooner.

I have a wide variety of different shapes ... but not once have I decided to shop for a specific shape ... for me, it's always been a matter of looking at various pipes and rolling with what speaks to me ... one of the nice things about this forum is the many pictures that get posted here which has really expanded my horizon ... there are so many different things I just wasn't seeing in my little routine ... particularly, some of the artisan works, such as Rad Davis that I've learned of in these pages ...
I think perhaps the best illustration of what I mean is a Steve Morisette pipe belonging to radkesef who bought it from Steve at a pipe show ... had I seen this pipe at a time I could afford to buy it, THIS would be a pipe I'd happily own ... having never seen anything like it, there's no way I could go shopping to seek one out ...

+1 on the Bulldogs as well!

I almost forgot about those! I have several Bulldogs, 1 straight Nording "Eriksen", 1 Aldo Velani "111" with a slight bend, and a Dr. Grabow "Royalton" 1/2 bent. All of them are great smokers!

I have a couple nice apples,but both are "pipe shop" pipes - one a store label from Campbell's in East Lansing from the early '70's, the other a Cayuga from Paul's in Flint.

It's all about what appeals to your eye.

I started with straight pipes because its mostly what I found on the estate markets. However, my taste run from straights to bents in all shapes and forms.

A pipe I have grown to really like is my Brebbia Ninja squat tomato. It's a very different shape for me and it's a wonderful pipe as the thick walls keep it very cool.

If I had to pick a favorite shape, it would be the Peterson "Darwin", or B42, which I believe is a bent apple shape. I have five of these; two premiers, two standards, and a rusticated.
Here is a pic of my first two; the top is a premier, the bottom a rusticated:

A Zulu is always an option. But I find that a pipe should be held and contemplated before being bought. Smoking pipes et al do a great job, no doubt, but I have often just wondered into my local shop on the way home and suddenly realised X pipe was the pipe I'd never knew I'd always wanted. Also, some of the most subtle things can make or break a sale- tenon/shank joint, some jaggedy edge in your palm you didn't realise it had, or the opposite. There's a huge Italian pot in my local place- Artisanal one everyone will recognise from.......from.......oh Ananta I think. With the tiny lines that make it look like it's made out of silk or something? I looked at it and thought "Sheesh! What a joke". Then as soon as I held it, I wanted it.

Right now, I'm obsessing a little over researching Victorian and Edwardian English shapes and styles. The period flavor is pretty darn tasty.

I prefer pokers and straight billiards. I also like apples as well. I like straight pipes over bent pipes.

Ever since I started smoking a pipe, I had fallen in love with the Bulldog style. That being said, everyone needs to have a churchwarden.