For Flakes, Which Pipe Is Better?

indianafrank · Oct 28, 2014

I've got some flake coming but now I'm wondering if I need another pipe. Right now I have cobs and a few small to medium briars.
What pipe is better for smoking flakes? Does size make a difference? lol
How about the type of pipe for flake.

pitchfork · Oct 28, 2014

The cobs should do. Anything small to medium is generally good.
But yes, you definitely need another pipe. :mrgreen:

bulldogbriar89 · Oct 28, 2014

i smoke allot of flake and I use a medium skinny long bowled pipe (briar )

edwinbaz · Oct 28, 2014

This article could be helpful.

bulldogbriar89 · Oct 28, 2014

that was a good article ed. I found it very interesting, thanks for sharing it.

dottiewarden · Oct 29, 2014

that was a good article ed. I found it very interesting, thanks for sharing it.

+1
I tend to rub out flake fairly well and have never used the fold and stuff method, thus in my case I'll put a medium strength flake in a medium chamber, such as a Canadian Billiard, and a stronger flake in a small, shallow chamber, i.e.,Peterson 80s.

petes03 · Oct 29, 2014

I prefer any pipe with around a 3/4" diameter x 1-1/2" deep bowl. Those seem to be the magic numbers for me.

leacha · Oct 29, 2014

If your into cobs, I find the Diplomat 5th Avenue (Twain has the same bowl, BTW) is an excellent all around pipe. It has the depth for fold and stuff flakes, excellent for Va/Pur & Bur/Pur again because the depth gives flavor intensities toward the bottom. I'm not a fan of Latakia (only as a condiment) so I can not say how it smokes over a the range of that style but it is great with Bald Headed Teacher and Walnut.

nachman · Oct 29, 2014

While any pipe will do for flakes, I find that the best pipe for a fold and stuff pack is a Dublin. The tapered bowl makes the flakes burn all the way to the bottom with few relights and no dottle.

mso489 · Oct 29, 2014

I like a smaller pipes for flakes, at least starting out. The Peterson bulldog, the Stanwell bulldog shape 32, and

the Peterson Belgique, for examples. Group sizes are not definite, I know, but a small Group 4 (medium size

pipe) or a Group 3 are good, though the Belgique is a Group 1, tiny but okay for slow burning flake. I'm sure

flake goes well in large/extra large pipes, once you have a range on the blend, but in my experience, flakes

burn slow, so a small or medium size pipe will often give you a good long smoke. A small pipe will waste less

tobacco while you learn to rub out, fold, or otherwise pack flake, which involves a learning curve. With many

others, I do love flake tobacco; it's a pleasure. Get some kind of shallow bowl to do your rubbing out or folding,

so you don't scatter any of the goodness.

indianafrank · Oct 29, 2014

Thanks all, ok, I'm getting another pipe. I mean two. A couple of you talked me into it. mso, I'll look at that Stanwell Bulldog 32, I have a Stanwell Vario now.
Andrew, that Diplomat is now on my list also.
You guys don't help my budget!
edwinbaz, thanks for that article.

blueeyedogre · Oct 29, 2014

I rub my flakes out quite well and my favorite pipe for smoking them is my Rattray Butcher's boy which has a rather large bowl and both a longer (8") stem and a short (2.5") stem. It easily holds a full rubbed out flake of Capstan or Orlik. Now for Beacon Extra I like to cube but the flakes and smoke them in a BigBen Barbados with a medium sized bowl.

scurvydog · Oct 30, 2014

I mosly smoke flake, love to use a MM Country Gent. Good for an hour long smoke with some FVF

metalheadycigarguy · Oct 30, 2014

I really like my Savinelli 111KS Toscana straight billiard pipe for flakes. Its a medium size billiard and it works well.
This one is similar to mine as its the same shape.

http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/savinelli/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=159425

menuhin · Feb 9, 2015

This article could be helpful.

Nice article :puffpipe:
There seems to be no real consensus of what pipe is good for flake (I'm talking about flake enjoyed in a fold-n-tuck manner).

A member in another thread mentioned "Flake tobaccos are best smoked in a smaller sized bowl, preferably of a conical shape, such as a Group 2 or Group 3 dublin."

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/flake-pipes-1#post-395968

Like this one:

But in general, members suggest almost any pipe form.

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/recommend-a-flake-pipe-do-you-have-one#post-315109
In Germany, a prototypical flake pipe looks like these, yet quite different from above:

klause · Feb 9, 2015

+1 what Pitchfork said.
Menuhin, what is that amazing looking pipe sitting in the tin of flakes?? It's absolutely gorgeous. I understand why that would be a typical flake pipe in Germany. I have a couple of 30's era squat faceted Bulldogs (made from beech) that are quite sublime when coupled with a flake - they seem to last forever and have a depth of flavour I find hard to get in any other pipe. The short bowl works - goes against conventional wisdom, but, hey! If it works, who am I to argue?

ivapewithfire · Feb 9, 2015

I would love to meet the person on this forum that DOESN'T need a new pipe for ...[Insert any reason here] :lol:

iamn8 · Feb 9, 2015

For Flake, in order to get the best out of it, you'll need a smooth pipe by Bo Nordh.

Something like one of these....

sallow · Feb 9, 2015

Flakes? You're smoking flakes? Let's face it, you need a new pipe.

For Flakes, Which Pipe Is Better?

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Site Sponsors

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Part of the Furniture Now

Lifer

Part of the Furniture Now

Starting to Get Obsessed

Part of the Furniture Now

Lifer

Lifer

Part of the Furniture Now

Starting to Get Obsessed

Lifer

Part of the Furniture Now

Lifer

Starting to Get Obsessed

Lifer

Part of the Furniture Now

klause

Guest

Starting to Get Obsessed

Lifer

Lifer