Any Half-Bowl Smokers?

[monty55]

I was wondering if anyone ever only fills their bowl half way up for either a short smoke, or heel work I suppose. I generally grab a small bowled pipe or small cob for this, but not everyone has small bowled pipes, some even dislike them. So I was wondering how they address a short smoke?

 

[darthcider]

I don't specifically half fill pipes for a shorter smoke.

I always fill, then smoke until I have had enough, then bin what's left.

 

[briarguys]

Not a half bowl smoker. I usually grab a smaller pipe if time is an issue.

 

[bloodwood]

I don't fill half bowls, but on occasion I'll only smoke 1/2 of a full bowl.
I'll start smoking one blend, get a hair up my butt, and decide to smoke something else.

This evolution generally goes from cheap bulk bacci to a more refined tin.

e.g. from Carter H. to Black Parrot.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

If I want a short bowl I just grab one of my mini-cobs from Missouri Meerschaum. Great little 10-15 bowl.

 

[brudnod]

I have a number of pipes which are "short smokers" in that the bowl size is small and the smoke is usually 20-30 minutes to pure ash. They smoke remarkably well and there are more than I like times when I just have enough time to smoke them.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

On my chimneys I will fill then half way for walking the dogs. It still gives me over an hour of smoke, but the rest of the pipe shields the tobacco nicely on windy days. And, when I am going to smoke a strong blend like a twist, I will sometimes only pack it half way. I know my limits, haha!

 

[tuold]

I usually don't do half bowls or short smokes but will wait until I have time to enjoy the entire experience. That's probably why I wait until the weekend for my pipe activities. Some of the best tobacco taste comes after mid-bowl. It's like listening to half a song.

 

[monty55]

Thanks for your input guys.
Cosmic that is very interesting because once when I was walking my sisters dog in a slight breeze, I was thinking a half filled poker would have worked better than the packed full bent brandy clenched in my teeth at that time, and probably lasted just as long! But never tried it :| I knew someone would chime in who's done this.

 

[oldredbeard]

I often pack less than a full bowl for short smoke, or like others pick a smaller pipe. There are times though when I want to smoke a particular pipe and just don't fill it all the way.

 

[seadogontheland]

I like a full bowl and the flavors that come about, but I will sometimes smoke half and save the rest for later and the resulting wait will increase strength of the weed due to chemical alterations in the baccy from letting it cool and then be relit.

 

[settersbrace]

Not trying to come off as snobbish or elitist but the idea is to enjoy a bowl full of tobacco. As stated by Tuold the blend usually starts to open up at mid bowl. There's absolutely nothing wrong with setting an unfinished bowl aside and returning to it later though. The practice is common among those who enjoy VaPer's and it's referred to as DGT or Delayed Gratification Technique wherein the the heated essential oils cool and meld in the bowl and often deepen the flavor of the blend when stoked back to life, often hours later. Some Latakia blends work ok with this as well but personally once I get a Latakia blend going, I'm staying with it to the end. Small bowls are certainly the avenue to take if time is limited and every pipe smoker needs at least one smallish bowl for just those occasions.

 

[mso489]

I don't usually pack half a bowl, but I often get distracted and come back to finish a fuller bowl later, or the next day. Usually I pack at least 2/3 or 3/4 bowl, or go to a smaller pipe. Small pipes are excellent for short smokes and certain blends. Most should own two or three, unless they have some aversion to small pipes.

 

[wilson]

Yes. When it is cold out I will do a half bowl while walking the dogs.

 

[chrisfranklin]

I do when I am full with bussiness matters and I am just looking for a short "get-away" when on break.

 

[pipestud]

I have a really nice American hand made pipe (don't want to mention the name of the maker), that delivers a beautiful smoke from the top to just below the halfway point. Then, it just sort of dies on me and its a real struggle to keep properly tamped and lit. I keep trying but usually dump with about 1/4 bowl left. I lovingly call it my "half bowl smoker."

 

[newbroom]

Typically, the only half bowls I smoke are the first half and the second half. sometimes separated by a matter of hours.

I do have some pipes that are a little more work, but I've got a couple that seem to be almost foolproof in that they burn anything perfectly without much concern. These are the pipes we all search for, the almost magical ones that almost seem to become companions in our thirst for a relaxing bowl of tasty tobacco.

 

[menuhin]

To address a short smoke I would use a smaller pipe.
As for the topic, you are focusing on the lower-half. But a lot of smokers do not plan to do so: they want to complete it full but ended up giving up after the upper-half due to time or other difficulties, not being able to fulfill down to the lower-half. I am quite often like this myself.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It's funny how the tides of opinions have changed. One of my first questions on here was about where I could find pipes with smaller bowls, and the consensus was that I should just pack a pipe half way, ha ha. Packing one half way or using a smaller or shorter pipe, what is the difference. You will get the flavor changes none-the-less. If you used a squat pot shaped bowl or pack a billiard half way, just because the dynamic of the outside of the pipe is different, doesn't mean that the shape of the packed tobacco has changed. It's really about the same thing. I do love smaller diameter pipes though, especially for focusing the flavors in more subtle bends. But, some blends open up in flavor to a wide diameter, and half a bowl in a wide pipe is even more a different sort of smoke.
Whereas a cigar heats the oils of the tobacco right behind the cherry, in a pipe, the bowl burns from the center out, heating the oils in the surrounding tobacco. These differences in burning characteristic is part of why a 58mm X 5" cigar will burn faster than (or maybe just as long as) a .75" x 1.5" pipe bowl. So, it is possible to get a really tasty smoke from a half packed pipe. I really like an oriental blend done this way best.
But anyways, it may be worth a try, if you're looking for something different. It will be interesting to see how the consensus reacts in a couple of more years. ::

 

[effektor]

I came here looking for suggestions of smaller bowl pipes, but most people advised to just pack half bowls.
I still need to find a pipe with a smaller bowl.