Burning Tobacco in Wider Bowls.

[mso489]

In my experience, broader chambers give a fuller experience of blends with four or more constituent tobaccos. Remaining lit seems to me more associated with the cut and uniformity of size and thickness of the leaf, its dryness, how well it is packed, and the even cadence of the smoker ... and probably a few other factors I'm forgetting. If conditions are right, a broad chamber works as well as any in staying lit.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I must be doing something wrong or have not learned the correct technique or am too impatient for wider chambers. I have a beautiful Comoy 215 bent billiard with a chamber of 22mmx52mm - roughly Peterson pub pipe size - but the draft hole is so large I tend to gag when smoking it. It seems to burn fast and hot.
Same with my Peterson second house pipe and my Butz choquin calabash Jr. - Even if i slow down to barely nothing - there is still too much air and smoke. From the comments here I am guessing I am not packing correctly and drawing too hard ???

Pack them tighter.

 

[kcghost]

As usual @Chasing Embers is on the mark. Solid advice.

 

[Moonbog]

Does it hold enough tobacco? I want a big bowl, to keep me α while. It has a large diameter, but is a little shallow.Y

Does it hold enough tobacco? I want a big bowl, to keep me α while. It has a large diameter, but is a little shallow.

I don't want to say yes because that's all relative depending on what size bowl you're normally smoking out of. I have a few deeper bowls like the Nording freehand that has a 1.9 inch depth that holds quite a bit more tobacco, but I find the burn hotter and it gets bitter by the bottom third and requires more relights. Being as I don't end up smoking all the way to the bottom of these deeper bowls, I'd say the 320 shape holds an equivalent amount of smokeable tobacco. And it's more a pleasure to smoke for me. I literally burn my hand on the Nording, but the SAV 320 gets barely warm. I bought them both at the same time two years ago and smoke the hell out of the 320 and dread the Nording, even though it is a pretty pipe.

 

[Moonbog]

My wide(r) and deep(er) bowled pipes like my Neerup (which is a designated english pipe) smokes just as well as my narrow(er) Flake pipes. No more relights if the tobacco has the correct moisture content than other and the draw is even easier as you have more air surface to draw in. Like Cosmic said there is also no need for a all around burn but the tobacco must have enough room to spread evenly if were talking multiple leafs.

I don't own a Sav 320, but I think it will work great with ribbon mixture tobacco.

It works really well for ribbons and mixtures. Those cuts are what I smoke most.

 

[Hillcrest]

I don't want to say yes because that's all relative depending on what size bowl you're normally smoking out of. I have a few deeper bowls like the Nording freehand that has a 1.9 inch depth that holds quite a bit more tobacco, but I find the burn hotter and it gets bitter by the bottom third and requires more relights. Being as I don't end up smoking all the way to the bottom of these deeper bowls, I'd say the 320 shape holds an equivalent amount of smokeable tobacco. And it's more a pleasure to smoke for me. I literally burn my hand on the Nording, but the SAV 320 gets barely warm. I bought them both at the same time two years ago and smoke the hell out of the 320 and dread the Nording, even though it is a pretty pipe.

Sounds like 2 things: you might be smoking the Nording too fast and if its straight grain it might have some porous spots along the very fine grain where heat dissipates out of the pipe. I had that problem with one of my pipes and have reduced it greatly by using a pipemud lining the chamber and using Renaissance Wax on the outside of the pipe. Not gone compeltely but reduced the scalding heat by 70-80%. Though rare, some briar is very porous.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I have a few deeper bowls like the Nording freehand that has a 1.9 inch depth that holds quite a bit more tobacco, but I find the burn hotter and it gets bitter by the bottom third and requires more relights.

Loosen the pack at that point.

 

[cigrmaster]

Most of my pipes are 13/16i . a few 7/8 and a few.75. It is something I never think about. I always test the draw before lighting up and I look for a bit of resistance as too lose a pack burn hot, goes out a lot and flavors get lost. If for any reason I pack to tight I run a pipe cleaner into the bottom of the bowl and almost always it clears the blockade.
I smoke folded and stuffed flakes mostly every bowl and I can tell if I need to add tobacco or if I need to take a little off.

Just now I had to actually empty a pipe and start over on the fold and flake as I tried jamming to much in the bowl. I was surprised my pipe cleaner trick would work, but nothing, so I began again, checked the draw, and got it perfect the second time. One way to get a real bad smoke is not packing properly.

 

[DotAndBang’sPipes]

I’ve been thinking about just this wider bowl thing lately. I’ve found myself shying away from a couple of pipes that are favorites aesthetically but, due to their wider bowls, I don’t reach for as often. Maybe I’m in a phase but these days I’d rather smoke multiple smaller pipes with different blends if I have the opportunity in the evenings. I have even wondered whether or not I’d care to reach for those wide bowl pipes again!

Now, watch, I’ll be saying I’m a wide chamber only piper by next week…

 

[boston]

I have a few wider bowl pipes and have to admit I can't make them work. Always an uneven burn. But I'll admit I didn't put a lot of time into trying to master them.

 

[Moonbog]

Sounds like 2 things: you might be smoking the Nording too fast and if its straight grain it might have some porous spots along the very fine grain where heat dissipates out of the pipe. I had that problem with one of my pipes and have reduced it greatly by using a pipemud lining the chamber and using Renaissance Wax on the outside of the pipe. Not gone compeltely but reduced the scalding heat by 70-80%. Though rare, some briar is very porous.

I'm glad it's not just me and that you found a remedy that works for you. And yes, it is a straight grain. I'll give your suggestions a try.

 

[john19]

I don't want to say yes because that's all relative depending on what size bowl you're normally smoking out of. I have a few deeper bowls like the Nording freehand that has a 1.9 inch depth that holds quite a bit more tobacco, but I find the burn hotter and it gets bitter by the bottom third and requires more relights. Being as I don't end up smoking all the way to the bottom of these deeper bowls, I'd say the 320 shape holds an equivalent amount of smokeable tobacco. And it's more a pleasure to smoke for me. I literally burn my hand on the Nording, but the SAV 320 gets barely warm. I bought them both at the same time two years ago and smoke the hell out of the 320 and dread the Nording, even though it is a pretty pipe.

The pipes I smoke are about 0.78-0.80" in diameter and 1.50-158" deep. The Savinelli 320ks is 0.90" wide and 1.34" deep. I don't want to last only for 20-25 minutes for smoking.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

The pipes I smoke are about 0.78-0.80" in diameter and 1.50-158" deep. The Savinelli 320ks is 0.90" wide and 1.34" deep. I don't want to last only for 20-25 minutes for smoking.

The width alone has little impact on the length of time it takes to smoke. It is a formula of width to depth. For example, if a pipe is .75" wide and 1.5" deep, it will smoke exactly the same length of time as one that is 1" wide and 2" deep. The ratio of width to depth has to increase in both, and both of these sizes is 1 x 2. Of course, this also depends on whether you smoke both of these pipes the exact same way. so, YMMV

 

[john19]

The width alone has little impact on the length of time it takes to smoke. It is a formula of width to depth. For example, if a pipe is .75" wide and 1.5" deep, it will smoke exactly the same length of time as one that is 1" wide and 2" deep. The ratio of width to depth has to increase in both, and both of these sizes is 1 x 2. Of course, this also depends on whether you smoke both of these pipes the exact same way. so, YMMV

You believe, a chamber with 0.90"x1.34" last for a short time? With English blends.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

You believe, a chamber with 0.90"x1.34" last for a short time? With English blends.

It isn't a matter of belief. It will last a shorter time than a .75" x 1.5.
I have a myriad of pipes that range from .5" to 1" wide. Comparative size pipe smoking is sort of my thing.
But, like I said, if you are relaxing into your pipe and slowing your cadence, it could last longer.
This is my favorite large pipe... it was made by Dan Cheblove, forum member a few years back. It is a monster dog, at 1" wide bore to 1.5. Love it, but I can smoke some of my more narrow pipes for much longer. I'm not crazy about deeper pipes for Englishes. They tend to get bittery at the end as the latakia sours in the moist dottle.

 

[Chasing Embers]

For example, if a pipe is .75" wide and 1.5" deep, it will smoke exactly the same length of time as one that is 1" wide and 2" deep.

With two different chamber volumes, how does that work?

 

[Moonbog]

The pipes I smoke are about 0.78-0.80" in diameter and 1.50-158" deep. The Savinelli 320ks is 0.90" wide and 1.34" deep. I don't want to last only for 20-25 minutes for smoking.

Well, depending on what I put in the bowl, I often exceed 30 minutes. Broken flake or rubbed out flake or chunky mixtures all last well past 30 minutes. Some blends burn fast as hell no matter what pipes I use for them...like Presbyterian, or any other fine ribbon or shag. Those blends, I'll only get 20 minutes in the 320 if I'm lucky. So, it depends on what your smoking. If you're looking for an hour long smoke, then a 320 is maybe not what you're looking for. Look, I have plenty of pipes I wish I didn't buy....that I'm too lazy to sell on ebay or on here...they end up packed away and unloved. So, I understand your hesitation.

 

[john19]

It isn't a matter of belief. It will last a shorter time than a .75" x 1.5.
I have a myriad of pipes that range from .5" to 1" wide. Comparative size pipe smoking is sort of my thing.
But, like I said, if you are relaxing into your pipe and slowing your cadence, it could last longer.
This is my favorite large pipe... it was made by Dan Cheblove, forum member a few years back. It is a monster dog, at 1" wide bore to 1.5. Love it, but I can smoke some of my more narrow pipes for much longer. I'm not crazy about deeper pipes for Englishes. They tend to get bittery at the end as the latakia sours in the moist dottle.
View attachment 175799

I am between savinelli 320ks (0.9"x1.34") and 606ks (0.8"x1.76"). I want it for English, mixtures. But i care about length of smoke too.

 

[crashthegrey]

With two different chamber volumes, how does that work?

Solid point, but Cosmic has a thought here. While his numbers do not add up, the point is that the volume is key. a 1x2 is the same as a 0.75x2.66, but if the volume is the same they will burn about the same amount of time whether wide or narrow.

People, use only a wide bowl for a bit, slow down, pack tighter, or looser, play with it and before long you will find the right packing and cadence, and yes, a wide bowl will seemingly get a little more flavor from complex blends, due to more types of tobacco being in close proximity to the cherry.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

With two different chamber volumes, how does that work?

Volume has nothing to do with it. If you stack a wood in a way that can make a half cord of wood burn for longer than a whole cord burned at once.
.

Cigars, think about a 6" lancero. It will burn for longer than a Robusto of the same length. Volume has nothing to do with it.