I'm generally of the mind that it's technique that makes for a pleasant smoke. However, I have noticed that my pipes with a more narrow chamber smoke rubbed out flakes noticeably better than let's say, a big Savinelli bent pot. Do we think that there's anything to this or am I just crazy?
Chamber Diameter
- Thread starter tmcg81
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Flakes burn best in a narrow chamber because it concentrates the heat and moves more oxygen across the ember.
If you're having trouble keeping a blend lit, move to a more narrow chamber.
Narrow chambers are less ideal for blends that do burn well because you want as much tobacco as possible to be in the zone around the cherry, combustion of the leaf is not the goal, the goal is to heat up the tobacco just enough to release aromatic compounds.
I suppose my appreciation for large pipes could be mostly why I've never liked smoking flakes.
If you're having trouble keeping a blend lit, move to a more narrow chamber.
Narrow chambers are less ideal for blends that do burn well because you want as much tobacco as possible to be in the zone around the cherry, combustion of the leaf is not the goal, the goal is to heat up the tobacco just enough to release aromatic compounds.
I suppose my appreciation for large pipes could be mostly why I've never liked smoking flakes.
It seems that the moisture content, packing, etc., would have more of an effect, however, I think frozenchurchwarden certainly has a valid point?
I like to have pipes with chambers between .5" wide to 1" wide, and I notice that I prefer most Virginias in a narrow chamber, because then I will get a thinner wispier smoke, but sometimes a wider chamber is better for a blend that gets bitey with the narrow chamber. I think that the wider bowl allows for more volume of smoke, changing the flavor a bit and decreasing the acridness of the Virginia, making it less bitey.
OP—Now this promises to be an informative thread. I’ve been consistent with my diameter and depth. —I always shop my pipes in the sweet zone of .70-.80 inner diameter and a depth no greater than 1.5 inches and almost always classic, tapered billiards.
However, most recently, I’ve had great smokes out of a .86 diameter and it has caused me to reconsider.
This Forum has tempted my reconsideration of many matters and has caused me to spend with abandon.
Here’s where I feel somewhat advantaged on this topic. I Smoke Granger 99 percent of the time. Having one blend and knowing it well eliminates the variable of tobacco. This leaves the pipe and bowl dimensions for me to determine which smokes my blend best.
My eyes are on this thread.
However, most recently, I’ve had great smokes out of a .86 diameter and it has caused me to reconsider.
This Forum has tempted my reconsideration of many matters and has caused me to spend with abandon.
Here’s where I feel somewhat advantaged on this topic. I Smoke Granger 99 percent of the time. Having one blend and knowing it well eliminates the variable of tobacco. This leaves the pipe and bowl dimensions for me to determine which smokes my blend best.
My eyes are on this thread.
I smile and know as soon as I draw that a pipe will be a good smoker.
We all develop a feel for dimensions and draw.
Lately, I’ve enjoyed some smaller pipes as well.
The inner diameter of Cobs is far narrower than my Briars and it smokes well.
I wonder how much diameter and depth come into play.....
Or is it only preference as in length or ring sizes for cigars?
I smoke Virginia flakes almost exclusively, almost always rubbed out. I completely agree. My preferred chamber diameter is 0.75". I don't buy into most of what I call pipe myths. This is no myth.
I smoke flakes about 99% of the time and I fold and stuff almost every one of them. I do this because for the way I smoke, I get a cooler, more flavorful smoke that lasts a good long time.
I smoke group 4-5 sized pipes almost all the time which work very well for my flakes. I do a cube cut when smoking plugs or a rope.
Almost all my inside bowl widths are around .82. Not too big and not to small. I have around 3 group 6 sized pipes that have an inside bowl width of around 1 inch. These pipes are 3 hours smokers and when I am in the mood I love them. Inside bowl widths for ribbons and cuts like that aren't that big a deal. If I don't smoke a flake I stuff the bowl 3 times, check the draw and off I go.
I smoke group 4-5 sized pipes almost all the time which work very well for my flakes. I do a cube cut when smoking plugs or a rope.
Almost all my inside bowl widths are around .82. Not too big and not to small. I have around 3 group 6 sized pipes that have an inside bowl width of around 1 inch. These pipes are 3 hours smokers and when I am in the mood I love them. Inside bowl widths for ribbons and cuts like that aren't that big a deal. If I don't smoke a flake I stuff the bowl 3 times, check the draw and off I go.
I've been smoking pipes for five decades and still haven't figured it out. Too many variables and contradictory evaluations of my own, to say nothing of others'. I kinda like fold and stuff in a very narrow Castello I have, once I get the fire to take. That's about the sum of my conclusions.
I think a wider bowl will help on a many pipes but on some Virginia's a smaller bowl will work.
I can smoke any blend as I like it in a 3/4" chamber. It's the do it all size.
However, I smoke a cob, a falcon, and a pot regularly that do not have the same inner diameter. Where I am consistent, is in preferring my chambers to be between 1.2 to a max of about 1.6 inches, depending on blend and cut.
However, I smoke a cob, a falcon, and a pot regularly that do not have the same inner diameter. Where I am consistent, is in preferring my chambers to be between 1.2 to a max of about 1.6 inches, depending on blend and cut.
I don't find that chamber dimensions affect anything other than smoke duration but if it's working for you, run with it.?
Thanks for all the well thought out replies. Sometimes I get in my own head about things and need them to be black and white. I've had truly excellent smokes of all kinds of tobacco in pipes of varying size. So much so that it does reinforce the notion that it is a personal preference and matter of technique. I love a big fat bent pot, and I like a skinnier billiard, bent or straight. Pipes are weird, dudes.
The majority of my pops are .75 to .80 which is what I prefer for Virginia flakes.
Once you learn to pack with an Air Pocket it can be neat smoking a Stack with just a ball of tobacco in the top. Any pipe can become a sort of a Calabash, except I still greatly appreciate a Reverse Calabash design just for catching tobacco dust without using a restrictive filter.
Interesting. Never thought of that.
What makes one pipe make the tobacco smoke and taste better than another?
If not chamber size. My first smoke of that 1989 Stanwell was really tasty. I can’t wait to rotate back to determine if it was the pipe or not.
Not as many variables in my game. Always the same blend, packed by my hand with same cadence. Same place. Same time. Same beverage. Gotta wonder.
For me, I have always found larger diameter bowls at least 3/4”-1” or larger smoke more “coolly”, more flavorful, and provide the most all-around pleasant (including nicotinic) experience. And, the very few smaller chambered pipes I have are reliably a “lesser” experience to me..... and I tend to not use this pipes very often.
As usual, I swim against the grain. I like a wide bowl for VA flakes, and a narrower bowl for tightly packed shag cuts. Call me crazy. You won't be wrong.