Do certain pipes really have more or less bite?

[briceg]

I am a newer pipe smoker and while looking at pipes online, I notice that some people (sellers) will say that 'this pipe has no bite' and I am curious if that is nonsense or is there truth in that.
From what I know and have experienced, bite is produced by how you draw. It would seem that engineering could affect this to some degree but I suspect that these kinds of claims are more spin than anything.
Do certain pipes have more or less bite than others?

 

[bigpond]

Tongue bite and tongue scorch are related to ph levels in the smoke and the steam produced by combustion. A pipe with a narrow slot can focus the smoke on a very specific area of your tongue which may lead to discomfort, however this is easy to address by simply moving the pipe around. If you're having doubts about a particular pipe or pipe vendor, steer clear there are plenty of reliable options out there.

 

[jerwynn]

Bent bull-dogs really bite hard!! (sorry... couldn't resist! :mrgreen: )

 

[mso489]

I associate bite with the tobacco not the pipe, but I'm sure the other association has been made.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Those dry-system pipes claim to reduce bite, by eliminating the moisture, that is inherently in any combustion process, from the smoke. Steam exasperates bite. Of course filter pipes and those Savinelli balsas also remove some steam.
Ultimately, I say that if you have good technique and smoke slow, you're not going to have an issue. These "gimmick" pipes tend to give people the false impression that they do not need to learn proper technique, and they get to puff away like a freight train, bite free, but...
Just learn to smoke slow, it has way more benefits to you and your pipes than these gimmicks offer.

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

People will say anything to try and make a sale. I call bologna! Tongue bite comes down to the tobacco and smoking cadence. A pipes airway affects these things, but certainly cannot stop tongue bite. So in my opinion... absolutely not. I wouldn't buy a pipe from someone that tried to pitch that non-sense to me.

 

[jmill208]

People will say anything to try and make a sale. I call bologna! Tongue bite comes down to the tobacco and smoking cadence. A pipes airway affects these things, but certainly cannot stop tongue bite. So in my opinion... absolutely not. I wouldn't buy a pipe from someone that tried to pitch that non-sense to me.

Own any Peterson's?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

You couldn't give me a damn Peterson, and I'm of Irish blood... well, I am protestant. And, I'm not an alcoholic... So...

 

[briceg]

@jmill208, No I have not but I thought I would try to get a Peterson Fisherman 69.
@Cosmic, what are your thoughts? I haven't tried a Peterson but I would be open to suggestions. Right now I have a couple of inexpensive briars (i.e. P&C 3 Briar value pack) and a few inexpensive estate pipes. BTW, I laughed out loud when I read your post.

 

[carbonmated]

briceg, tongue bite is caused by several factors, many that are not discussed. Technique is a good starting place, other factors are better explained here: http://binsbergenpipes.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=6 . I hope this helps a little.

 

[gmjabsky]

I find that different bowl geometries pack differently. Not getting a deep, conical, narrow bowl packed just right after getting a shallow, cylindrical, wide bowl you're used to could make it burn very differently. I can see that contributing.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

There are those that love them Petes, but I suspect that they are raging alcoholics that would just as well smoke out of a cat turd if you told them it was made by an Irish cat. But, it's a brand that has managed to stick around for a long time, so who am I to say? If you're curious, get one, and maybe a gallon of some whisky to make the experience better.
As for bowl geometrics, I usually smoke all of my Virginia and VaPer blends in tall and narrow bowls to focus the flavors for me. But, if I happen upon a super bitey blend, like MacBarons Virginia #1, I give it a try in a wide pot shaped pipe. Wider pipes do mellow out the flavor, broadens and mutes it a tad, reducing the bite a little bit.

 

[joe28]

OK, this is from a NEW pipe smoker, (maybe a month er so), so take any advice I give with a can of beer er 2!!

I'll given myself tongue bite and scorch more than a few times!

I have 6 different pipes, (don't ask, I figured if 1 was good, 6 must be better! Different brands, different stem, different bowl configurations, 1 with a filter)!

I thought it was the tobacco, so I tried a few, but one day I realize WTF I was doing.

I like a pipe full when I'm tinkering in my shop, fishing, working in the yard.

If I sit on the deck and watch the world go by with my dawg, all was fine, good smoke!

I work..... I puff, puff, puff, 3 puffs, hold the last to savor the flavor, like a stem locomotion going up a hill.

It'd go out, I'd tamp, relight, when I knew it was just about cooked, and cuz my head is somewhere else use WAY too much flame! (I realized one day when I could here the HISS!!

Then there is the fact that the pipe is stuck in my mouth for a LONG time, I can only imagine the amount of drool dripping down the pipe stem, (I can see it cuz when I clean the bowl, the bottom is SOAKED)!

Took a few times to figure out it was "pilot error", not the pipe or tobacco!

Do you any of this?

Sit back, fire it up, and puff slow and steady, wait a few between puffs and see!

Let your tongue heal up first!

Joe

 

[xrundog]

I have a picky palate. I think bite has more to do with tobacco than the pipe.

That said, some pipes smoke certain tobaccos better than others. And certain pipes smoke great with any tobacco. Conversely, I've had pipes that were lousy smokes regardless what I put in them.

There are many factors that go into a good smoke. The trick is to find the combination that works for you. If you have a pipe that is just terrible no matter what, pass it on to someone else to give it a try. Other pipes you might smoke only certain types of tobacco in. When you get a pipe that smokes anything well, that goes on your pipe treasure pile. Guard it well and smoke it often!

The same can be said of a tobacco that smokes great in any pipe. There aren't many like that. That's my experience.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Joe-
I suspect if you dry your tobacco down significantly, you'll have a lot less condensate to deal with. I think it's pretty hard to drool down into the stem, but YMMV.