Duration of a Bowl

[fellrobin]

Hi all,

Just wondering how long a bowl takes you to smoke, in average? Obviously, I know it depends on the pipe, but still curious. In my small looking pipes it take 30-40 minutes, but my larger pipes seem to take more than 2 hours! Is that normal?
First image is my larger, ‘Big Ben’ pipe and the second is my small (tiny really) ‘Dr Plumb’ pipe.

 

[Bowlsmoker67]

It takes me on average about 30 minutes with an average size pipe

 

[peregrinus]

I know it depends on the pipe,

And, the tobacco with all things being equal, the tobacco type (e.g. shag, ribbon, light flake, heavy flake or plug). Also the tobacco moisture, the tightness of your pack and perhaps even more your so, your personal cadence. Some puff like a train for maximum Nicotine while others sip the tobacco for flavor. Larger pipes can then double, triple or more smoking times.
Since I rarely spend over a hour or hour and a half with a single smoke it sometimes takes me two days to finish a really large pipe while others like @chasingembers has written of spending an evening smoking a single larger pipe.

Yes, completely normal and to be expected.

 

[Bowlsmoker67]

And, the tobacco with all things being equal, the tobacco type (e.g. shag, ribbon, light flake, heavy flake or plug). Also the moisture, the pack and perhaps even more your so, your cadence. Larger pipes can then double, triple or more smoking times.
Yes, completely normal and to be expected.

Most definitely

 

[JOHN72]

I think you have a good smoking rhythm, hour and a half to two hours...........Like when you smoke a good cigar, the right time and a lot of peace.................Sometimes up to three hours I need.............I let it cool, and I rest a bit

 

[rajangan]

If you can't smoke a bowl in 15 minutes, you're probably doing it right.

I'm really impressed. I've never smoked more than an hour and fifteen.

 

[STP]

Most of my pipes have medium to larger bowls, which generally take an hour plus

 

[Grangerous]

40 minutes seems to be my norm. And there’s an unsmoked third which I tap out rather than return to later. When my pipe fusses to stay lit after tapping the ash, I don’t fight to keep it going. Pipes are 1.5” depth and typically .75 to .80 inner diameter. My cobs have smaller chambers and I still get 30 to 40 min. on average.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Mine lasts as long as they last. ???

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

Two hours for a large bowl (50mm/2" deep) seems par for the course.

I've been pursuing shag cut tobaccos recently so hopefully I can bring that number down (and maybe smoke a bowl down to the heel someday).

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

1 to 1 1/2 hours for an average sized pipe. Most of mine are more towards the longer side of that

 

[irishearl]

Have always been amazed at the folks who can claim hour-long smokes. I'm not a real fast smoker. I typically smoke ribbon cut. Most of my smaller pipes will last no more than 10 minutes and often less. That's why I prefer large pipes. My longest lasting pipe, the huge Peterson house pipe, lasts me the longest and that's still less than 30 minutes.

 

[DAR]

Depends on the pipe and the tobacco used. There are a lot of factors that come into play when talking about how long a smoke lasts. Sometimes I am not aware of how fast I'm smoking. Sometimes I'm not aware of how slow I'm smoking....... Windy? Humid? It all makes somewhat of a difference when judging how long a bowl lasts.

If my smoke lasts only 30 minutes, I know that the pipe is too small for my liking or I didn't use enough tobacco.
I can definitely make a smoke last more than 2 hours in larger pipes but my average full bowl in an average sized pipe filled with C&D Night Train (which I've been smoking exclusively for the past 2-3 weeks) lasts about an hour and 10-15 minutes.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Average- perhaps 45 minutes.

 

[timt]

1 to 1 1/2 hours for an average sized pipe. Most of mine are more towards the longer side of that

Sounds about right for me too. Flakes folded and stuffed often go over 2 hours.

 

[mso489]

Variables are dryness, cut (major), your smoking style, the ambient temperature, wind or interior moving air, design of the pipe, & others. I'd say it averages out to about fifty minutes -- from ten minutes to two hours. I smoke mostly intermittently anyway, so everything takes me a few hours, with intermissions for relights.

 

[anantaandroscoggin]

Have absolutely no idea. I've thought about watching the clock to find that out a few times, but never remember to when actually filling my pipes. I remember back after I bought my second or third pipe in 1974, how surprised I was that I got a smoke that lasted an hour and a quarter. Not sure, but it may have been my one and only Oom Paul.

 

[kcghost]

The bowl size and tobacco type mean a lot is how long it takes to consume a bowl. Takes about 40 minutes in my small pipe and when I put a flake in my larger pipes it will take up to two hours.

 

[Chasing Embers]

1.5 - 2 hours unless I'm smoking one of my big pipes.

 

[anotherbob]

Hi all,

Just wondering how long a bowl takes you to smoke, in average? Obviously, I know it depends on the pipe, but still curious. In my small looking pipes it take 30-40 minutes, but my larger pipes seem to take more than 2 hours! Is that normal?
First image is my larger, ‘Big Ben’ pipe and the second is my small (tiny really) ‘Dr Plumb’ pipe.
View attachment 92827View attachment 92828

I say it only matters in two ways. If you're not enjoying it because of how long it takes. Either you get bored before finishing or your cadence causes the tobacco to lose flavor or burn your tongue.
The other part that matters is just logistics. If you only have a certain amount of time to smoke then it's important to pick the right pipe.
I find it takes less time for me to smoke then that. I sip but it's pretty constant. When I was more the puff let the pipe settle then puff some more repeat I found that my smokes lasted much longer, but also got the occasional tongue bite.