Duration of Smoke

[sjfine]

I am lucky in this regard. I have a home office, and I generally smoke 2 to 3 bowls over the course of the day, which ends for me around 2p when I go to pick my daughter up from school. My work day doesn't end, but I generally don't smoke much more during the day. When I travel to and from court, I am usually able to smoke on the way in and on the way back, but how much is a function of how far the particular court is.
I am lucky in this regard also in that most courts are at least an hour away from me.
Life was much more complicated when I smoked cigars. Timing my robustos was much more complicated. And, on that topic, even though I smoke (virtually) all day long, I am not smoking as much tobacco as I was in one cigar of any size. At least, I don't think I am.

 

[shutterbugg]

I consider the bottom third of a bowl as a filter, so that decreases the time it takes me to finish a bowl. Also, different tobaccos smoke at different rates. Ribbon cuts like Dunhill's Nightcap and Royal Yacht tend to burn down much faster for me than Escudo-aka-DNR, and 4th Generation 1931 Flake burns very slowly, in fact I prefer it in a smaller pipe because it takes forever.

 

[tuold]

Smoking a pipe while doing nothing else has strange time stretching properties. I'll come back into the house from my smoking room at night and find that everybody has long before gone to bed.Sometimes I can't believe that hours have gone by.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ha Tuold, I've said before that my pipe is a time machine. I touch it and three hours slips away in an instant.

 

[sthbkr77]

For those who are going back to your pipes throughout the day, doesn't the tobacco dry out as the day progresses?

Yes, the tobacco does dry but often can be a good thing. I've pre-loaded pipes the night before specifically for them to lose a bit of moisture before a flame ever gets close.
As for short sessions, I'm guilty as well. I have 2 young boys and the idea of sitting still and having a moment to myself is reserved for late night. During waking hours, I'll pop into my cave and enjoy 10 minutes or so of smoke before jumping back into the fray. Do what works for you.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Only problem with pre-loading in order to dry down the tobacco somewhat is that the top portion only is likely to dry, leaving the bottom half as damp as ever. One does best with the drier tobacco at the bottom, not the reverse.

 

[tarheel1]

I don't smoke every day or every week. It is a conscious decision to take time in my day to do so. When I do I like a min of 2 hours if not more. Last week hung out at the local shop from 11 to 4 and had a great time.

 

[bentbob]

As per Cosmic, I generally smoke whilst doing other things. I smoke a bowl on the way to work, smoke a bowl at lunchtime, another on the way home, one whilst walking the dog, one whilst waiting for the dog to come back from wherever he has run off to, one whilst the wife is cooking dinner (I usually sit outside for this one, whilst directing culinary operations of course) and then a late evening bowl or two.
Most of my pipes are full bents which leaves both hands free to tackle any tasks which require attention. After all, this is why pipes were made with a bend in them in the first place.

 

[perlasca]

No time to smoke?! I don;t even understand what this means. I sometimes will wake up an extra hour earlier to smoke before getting the rest of the household ready for the day. I smoke while working at my bench, while walking the dog, while cooking dinner, while driving on errands, when watching a movie, then I smoke just before going to bed.

If somehow you have made life choices that make it impossible to smoke, then either pipes might not be for you or some changes are in order. But, 1.5-2 hours is my average per bowl. Hot-boxing a pipe is a good way to create a useless cloud of smoke and destroy your pipe, but you will not intake more nicotine by smoking faster. In fact smoking faster severely reduces how much you will absorb. You might as well just throw your money in the garbage is you want to smoke fast.

I have to agree with this.

 

[puff]

I have a tiny meerschaum that I bought off ebay that only requires ~15 min for a full pipe. If I only want a short smoke, generally I'll just use that one.
I like to sit on my porch and smoke in the evening or early morning, and usually I'll sit and smoke the full bowl, which will last me an 45 min to 1.5 hour depending on tobacco, packing method and wind conditions. But sometimes I really want to smoke, but don't have the time for a full bowl, so I'll either just pack 1/3 bowl or 1/2 bowl. Other times I will have started a whole bowl in the evening, but then be too tired to finish it, then I just stop, and finish it in the morning.
happy smoking!

 

[newbroom]

I consider the bottom third of a bowl as a filter

I find that I do that sometimes. Once I've started and stopped a bowl and dumped the ashes and got to that last portion, it seems to be more trouble than its worth.

If it's clean, relatively dry and of a worthy cause, I might even save a few of these endings and make another bowlful from it. I've had some great tasting bowls of accumulated dottle, believe it or not.

 

[killerchameleon]

I would definitely go with a smaller pipe if your pressed for time, but I think your missing the point of pipe smoking. I light up my pipe because it forces me to slow down and take some time for myself and relax. If I'm so stressed for time I usually don't even light up a pipe.

 

[cigrmaster]

I only light up my pipe if I have 1-2 hours to enjoy it. I don't like letting it sit for a long time as the flavors are not the same as when I smoke continously. I can usually get 3-4 bowls a day in on the weekdays and weekends when I don't have my daughter.

 

[skraps]

I think a major determining factor is if you can and do smoke in the house or not. If your pipe smoking requires stepping out or into a man cave, then yes, it's going to be more difficult to get more than maybe a bowl or two a day.
For me, I smoke in the house. So, I will have a pipe while cooking dinner, doing dishes, watching TV, doing laundry, sitting on the throne... you name it. If I'm working from home, it's easy to smoke 6-7 bowls a day. On a normal day, I can still get through 3 between the morning and then putzing around the house in the evening.
There are no rules. Do what works for you, and enjoy it even if only for short periods.

 

[pipeanddrum]

I only smoke 3-5 bowls a week and therefore have time in between to think about which pipe/tobacco combination I'll smoke next making sure I have around an hour available to do so. Maybe it's silly of me but I do like experiencing how the bowl progresses from first light to (hopefully) dry ash at the bottom and the arch of flavors that come up and change in one sitting. I do have smaller bowls that I like to use when I know I don't have too much time to smoke such as a Dr. Grabow duke that gives me about a half hour. I like to smoke stronger, full flavored tobaccos in that. But to each his own. Smoke when you can and enjoy when you do!

 

[ahmadothman]

Smoking time depends on a few factors. The size of the bowl, type of tobacco and the way you smoke(slow or fast. small or large puffs) but I have never had a smoke less than 30 minutes, that was in a relatively small bowl and very hot burning tobacco. However, I do not recommend leaving the pipe for a long time and coming back, as it turns to have an ashy flavour, which is annoying indeed. Try to get to know your pipe(s) and tobacco(s) and allocate time accordingly or vise versa. know how much time do you have and allocate a pipe/tobacco combo accordingly
hope this helps

 

[deathmetal]

Then I am off to the next task but will return later and smoke for another few minutes.

And -- I am slow -- what is "wrong" with this?
Smoke as fits your schedule.

 

[thomasmartin]

For me the whole point about pipe smoking is to reserve me a hour+ of relaxation and contemplation in the evening or on a free day. Being the nervous and busy guy that I am, smoking a pipe is basically the only time I just sit around doing nothing (except smoking a pipe and thinking about stuff).

 

[gentlesmoke]

I sometimes go a few days until I smoke my pipe, so when I do I enjoy the experience. Tonight I smoked my pipe whilst watching Englans lose to Iceland, I had a lovely smoke courtesy of St Bruno's. I managed to smoke for 20 minutes(I only relit my pipe once, after a couple of mins) so I guess I put in a better performance than the England team !!! :D

 

[jpmcwjr]

Please do not post sports results! I was in the middle of the match, and now the suspense is quite gone.
OP What you're doing is just fine !
[But- Looks like he hasn't been back in some time.]