Small ones are also good for sampling and inclement weather. I think it’s useful to have one and I wouldn’t get too hung up on the cost as long as you can afford it.
Hesitation to Pay for Smaller Pipes
- Thread starter AroEnglish
- Start date
SmokingPipes.com Updates
Watch for Updates Twice a Week
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Never thought of buying pipes by the pound. Most of the time I smoke smaller pipes. Price doesn’t matter much, i grab mine from the junk shop for a few bucks anyways.
When looking at pipes, I tend to get that consumer mindset that bigger must be better, but in practice, I prefer small to medium-bowled pipes. I own only a couple of larger pipes with bowls .80" x 1.5" or larger, because I'm rarely in the mood for a smoke session over an hour, and I find that deep bowls can be a bit of a hassle for me to relight after a point. Ideal bowl size for me is .70" - .80" x 1.1" - 1.3". Smaller bowls for flake since it burns longer.
I don’t have this problem. I like small pipes so I jump on them when I like them. I actually hesitate with larger pipes because I know they are more likely to collect dust. However, I know this is a perceived issue which is why the Kaywoodie Campus continues to be the most inexpensive Kaywoodie pipe Bill makes. We both know people hesitate to buy such a small pipe.
Thanks for all the replies, guys! Yeah I know it really is just something I need to get over as a number of you guys said, pipes shouldn't be bought "by the pound" lol.
I don't often think about if I’ll finish the whole bowl; I just pack the pipe I want to smoke full of tobacco and then smoke it until I don't like it then dump the rest. I also don't often like the flavor I get from day old tobacco. Both of these go exactly against the "value" I’m actually trying to seek.
Value is always a factor for me but I think your point is definitely taken as higher cost doesn't necessarily equate to less value.
Yes, very true! This is the kind of advice I was looking to push my feelings in the right direction regarding buying small pipes.
Good point! This is helpful in changing my perspective.
I don't often think about if I’ll finish the whole bowl; I just pack the pipe I want to smoke full of tobacco and then smoke it until I don't like it then dump the rest. I also don't often like the flavor I get from day old tobacco. Both of these go exactly against the "value" I’m actually trying to seek.
Lol yeah it sounds quite dumb now that I hear it. Tobacco for sure but it’s not the same for pipes as they’re the means to delivering a good smoke. The value of that can be delivered precisely because of its size.
So how do you hold back from buying those big pipe and spend that money on smaller pipes? Do you just remind yourself that that’s what you are actually looking for?
In general, I've always found there is a price break on smaller pipes. You can still pay a lot depending on the brand, but comparatively within a brand, smaller pipes seem to cost less.
Most of my pipes are middle-sized, but I enjoy having a selection of both smaller pipes and extra large, for different situations, blends, cuts and uses.
As I often point out, with more solid cuts like flake, coin, plug and ropes, you usually get a much longer smoke, even in a small pipe, so you can compensate to some degree.
However, if you find smaller pipes, with or without smaller chambers, rather pricey, in bang for the buck, I'd skip them. It sounds like you already have a few, so that should do it.
I happily use small pipes for shorter smokes, for sampling different tobaccos at pipe shows or pipe shops, and with the solid cuts for normal length smokes when I want to clench a lot, or for travel.
Most of my pipes are middle-sized, but I enjoy having a selection of both smaller pipes and extra large, for different situations, blends, cuts and uses.
As I often point out, with more solid cuts like flake, coin, plug and ropes, you usually get a much longer smoke, even in a small pipe, so you can compensate to some degree.
However, if you find smaller pipes, with or without smaller chambers, rather pricey, in bang for the buck, I'd skip them. It sounds like you already have a few, so that should do it.
I happily use small pipes for shorter smokes, for sampling different tobaccos at pipe shows or pipe shops, and with the solid cuts for normal length smokes when I want to clench a lot, or for travel.
Yeah, first impulse is to get the cool, shiny thing, but if I'm not going to enjoy smoking it, then there's not really any point in making that purchase. Passed on a lot of neat looking pipes because they had a 2" deep chamber or some such.
@AroEnglish
My group 2 to 4 preference is very convenient for me. Some bowls I can smoke in 20-30 min. If I want a 45min-1hour smoke, I reach for a little bigger. Then I've got my 1+ hour pipes. Though I never smoke a bowl start to finish. I always set em down and restart em whenever I feel like it. Rarely do I smoke from start to finish unless it's a small bowl with my morning coffee or a night cap. So any bowl could be an hour plus I guess.
But I will not buy bigger than a 2" chamber. I think it'll waste tobacco and I won't enjoy the bottom of the bowl when I finally get down to it. But thats just me, YMMV.
Commissions are great because I have one size I like most - a specific dimension for every aspect of the pipe. Almost never am I disappointed, so this totally justifies any price tag for me (within my tolerance).
Find your fit and feel confident in it. I'd rather pay more for a small bowl I smoke often, than less for a large one that just sits on my rack.
My group 2 to 4 preference is very convenient for me. Some bowls I can smoke in 20-30 min. If I want a 45min-1hour smoke, I reach for a little bigger. Then I've got my 1+ hour pipes. Though I never smoke a bowl start to finish. I always set em down and restart em whenever I feel like it. Rarely do I smoke from start to finish unless it's a small bowl with my morning coffee or a night cap. So any bowl could be an hour plus I guess.
But I will not buy bigger than a 2" chamber. I think it'll waste tobacco and I won't enjoy the bottom of the bowl when I finally get down to it. But thats just me, YMMV.
Commissions are great because I have one size I like most - a specific dimension for every aspect of the pipe. Almost never am I disappointed, so this totally justifies any price tag for me (within my tolerance).
Find your fit and feel confident in it. I'd rather pay more for a small bowl I smoke often, than less for a large one that just sits on my rack.
Yeah...When buying a bigger pipe you are getting more briar for the buck but reason for me buying big pipes is that they fit in the hand nicely and smoke longer...I will always make time to finish the bowl no matter how big it is...most vintage pipes were really small and usually my bigger pipes do not fit in to vintage pipe racks so I have to make my own..But I have a very few(about 20)smaller pipes and they have their place and are cute...most of them came to me from antique stores and their price was hard to beat and almost free so I took them into my care...I only smoke very old vintage tobacco in them to make me feel like stepping back in time..
This is why we American men love women with big titties. Why pay for a dinner if she can't fill a toilet bowl with those tatas.
The Bay Denmark I bought, started out with first wanting an Eltang, and not knowing about Mike till later
Later on, after learning about Mike, figuring, here’s a guy trained by Eltang, and works with Tom too, this has to be good, and costs between Tom’s and Mike’s certainly played a big factor in buying.
I figured, with the tiny cool looking pipes Mike is making, it was something I wanted, and figured why not, to have a tiny good smoking pipe, seemed like, and still seems like a Thing Unto Itself.
I’m also a slow sipping smoker, only VAs in this pipe, I can make this tiny thing last all day.
For me, this is meant for nice complex VA blends, pipe sipping smoking and it’s mighty fine.
I say go for it, it’s cool to have a great smoking tiny pipe.
Luca at Tabaccheria Corti gets them directly from Mike, with the best prices I’ve seen.
tabaccheriacorti.com
P.S. Not everything Mike does is tiny, but it’s his Signature I believe, what he started out on.
Later on, after learning about Mike, figuring, here’s a guy trained by Eltang, and works with Tom too, this has to be good, and costs between Tom’s and Mike’s certainly played a big factor in buying.
I figured, with the tiny cool looking pipes Mike is making, it was something I wanted, and figured why not, to have a tiny good smoking pipe, seemed like, and still seems like a Thing Unto Itself.
I’m also a slow sipping smoker, only VAs in this pipe, I can make this tiny thing last all day.
For me, this is meant for nice complex VA blends, pipe sipping smoking and it’s mighty fine.
I say go for it, it’s cool to have a great smoking tiny pipe.
- Length: 4.68 in. | 119 mm
- Weight: 17 grams
- Bowl Height: 1.33 in. | 34 mm
- Chamber Depth: 1.14 in. | 29 mm
- Chamber Diameter: 0.66 in. | 17 mm
- Outside Diameter: 1.22 in. | 31 mm
Luca at Tabaccheria Corti gets them directly from Mike, with the best prices I’ve seen.
Bay Mike Denmark - Tabaccheria Corti Lecco - Online Shop
Mike Sebastian Bay is behind Bay Pipes. Mike is one of the new young upcoming Danish pipemakers and he has been a part of the team by Tom Eltang since 2015. Mike soon began to apprentice in Eltang's shop part-time, which eventually led to Tom teaching Bay the ins and outs of the craft. Before...
tabaccheriacorti.com
P.S. Not everything Mike does is tiny, but it’s his Signature I believe, what he started out on.
You light-weight
I smoke OJK in both my Pete house pipe and the pub pipe.
I don’t see any compelling necessity to connect the size of the pipe to price. It’s the craftsmanship, the dedication and the vision of the pipemaker, that decides upon the quality of a pipe. The time consuming process of carving is the same. And pieces of briar bought by the pound can’t make a remarkable price difference.
I assume that it’s our cultural beliefs that things the bigger are better and of course more expensive.
I assume that it’s our cultural beliefs that things the bigger are better and of course more expensive.
Nah, some of us are cheap and find the giants for less than you'd imagine.
I am shure that if I would go for a giant, I wouldn’t anyways, sooner or later I could find one for 10 bucks.
But that’s not what I wanted to say. It’s just a marketing thing to say bigger is better and you have to pay more for it.
I don’t think about the size of the pipe compared to price when making a decision. It’s the design and what I like or want. I have a few small and a lot of medium and a few larger but no giants.
So I view my pipes as tools when pipe shopping. If what I need is a 4" crescent wrench or #1 Philips head screwdriver, the cost of the 18" wrench or #4 screwdriver has nothing at all to do with my needs.
I needed a small bowl pipe for work, they'll not let me sit out with a pipe for an hour or more for a smoke break. So I had no reason to even look at a .8x2" bowl. That took the cost concerns away. There are indeed factors that go into pricing, some reasonable and others not so much (to my mind). And I'm not going into those factors, again it has no bearing on your current needs. So, like my tools, focus on your own needs and don't borrow troubles by looking at things that don't matter to your goals.
In the meantime, MM Morgans or Eatons are a great option until your find your ideal briar.
I needed a small bowl pipe for work, they'll not let me sit out with a pipe for an hour or more for a smoke break. So I had no reason to even look at a .8x2" bowl. That took the cost concerns away. There are indeed factors that go into pricing, some reasonable and others not so much (to my mind). And I'm not going into those factors, again it has no bearing on your current needs. So, like my tools, focus on your own needs and don't borrow troubles by looking at things that don't matter to your goals.
In the meantime, MM Morgans or Eatons are a great option until your find your ideal briar.