How Big Is Too Big?

[mtwaller]

I’ve had my eye on a nice Ferndown for a hot minute... but it is, to put it bluntly, an excessively large pipe. Overall length is just under 7”, and the chamber is apparently 15/16” wide by 1 and 15/16” deep.

Cure my ignorance... what the actual hell does one smoke out of such a pipe? The price is right, but my goodness. I want it... but I don’t know what the heck I’d do with it.

 

[Chasing Embers]

1 15/16" deep only? That's on the bottom scale of the pipes I regularly smoke.

 

[mtwaller]

1 15/16" deep only? That's on the bottom scale of the pipes I regularly smoke.

Not helpful, ye demigod of pipery! ??‍

 

[workman]

I have never smoked a pipe that big. My best smokers tend to be in the size 4ish range.
I wouldn't know how to handle a colossus like that, but if I had one, I'd want to find out. Things can be learned.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

That's bigger than I prefer for sure. Some blends that are more complex benefit from a wider bowl. Many English blends for example. Smoked some GLP Chelsea Morning in a very wide bowl the other night, it was quite good.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

My limited experience with wide bowls is they take a little more attention to technique to get a nice even burn. Once I get to about 7/8” wide, I have to be mindful of getting a more even light, and the line between staying lit and burning too hot becomes a bit narrower, but it’s not hard to get the hang of it. Just something to be aware of the first few bowls. Of course I may be the only weirdo that’s had that experience, YMMV. ?‍

 

[Sonorisis]

When you finally stop stocking up on tobacco, and you look around and realize you've got way-more than you can smoke in a lifetime, a pipe like that can help reduce the size of your cellar.

 

[olkofri]

That's ridiculously big. I want bowls not ovens.

 

[verporchting]

I’d pack that baby full of Marlin Flake or Old Gowrie and let er rip!

I’ve got a few that size or larger and they smoke fine. Just don’t try to rush it because you’re gonna be smoking for a while. Put on the kettle and enjoy the evening.

 

[Briar Baron]

I probably have the same pipe, Ferndown, smooth SG. Since I don't clench it is fine, I have a few that size and no problems. I like variety, from group 1 or 2 Dunhills to group 6, ODA etc. Go for it!

 

[lawdawg]

Big bowls... no thanks. There is a reason why the average size of a pipe bowl is what it is... holds enough tobacco for a decent duration of a smoke, and a good diameter conducive to staying lit and burning evenly. Of course this “ideal size” exists on a spectrum and is in part subject to personal preference, but suffice it to say that a nearly 1 inch wide by 2 inch deep bowl is absolutely massive and probably won’t get smoked much.

 

[Chasing Embers]

An example, and the pipe I've smoked 2-3 times daily since purchasing it in early July. It has a 1"x 2 1/2" chamber.

 

[olkofri]

Well, Cap'n, not all of us can be smoking all day. Not being able to smoke in my home, I must have short sessions. Even if I could smoke in here, I've not been smoking daily for years or decades like some of the veterans here and my mouth and throat do get mildly irritated if I smoke longer than 30 min. I just couldn't imitate you. If I had a pipe that size I'd be packing it on Sunday and smoking it all week.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Well, Cap'n, not all of us can be smoking all day. Not being able to smoke in my home, I must have short sessions. Even if I could smoke in here, I've not been smoking daily for years or decades like some of the veterans here and my mouth and throat do get mildly irritated if I smoke longer than 30 min. I just couldn't imitate you. If I had a pipe that size I'd be packing it on Sunday and smoking it all week.

It helps that I can smoke at my desk at work too. Brad (tbradsim1) has many pipes larger than mine.?

 

[olkofri]

Heck, this is my largest pipe, and I've only smoked it less than 3 times mostly due to the humongous chamber, and all of those times I only packed it between half and 3/4 of the chamber:





The width of the pipe stand is ~3/4 inch.

 

[olkofri]

Oh, and none of those times did I finish the pipe in one sitting.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Oh, and none of those times did I finish the pipe in one sitting.

Thirty years ago I started out with Grabows too small to get my finger in.

 

[olkofri]

Thirty years ago I started out with Grabows too small to get my finger in.

So, there's hope yet? ?

 

[alaskanpiper]

I too prefer smaller pipes 9/10 times, but I have a handful in that size range, a couple larger. They get smoked once every month or two, but are a real treat when they do. It’s nice to sit with a pipe for a couple hours sometimes. I can’t do aros in them, its just too much, but with natural tobaccos they’re a joy. Sometimes I’ll load a bowl in one and smoke it at intervals throughout the day which is great too. No prep at all for the latter smokes.

My largest, chamber wise anyway, is this 1” x 3” Mario Grandi poker.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

The bowl on this is huge and it can be a bit too much, it all depends on the blend though. Some Germains shag cut and I can pack it all the way to the top. If it's cube cut PPP then halfway is more than enough.
Tobacco that has a topping can be overpowering as well, I think it's because the bowl is deep and very wide. I tried smoking some Germains Medium Flake in it and it was overpowering, it actually made me feel sick. Strong tobacco works great in it though. Sam Gawith Twist or Revor Plug is the sort of thing that I usually smoke in it.