How Long Should a Pipeful Last?

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BigWeird

Lurker
Apr 23, 2022
11
23
Title edited for caps and I added the "ful" so it was clearer in meaning.

I work and want to smoke a pipe but don't always have twenty plus minutes for a smoke. And I feel I smoke too fast if I use a normal pipe. Do those small pipes help with this and is there a time a certain size bowl should last?
 
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BigWeird

Lurker
Apr 23, 2022
11
23
A small pipe will definitely help with this. And just as important is the cut of the tobacco.
I have some shag cut blends that smoke pretty fast, even if sipped. They're great for a quick smoke. Ribbon cut would be the second fastest burning cut in my opinion. Paired with a small pipe, this combo should fit the bill for you. Hope that helps
How do you tell what cut you got I've just been buying what sounded good on pipes and cigars website.
 
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sparker69

Part of the Furniture Now
Feb 25, 2022
604
2,507
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
I work and want to smoke a pipe but don't always have twenty plus minutes for a smoke. And I feel I smoke too fast if I use a normal pipe. Do those small pipes help with this and is there a time a certain size bowl should last?
A smaller bowl would be a good idea, or maybe even limiting yourself to a half bowl. I agree with the others on tobacco cut - you're going to want to avoid any type of flake or plug. I would suggest sticking to ribbon cut. You might want to look as well at where a pipe fits into your lifestyle. I'm a cigar smoker too and have my "lunch time" cigars, meaning minutos, (the Partagas Short is my classic lunchtime cigar, or an Italian Toscano cut "ammezzato" - in two - smoking one half; the Partagas taking around 45min and the Toscano maybe 30-40), but have my weekend cigars as well that can be an hour or more. Another thought: a pipe, you can let go out - so maybe you can smoke a bit, clear out some of the ash and light it again later.
 

BigWeird

Lurker
Apr 23, 2022
11
23
A smaller bowl would be a good idea, or maybe even limiting yourself to a half bowl. I agree with the others on tobacco cut - you're going to want to avoid any type of flake or plug. I would suggest sticking to ribbon cut. You might want to look as well at where a pipe fits into your lifestyle. I'm a cigar smoker too and have my "lunch time" cigars, meaning minutos, (the Partagas Short is my classic lunchtime cigar, or an Italian Toscano cut "ammezzato" - in two - smoking one half; the Partagas taking around 45min and the Toscano maybe 30-40), but have my weekend cigars as well that can be an hour or more. Another thought: a pipe, you can let go out - so maybe you can smoke a bit, clear out some of the ash and light it again later.
Part of my problem is I like the big rips of smoke not little puffs that definitely isn't helping things I don't think
 
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didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
9,895
31,635
34
Burlington WI
I used to hate smoking half finished bowls. Part of the reason I thought I liked smaller pipes. I used to feel like I had to finish it or dump it. But just in the last month, I've really started enjoying it. Turns out I like bigger bowled pipes too. Had no idea. As long as I'm careful about not spilling it later, I'm good.
 

niblicck

Can't Leave
Oct 7, 2020
385
3,128
Alabama
Part of my problem is I like the big rips of smoke not little puffs that definitely isn't helping things I don't think
Smoke some shag cut tobacco in a medium size bowl if you want some big rips of smoke in a twenty-minute break at work. I suggest/prefer P.S. Amsterdam shag cut myself at work for just that situation. Dump what's left over. Life is short, who cares if you did not finish the bowl.
 

ZetoMegisti

Lurker
Apr 18, 2022
40
435
South Australia
For relights on the go I either use a capped pipe for this or a small pipe filled fold and stuff with flake and pop it in the manufacturers drawstring pipebag. If you are getting the spins, just avoid rushing your bowl or pushing to get through it.
 
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chopper

Lifer
Aug 24, 2019
1,480
3,317
Although I really like my pipes with smaller bowls, I tend to smoke them when I'm able to smoke the entire bowl.
Relights work much better for me in a larger bowl.

After a few puffs and then tamped with a larger bowl, the tobacco will stay in place and not spill out.
One large bowl can last me an entire work day, relighting a few times.
Smoking a large bowl when on a break, knowing that I wont be able to finish it, I tend to smoke at my normal cadence.
 

HawkeyeLinus

Lifer
Oct 16, 2020
5,580
40,856
Iowa
How do you tell what cut you got I've just been buying what sounded good on pipes and cigars website.
There are some pinned threads that discuss packing pipe with different kinds of tobacco that may help with understanding the different cuts of tobacco - I've learned a lot from those for sure.
 

ahouston

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 27, 2020
114
150
Montreal
Most blends are fine to continue smoking after leaving it in the bowl for a while, half smoked. I find that overly-moist blends are even better when packed and finished hours later, even up to 24h. So you don't have to finish the bowl right away. I hear burleys are a kind of exception as the taste can change, but I'm not too familiar with those blends. Lat heavy blends work great with this for some reason, at least in my experience.
 

sparker69

Part of the Furniture Now
Feb 25, 2022
604
2,507
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Part of my problem is I like the big rips of smoke not little puffs that definitely isn't helping things I don't think
I can't think of them off hand, but I know that I've had different tobaccos that produced a large quantity of smoke. You might want to make a note of one when you smoke it and stick to those. If you puff too hard on any Virginias, you're going to lose a lot of taste and your going to probably ruin your pipes if you're smoking in briar.
 

burleybreath

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 29, 2019
956
3,332
Finger Lakes area, New York, USA
A friend of mine does the half-bowl, or less, thing when taking smoke breaks. Think he just dumps it. And there's nothing wrong with smoking a partial bowl and saving the rest for later. I do it all the time with my last pipe of the night. (Drowsiness supervenes.) I don't own one, but it would seem that a Savinelli Tortuga would come in handy for this practice, if you wanted to pocket the pipe afterwards during the day.

tortuga.jpg
 

ashdigger

Lifer
Jul 30, 2016
11,379
70,057
60
Vegas Baby!!!
^^^^
Just this ! ?

Don't over-think. This is supposed to be an enjoyable, relaxing past-time. ?
Don’t over think? You’re not the boss of me!!

I read on page three of the New Pipe Smokers Guide that in order to thoroughly enjoy the piping experience you need three things.

1. a pipe
2. tobacco
3. an unlimited imagination based on peer pressure that you’re the only new pipe smoke that gets frustrated and wants to quite pipe smoking and the unrelenting realization that the old timers were born with a pipe in your mouth and all the answers involving said pipe smoking are complex Euclidean theoretical physics questions who sole reason for having a slide rule is those damn paper cuts and the charring light is actually a manifestation of the whole embodiment of fire in our primal society.

Just roll with it. It’s a pipe. It’s tobacco. You’ll get it. You’ll figure it out.