Pipe Groups?

[stanlaurel]

I still don't get the "group" thing.
I know the definition is a bit hard to nail down.
What group is this pipe?:
Overall length 5.534in (140.56mm)

Bowl Height 1.594in (40.49mm)

Bowl Width 1.275in (32.39mm)

Chamber Width 0.732in (18.61mm)

Chamber Depth 1.468in (37.29mm)

Overall Weight 0.9oz (26g)

 

[jfox520]

I am not sure but it seems to be based on the volume of tobacco the pipe will hold.

 

[framitz]

Are you referring to dunhill group size? If so its the volume of the bowl or the physical dimensions. Shel

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Someone told me that it was a bowl size to amount of briar ratio or some crazy thing like that. I just ignore it. It seems to be like calculus or something. I just want to know diameter to depth. All that group size stuff does is confuse me.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

So far, no one has ever been able to dig up an actual chart, so I think Dunhill just rolls a dice before naming a group size, ha ha. I've seen this come up several times. It never seems to get resolved to where I can understand it.

 

[fishnbanjo]

It is a form of explaining the bowl capacity Dunhill has the numbers listed fro group 1-6 the smaller the number the shorter the smoke. I prefer pipes no larger than a group 4 after that I get bored with the tobacco so I end up with several sitting around until I finally dump the tobacco, it's why I traded off, or sold, my larger bowled pipes. I like how Marty Pulvers explains the bowl of a pipe by stating what finger he can get into it and how deep, generally speaking I stay at 3/4" or less diameter and 1 1/2" or so depth this will yield a 45 minutes or so smoke, less than that th length of the smoke generally is shorter.

banjo

 

[cigrmaster]

The pipe you listed is a solid group 3. If you want to know how I just did that, then you will have to take cigrmasters course on Dunhill group sizes and how to determine which size is which. The course only costs 23.76 once a quarter. Please send me your bank info along with routing number so I can sign you up.
Seriously though, it just takes experience to know what size is what.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

If it is just the capacity of the bowl, how come there aren't any charts on this? I would think that Dunhill would want to keep this pretty clear and defined for the customers. It seems that someone always throws out there that the actual volume of the briar has something to do with it also. And, since I suspect that most of us have no clue what a group three is compared to a group 5, then why don't we just use diameter x depth? Besides, groups are specific to just Dunhill, I believe.

 

[fishnbanjo]

Cosmic, you are correct to the Dunhill Group Size being almost consistent with Dunhill pipes, yes even Dunhill deviated from their group sizing. Other pipes definitely fall within, or around, a specific Dunhill Group Size, it still really is a reference point and if I get to inspect a pipe I use my fingers for reference, maybe I'll make a banjo finger reference group size chart!

banjo

 

[cigrmaster]

Dunhill has never come up with any explanation of how they determine group sizes, at least none I have seen in my 15 years of piping. I think it is a good thing as anyone who wants to know a size, has to come to someone like me and then I get to show off how smart I am plus I can charge at least one tin of tobacco, for my infinite wisdom.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

^^ Ha ha, you scoundrel you.

 

[saltedplug]

Group size designations are elusive. Like others, I've not seen anything authoritative published. To me a group 4 is roughly an hour smoke, and the pipe has the dimensions 19 X 38mm, chamber width and depth. By the time the depth goes to 42 it's group 5, and if it goes to 45 or 46, it's a 6.