Depends on the tobacco is processed, a ribbon I prefer a wide and deep bowl 22-24x45+mm, a ready rubbed or rubbed flake I like somewhere around 18-20x35-40mm and a fold & stuff flake I prefer my tiny group 1ish.
Pipe Size Preferences?
- Thread starter tzinc
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It depends on what I am doing and how much time I have. I prefer 18-20mm wide x 45,50,55mm depth if I have time. If not, I have three smaller pipes, 2 are 17 x 35 and one is 18x37 or38. And depending on rotation I sometimes load 1/2 bowl in larger pipe. But best smoke for me is 20x55 fully loaded for a long smoke if able --- but thats a couple of hours or more.
.75 x 1.5 with a 3.5ish airway is my favorite all-around.
I'll like Carter Hall and Heavy Oriental Englishes (very rarely) in a slightly wider bowl (.8-.82).
Some VA's, as long as they burn well, are good in the low .7s.
If I'm having a short smoke, or something I don't care if I finish, I smoke it out of a MM 5th Ave Diplomat (supposedly measures the same as my original specs, but the ones I have feel narrower and shorter).
I'll like Carter Hall and Heavy Oriental Englishes (very rarely) in a slightly wider bowl (.8-.82).
Some VA's, as long as they burn well, are good in the low .7s.
If I'm having a short smoke, or something I don't care if I finish, I smoke it out of a MM 5th Ave Diplomat (supposedly measures the same as my original specs, but the ones I have feel narrower and shorter).
Might not be the most sophisticated of reasons, but still being fairly new to this I prefer a bowl that I can see all the way to the bottom easily so that as I'm smoking I can tamp and stir it and have a sense of where I am. That would be something under 1.5 and around .8 in, as the most preferable size.
45 minutes is as long as I would usually go, so I like a bowl that I can finish in that time. I use a smaller bowl for tobaccos that I know will have a long smoke time like flakes and some heavier English blends like Black house. I do like a prince bowl for those types but I think that's just my preference.
45 minutes is as long as I would usually go, so I like a bowl that I can finish in that time. I use a smaller bowl for tobaccos that I know will have a long smoke time like flakes and some heavier English blends like Black house. I do like a prince bowl for those types but I think that's just my preference.
Do you have any tips for a deeper bowl? I have trouble when I get to the last third because the ash build up seems to smother the ember underneath. Do you dump out the ash during the smoke? I've tried that and it seems to be hit or miss.
Pack lighter, I tend to gravity fill all of mine.
Thank you for that, I have been gravity filling much more lately and it's been working great. The first time I tried SWR and Lane limited RR (which was like filling my pipe with grape nuts) I really understood gravity fill and it's been working great for all my blends. Ribbon cut is still a challenge sometimes though. I'll try packing lighter for deeper bowls. Thanks again.
If you pack it right you should be able to light it with just one match and burn it to bottom of bowl but it takes practice. Don't tamp the ash too hard ... just lightly. I do dump the ash so it doesn't build up more than a light topping. If it goes out I do stir the remainder re-tamp and re-light. As for packing the bowl there are many videos with good advice on youtube but it takes practice. The best advice I can give is don't think about it just do it quickly without thinking ... thats always the best smoke.
Depends on the situation, 3.5x2 cm chamber for a 45 min smoke, or my own handmade large one which is 6x2.5cm to take for several hours in a hike/picnic etc
I smoke slot during work or on hobby projects and I clench the majority of the time. So I'll take whatever as long as it's not either super long or over 50g.
After years on the pipe , I can’t break frequent puffing . My size preference is not bore or depth but wall thickness. I have very few full curves liking straights but only recently acquired a few with very thick wall that give me a cooler smoke using fine cut tobac.
Okay, good to know thank you. At the end of the day I think your advice is correct-don't think too much about it. I've had some of the best smokes that way.