Small vs. Wide/Big bowl

[pcfdave]

Title edited. See Rule 9.

I’ve seen this pop up over various chats about smoking particular tobaccos with favorite pipes. Is there a general rule of thumb with Virginia’s vs Lat bombs faring better in one type of bowl size than another. Maybe it’s not the type of tobacco but the type of cut. Any info would be much appreciated. Cheers!

 

[Chasing Embers]

For some yes, for others no. Definitely no rules for pipe smoking. I tend to pair a tobacco with a pipe it reminds me of but find no difference in one tobacco from one pipe to another.

 

[yanoJL]

Quite possibly one of the nerdiest things I've done (and I'm a programmer, so that's saying a lot)...

I found a Virginia blend that I really liked. So I conducted a makeshift 8 pipe "tournament" - kinda like March madness but starting with the elite-8.

Each morning (first bowls of the day) there was a head to head match-up. Two pipes, same tobacco. The winner (best tasting/smoking) advanced. The loser was eliminated from the contest.

When it was all said and done, the Savinelli 673 won the tournament.

And that's how my Savinelli became a Virginia pipe.

 

[georged]

I’ve seen this pop up over various chats about smoking particular tobaccos with favorite pipes. Is there a general rule of thumb with Virginia’s vs Lat bombs faring better in one type of bowl size than another. Maybe it’s not the type of tobacco but the type of cut. Any info would be much appreciated. Cheers!

Every serious pipe smoker can recite the TBS&SMUE (tobacco <===> bowl size & shape match-up equation) in his sleep.

Here ya go:



You definitely want to get it down pat before adding the SLV (stem length variable) into the computational mix. (it's a cube function so isn't intuitive)

In the past few years a brain chemistry component has also been added that's driven by color:

Here's How Colours Really Affect Our Brain And Body, According to Science

Red makes the heart beat faster.

www.sciencealert.com

Because of these things:



Anyway, those are the basics.

Study hard, and after a few days (weeks?) steady yourself, grit your teeth, and light another bowl. See how it goes.

FWIW --- Mr. Embers likes to live dangerously, so proceed at your own risk if you go down HIS road. a.k.a the Outlaw Road

 

[makhorkasmoker]

For me, a very narrow bowl really brings out the flavor in orientals. The narrow bowl also seems to increase the nicotine hit with power burleys. A wider bowl seems to tame the power burleys slightly . I usually smoke strong burley so I choose a larger bowl when I want a mellow Smoke, a smaller narrow bowl when I want something intense or enjoy an oriental

 

[Chasing Embers]

one of the nerdiest things I've done

My pairings are done out of pure whimsy.

Example :

Ken Byron released a cherry blossom blend in 2020 called "Sakura". I had just purchased a Bruce Weaver triple volcano pipe and after doing some research, Japan has a triple peaked volcano called "Sakurajima" (Cherry Blossom Island). Instant blend dedication.

 

[Peterson314]

When it was all said and done, the Savinelli 673 won the tournament.

I now have about a dozen pipes in my pipe drawer, and I believe my 673 would win any tournament. I like a variety of shapes, but that's the only pipe I wouldn't mind two of.

 

[Coreios]

I used to notice a difference until I caught on to how to perfectly pact my pipe everytime no matter what the cut was and by telling how wet it was. Just my experience though. I don't notice a difference anymore. I just reach for the tobacco I'm in the mood for, and what pipe I think fits the, "theme".

 

[Chasing Embers]

but that's the only pipe I wouldn't mind two of.

Careful, once you buy a second, you'll want a third. This happened several years ago.

 

[canucklehead]

I like heavier Englishes and moister aromatics in small pipes, because they can get kind of nasty towards the bottom in big bowls. I like bigger deeper chambers for lighter dry tobaccos with minimal casings and/or toppings, like bright Virginias and Orientals.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I primarily smoke Virginia Flake and exclusively smoke them in narrow bowls..70 to.82, most are .75 to .80. That's my preference.

 

[bullet08]

No rule. But I find wider chamber gives more smoke to savor over. Straight VA or VA/Per usually goes into narrow and some what tall chamber. Not because they are simple and not as complex, but just because I smoke mostly flakes for those blends and they just fit nice.

 

[yanoJL]

No rule. But I find wider chamber gives more smoke to savor over. Straight VA or VA/Per usually goes into narrow and some what tall chamber. Not because they are simple and not as complex, but just because I smoke mostly flakes for those blends and they just fit nice.

@bullet08 I know you love your Petersons. May I ask what Peterson shape gives you the narrow/tall chamber you use for your VA flakes?
(I'm asking because I've been thinking about adding an Aran Smooth (124) to my herd).

OP, sorry to squeeze this question into your thread, not trying to hijack your post.

 

[bullet08]

@bullet08 I know you love your Petersons. May I ask what Peterson shape gives you the narrow/tall chamber you use for your VA flakes?
(I'm asking because I've been thinking about adding an Aran Smooth (124) to my herd).

OP, sorry to squeeze this question into your thread, not trying to hijack your post.

D20 is actually called chimney. And rather a small in size. 313/338 is small tubular bent billard. 313 and 338 are same shape. 313 is a System pipe. 264 is a Canadian also has relatively narrow width to height. All on small size, but give me at least well past 100 min of smoke.

I do not have 124, yet. Being eyeing that shape. But it's shape is Dublin. For whatever reason, I thought Dublin shapes are conical chamber. A pipe from a different maker was conical. But not sure how 124 will work out since I don't have one.

 

[yanoJL]

D20 is actually called chimney. And rather a small in size. 313/338 is small tubular bent billard. 313 and 338 are same shape. 313 is a System pipe. 264 is a Canadian also has relatively narrow width to height. All on small size, but give me at least well past 100 min of smoke.

I do not have 124, yet. Being eyeing that shape. But it's shape is Dublin. For whatever reason, I thought Dublin shapes are conical chamber. A pipe from a different maker was conical. But not sure how 124 will work out since I don't have one.

Thanks, Bullet!

 

[Chasing Embers]

For whatever reason, I thought Dublin shapes are conical chamber.

The conical chamber is a defining feature of the dublin shape.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Like a post above, a taller, narrower chamber works for me for Va flakes, heck even narrower and shorter in smaller pipes, but it really more about the flakes than any flavor aspect and if I don't fold and just ball them up and separate them a bit, they seem to work fine in anything else, haha, but tend to use certain pipes for the flakes. In general, anything goes for me - I just don't get flavor nuances I've been able to relate specifically to chamber design and don't think about it. Totally understand those who do and can discern those differences.

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

As Embers said, in short, the answer is no - there is no rule of thumb. Though everybody has their preferences.
I prefer my Virginia blends in a group 3 or 4 bowl with a ~4mm airway. Burley and lat blends I'm not as particular about the bowl size.

One day when your smoking a blend and it's one of those perfect smokes, make a mental (or physical) note of the circumstances that made it so nice. Pipe dimensions I believe play a big part in this.

 

[judcole]

I personally prefer small, narrow bowls for Virginias.

 

[Lumbridge]

I prefer a taller, narrower bowl for flakes. Some bowls work better for different cuts, but it has pretty much nothing to do with the type of tobacco.