Smoking 1/2 Bowl at a Time. Get a Smaller Pipe?

[turtlehead]

Title edited for caps. Rule 9 -jpm

I find myself filling my pipes to the top hoping to make it through a full bowl, but the majority of the time, I’m lucky to make it through half.

Curious, would you just pack a half bowl? Buy pipes with small bowls?

My pipes aren’t big, I’d go with pretty average.

Thanks!

 

[Chasing Embers]

would you just pack a half bowl? Buy pipes with small bowls?

Yes to both. I smoke very large pipes. Sometimes I start and finish, sometimes I'll smoke one pipe off and on throughout the day.

 

[leonardbill1]

I like having a variety of pipe sizes so that I can match the type and amount of tobacco to the pipe for what I consider to be the best smoke. I've found (or maybe just convinced myself) that a smaller amount of tobacco lasts longer for me in a full smaller bowl pipe than a half-full larger pipe.

 

[OzPiper]

I tend to get bored after 30-40 mins, so I gravitate towards medium sized (size 3-5) bowls.
I do have smaller pipes that get used if I don't have the time or just want to taste a blend.

But there is absolutely nothing wrong with just filling half a bowl.

Same with cigars. Tending to smoke more corona gordas or robustos rather than Churchills or double coronas which I used to love. I have boxes of diademas which I haven't broached in years.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

When I pack a full one I seldom take it all the way down. Often just a half or two thirds to start with in the bowl, don't really discriminate by bowl size.

 

[Dudditz]

Absolutely.
Sometimes a large bowl 1/2 full or sometimes just a smaller pipe. Depends on time available or mood. I do tend to like the larger pipes with a bigger chamber. For some reason, they smoke cooler for me.

 

[judcole]

Do it the way that works best for you - only load half a bowl - fill it, smoke half, come back later - buy smaller pipes - it's all good. There are no rules, only best practices. And this is an area that is totally subjective.

 

[blackpowderpiper]

As others have mentioned, there is no right or wrong. I have large, medium and small pipes. Typically, if I'm smoking a stronger blend I will choose a smaller pipe. Other times, I may fill up a large pipe and just smoke it off and on for a few hours. Do what is right for you.

 

[Grangerous]

It’s a great question. I’ve found that my most enjoyable pipes are small group 4 billiards. Bowls of .80 inner diameter and a depth of less than 1.5 inches or smaller.

Since I often find myself emptying a small plug of dottle from these, I consider what I initially load as fodder, knowing it may get tapped out when the bowl gets ashy.

So I’ve gotten into the habit of loading the bottom one third with a filler Tobacco and then atop I load the blend I wish to enjoy. — We all have those tobacco’s lying around that don’t excite— they become my “once like a child” fill.

 

[--dante--]

I more often than not smoke a bowl over two sessions (or even three in my large freehand).
I usually prefer it over smaller bowls. The relight is easy, and often it seems to take on a better quality after it's cooled down and rested. Sometimes I have more than one partially smoked bowl going, and alternate between two types of smokes.

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

Smoking half a bowl or less even, is exactly the same thing as smoking a smaller pipe.

 

[marconi]

Strong blends like ropes, plugs etcI Smoke in smaller bowls and then may only smoke half the bowl and return to it later.Quality Virginia flake blends that I really like I smoke in large bowls,but I may only smoke half the bowl, when I return the same day or the following day or the day after that the second half of the bowl always tastes better.This cannot be true of all blends but this has been my experience.

 

[ofafeather]

If it’s just about smoking time then either would work. If there are other reasons, then maybe one would work better. I tend to have better smokes from medium to large pipes.

There was an article by GLP in the Magazine about his gent that only liked to smoke the first half of a pipe so that’s what he did. It didn’t concern him that he was “wasting” the button portion of tobacco any more than it bothered him that he was only building cake in the top half of the bowl.

I have different strategies for smoking lengths - bowl size is just one. For shorter smokes I can use a smaller pipe, pack looser, use a finer or drier tobacco, etc.

 

[OverMountain]

I wouldn’t think of it as wasting. correct me if I’m wrong, but the leaf/dottle at the bottom acts as a moisture sponge, a “first stage” of filtration and helps dampen Smoke temperature increases as the smoker draws. I’ve quit worrying about smoking it all the way to the bottom.

 

[ofafeather]

button

“bottom”

 

[turtlehead]

Appreciate all the feedback.

One piece I wonder about between a half bowl smoked all the way, full bowl smoked half way, or an all around smaller bowl:

I read reviews about tobacco - and people will talk about the taste changing through the bowl at the 1/2 way point, or different spots.

Do I miss out on that transition one way or the other? And... do I care?

 

[mso489]

I nearly always smoke a bowl intermittently since that's the way my life works. Often a bowl goes from one day to the next. FYI, with a pipe with a small chamber, you can get longer smokes with cuts like flake, coin, rope, and plug, maybe because they retain a little more moisture and are slightly more dense.

If you want a briar with a smaller chamber, the French make a lot of those, with quality far beyond their price point. Look at BC, Chacom, Genod, and Ropp.

 

[peteguy]

All of the pipes I have bought new are all clean briar the last 3rd or 4th of the bowl. I start packing 1/4 bowl above the bottom. I hate the goopy strong nasty stuff that collects at the bottom.

 

[Hovannes]

If you want to build cake, half bowls are a good start
That is, If you want to build cake.

Even if you don't there is nothing wrong with loading half a bowl.
What is wrong is scorching the bowl while lighting up.
Firing up a half bowl safely takes a wee bit of finesse.

 

[Hillcrest]

If I want a quick smoke I use a smaller (35mm depth) pipe filled 1/2 way or all the way depending on time. If I am running errands or traveling all day I bring a large pipe (48mm to 55mm depth) and re-light as necessary. I clean the bowls after each smoke so no dottle remains in bowl to stink it up.