Thoughts on Giant Pipes

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Merton

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 8, 2020
941
2,499
Boston, Massachusetts
The SP post of today featuring a number of GGG Castello pipes (a group of very large 55's and 84 Hawkbills) led me to think about pipe preferences. The pipes, there were 15 originally and nine were gone by the time I saw the email, are undeniably beautiful and eye catching. A number of years ago my PAD would have immediately kicked in and I would likely not have been able to resist. However, my tastes have changed and I now prefer smaller, albeit not dainty, pipes. I have had a Castello GGG in the past. It was beautiful to look at but I found it uncomfortable to smoke so it rarely got used. I ended up trading it. The same thing happened with several very large Ardors which I had. I now want pipes to weigh in at 2.00 ounces maximum and, ideally, less. In this instance some of the pipes weigh between 4.50 oz and some top out over 7 ounces. Perhaps a function of getting older but I do like to clench and that is very obviously not going to happen with any of these beautiful pipes. So, what attracts you about very large pipes? Have your tastes changed over the years? Anyone gone in the opposite direction and abandoned smaller pipes for the siren call of Giants.
 
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Grangerous

Lifer
Dec 8, 2020
3,251
13,104
East Coast USA
Nothing attracts me to very large pipes. (That didn’t sound right) Bigger isn’t better.

Heavy to clench. Heavy to hold. The tobacco tastes as good in a (regular) pipe and a 45 min to an hour smoke is just fine. If it’s not, I’d prefer to reload a fresh tasting second bowl. I also hate wasting tobacco. If I tap out some dottle at smoke’s end, it shouldn’t fill the ash tray!
 

swampgrizzly

Might Stick Around
Sep 26, 2018
86
201
South Louisiana, U.S.A.
I owned a new Boswell Jumbo pipe for 18 years. As time passed I found myself smoking it rather infrequently. It was a great smoker, just impossible to clinch for very long and impractical for my regular pipe smoking. I had cared for it well and was able to sell it for the same price I paid for it and the buyer was thrilled to get it! I have no regrets, don't miss it, and it was a fun experience that in the end didn't really cost me anything to try out.
 
I have a few large pipes, one of which is an Ardor, bent bulldog giant. It's among my favorites, especially for long walks. One of my fondest smoking memories is packing it with some GH&co Bright and Burley and just walking the wintertime beaches at Pensacola. Letting my feet chill in the waters, while I pondered the seagulls. Jonathan Livingston Seagulls... movie nights, curling up with a good book, hikes... I mostly enjoy smaller pipes, but variety is good, IMO. It's a whole different smoking experiences... but, aren't all smokes...
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,345
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