V-Shaped Bowl for English Blends

[Dr. Van Loafer]

Dang. Been smoking pipes for half a century and never noticed whether any of my pipes had a v-shaped or a u-shaped bowl. I should be embarrassed.

At least they had a bowl! (Joking)

 

[jpmcwjr]

The "necessary" wide bowl for English mixtures so it "includes all the flavors" is, to me, mostly hooey. I smoke English/Balkan 90% of the time and it'd have to be a very narrow bowl for that to happen.

Also skeptical on V-shape vs. rounded heel makes a hill of beans difference.

But, remember: If you think any factor makes a better smoke for you, it does!

 

[cigrmaster]

Doc, don't get hung up on bowl shape. You pay attention to what steps you made and got a great smoke. If you have to , write it down. You want a great smoke every time so you need to be consistent in how you pack your pipe. How much do you try your tobacco. What dimensions are the best for your smoking style.

I only smoke flakes so I buy my pipes based on how well I think they will smoke my favorite blends. I don't buy a giant sized pipe if I am smoking a 3 gram flake.

The best advice I can give you is to spend 100-200 on a quality pipe that is drilled properly, has a stem that doesn't create turbulence. A shank dimension of 4.0-4.55. I would start with group 4-5 sized pipes and I would go for a nice Savinelli or a lower end Winslow.

I started with my first pipe being a Savinelli back around 1997 or so and it is a great pipe as I still own it. You want a pipe that smokes cool and dry. Never gurgles, accepts a fluffy pipe cleaner all the way to the bottom of the bowl.
If you get a good pipe at the beginning it will give you a baseline as to what a good pipe is supposed to smoke like. When I did pick a shitty pipe later in my early years I knew it as I had a good pipe to compare it to.

Most people recommend shit pipes to the new guys, I totally disagree with this philosophy.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

This artisan pipe maker sounds like a good one to explore! Are you able to provide a link? (Not sure if that is allowed under the rules of the forums…)

George Khoubesser died in 1971. I believe his son Manny took over the business until passing in 1981.

Manny's family took over until the Malaga Pipe Co. shut down in 1999.

You can still find some estate pipes online.

 

[Dr. Van Loafer]

While there is actual physics involved in designing chamber geometry, none of that is in play in this discussion, just personal anecdotal observation. Maybe the reviewer is on to something, maybe he's the 7th son of a 7th son just trippin' out on shrooms.

There are articles on the physics behind pipe chamber geometry and how it affects performance, tobacco burning, etc. Good luck finding them, as they were a part of the long gone "A Passion For Pipes" site that Neill Archer Roan lovingly nurtured until he closed it. You won't find much on the Wayback Machine either, as Neill locked the site. While I have copies of the material, it's copyrighted so I'm not going to distribute it. I have enough of an issue with people feeling entitled to steal my work. Likely, somewhere, out there, someone has illegally published this material so go and find it.

The pipe smoking world is largely medieval in culture, rife with mythology, folklore, superstition and flat out BS. That's part of the fun. For my part, I haven't found the wide chamber VS tall chamber to be valid. I can smoke just about anything in anything and get a fine enjoyable smoke. I find that some blends smoke a little better in a larger chamber, others work well in a variety of chamber shapes and sizes. I know how to slow smoke, which is when I get the best flavors. Slow smoking is a useful skill to develop.

Good luck with your explorations. Be careful not to sail off the edge of the world.

Slow smoking is a skill I am still learning. I get so excited that I puff like a choo choo train!

 

[Dr. Van Loafer]

Doc, don't get hung up on bowl shape. You pay attention to what steps you made and got a great smoke. If you have to , write it down. You want a great smoke every time so you need to be consistent in how you pack your pipe. How much do you try your tobacco. What dimensions are the best for your smoking style.

I only smoke flakes so I buy my pipes based on how well I think they will smoke my favorite blends. I don't buy a giant sized pipe if I am smoking a 3 gram flake.

The best advice I can give you is to spend 100-200 on a quality pipe that is drilled properly, has a stem that doesn't create turbulence. A shank dimension of 4.0-4.55. I would start with group 4-5 sized pipes and I would go for a nice Savinelli or a lower end Winslow.

I started with my first pipe being a Savinelli back around 1997 or so and it is a great pipe as I still own it. You want a pipe that smokes cool and dry. Never gurgles, accepts a fluffy pipe cleaner all the way to the bottom of the bowl.
If you get a good pipe at the beginning it will give you a baseline as to what a good pipe is supposed to smoke like. When I did pick a shitty pipe later in my early years I knew it as I had a good pipe to compare it to.

Most people recommend shit pipes to the new guys, I totally disagree with this philosophy.

This is great advise. I have two Nordings that cost right around $100. One has way too big of a chamber as I get tired after an hour and it is only half way done. The other seems solid enough and is not as large. But my favorite for many years has been an old estate billiard made by Golden Square (no longer in existence) that is a meerchaum lined bowl. I do notice this one gets very hot very quickly but the bowl is a good size. I am wanting to get a little more expensive pipe and have been thinking about an estate JM Boswell pipe. Good advise and thank you!

 

[Chasing Embers]

Slow smoking is a skill I am still learning.

Looks something like what this guy's doing. Coincidentally, that's a conical chambered pipe.

 

[Dr. Van Loafer]

The "necessary" wide bowl for English mixtures so it "includes all the flavors" is, to me, mostly hooey. I smoke English/Balkan 90% of the time and it'd have to be a very narrow bowl for that to happen.

Also skeptical on V-shape vs. rounded heel makes a hill of beans difference.

But, remember: If you think any factor makes a better smoke for you, it does!

That is wise advise, sometimes just thinking it does can help!

 

[Dr. Van Loafer]

Looks something like what this guy's doing. Coincidentally, that's a conical chambered pipe.

Thank you! Will watch it for sure! I need all the help and practice, which I am short on time with work and raising a family so the practice has not been there. And it is hot outside!

 

[Chasing Embers]

Thank you! Will watch it for sure! I need all the help and practice, which I am short on time with work and raising a family so the practice has not been there. And it is hot outside!

Here's a couple of technique videos to help you along.

 

[hugodrax]

I have heard this as well that a wide bowl is best for English. Appreciate the confirmation!

I can only speak for my tastes, though. I don't speak for everyone!

Many believe the opposite, too, and they're not wrong.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Slow smoking is a skill I am still learning. I get so excited that I puff like a choo choo train!

I wonder if any of us pipe-smokers haven't been there at some point...

 

[Dr. Van Loafer]

Here's a couple of technique videos to help you along.

Thank you, these are great and super instructive! Glad to know that my fold and stuff method for flake tobacco is used by someone else!

 

[Dr. Van Loafer]

I wonder if any of us pipe-smokers haven't been there at some point...

That is good to know that I am not alone!

 

[bullet08]

Wider the better. And some girls are bigger than others.

 

[mso489]

Conical bowls are said to be good for Virginias and Va/Pers. Broader cylindrical chambers are ideal for English and other complex blends that have four or more constituent tobaccos. However, I think this judgement is pretty much on a pipe-by-pipe basis, and highly variable. The best approach is trial and error. Sometimes you can be surprised, and sometimes it just doesn't make a difference. Males tend to love rules and precepts from an early age, and then life teaches us that a significant precent of those are, uh, highly malleable.

 

[cigrmaster]

Doc, be careful about a Boswell. They make a nice pipe but they can be the size of a fire hydrant.
I don't know what you smoke but a nice group 5 pipe can smoke almost any type of tobacco with ease.

Group sizes are a guide they are not exact dimensions.
Here is what I would go with.
Pipe length 5-6.5 inches
Bowl height 1.85-2.15
Inside bowl depth 1.5 inches]Inside bowl width 13;16 or ,82
Shank dimension of 4.0-45
Make sure a fluffy pipe cleaners slided to the bottom of the bowl with easy/
Make sure your stem doesn't whistle.
Weight 40-55 grams, easy for clenching or holding.

Don't let looks drive you. Yes you want something that looks nice to you but there are plenty of pipes with the dimesons I have given you that are plenty good looking. Remember it is all about getting the best flavors from your tobacco.

 

[ThermionicScott]

I would suspect that a wide chamber is less necessary if your mixture is fairly homogeneous. How fussy are you guys about making sure there's always a little bit of everything as you pack your bowls?

 

[Dr. Van Loafer]

Conical bowls are said to be good for Virginias and Va/Pers. Broader cylindrical chambers are ideal for English and other complex blends that have four or more constituent tobaccos. However, I think this judgement is pretty much on a pipe-by-pipe basis, and highly variable. The best approach is trial and error. Sometimes you can be surprised, and sometimes it just doesn't make a difference. Males tend to love rules and precepts from an early age, and then life teaches us that a significant precent of those are, uh, highly malleable.

Good advise. I just smoked latakia by itself in a taller canadian and it was strong, but lovely. I think also about what fits well in the hand when smoking. Thank you!

 

[Dr. Van Loafer]

Doc, be careful about a Boswell. They make a nice pipe but they can be the size of a fire hydrant.
I don't know what you smoke but a nice group 5 pipe can smoke almost any type of tobacco with ease.

Group sizes are a guide they are not exact dimensions.
Here is what I would go with.
Pipe length 5-6.5 inches
Bowl height 1.85-2.15
Inside bowl depth 1.5 inches]Inside bowl width 13;16 or ,82
Shank dimension of 4.0-45
Make sure a fluffy pipe cleaners slided to the bottom of the bowl with easy/
Make sure your stem doesn't whistle.
Weight 40-55 grams, easy for clenching or holding.

Don't let looks drive you. Yes you want something that looks nice to you but there are plenty of pipes with the dimesons I have given you that are plenty good looking. Remember it is all about getting the best flavors from your tobacco.

Its funny, I noticed the same thing as they all look HUGE. I think Boswell calls them jumbo, and I dont want that big of a pipe. I appreciate the confirmation. And I didnt realize pipes had size categories, so this information is invaluable. I have not wanted to order online as I would like to actually hold the pipe to feel its weight, how it grips, and see the stem and bowl. So this is good information. Thank you!