big pipes and half bowls

[Zeno Marx]

Anyone else prefer larger pipes, but because of various circumstances, you only pack half bowls on the regular?

I've tried smaller pipes over the years (groups 2 and 3), but I tend not to like how they feel in the hand or how they look. The feel is key. I prefer group 5s and bigger. I rarely have time for a full bowl in these larger pipes, so I pack them half full. I don't think it hinders the smoke or performance of the pipe. Some would disagree and feel a pipe is to be packed to the brim.

 

[monbla256]

Anyone else prefer larger pipes, but because of various circumstances, you only pack half bowls on the regular?

I've tried smaller pipes over the years (groups 2 and 3), but I tend not to like how they feel in the hand or how they look.  The feel is key.  I prefer group 5s and bigger.  I rarely have time for a full bowl in these larger pipes, so I pack them half full.  I don't think it hinders the smoke or performance of the pipe.  Some would disagree and feel a pipe is to be packed to the brim.

I pack even my large bowls ( grp 5 & larger) completely but most of my blend choices DTG well so I often will ( at night when it's getting late) just only smoke 1/2 a bowl put a cleaner in it and resume in the morning. I rarely pack and smoke just a half bowl. Plays hell if done to often with the cake IMHO :twisted: 

 

[Anonymous]

If you're smoking flakes as flakes, it can take a while on the way down for the whole thing to get going properly.

FWIW

:face: 

 

[Zeno Marx]

At first, I would sometimes underpack and never hit that sweet spot of a smoke, but I cannot remember the last time it happened. It's been a long time. It was a short learning curve.

I haven't run into much of a problem with weird caking. I know that might sound unlikely, but I really haven't found a ledge, or edge, of a cake that would be problematic for the briar or the smoke. For whatever reasons of how I smoke, I've never been one to have a lot of cake build-up in my pipes. It happens because it is the nature of things, but even with around ten pipes in a constant rotation, I'm not cutting cake very often. I have more build-up in the draft hole than I do in the bowl.

 

[Anonymous]

My implication being that you could end up almost getting there by the time it went out with half a bowl.

Probably depends on how big the "half" is (?)

:face: 

 

[Hermit]

I like large bowls, but I fill em up.

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

I prefer small-medium sized pipes, but I do have a few big'uns. I have never smoked more than 3/4 of a bowl in my Todd Harris Mega Dublin, and rarely fill it more than half way.

 

[bosun1]

I generally fill all of my pipes only about 3/4. Don't have to worry about scorching the rim (or burning my pants (g)). I smoke medium to large pipes BTW. Occasionally have to ream a little, generally run my tamper down the sides as I tamp which keeps it under control..

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I have been favoring smaller pipes more and more, mostly due to strength and intensity of tobacco. :shrug: It's difficult to find smaller new pipes, as bigger is usually "better" these days--if product availability is any indicator.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey, Buddy -- this is AMERICA ! Bigger is ALWAYS better !

Like some fries with that ?

:face:

 

[Hermit]

Hey, Buddy -- this is AMERICA !  Bigger is ALWAYS better !

Like some fries with that ?

:face:

Supersize me!

 

[ftrplt]

I do prefer DH size 4 or larger, though I have numerous smaller bowl pipes. I may not fill to the very top of the bowl, but never done 1/2 or so. But if you like it, do it!!!!!! FTRPLT

 

[gramnum1]

Personally I have a pipe for every desired smoking length. For longer smokes I go for my muerto amarilllio, for medium my la roca, and for a quick smoke I use my corncob

 

[Dutch]

My largest pipes I reserve for Billy Budd. Then my next largest pipes I enjoy either McClelland 5110, or Rattray's #7 Medium. Large pipes have their place in my rotation, but truth be told, I really enjoy most of my 50 gram or less pipes the most. In those pipes, it is usually always a quality flake tobacco. It is just the best of both worlds, without having to give up anything in the usual law of diminishing returns. 8)