What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

I am new to pipe smoking and wanted to know how to choose a pipe for the type of tobacco .... Do flake smoke better in tall narrow chamber? Aromatics? Virginians?

So far I have been using the following...

Bent Dublin- aromatic
Apple - Virginians

Thanks in advance for the advice.

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

Hi Troy! Happy Turkey Day!

I'm a fan of flakes, Sam Gawith Full Virginia Flake, in particular, so I tend to smoke that in any number types of pipes. I've noticed that flakes tend to burn slower, so they don't seem to heat the pipe bowl up as cut type of tobacco.

I'm just starting back into this after a long hiatus from pipe smoking. I've been trying different styles of pipes, and if the chamber is small or short, I tend to break the flake up. For tall chambers, I've learned (after a lot of trial and error) how to fold a flake up, and just load it into the chamber.

This also seems to depend on a person's smoking syle also.

I hope that helps a little.

Charlie

:pi

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

this is a very interesting topic! looking forward to see some opinions =]

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

for me it depends on the flake.

if it's a McClelland flake then I prefer a short/wider bowl

if it's a SG type flake (thinner wider) then it doesn't matter quite as much. Just nothing too terribly large.

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

I have heard for about 30 years, the pipe snobs say that flakes and straight Virginias should be smoked in flake pipes - and those are narrow chambered and small.

Personally, I love a bigger chamber for my VAs, whether flakes or not.

But, to know what you'll like for them, you must try them.

If I can give any advice, it would be to keep Virginia and Virginia/Perique blends out of pipes in which you have smoked a lot of aromatic or Latakia rich blends. Why? VAs and VaPers have subtle nuances of flavor that can become hidden or obscured in pipes that have been cloyed by such types of tobaccos.

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

This is very interesting advice! I smoke predominantly English/Latakia blends, but have a pipe dedicated to aromatics. Since ive parted ways with aromatics for sometime, I was thinking of turning this into a VA/VaPer pipe. Maybe I should hold off on that...

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

If you want to do that, just do a deep cleaning of your pipe. Stuff cotton balls into the bowl tightly, then with the bowl standing up (have the stem slightly elevated so it doesn't all run out), pour as high a proof alcohol as you have (or can obtain), soaking the cotton ball. Let sit for 30min. - 1 hour.

Make sure you have plenty of pipe cleaners and a reamer handy.

Remove cotton ball, ream and dry inside of bowl, run pipe cleaners through until they come out white. Let pipe stand for a couple days until dry.

Then, start smoking your VAs. You "may" find some residual flavorings left. If you do, simply continue smoking VAs in it until it builds a cake and smoke clean.

If you want to be a real purist, smoke your VaPers in a different pipe than your VA. The Perique is a fairly strong condiment tobacco as well. Personally, I don't, but...

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

Well then, off to find some alcohol!
:al

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

I have had the best luck smoking loose cut or non flake virginia's in wider shorter bowls. But for the fold and stuff method with any flake a narrower bowl has suited me better. If pipe smokers have been saying something for thirty years then there is a pretty good chance it holds some water but people can have different tendencies. You just have to find what you like and roll with it.

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

I have had a couple "Flake" pipes. I enjoyed the smoke. But, I found that I preferred a wider bowl.

As Nick says, try different things to see what you like best.

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

everything he just said.
i've never been one to agree that flakes smoke better in thinner chambered pipes.

smoke what you like in what you like to smoke. as he said as well, you gotta try em to find out.

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

Everclear works the best, IMO.

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

This is good info guys... Keep it coming, Good thing is I have my first Estate pipe on the way.:tu

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

So far after reading this I will be using my first Briar for VA's/flake, very narrow bowl.

Awesome information, Switched my Jirsa to a Va.per pipe ( widest bowl)

Keep it coming indeed =]

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

i believe when most ppl say they like flakes in narrower bowls, they are keeping them in flake form, not rubbing them out.

eh, it's all trial and error to find out what smokes best for you. don't make this harder than it should be. smoke what you like in what you like to smoke it in.

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

Could not agree more. I think people tend to "look" for the answer rather than "learn" it themselves. To me pipe smoking is so much more of an experience because of these little things.

Good post.

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

Ah! You can actually just roll up a bit of straight flake and toss'r in?
Never thought of that =] thanks

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

many, many ways to smoke flakes.

i've watched some of my buddies take the flakes and cut them across the grain so they turn into little "cubes". then they put the cubes in the pipe and smoke it that way.

i've rolled and stuffed/slid the tobacco into the chamber, so the grain of the tobacco is up/down. before i do that, i cut the tobacco all the same length, a little shorter than the depth of the bowl (eyeballed, of course). put a little kindling on top to start 'er off...

there are other ways as well. trial and error.

i would suggest if you're going to put whole flakes in there, get some strands of same tobacco, roll 'em up into a ball and drop that in first. kind of a buffer on the bottom of the bowl so the un-rubbed flakes don't block the draught hole. just like starting the "frank method".

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

Appreciated =]

Re: What shape for what type of tobacco?
 

The best advice has already been give… smoke what you like in the pipes you like.

A couple of observations.

Tobaccos that tend to get bitter are better suited to pipes with squat/short bowls.

Many full bodied English mixtures, while they smoke fine in any bowl shape, seem more rounded and develop better flavor in pipes with wider bowls.

Load it up and smoke it, time will tell what’s best for you.

D.