Many pipe enthusiasts, especially those relatively new to the pastime, are under the impression that the main factor - or indeed the only factor - shaping the smoking experience is the tobacco. This is an understandable assumption since different flavor tobaccos will certainly produce different tastes, aromas and aftertastes. But there are other factors that influence the smoking experience besides the type of tobacco you pack into the bowl and primary among these is the bowl itself. This is true whether you prefer meerschaum pipes or briar pipes. In this post we’re going to take a short stroll through the variables involved in pipe bowls and explain how each has a bearing on your smoking experience.

Shaping the Pipe Smoking Experience: The Role of the Bowl

While materials, wood curing methods, stem funnels, tobacco and other factors will certainly weigh on your smoking experience the second most important factor (after the tobacco you choose) will actually be the size and shape of the bowl itself. People often develop a fondness for a certain pipe thinking that it’s some proprietary manufacturing secret or the type of wood that’s providing them with such satisfaction when in fact it’s the particulars of the bowl. Here are some aspects of bowl design that will have a significant impact on your smoking experience.

Width of the Chamber: Most people think the width of the chamber is nothing more than a stylistic choice. In reality it’s much more than that.

• A wider chamber will tend to burn hotter because of the larger surface area being lit and the greater volume of air you’re able to draw through it. Because of this you need to calibrate your draw to fit these variables. If you overdraw a wide mouth pipe you may find the additional heat to be really unpleasant even though it creates a more robust flavor experience.
• Also, moist tobacco that’s overheated will produce a nasty bite and leave you with a bitter aftertaste. To a certain extent you can mitigate the hotter burn of the wide bowl by choosing a cooler burning tobacco like Burley or one of the aromatics. In addition, avoid using lighters which can easily overheat the stack.

Shape of the Chamber: It’s sometimes hard to determine exactly what the shape of the pipe chamber is unless you spend a great deal of time inspecting it closely. But make no mistake, the shape of the chamber will play a significant role in shaping your overall experience.

• Pot-shaped chamber: The classic pot-shaped chamber will provide a pretty consistent smoke all the way through to the end, provided you don’t get too enthusiastic on the draw and you don’t keep applying fire to it.
• Narrow chamber: With the narrow chamber you’re dealing with a restricted airflow. The advantage is that it should result in a smaller ember, a cooler burn and a more fully satisfying flavor experience. I say ‘should’ because many folks get impatient with the narrow bowl and draw too hard, overheating the tobacco and ruining the flavor.
• Egg shaped chamber: An egg-shaped chamber is one that’s wider halfway down than it is at the bottom or top. The advantage of this shape is that the tobacco lights easier, tends to burn quicker and is more resistant to overheating since the amount of air is restricted.

One More Thing

Above we touched oh-so-briefly upon the subject of moisture content of the tobacco. But we shouldn’t finish this post without saying a few more words on the subject because moisture content will have an enormous impact on your smoking experience.

• If the tobacco is too moist it will be easy to overpack it. Damp, overpacked tobacco will produce a lot of steam that undermines the tobacco’s natural flavor, leaves a bitter taste in your mouth and causes your tongue to have a leathery feel. There’s not much the shape of the chamber can do to prevent that from happening.
• Conversely tobacco that is too dry will also lend itself to overpacking as it crumbles into a dusty little pile when you apply pressure to it. As a result it will burn hot and fast with a vastly diminished flavor experience regardless of the shape of your bowl and will add virtually nothing to the cake.

Make sure your tobacco exhibits the proper moisture content before firing it up. If it’s neither too damp nor too dry it will have some spring to it as you’re packing the bowl. This will provide space within the stack structure for proper airflow which will help regulate the temperature of the burn.

Whether you prefer meerschaum pipes or briar pipes be mindful of the fact that both the width and shape of the chamber will influence your smoking experience.

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