Smoking Straight Virginias

[Isaac]

I find the majority of my pipes have a preferred 20-24mm diameter chamber. Now, the common belief is that a conical or narrow bowl is the preferred shape to smoke Virginias. It is supppose to concentrate the flavors. I have designated my Larrysson B&B LE for this very task, but it has me thinking. Do any of our member smoke straight virginias in bigger bowls?

I tend to burn hot when in more narrow bowls, despite sipping. Ill get around to trying it myself, but wanted to see if anyone has done the leg work.

 

[Benzadmiral]

The only straight VA I've tried has been PS Luxury Twist Flake. I've smoked it in a billiard or two, and in the new-to-me Victor's Dublin. I hadn't noticed it getting hot in any of them.

 

[mr_houston]

I use larger pipes for ribbon cut VAs like Telegraph Hill, Rouxgaroux, Dorchester.

I think the narrow bowls may be a flake thing.

 

[Borderdog]

I've started favoring larger bowls for virginias. I tend to smoke them slower and started looking for burn times north of an hour. The flavor seems fine to me. I can't really recall it affecting FVF or Union Square, for better or worse. VaBur and VaPer blends seem to be improved by the larger surface area.

 

[gewoon ik]

I mostly have chimeys, but my virginias are flakes so, i don't know.
Also I'm to lazy to look after that. I choose the tabacco and i choose the pipe. Or visaversa. Amd both choices can be independent of each other.

Less stress, more smoking

 

[thp001]

I don't think any particular chamber size is suited to any particular blend. More pipe hooey imo.

 

[steveclarkus]

I smoke straight VA regularly, however I prefer narrower bowls in general and just reload when the time comes.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

My Virginia pipes are 18 to 20mm at the rim, and somewhat conical in the chamber. I think they're probably around 35 to 40mm deep. I do think the conical bowl helps during the second half of the smoke. Most of my pipes are about the same diameter anyway, but more cylindrical in the chamber.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Recently I popped some Newminster No. 400 Superior Navy Flake into my "captain's pipe," the rather tall-bowled sandblast billiard from Jensen. The smoke lasted a good 40 minutes before I felt any real heat in the heel, and even then the smoke itself was not inclined to bite.

 

[alpster]

I have a preference for smaller bowls for Virginias and Va-Pers. Mostly because I like them to be a quick smoke. Va.s seem to get a little funky near the bottom of a big bowl.

 

[steveclarkus]

I find myself smoking Virginias in cobs lately.

 

[Isaac]

So I kinda wanted to update this. I was fortunate enough to obtain a tin of McClelland 40th anniversary. I decided to load it up in my MONSTER Baki lovat. It has a 23mm bowl. SWEETNESS. The tobacco really shined.

Today i was lookin at my jar and saw Reiner Long Gold Flakes. Decided that since the Baki was allowing the McClelland to shine, that i would give it a go. Same deal. Really brought out the sweetness.

Now im not much of a Virginia smoker. I know the Reiner is technically a Vaper, but i may be a convert after these two. This pipe is magical with these blends.

 

[Benzadmiral]

I'm thinking of running by the tobacco shop in the suburbs this morning, and seeing what Va stuff they have in bulk. The Stokkebye Luxury Twist Flake worked out well. I'm running some now in my Victor's Dublin.

 

[Kentos]

So I kinda wanted to update this. I was fortunate enough to obtain a tin of McClelland 40th anniversary. I decided to load it up in my MONSTER Baki lovat. It has a 23mm bowl. SWEETNESS. The tobacco really shined.

Today i was lookin at my jar and saw Reiner Long Gold Flakes. Decided that since the Baki was allowing the McClelland to shine, that i would give it a go. Same deal. Really brought out the sweetness.

Now im not much of a Virginia smoker. I know the Reiner is technically a Vaper, but i may be a convert after these two. This pipe is magical with these blends.

What was your method of smoking the flake?

 

[Isaac]

What was your method of smoking the flake?

i rub out all my flakes. Ive tried stuff and folds, and just find more consistency with rubbing the flake