smoking pipes shapes

The Billiard shape: 

This is the most commonly encountered shape and unanimously appreciated by pipe smokers!

Often recommended and wrongly to the beginner because it would not produce the famous gurgling ... as if the excess moisture was only due to the shape of a pipe. The causes of humidity can be multiple and often due to a bad quality of manufacture, smoked tobacco or stuffing too: the shape of a pipe is not necessarily the first cause of this problem.

For those who hold the pipe in the mouth, it is recommended to be aware of the weight, the center of gravity of the pipe being off-center, it will be heavier, with equal weight, than a bent pipe. Of course it is a shape that can also be found in bent.

The Canadian shape:

All the brands produce this shape very appreciated by the pipe smokers for its elegance and its elongated shape. 

It is in fact a billiard with a long oval shank and a shorter stem: in fact the smoke is supposed to arrive more tempered in mouth. Beware also of the weight for those who keep the pipe in the mouth. Unfortunately, it is a very difficult shape to find with 9mm filter (for those who use them) because the shank is not thick enough. Maybe it can be found with 6mm filters.

The Bulldog shape:

This is one of the traditional shapes that is always in demand!

It is characterized by a round bowl with 2 slots in the upper part. The shank is square (diamond).

It is often appreciated for its robustness and its thick walls which protect it from the heat. The Bulldog shape can also be found in straight form.

The Poker shape :

This shape is characterized by a round bowl, a flat bottom and a shank perpendicular to the bowl. Also called "poser" which as its name indicates can be posed without spilling the ash. All brands produce this shape which is very popular and appreciated. It should not be confused with the Cherrywood below.

The Cherrywood shape

Very similar to the "poker" shape, it is also characterized by a round bowl, a bottom flat but inclined which allows to find it in straight or curved shape. A comment: its vertical balance can only be certain when the bowl is filled with tobacco.

The Rhodesian shape

The bowl is round as well as the shank. We also find the 2 slits in the high part of the bowl.We can also mention two variations of this Rhodesian: the Bullmoose pipe which is more stocky and the Squat Rhodesian which has a wide and flat bowl.

The Prince shape

This is a very elegant and slender shape. The stem is slightly bent: its length and its thinness make it a pipe that you will hardly find in 9mm filter assembly.  The bowl, in general, is of small or medium capacity.

These are some of the most classic and well known pipe shapes, which it is good to know. I insist on the fact that the draw of a pipe has nothing to do with its shape as I have read elsewhere: do not take into account this criterion to make your choice. A pipe made in the rules of art, whether it is bent or straight, billiard or rhodesian, will always have an excellent draw.

The Horn shape

This shape leaves many possible interpretations to the pipe maker and is therefore classified as a "freehand" pipe.the "horn" takes its shape from the "corne" which is its translation into French.  The line is clean and without hard lines or angles, the stem extending the shape. The bowl can be more or less inclined towards the front. The "horn" is similar to the "Oliphant" with very subtle nuances. Because of their shape and their off-centre gravity, some of these pipes will be delicate to hold in the mouth: they will therefore be smoked at rest.