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Post by adui on Sept 8, 2019 14:35:26 GMT -5
So almost every time I load the pipe, whether I fill it for a good long smoke, or just half a bowl, I always end up with a goodly bit of tobacco in the bottom of the bowl that becomes hard to keep lit and somewhat acrid to smoke. I end up letting it go and wasting that last pinch or two.
I think the only bowl that hasn't done that since I started back at this was my very first bowl of the Navy Flake.
What am I doing wrong?
My method for critique:
I take the tobacco from the baggie I have it in directly to the bowl. I loosely fill till it overflows, then gently tamp. I repeat this with slightly firmer tamping till its as full as I want. When I smoke less than a full pipe I tamp the last fill as if it was full. I do not let the tobacco dry, because I never know in advance for sure that I will be able to smoke that eve.
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Post by McWiggins on Sept 8, 2019 14:44:16 GMT -5
Its tough to say. Not all tobacco and smoker combinations make for a completed pipe of all ash. Many blends I find smoke poorly at the end and tend to loose the last quarter of the bowl. Its like a sacrafice to the pipe gods. Other blends are great from start to finish.
An issue with keeping it lit at the could be moisture from the tobacco, your saliva or both.
Honestly, if its flavor is gone its worth it to let it go.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2019 14:48:43 GMT -5
Surrender the dottle.
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Post by Cramptholomew on Sept 8, 2019 14:52:20 GMT -5
^ What they said.
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Post by insignia100 on Sept 8, 2019 14:53:21 GMT -5
I stopped trying to burn all the tobacco in the bowl. I find that often the last 1/4 of the bowl refuses to stay lit as well. Thankfully, pipe tobacco is cheap enough that its not too painful to toss the dottle and start fresh with the next bowl.
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Post by Ronv69 on Sept 8, 2019 15:21:52 GMT -5
Don't worry and toss it. On the rare smokes that do smoke to ash you will be so surprised when you suck in hot ashes! 😳😎🤠
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Post by adui on Sept 8, 2019 15:32:11 GMT -5
OK, so Im not doing anything wrong. Cool!
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Post by Darin on Sept 8, 2019 15:47:38 GMT -5
... I do not let the tobacco dry, because I never know in advance for sure that I will be able to smoke that eve. Bingo ... dry the tobacco prior to smoking for a cooler, less steamy smoke that doesn't turn acrid towards the bottom. In general, pinch the tobacco together firmly and then observe: - If it stays clumped together it's way to wet. - If it holds for a couple seconds and then falls back apart it's where some blends will perform well. - If it falls apart immediately and even has a few smaller "crispy" pieces ... it's perfect! Don't worry if you don't smoke it right away, more dry is better than not dry enough and it will always create moisture once you fire it up. |
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Post by bigwoolie on Sept 8, 2019 16:22:20 GMT -5
I very rarely finish a pipe without a little dottle left in the bottom of the bowl.
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Post by LSUTigersFan on Sept 8, 2019 16:32:59 GMT -5
That needs to go on a mug!! |
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Mac
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Post by Mac on Sept 8, 2019 16:46:18 GMT -5
I frequently but not always am able to smoke to the bottom.
In my experience, every fresh tobacco benefits from some drying time, some much more than others.
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Post by Low and Slow on Sept 8, 2019 16:53:26 GMT -5
That needs to go on a mug!! Or a piper T shirt! |
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Post by roadsdiverged on Sept 8, 2019 17:28:42 GMT -5
The best advice that I didnt listen to for over a year was: dry more, pack less.
Even with that, I hardly ever smoke down to just ash.
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Post by pepesdad1 on Sept 8, 2019 18:16:00 GMT -5
The best advice that I didnt listen to for over a year was: dry more, pack less. Even with that, I hardly ever smoke down to just ash.Likewise except with cobs...I always get a mouthful of ash cause I'm not paying attention .....my normal state of being. |
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Post by Stearmandriver on Sept 8, 2019 18:45:45 GMT -5
It's taken me years (because I'm slow) but I'm finally becoming a believer in drying too. I find it doesn't take much; even 20 minutes of one pipe's worth scattered across a piece of paper before loading makes a noticeable difference.
That said, I hardly ever get a bowl that smokes to ash either. I smoke for enjoyment only; and when it stops tasting good or burning well, the enjoyment is over and therefore so is my smoke. I don't feel bad about dumping the dregs lol.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2019 18:51:23 GMT -5
A little dottle at the end is the norm for me and I dump it. Or if it starts to taste like I would imagine licking an ash tray tastes like.
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Post by peteguy on Sept 8, 2019 19:15:38 GMT -5
I am a dumper......
All of my new pipes usually will have the bottom 1/8 of the bowl fresh briar for many months or even years if they don't get smoked a lot. I do not like the taste of the tobacco when it gets down to the bottom. I can tell you that it does not matter to me - smoke what you like, when you like and how you like. A lot of the time I will pack and leave the bottom 1/8 free knowing this.
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Post by monbla256 on Sept 8, 2019 20:30:17 GMT -5
Being a Va only smoker (non aros with burly ) and va based English/Balkans I don't get any "goop" at the bottom of my bowl just clean dry ash. Been that way for the 40+ years now. 
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Post by trailboss on Sept 8, 2019 20:35:55 GMT -5
I cannot disagree with anything that has been said, some great advice.
We have all had experiences where at the end it was said, all that was left was a fine white ash....when it happens it is pretty cool, but there are so many variables between different pipes, relative humidity we smoke in, humidity of tobacco, burning properties of different tobacco's and our own cadence that add or subtract to the end of the bowl....this is where I envy those content with a single blend, it really takes a lot of variables out of it.
Sometimes, I dredge the ash off the top of he bowl with my Czech tool, turn the remaining compost, and do a relight...sometimes it is great, sometimes not....more often than not I like it, your mileage may vary.
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Post by bonanzadriver on Sept 8, 2019 20:45:15 GMT -5
I'll second a couple of the above comments.
First of all... It's not a contest brutha. Don't worry about a little bit of dottle. Hell, don't worry about a lot of dottle for that matter. ;-)
All the talk of smokin every bowl down to a "fine white ash" is of absolutely no worth to me. Heck, half the time when I do have that elusive "white ash" moment I end up getting a mouth full of ash!
As for lettin your tobacco dry out? I'm a big fan.
I have found that the dryer the tobacco, the more enjoyable the smoke.
I'm not talking about dried out brittle tobacco dust, but I don't mind if mine gets a little bit crunchy. It lights better and seems to stay lit longer. Not that staying lit is of any importance to me.
There are way too many "Experts" out there that seem to think that every bowl needs to be the perfect bowl!?!?!?
It's all BS.
Smoke what ya like how ya like ! Don't worry about what some keyboard warrior tries to pass off as some sorta Pipe Smoking Wisdom.
Just my $0.02
YMMV
Dino
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Post by Ronv69 on Sept 8, 2019 21:03:19 GMT -5
adui, Remember that Sherlock Holmes kept his dottle on the mantel and smoked it when it dried. Of course, he kept his fresh tobacco in a shoe. The humidity in London at the time would have kept it out, though. 😜😎🤠
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Post by mgtarheel on Sept 8, 2019 21:10:58 GMT -5
Toss the dottle out and don't worry. Life is too short to worry about what is left in the bowl.
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flyinmanatee
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Post by flyinmanatee on Sept 9, 2019 0:34:06 GMT -5
I would only add at least to me some pipes perform better than others in this regard. Conical shaped bowls in particular. Sometimes I wonder how I could have so little ash left. Sometimes I dottle. Also still smoking a wide range of blends. Seems like the long timers have narrowed that down and it probably plays a role.
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Post by Legend Lover on Sept 9, 2019 4:45:08 GMT -5
When I smoke briar, I always have the same issue. I dump and move on.
But this NEVER happens when I smoke a cob...that's why I love cobs so much.
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Post by briarpipenyc on Sept 12, 2019 8:56:20 GMT -5
The tobacco left at the bottom of the bowl can taste nasty, stale, and ashy when relit. Dottle scoops were invented for a reason. Don't fret about a little dottle. Dump it and fertilize some plants.  |
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Post by McWiggins on Sept 15, 2019 19:17:41 GMT -5
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