I am a beginner and I have one question: how to smoke the tobacco at the bottom. I think I know how to pack correctly and it goes well from the lit to almost end. But when I empty the ash, I found there is always certain amount of the tobacco not used at the bottom? I searched the web and someone said just trash it. What do you do ? And I have another " silly " question: how much time do you smoke a regular bow? 20 min? I usually use 30 min for it. Do you think I smoke too slow? Thanks in advance for helping a newbie!!
How to Smoke the Tobacco at the Bottom
- Thread starter dajibash
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Send a pic of your pipe - depending on the size you're doing fine. I have a pipe that I average 65 minutes with and a pipe I average 15. Most of mine are "average" sized and last around 40 minutes.
In my experience, I've found as you get better at keeping the pipe lit on it's own (w/out relights) you will smoke more, and often all of the baccy in the bowl. If your pipe is going out a lot tho, then trying to light a little bit of tobacco underneath a big bunch of ash can be quite difficult, and sometimes it's worth waving off the fallen comrades and throw those pieces out. To help, again depending on the size of your bowl, you could do a half way loosen ash, shake and dump. Then you won't have so much blocking out when you get down to the bottom.
And to answer your question, NO I definitely don't think you smoke too slow.
In my experience, I've found as you get better at keeping the pipe lit on it's own (w/out relights) you will smoke more, and often all of the baccy in the bowl. If your pipe is going out a lot tho, then trying to light a little bit of tobacco underneath a big bunch of ash can be quite difficult, and sometimes it's worth waving off the fallen comrades and throw those pieces out. To help, again depending on the size of your bowl, you could do a half way loosen ash, shake and dump. Then you won't have so much blocking out when you get down to the bottom.
And to answer your question, NO I definitely don't think you smoke too slow.
Well done Dajibash, that was one of my questions now in the trash, albeit mine was "how do you know for absolute sure when the bowl is done and dusted, totally smoked - surely you don't keep relighting & puffing acrid ash" because I've noticed the taste changes significantly the further near the bottom you get. I figure it's done, but when I empty, I always find unsmoked baccy and I'm not sure if it's meant to be that way or not.
As a beginner like you, I am at about the same level it seems and I can only get 20-30 mins out of a bowl - seems these guys can get double that at least - perhaps you & I have micro bowls lmao. If you're an ex cigarette smoker like me, I believe we smoke too fast out of habit & just need to pace ourselves better without worrying about relights at this early stage. Hopefully one of the knowledgable masses will be along soon to answer our burning questions.
As a beginner like you, I am at about the same level it seems and I can only get 20-30 mins out of a bowl - seems these guys can get double that at least - perhaps you & I have micro bowls lmao. If you're an ex cigarette smoker like me, I believe we smoke too fast out of habit & just need to pace ourselves better without worrying about relights at this early stage. Hopefully one of the knowledgable masses will be along soon to answer our burning questions.
Echoing what Undecagon says, it's had to tell without knowing the size of your pipe. Even in my smallest pipes, my smokes usually last at least 30 minutes, but closer to 45, some of my larger pipes will last over an hour and a half. As for smoking all the way to the bottom, a lot of that has to do with the moisture content of the tobacco,and the geometry of the pipe bowl. I have found that a pipe with a deep, but tapered chamber is harder to smoke to the bottom without dottle than a pipe with a non tapered chamber. You might try taking enough tobacco to load a bowl and let it dry for 30-45 minutes before loading it, and see if that helps. As for making your smoke last longer, just keep practicing sipping the pipe (small puffs), and over time it will get better.
I usually smoke a full bowl for about 3/4hr to about an hour depending on how big a bowl I am using, have been known to do a 1 1/2hr on a very large bowl, this is smoking indoors, outdoors with a breeze the bowls burn quicker. I usually smoke down to the very bottom of the bowl with ownly a small amount of ashend tobacco left.
I'll try to tackle an aspect that hasn't come up yet.
Assuming you are smoking an average size bowl. A little smaller than 3/4" wide and 1-1/4" or so deep.
This is one of those places that opinion comes in to play.
Many members will say that after the "Char Light and True" one should tamp lightly and infrequently, keeping a steady rhythm of puffs to keep the ember small and steady... This is very valid.
I on the other hand; have learned that keeping your tamper handy and using it frequently (and very lightly) puffing while you tamp will keep the ember lit a very long time and you can smoke all the way to the bottom.
One word of caution: Using that method it is very easy to create a large ember and smoke hot and fast...
But, if done with concentration and care you can stretch your time to well over an hour per bowl with seemingly little effort.
Now for some shameless promotion:
Here is a link to my old blog posts about "Slow Smoking, and Chasing the Ember".
I recommend that you start with the Bottom Post and read backwards... as-it-were.
It started as an exercise to learn what I could about being competitive in the Slow Smoke Competition and my local B&M. I was beaten by Birmingham0irish who went on to be our National Champ.
I hope there is a gem or two in there that you can take to heart and enhance your pipe smoking experience.
Dottle Diggers, Ember Chasing, and Slow Smoking
Happy Puffing!
:
:
Assuming you are smoking an average size bowl. A little smaller than 3/4" wide and 1-1/4" or so deep.
This is one of those places that opinion comes in to play.
Many members will say that after the "Char Light and True" one should tamp lightly and infrequently, keeping a steady rhythm of puffs to keep the ember small and steady... This is very valid.
I on the other hand; have learned that keeping your tamper handy and using it frequently (and very lightly) puffing while you tamp will keep the ember lit a very long time and you can smoke all the way to the bottom.
One word of caution: Using that method it is very easy to create a large ember and smoke hot and fast...
But, if done with concentration and care you can stretch your time to well over an hour per bowl with seemingly little effort.
Now for some shameless promotion:
Here is a link to my old blog posts about "Slow Smoking, and Chasing the Ember".
I recommend that you start with the Bottom Post and read backwards... as-it-were.
It started as an exercise to learn what I could about being competitive in the Slow Smoke Competition and my local B&M. I was beaten by Birmingham0irish who went on to be our National Champ.
I hope there is a gem or two in there that you can take to heart and enhance your pipe smoking experience.
Dottle Diggers, Ember Chasing, and Slow Smoking
Happy Puffing!
:
:I thought I was doing something wrong until I read on here that an average bowl should last around 45 minutes or so. I can usually get a good 45 minutes to an hour out of my bowl.
As far as getting to the stuff at the bottom I have the same issue. I notice its a lot a lot harder to keep it lit once I get closer to the bottom and I think its because its almost at the very bottom but then I clean it out and there's some unsmoked stuff under the ash.
As far as getting to the stuff at the bottom I have the same issue. I notice its a lot a lot harder to keep it lit once I get closer to the bottom and I think its because its almost at the very bottom but then I clean it out and there's some unsmoked stuff under the ash.
I wouldn't worry too much about having a bit of dottle at the bottom of the bowl, but drying out you tobacco some would help as the moister it is, the more condensation you'll have at the bottom of the bowl, making it harder to keep it lit well enough to have nothing but ash left at the bottom of the bowl.
Oh so you guys usually do 45 min on a single bowl which clears off my concern. I read the passages online and everyone says smoke slow and enjoy the puff, etc. But no exact time mentioned. I worry if smoking too slowly, it keeps me relighting it. Thanks so much for all your comments.
And Lawrence, I did read your blog and it gives me useful information which I will try 1 hour later. For inquiring about my pipe picture, sorry I don't know how to post it. Anyway, I get my information from here. TY guys again.
And Lawrence, I did read your blog and it gives me useful information which I will try 1 hour later. For inquiring about my pipe picture, sorry I don't know how to post it. Anyway, I get my information from here. TY guys again.
I'll have to seriously try letting the tobacco dry out some. I have some McCranie's Red Ribbon and its impossible to keep lit. My guess is its just too wet and needs to dry out some.
I have one small pipe that will only burn for about 30 - 40 minutes. My average size pipes will smoke for just about one hour (maybe a few minutes longer on a good day), though I notice I have to tamp more frequently as I get near the bottom of the bowl. It was more like 45 minutes when I first started, so if you are doing that, I'd say you are doing fine.
I'm still learning how long I can go without tamping and how often to puff to keep them lit. If ever the bowl gets too hot too hold or if there is any gurgle, I just smoke slower and that corrects that problem.
But getting to the bottom of the bowl depends in part on the pipe. I have a couple of pipes that I can always smoke right down to ashes. A couple of others are more difficult. In particular I have one churchwarden that I have not yet smoked to the bottom, even with a couple of relights. I think it may be the way the hole is drilled or the way the bowl is constructed. I am still experimenting to see if it needs its own way of packing or tamping to smoke entirely. Or maybe it wants its own kind of tobacco. Who knows?
Keep experimenting. The learning process is half the fun and it only gets better.
I'm still learning how long I can go without tamping and how often to puff to keep them lit. If ever the bowl gets too hot too hold or if there is any gurgle, I just smoke slower and that corrects that problem.
But getting to the bottom of the bowl depends in part on the pipe. I have a couple of pipes that I can always smoke right down to ashes. A couple of others are more difficult. In particular I have one churchwarden that I have not yet smoked to the bottom, even with a couple of relights. I think it may be the way the hole is drilled or the way the bowl is constructed. I am still experimenting to see if it needs its own way of packing or tamping to smoke entirely. Or maybe it wants its own kind of tobacco. Who knows?
Keep experimenting. The learning process is half the fun and it only gets better.
The tamper is your friend. After about a 1/2 hour I will tamp the ash and then give the bowl a quick turn over, the un-burnt baccy will stay but the ash will drop out. I then give it a quick flame and smoke it till it dies. I will most times have just a little dottle left and moist ash in the bottom.
As the guys have said slow and light, it makes for a better smoke, and don't worry about the time, the tobacco will let you know.
As the guys have said slow and light, it makes for a better smoke, and don't worry about the time, the tobacco will let you know.
+1
One might mention that the tobacco itself is a major contributing factor.
E.g. I for one have one hell-uva time keeping some flakes lit.
Never have been very good at flakes.
I suppose the old adage isn't true.
"It takes one to know one." :D
+2
all good ideas and experiences here.
i usually just put as much as i intend to smoke at the moment. keeps me from dumping unsmoked tobacco into ashtray. very little dottle and the flavor lasts a little better.
i do alot of relites as i more often than not, have pipe in mouth. keep tip of tongue against the bit to minimalize uncounscious inhaleing which also contributes to my many relites.
just experiment with what makes it taste better to you. enjoy!
all good ideas and experiences here.
i usually just put as much as i intend to smoke at the moment. keeps me from dumping unsmoked tobacco into ashtray. very little dottle and the flavor lasts a little better.
i do alot of relites as i more often than not, have pipe in mouth. keep tip of tongue against the bit to minimalize uncounscious inhaleing which also contributes to my many relites.
just experiment with what makes it taste better to you. enjoy!
smoking a pipe is like smoking a cigar.... smoke as long as it tastes good. i don't care how good a cigar is or how much you pay for it sooner or later the buildup of tars n nicotien in the but will make it unsmokable.
the same thing happens with pipe tobacco.
just because there is some tobacco left does not mean the bowl is "done".
the same thing happens with pipe tobacco.
just because there is some tobacco left does not mean the bowl is "done".
Maduroman, you took the words right out of my mouth.
But; if you are obsessed with smoking to the bottom (say, you're breaking in a new pipe and want to create heel-cake), try running the pick on your Czech Tool down the inside of the tobacco chamber, about 1-2mm off the wall on the opposite side from the draw hole, right down to the bottom of the bowl. When you re-light, the flame will be drawn through the dottle in the heel of the bowl, making it much easier to light.
But; if you are obsessed with smoking to the bottom (say, you're breaking in a new pipe and want to create heel-cake), try running the pick on your Czech Tool down the inside of the tobacco chamber, about 1-2mm off the wall on the opposite side from the draw hole, right down to the bottom of the bowl. When you re-light, the flame will be drawn through the dottle in the heel of the bowl, making it much easier to light.
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