Czech Tool And Dumping Ash

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pantsBoots

Lifer
Jul 21, 2020
2,365
8,988
When I have to relight a pipe which happens about once or twice during an average smoke (or a hundred times sometimes it's a hundred times) I found if the bowl is half way if I stir the ash with the stick part of the tool and then turn the pipe over to dump the ash the relights works way better and also tastes fresher. If you use the rule of apply no pressure and stop at the moment of resistance you can dump the excess ash and have a better smoke. Oh yeah after dumping the ash I'll use the tamper bit to flatten out and even up the tobacco. Also seems to reduce the need to relight. Anyone else do something similar or have any thoughts on this.
Bonus if you are rolling cigs crumple the paper into a ball and roll it around in your palms. Pull it open and now you have a more pliant paper that will roll a better cig.
I've developed this technique on my own as well exactly as you describe. Some folks mention not knocking the ash out of the pipe, but some folks also try to smoke their cigar while ashing as few times as possible as well. The ash helps the mechanics of the smoke to a point, then become a detriment. Ashinh revives it every time. If the middle in concave and a little burnt up, I'll use the coke spoon tool to get the tobacco caked to the walls and push towards the center, flatten and light.

As for the cigarette paper trick, yes, as well. Have done this with thicker paper for decades.
 

elvishrunes

Can't Leave
Jun 19, 2017
387
752
Been smokin a pipe now for 10 yrs., not too bad for a younger guy, and just a got a Czech tool, last week, couldn’t ask for more, and almost free in price... I make my own wooden tampers and finish them coated in oil, but the tobacco sticks unfortunately and I got tired of it... I just tamp down the ash, no problems there.
 

thanks everybody for the discussion. It's weird how it seems that people do deal with the ash beyond tamping but I've never heard the "official" word on how to handle ash. Just glad to hear.
And, there is no "official" in pipe smoking. Some dump, some don't, some wash with water, some are scared of it, some... well, it would be like putting rules on kite flying, no one would obey them anyways.
Truth be told, it just depends with me. Sometimes, I just clench and breathsmoke my way to the bottom, without touching the pipe. Sometimes, I fiddle with it too. Eh, the pipe, the blend, my mood, or the way the stars line up.
I'm glad you posted. We all need to consider what we do, examine what others do, and then just do what suits us for the moment. Heck, half the time I don't even remember packing the pipe, or even remember what blend I'm smoking. I could use a little nudge to pay more attention. Thanks!!
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
16,835
31,582
46
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
And, there is no "official" in pipe smoking. Some dump, some don't, some wash with water, some are scared of it, some... well, it would be like putting rules on kite flying, no one would obey them anyways.
Truth be told, it just depends with me. Sometimes, I just clench and breathsmoke my way to the bottom, without touching the pipe. Sometimes, I fiddle with it too. Eh, the pipe, the blend, my mood, or the way the stars line up.
I'm glad you posted. We all need to consider what we do, examine what others do, and then just do what suits us for the moment. Heck, half the time I don't even remember packing the pipe, or even remember what blend I'm smoking. I could use a little nudge to pay more attention. Thanks!!
there maybe no official with pipes but there are certainly somethings that people will claim with a full sense of authority are the official ways and howes of pipes.
 

Papamique

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 11, 2020
793
3,971
there maybe no official with pipes but there are certainly somethings that people will claim with a full sense of authority are the official ways and howes of pipes.

Ain’t that the truth! People are the highest authority of their own opinion. As long as you know, and remember, that then they are like a big toothless dog barking around. Annoying yet not dangerous in the least.
 
The worst thing a pipe "authority" can do is just say or post something. I'm not sure if I just haven't paid any attention or if maybe I just read stuff like that as humorous. If it is one of our resident curmudgeons, then I would probably just fire back or laugh. But, we get new members that come into this and the forum as if they know something... then they usually get frustrated and leave, because we have a pretty open minded bunch of regulars on here.

Yep, I am only master of my own opinion, of which I have many. But, I also try to keep in mind that it is only my opinion.

Further of dumping the ash... I really don't pay attention. I do remember at times having a hard time relighting my pipe after setting it down for a while. I've probably dumped ash... more than once. I don't even own a Czech tool... I did, but I think it just came apart. I'd probably just use a golf tee to stir, if that's what I did. I know... I'm no help, haha, where am I? How did I get here? Where are my pants? puffy
 
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Kottan

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 5, 2020
508
1,333
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
The Czech tool is not only a simple instrument for pipes it is a magical thing like a wand. Each time when it is mentioned in a thread it can turn even serious discussions into a satirical reallity. Until now nobody was able to solve this mystery and how the participating forum members became so monty-pythonesque. What we know is, that there are fakes of the original Czech tools out there.
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
16,835
31,582
46
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
I dump the ash because my bowls never burn evenly all the way down and I like to spread it back evenly before relights. I thought it was just physics in action but apparently this isn't the case for everyone.
I used to have that issue. Not that much of an issue really. Don't anymore or rarely. I think the difference might be down to how I pack the pipe a touch lighter then I used to. Though it could be something else. While I think an even burn is prefered to me it doesn't make that huge of a difference.
 

02Knight

Can't Leave
Aug 24, 2020
333
401
71
Rockett, Texas. South of DFW Metroplex
Hey if it was on the internet it must be true, right? I also use that technique on the ash, I find that it relights better and has a better flavor also. I am in the process of quitting Copenhagen snuff, been at it for 42 years, have tried some Garrett snuff in the past but I just tapped some into my anatomical snuff spot on the back portion of my thumb. Now my GrandMother was a long time garrett snuff snorter and she just used a plain Jane kitchen spoon.
 
Dec 6, 2019
5,165
23,733
Dixieland
Hey if it was on the internet it must be true, right? I also use that technique on the ash, I find that it relights better and has a better flavor also. I am in the process of quitting Copenhagen snuff, been at it for 42 years, have tried some Garrett snuff in the past but I just tapped some into my anatomical snuff spot on the back portion of my thumb. Now my GrandMother was a long time garrett snuff snorter and she just used a plain Jane kitchen spoon.

:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: My granny always had a spoon full of CC snuff in her hand.. she gave no shits.
 
Apr 2, 2018
3,386
40,908
Idong,South Korea.
This is just me now....but....I wait till after the smoke to dump the ash,unless I detect something wrong in the way I filled the chamber.Otherwise,I like to "Light up the ashes"(in the guiding words of Ed Burak).
 

Road To Pines

Might Stick Around
Sep 2, 2020
89
164
Ontario, Canada
Yes, I came up with that one independently, as ashy flavor was probably the most common unpleasant experience for me starting out. I don't see much benefit in crushing a bed of ash down into what I'm smoking. Since then I've seen the technique recommended in a few places.

I haven't been able to avoid the ashy flavor at the bottom of some bowls, though. I don't know of it's a feature of some tobaccos, or just what tends to happen down there around the level of the draw hole after most of the tobacco has burned down. I suspect it's a bit of both, and may also depend on the amount of moisture that ends up at the bottom of the bowl.
 
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Magpiety

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 7, 2019
537
1,774
Kansas City
thanks everybody for the discussion. It's weird how it seems that people do deal with the ash beyond tamping but I've never heard the "official" word on how to handle ash. Just glad to hear.

This is interesting. I've always dumped when I got an "ashy" taste, but now I'm wondering if that's real or if I'm just getting a placebo effect by dumping it. I'll have to try it the other way to see.
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
16,835
31,582
46
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
This is interesting. I've always dumped when I got an "ashy" taste, but now I'm wondering if that's real or if I'm just getting a placebo effect by dumping it. I'll have to try it the other way to see.
oh once I started doing it that way I really noticed a big reduction in ash taste. Like nothing that would ruin a smoke but it taste a might bit cleaner.
 
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bullet08

Lifer
Nov 26, 2018
10,340
41,826
RTP, NC. USA
Typically I dump the ash and run the cleaner around the same time. Pipe doesn't gurgle, but with some blends, I notice harshness on retrohale. Drying up the pipe usually helps.
 
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