Not currently, but in my dotage I may do the dottle.
Do You Do the Dottle?
- Thread starter Old_Newby
- Start date
So I am a bit confused. When smoking a briar or clay pipe, it's possible to smoke just about all the tobacco, down to the bottom of the bowl. However, with a cob (or the similar MM hardwood pipes), the stem extends into the tobacco chamber. As a result, some tobacco remains around and below the stem even when the ember has burned down to the level of the stem. Does that mean, therefore, that in a cob it is impossible to smoke the dottle?
Or to ask the same question another way, when smoking a cob, does smoking all the tobacco down to the bottom of the chamber damage the pipe?
Or to ask the same question another way, when smoking a cob, does smoking all the tobacco down to the bottom of the chamber damage the pipe?
I think I do the dottle.
What is the difference between dottle and DGT? One got poured out of the pipe and the other didn’t?
Sometimes rather than relight, I’ll dump the last 1/4 bowl into a small tin and leave it out, it is dry in 15 minutes, then put the lid on for later.
I do stir or gently shake it and blow gently to get rid of the ash dust before drying.
What is the difference between dottle and DGT? One got poured out of the pipe and the other didn’t?
Sometimes rather than relight, I’ll dump the last 1/4 bowl into a small tin and leave it out, it is dry in 15 minutes, then put the lid on for later.
I do stir or gently shake it and blow gently to get rid of the ash dust before drying.
I use the dottle to experiment. I have a jar that I dump the dottle into, usually around three bowls worth and then use that to make a half(ish) bowl of mystery blend. Sometimes its an intriguing and tasty combo, sometimes its a rancid combination that I dump immediately.
For some unknown reason I used to get stressed about not being able to smoke a bowl to the bottom. Everytime I think I'm finished with a bowl and proceed to empty it out, thinking only ash is left, there's always unburnt tobacco remaining. I'm happy to see others who don't feel this is a blasphemy. Lately I've quit stressing about it. Like others have stated, the tobacco at the bottom served it purpose.
But with all that being said, the bottom 1/4 of the bowl has no carbon cake forming. I'm wondering if that's going to be an issue?
But with all that being said, the bottom 1/4 of the bowl has no carbon cake forming. I'm wondering if that's going to be an issue?
Sometimes I do the dottle, it depends on the tobacco really. if it's Half and Half, then NO! If it's Semois, then YES, absolutely!
Although I source my stash of tobacco from America, I don't ever forget that the price of a 50g tin of baccy here in Nanny State Australia is $125.
Nothing goes to waste.
Reading the replies I'm wondering what the hell are you guys smoking for so many to have a problem with dottle?
I smoke a variety of genres [except for goopy aromatics and lat-bombs] and most bowls I'm left with grey ash.
Rarely do I smoke a bowl from start to finish and often relight a bowl several times.
On the rare occasion where a bowl does get too hot I put it down to cool and light up another pipe.
So I'm thinking that maybe my bowls don't get a chance to get too hot with a build-up of moisture to create dottle?
Nothing goes to waste.
Reading the replies I'm wondering what the hell are you guys smoking for so many to have a problem with dottle?
I smoke a variety of genres [except for goopy aromatics and lat-bombs] and most bowls I'm left with grey ash.
Rarely do I smoke a bowl from start to finish and often relight a bowl several times.
On the rare occasion where a bowl does get too hot I put it down to cool and light up another pipe.
So I'm thinking that maybe my bowls don't get a chance to get too hot with a build-up of moisture to create dottle?
That'd be a factor! But I think the right level of moisture going in goes even further.
Please don't stress!
Likely, drying the tobacco (and pipe if need be) more prior to first light will solve that.
I started this post so likely I am a new smoker who does not have the best technique yet. I also use cobbs more than briars which might be a factor. So I have dottle left. Normally I empty out top ash, remix the dottle, light again, and it works out fine.
I smoke the dottle, because I want to keep smoking and am too lazy to pack another pipe. Plus, several of my favorites get really good and rich at the end.
However, this is a recent thing for me.
As a new smoker, I would suggest you dump the dottle. It’s not worth ending a nice smoke with something nasty or wet. There’s also that mouthful of ash that can happen.
However, this is a recent thing for me.
As a new smoker, I would suggest you dump the dottle. It’s not worth ending a nice smoke with something nasty or wet. There’s also that mouthful of ash that can happen.
Heh! It may not be "dottle" if you smoke it in one session....
Wet dottle sucks, but there's no need for that.
Ash up the stem can be avoided by gentler relights.
Wet dottle sucks, but there's no need for that.
Ash up the stem can be avoided by gentler relights.
In a couple of my pipes that I’m still learning about i put in those ball wire screen things, now i burn it all down and don’t worry about charring the bottom of the bowl or anything stupid like that, they actually work well for me but not something i would put in all of my pipes and I’m sure i will dump them eventually.
If you have anything foreign in the heel of the pipe, you are not burning it all the way down!
It's hard to char the heel of the pipe; you really have to work at it or be thick as a plank. A bit of cake there, though, is a good thing.
It's hard to char the heel of the pipe; you really have to work at it or be thick as a plank. A bit of cake there, though, is a good thing.
There are available ceramic porous reusable disks you can put in before loading. I like them for some (misdrilled) pipes and for some dottlish blends but I keep discarding them with my "fine white ash". Other products of note are stainless mesh pillows and crumbled meerschaum. All more nuisance than I normally put up with. Some bottom tobacco is actually the best.
Above is sage wisdom.
Smoking is something everybody warned you, not to do. Nicotine is wonderfully, horribly, and extremely addictive. Tobacco costs money, it’s not good for your health, it can kill you, and many people will shun you for using it.
If it doesn’t taste good, stop.
I have one pipe that will smoke to the bottom of the bowl and go out naturally. I have two others in which I tried that and saw that I was coming close to damaging the pipes so I now dump the dottle in all my pipes but that one ... and that is hit or miss depending on how evenly the tobacco is burning and tasting.
The pipes cost more than the tobacco....its not worth damage...toss it !
The pipes cost more than the tobacco....its not worth damage...toss it !
I have mostly been using cobs or a $40 briar, but I just got a $150 Salvinelli so probably will dump it in that pipe.