Do you Dump Ash Mid-smoke?

[SBC]

Title edited. Please capitalize important words. -jpm

I've been frustrated to find several different blends delicious for half a bowl, but acrid after the halfway point (or thereabouts).

It occurred to me this evening that this may be due partly (or wholly?) to the accumulation of ash that I'm tamping on top. I just tried dumping ash about half way through (obviously some was still left), then tamping what remained and relighting. It seemed to improve the remainder somewhat (although it still didn't render it as good as the first half of the bowl).

Do many of you dump ash part way through, like this, and I've just missed this practice until now?

 

[GothPiper]

Every time. At about the halfway point or 2/3rds down the bowl. Improves taste and makes relighting easier.

 

[mikethompson]

Sometimes, but only if I am having a hard time keeping it lit. I feel like trying to light through ash isn't doing me any favours.

 

[J-Evverrett]

Depends on the pipe/blend in question. Ashing is a thing with relights. Some blends are worse than others. I love old joe krantz, but the ash it produces makes relights difficult. Some others in the c&d line too, usually burley heavy.
And tall bowls get too hot for me if I don’t get the ash off halfway. Typically, I just turn it over and give a gentle one-fingered tap about halfway through.

What sort of blends/bowls are you dealing with?

 

[Bowlsmoker67]

Sometimes I dump , depends on the blend

 

[Streeper541]

Sometimes, but only if I am having a hard time keeping it lit. I feel like trying to light through ash isn't doing me any favours.

What Mike said.

 

[fireground_piper]

Every time, sometimes twice. Most of my bowls are between 1.5 - 2 inches deep so the deeper, the more I’ll empty.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

Yep.?️

 

[olkofri]

Yes.

 

[RobNYC]

Yes, quite frequently.

 

[craig61a]

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't... If you have to do it, well then you have to do it. No points off.

 

[Searock Fan]

Some times, why not? If it's a tall bowl pipe and the ash gets so thick it makes it hard to relight, flick some off.

 

[jpmcwjr]

About half the time. I have not found that doing or not doing has no effect on the taste. The 'acrid' you mentioned sounds like damp tobacco being heated. It's not because you are lighting through a layer of ash.

 

[Winterreise]

I only drop the ash in pipe with taller bowl , sometime i find it harder to light with my kiribi i feel like the flame don’t reach the tobacco.

 

[tfdickson]

I’ve never dumped ash mid bowl. Most of my pipes are group 5 and above and even after smoking the entire bowl to the bottom there is so little ash produced I can‘t imagine dumping some of it would make any difference in terms of taste.

Do you use pipe cleaners mid bowl? I do all the time, it helps remove any moisture that has accumulated. Acrid makes me think wet, if you aren’t already I’d give the mid bowl pipe cleaner a shot.

 

[Laurent]

Mostly with flake tobacco not so much with ribbon

 

[JKoD]

There is good ash and bad ash, skinny ash and fat ash…only you can decide which ash is for you.

Maybe an illogical thought - but, the cleaner the tobacco, the cleaner the taste? Do you top a bowl off with ash and light it before you smoke?

I can’t say I have strong feelings one way or another - because, some of the ash might actually help keep a faint ember burning longer with the little bit of insulation it provides - or- hell, maybe it keeps the ember from staying lit? Outside of a personal preference and experience - it probably needs a scientific explanation per cut, tobacco type and how it’s packed. Start multiplying the possibilities. Trial and error seems like a lazy way to enjoy figuring it out. ?‍ Just don’t forget to share laboratory results here.

Ultimately, I have no idea. But, I can tell you for certain blends I do turn over the pipe, pull a move like I’m going to put it down and yank it back up for a relight. When the pipe thinks it’s headed for the bench, it seems to smoke better.

Yes, I’ll have another please. Shaken, not stirred. ?

 

[username]

If your not enjoying it why force yourself to finish it. So yes.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Rarely. The an accumulation had nothing to do with the flavor issues. That's more likely to be from smoking too fast thereby getting the tobacco too hot.

 

[leonardbill1]

Usually not, but if I do it's to deal with an obstructed draw.