Do you Dump Ash Mid-smoke?

[monty55]

Yep, absolutely. I dump the ash and tickle the top of the remains a bit and relight. Also, I find that when that doesn't improve my smoke, it's time for a deep cleaning... which ironically enough is where I'm at and is what is on my agenda for today!

 

[Eastmon]

When it suits, I do find it helps the taste, but it definitely burns differently than the start of the bowl

 

[shanez]

Do many of you dump ash part way through?

I don't want to be too technical or specific but my answer is: sometimes.

 

[karam]

Yes - this exactly describes how flakes go for me, too. I sometimes find that when I try to correct it by tamping the unburnt flake stuck around the walls, I clog the draft hole at the bottom :-/

This truly fascinates me. I'd be curious to hear others' perspectives on this as well.

To your point on my point: yes, this happens to me too sometimes, but i use the knife/scoop side of the pipe tool to loosen it rather than tamp down, the always give it a touch of flame.

To John’s point, very well said, cosmic and others have said it too over the years: what we taste is (or should be) NOT the burning tobacco, rather the tobacco just below the ember, the oils and other fragrances made volatile by the heat. I believe that’s why when i relight the first puff or so is usually not great tasting.

 

[tklee]

So far..... I don't.

 

[Christos D. Tsatsaronis]

Yes, I do it, a few times per bowl.

 

[tklee]

Really.... @JOHN72 , since i started smoking pipe until now, this is my 3rd tin of tobacco, i never dumb any ash in mid smoke ? . Maybe it's because i smoke ribbon all these while. Like @Laurent said, not so much of mid smoke dumbing ash when smoke ribbon, right?

 

[geopiper]

Yes, with taller pipes. Otherwise I find the ash layer thickness becomes an impediment to lighting.

I heard the following on the pipesmagezineradioshow about trouble lighting through ash layer: break up a thick ash layer by poking around the edge of the bowl which will allow the flame to reach unburnt tobacco underneath, then tamp back down lightly. I've tried this a few times, and while it does work, I prefer to dump out some ash instead.

 

[JOHN72]

Really.... @JOHN72 , since i started smoking pipe until now, this is my 3rd tin of tobacco, i never dumb any ash in mid smoke ? . Maybe it's because i smoke ribbon all these while. Like @Laurent said, not so much of mid smoke dumbing ash when smoke ribbon, right?

I can only tell you to experiment in various ways, until you find your juiciest smoke. Sincerely Karam explains it very well, among other fellow forum members.........And of course make a good rotation of pipes, so that they are well dry when you smoke them.

 

[tklee]

I can only tell you to experiment in various ways, until you find your juiciest smoke. Sincerely Karam explains it very well, among other fellow forum members.........And of course make a good rotation of pipes, so that they are well dry when you smoke them.

Mmm ya, i wanna try other tobacco too, Haven't explored other types and taste of tobacco yet. I am rotating between 2 pipes at the moment, but i don't smoke whole day. I only smoke pipe when i'm home and relax ? Coz there aren't any pipe smokers around me (kinda sad), I'm solo. You guys here are my only pipe smoking gang (although we don't see each other ?)

 

[bullet08]

I dump when I want to. Both ashes and poop.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

I really don’t know, lol —- if you dump it, how do you dump/remove it?

 

[SBC]

To your point on my point: yes, this happens to me too sometimes, but i use the knife/scoop side of the pipe tool to loosen it rather than tamp down, the always give it a touch of flame.

To John’s point, very well said, cosmic and others have said it too over the years: what we taste is (or should be) NOT the burning tobacco, rather the tobacco just below the ember, the oils and other fragrances made volatile by the heat. I believe that’s why when i relight the first puff or so is usually not great tasting.

Very helpful. I hadn't thought about it before; but, yes, this resonates with my experience of the "sweet spot" and explains why it take a few seconds to settle into it upon lighting. Thanks.

 

[Servant King]

It really does depends on the blend, but I probably dump ash about two-thirds of the time. Coincidentally, about two-thirds of the way down seems to be the consistent spot if it needs it.

 

[pip01]

All the time. Stir top. Dump and re light.

 

[krizzose]

Around the half way point my pipe usually goes out. I gently use the picker on my tamper, gently stir the ash and the gently spill what is in the bowl. Once I get all the ash out, I scrape the sides of the bowl( as I always fold and stuff) I relight and then usually have to dump ash one one more time.

Similar for me. About half the time I fold and stuff the bottom third or so of the bowl for me will need to be scraped from the sides and broken up a bit. That’s a lot easier to do with the ash dumped. If it’s not necessary, great. If it is, it takes all of 15 seconds

 

[Parkland_Puffer]

I dump 1/2 way through most of the time. The last half of the bowl taste much better if I do.

 

[jewman22]

most every bowl, yes I do.

 

[FurCoat]

Absolutely

 

[Mtlpiper]

Interesting thread to read though.

@karam explains it well. The answer for me is "sometimes" but very rarely. In tall pipes more often than others.

The flavour we chase comes from that place just below the ember where those "volatile compounds" (the aromatics) become vapour - which is also why I smoke as slowly as possible and aim for that light and powdery white/grey ash. Relatedly I would assume it's also why some flakes seem to smoke better just a little damp.

Surely a properly packed pipe (with whatever cut or stuffing method) and a good ember will let that ash balance on top of it and protect the ember all the way down... but that's in a well-packed pipe.

Sometimes we have to problem solve, and that's usually when I might choose to dump some ash, put it down for a while and then pick it back up and get it going again. That second part of the smoke isn't usually as good.

That said, I dislike stirring up old ashes and aim to go without dumping.