Down at the Heel!

[huckleberry]

I guess I'm the worlds worst pipe smoker. I maybe smoke a bowl down to any resemblance of complete ash maybe once or twice a year! I usually relight at least 4 or 5 times a bowl, and sometimes I let my tobaccy dry out a little before I pack my bowl, and sometimes I don't.

Regardless of how I pack my bowl, I always have some dottle left. I can breathe smoke and retro-hale and I always try to smoke my entire bowl. I can clench if I have a light enough pipe, but I usually don't.

I will keep on trying to improve my technique at least 3 to 4 times a day, as I really enjoy the relaxation and calm I can develop when I smoke my pipe, but if I never achieve a consistent "white ash," I'll still consider myself a "Happy Pipe Smoker"

 

[PipesAndPips]

Dottle happens (should be a t-shirt for pipe smokers). I'm slowly learning to not care about it thanks to the wise advice of the sages in this forum. However I will concede that it's tough to overcome the interwoven effects of a lifetime of frugality and competitiveness.

 

[PipesAndPips]

I'm almost hesitant to admit to how many times I have to relight through a full bowl, lmao. You know what though, screw it. I don't mind being ridiculed from time to time.

Id say I'm relighting at LEAST 15 times, and thats almost everytime.

Now, I do not clench or breathe smoke. That could have something to do with it. I also mainly smoke flakes and cakes, maybe that contributes as well. All I know is that if I make it 10 minutes without pulling out my lighter. I feel like a pipe God

That's just me, and I'm probably doing something very wrong with my preparation. I've learned to live with the relighting and try not to be too serious about it anymore.

I'm finding that talking about relights and dottle in the pipe world is a lot like talking about dropping your bike in the motorcycle world. It's a comforting and familiar mix of wisdom, humor and bullshit. Love it. And while we're being honest - I relight when it goes out, I leave dottle when I can't get it relit, and on rare occasion I've dropped my bike. There...I said it.

 

[ADKPiper]

Best to dump it out and try again.

 

[BDIC]

I used to maniacally try to get every little bit to burn. All I got was crappy tasting baccy, a burnt tongue and a pipe too hot to hold. Now I dump it and I just keep extra around for a refill.

 

[jpmcwjr]

When I get down to the last 5-10% of my smoke, it becomes difficult to impossible to keep the bowl lit and what I do combust, doesn’t taste all that great. When I dump it, what ends up in my hand (yes I dump in my hand to see the magnitude of my failure) is usually a mix of crunchy charcoal and slobber. << Snipped bits out >>

If it's truly slobber, first step is to learn not to drool down the stem.

Otherwise, make sure tobacco and heel of the chamber are dry.