Finishing that bowl...

[pipmannen]

Hi
I am not a very experienced pipe smoker, although I am starting to figure out how to pack and smoke my pipes to get a more enjoyable experience. One thing that still bothers me is how to finish my bowls. I read many times that one should smoke all the way to the bottom in order to get an even cake. The thing is however I try, the last bit of tobacco almost always tastes somewhat bad, a bit like ash, is too hot, and gives me a mouth and lip burn, and leaves me with a quite unpleasant aftertaste.
Suggestions and help is thankfully welcomed

 

[admin]

My general suggestion is that the "rules" are just guidelines. The real rules are your own personal rules for what works best for you to have the most enjoyable experience.
If you have a better experience leaving a little tobacco at the bottom of the bowl, then do it.
Ironically, as I type this I just sucked the last bit of burning ash into my mouth.

 

[pipmannen]

Thanks for the suggestion. Had hoped for an answer like that

 

[mlaug]

There isn't any point in doing something that isn't fun or doesn't taste good.
There are no pipe medals given out for smoking it down to the bottom. Rules are for sissies.
It also depends on what you're smoking...some aromatics smoke wet and leave a fair amount of dottle in the bowl. Other kinds of blends will smoke all the way down, but it also depends on your smoking style, humidity, phase of the moon, and a host of other esoteric things.

 

[pstlpkr]

You might try smoking a half bowl of a good dry blend.

Maybe something like Peterson Sherlock Holmes.

That will greatly increase your chances of smoking to the bottom of the bowl.

And don't be afraid to relight after you remove the ash from the bowl, if you have a "plug" of dottle in the bottom. Personally I enjoy that sometimes strong stuff in the bottom.

 

[pipmannen]

Ok great, I will simply stop then when it´s not that tasty anymore. I just thought I had to use some special technique at the end. Will try that Peterson Sherlock too

 

[unclearthur]

My theory on life in general is : "If it works for you it must be the right way"

 

[igloo]

There is a right way a wrong way and the way everyone picks for themselves . The kicker is they all are good in the end . I like to think of that last little bit as the filter and filters get yucky .

 

[cortezattic]

If you don't smoke your tobacco to the bottom of the bowl, and one of us catches you, your pipe smoker's card will be revoked.

The idea is that you will smoke all the way to the bottom, creating a protective cake throughout the entire chamber... [V]ery few people smoke dry enough to keep a pipe lit until it’s completely empty. Therefore, since people rarely smoke that far down, there’s no need for any cake in the heel of the chamber...

Not my opinion, which is worthless, but that of Russ Ouellette, who knows a two or thing about pipe smoking.

 

[archerdarkpint]

Pipmannen,
When I first started smoking a pipe, I was told to smoke to the very bottom of the bowl to establish a sufficient cake. I tried hard to smoke all contents and would do what ever I could to summon the last vestige of smoke-ability from each and every bowl, however, the remains were typically moist and bitter and in some instances I'd unwittingly burn the filter (most of my early pipes were fitted with a 9 mm filter)...lesson learned.
I had to examine what I was doing, because at that point, I was smoking a bitter and unpleasant smoke for the rationale of building cake, instead of smoking a pipe to enjoy the tobacco. Another lesson learned. Today, I smoke until I find the remains unpleasant and I then dump whatever is left. I've never burned out or soured a pipe using my methods.
Good evening,
Archer

 

[lordnoble]

I'm kinda new to pipe smoking too, and I'll echo everyone else. I never (OK, rarely) smoke to the bottom of the bowl. I will when it still tastes good, but that is rare.
-Jason
Oh, and, welcome to the forum!

 

[python]

Good advice from everyone and I agree with them. WHen the smoke stops being enjoyable, dump the remainder of the bowl.
If you are worried about building a cake in the heel (bottom) of the bowl, just smoke a half of a bowl every once in awhile.

 

[dd951]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the hole in your pipe, it may be drilled high. Some are drilled high enough that you could never smoke it to the bottom, Barring that, what uncle and kevin said, if it feels right to you, then it must be right.

 

[buck67]

I seldom finish a bowl without some soggy tobacco at the bottom. I normally just rake it out and let the bowl dry out. Being a relatively new pipe smoker, I have only smoked a couple of bowls all the way to the ash and it was very satisfying, to say the least. And each time it was Captain Black White label. I should but stock in the company.....

 

[bhpdrew]

All my Peterson's smoke to the bottom fairly regularly. My other pipes, on the other hand leave a little at the bottom that is too wet to smoke. As others have said, just clean that bit out and move on. It isn't a big deal.

 

[fred]

Most of the time, the load gets completely incinerated in these Meerschaums

I smoke. I tend to smoke blends a bit on the dry side and if the lower third

of the bowl is good, it gets smoked. For me, the full story of a blend is

revealed in the bottom of the bowl. Some blends just don't work for the last

part of the smoke, so they become dottle. Building a cake in the bottom of the

chamber is not important with Meerschaums, like it is with Briar.

 

[juni]

Ironically, as I type this I just sucked the last bit of burning ash into my mouth.

I hate it when that happens :D. I always think I smoked all the way to the bottom but usually there are some tobacco left. No big deal.

 

[collindow]

I've been smoking for nigh on a year now, and for most of this time I very rarely managed to smoke all the way to the bottom. And it never really bothered me. However, these past few weeks I've been smoking along, contemplating life or reading a good classic or something, and my pipe would simply go out. And I would relight it. And it would go out again immediately. And I would relight until eventually I would stick my czech tool into the bowl and find every last bit of tobacco to be ash.

It was weird for the first few times, and now it's just great. No dottle to dig out, huzzah!

Of course...the tobaccos that have been working so well with me are nearly out at this juncture. Anyways; moral of the story, smoke it how you like to.

 

[frnky4fngrs]

I rarely smoke to the bottom of the bowl, but if I'm in the middle of a good book like Collin I just dump out some of the ash and replace it with a little more tobacco and then smoke it till the end. I feel it makes it easier to get to the bottom

 

[onizuka]

I've come to learn that I do not like the very bottom of the bowl. When I get to the bottom, it gets very harsh and doesn't taste good at all. I just dump it, I don't mind wasting the 10 cents or so worth of tobacco so that I can avoid nastiness.