How Far is Too Far?

[Sloopjohnbee]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9)

I find that when it comes to rarer harder to come by blends I tend to smoke down to the bottom of the bowl - which is typically less enjoyable - it's almost the antithesis of the initial intention - ever happen to anyone? how far down the bowl is too far and deemed 'dump'?

 

[smokiespipesmoker123]

Till I get sick of it. It’s variable with me

 

[workman]

When I spend more time relighting the pipe than smoking it, it's time.

 

[J.GANDY]

Some blends burn great all the way to the bottom. Others 3/4's of the way. Lots of variables, including how well the pipe has been taken care of or let rest.

 

[verporchting]

When it stops being pleasant. Regardless of the blend, cost or availability. Period.

Sometimes it stops tasting great, other times it becomes a pain in the ass to keep lit and occasionally I’ve just had enough and I’m done.

I smoke a pipe for enjoyment. If it’s not enjoyable then I’m done.

 

[Sloopjohnbee]

When it stops being pleasant. Regardless of the blend, cost or availability. Period.

Sometimes it stops tasting great, other times it becomes a pain in the ass to keep lit and occasionally I’ve just had enough and I’m done.

I smoke a pipe for enjoyment. If it’s not enjoyable then I’m done.

yes, well next time the minute it gets boring I'm dumping the bowl

 

[pantsBoots]

When I spend more time relighting the pipe than smoking it, it's time.

This

 

[--dante--]

Pretty much the same answer here: when I'm no longer enjoying it, or I'm relighting too much. In fact, I as often as not smoke my bowls in halves, sitting them aside and returning to them, sometimes as soon as 10 minutes later. But I still rarely have one burn all the way down.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Damn, I've just been smoking till I taste ash. Am I supposed to be stopping short?

 

[DarkButterfly]

Once the tobacco becomes ash and will not stay lit, I'm done, or if I take a draw and ash comes through, time to dump the bowl

 

[STP]

On those rare occasions where it’s a perfect pack and you can reach the bottom with one light... like seeing how far you can go before running out of gas. JK ?

 

[mso489]

I go for enjoyment as the central idea. That last pinch of tobacco, so if it goes sour or harsh, it has served it purpose as a filter. Otherwise, when the ash simply does not light, that's the last call. The bowl is over. If I get every bit of tobacco tasting good, that's great, but if the flavor goes bad, that's it.

 

[--dante--]

Damn, I've just been smoking till I taste ash. Am I supposed to be stopping short?

If she's attractive, stopping short is always worth a shot

 

[sablebrush52]

The only strict limit I impose is not trying to smoke the last few shreds. The amount of heat generated in that effort will damage a pipe over time. Other than that, a bowl is done when it's no longer enjoyable.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It probably depends on what type of tobacco we're talking about. For a mainly Virginia blend, well dried, with a good pack, if you keep your pipe clenched, you can nurse that sucker to the last drop. For a latakia blend, yeh... it's probably going to sour. An aromatic blend is probably not going to taste very good at the bottom also.

 

[--dante--]

It probably depends on what type of tobacco we're talking about. For a mainly Virginia blend, well dried, with a good pack, if you keep your pipe clenched, you can nurse that sucker to the last drop. For a latakia blend, yeh... it's probably going to sour. An aromatic blend is probably not going to taste very good at the bottom also.

That's a good point. When I smoke Briar Fox, I burn it to ash without even noticing I smoked it down so far.

 

[anotherbob]

If she's attractive, stopping short is always worth a shot

or o.k. I mean life is short every day or anything really could be your last.

 

[burleyboy]

Packing loosely, tamping gently and drying the tobacco helps reducing the so called dottle. That said, I usually dump what remains in a bowl at the point when I hear boiling sounds of the condensate at the end of a smoke. I'm not into rare blends so I have nothing to regret when a smoke comes to its end...

 

[mortonbriar]

I usually smoke it all, but if it does go out when there is not much left I wont bother trying to stoke a fire again.

 

[anotherbob]

Like everyone else once it stops being enjoyable. Thankfully a lot of my favorite blends the ones that make me think maybe run back in grab another pipe are also the ones that burn to the bottom easily. And as people have pointed out those are dried VAs or VaPers. Often they will be smoking so well when it is done I'll tamp and feel nothing and say what the heck already done?