Interesting Ash and Dottle Experience

[techie]

I've been smoking for 3 months now, and during this time I've usually been dumping the top layer of ash throughout. Almost always I am left with a fair amount of dottle. Not sure how I got on to this as normal procedure, and I've inquired of others about such things as the elusive "fine white ash", but I've been content with my smoking anyway.
I read something the other day on the forums, I think it was a comment by Cosmic, that caught my attention. He claimed that he never dumps the ash while smoking. So I decided to give it try. My very first bowl with no dumping really was a surprise! I got to the end of the bowl, dumped what was left, and it was all ash but for a few strands of tobacco. In fact, there was so little ash I thought "where did it all go?!"
Thinking it might have been a fluke, I've smoked four bowls since with no dumping, and had the same experience with all four - almost all ash and little to no dottle.
I understand this might not be any revelation to experienced pipers, but it was eye-opening and exciting to this beginner.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Whether cause and effect or not, good to hear. Flicking loose ash is one thing, scraping off ash is another.
Anyway, happy smoking!

 

[onestrangeone]

Great to hear about your positive experience! The ash acts as an insulator, about the only time I will dump it is with a really deep pipe that I’m having to struggle with to relight or if I let a bowl go cold I’ll dump the ash and use a pick to loosen up the top a bit.

 

[robcapp]

I find the same as the OP... however I find that it tastes much better when dump a heavy ash layer and then relight.
Personally, I choose taste over accomplishment.

 

[64alex]

[I find that it tastes much better when dump a heavy ash layer and then relight.
Personally, I choose taste over accomplishment.]
+1.
When I started smoking I was leaving the ash but when I started to dump ash, typically at mid bowl, the second part of the bowl was very similar to the first and way more yummy. If I don't dump ash midway the second half taste well like ash. Also less relights doing so. Maybe the only downside is that dumping ash the bowl last less, but who care if the taste is way better?