Knowing When to Quit a Bowl

[mso489]

When you get below half a chamber of tobacco and ash, how do you know when the smoke is over? Certainly, the level of the ember is the first clue. When you get below a third of a full chamber it's time to pay attention. Having to relight more often is also a signal that you may be reaching the end of the bowl. Tamping gives you a sense if there is some springy unburnt tobacco left, or if you are just tamping mostly ash. The primary signal is flavor. If you are still getting the full harmony of tastes in the blend, you are still in the zone. When flavors begin to fade and/or have a slightly bitter or harsh edge, it is time to scoop out the ash and dottle (unburned tobacco) if any. This is no time to listen to your inner thrifty parent and keep relighting a bowl of ashes. just let it go out or stay out and scoop it clean. Flavor and enjoyment are the objectives, so when that ends, think about the next bowl.

 

[fightnhampster]

This was an issue for me as a noob back in the day. I would push it for too long and get tounge bite chasing the 'down to a fine white ash' experience. Not any longer, I learned my lesson.

 

[bobpnm]

We have all hung on too long at one time or another. Doesn’t matter to me how much or little of the bowl is left. If I’m not enjoying it, I exit.

 

[mso489]

I almost posted this under the beginner's category, but then I thought it applied to general pipe smoking as well. I occasionally find myself trying to wring another relight out of a chamber of ashes.

 

[skeeter456]

Ag

We have all hung on too long at one time or another. Doesn’t matter to me how much or little of the bowl is left. If I’m not enjoying it, I exit.

Agree! When I no longer enjoy it, i trash it.

 

[SBC]

Very good word. And as you say, it's not just a beginner mistake -- you never really lose the temptation to get just a little more out of the bowl. But it only leaves a bad taste in your mouth (literally).

 

[aspiring_sage]

This afternoon I had a bowl hiss (steam) at me for about 45 seconds. At that point I knew that I was down to wet tobacco and once it goes out, relighting wouldn’t be worth it.

I still haven’t figured out how to keep that last 1/6 bowl from being soggy. (Unless I smoke upside-down)

Thanks for the reminder that it’s OK to waste a little. I needed that.

 

[Chasing Embers]

When I'm drawing ash instead of smoke.

 

[bullet08]

Burn through three Morgan Bones. And I learned my lesson. No damages to any of my Peterson. When you're near bottom, it's obvious to tell from looking at the chamber. If in doubt, gentle poke that stick tool in Czech tool to feel the bottom. If there's some dottles left, think about if it's deep enough for few puff, or better to pack it up. That tiny amount of dottles won't break your bank account. Then again I heard couple of banks going down for bad business practices. Maybe you should save the dottles, in shoes like Holmes.

 

[tmcg81]

I've found that in the rare event that I smoke a bowl all the way to the heel, it seems like the bowl stops smoking completely unexpectedly. Like I took a decent size puff, and then the next one, nothing happens. I very rarely get that far. I usually lose interest or the bottom of the bowl gets a little gurgly and I know that nothing good will come of trying to smoke a bowl that doesn't want to be smoked.

 

[Sinzalot]

It's especially hard to quit a bowl when it's been so good. Searching for that one last wisp of flavour has often ended in a hot, harsh, acrid mouthful of regret. At least we can fill the bowl and coffee pot again

 

[didimauw]

If I have to relight more than twice in a row, I dump it

 

[Grangerous]

When the Persian slipper is full, it goes to market as “stoved.” We’re just a small blending house and I do apologize for back orders.

 

[B.Fee]

If something changes to my not liking, out it goes.

 

[Jaylotw]

My bowl ends when I'm done with it. I've really never thought of what triggers it, but sometimes I'll dump a half bowl just because, well, I'm done. I suppose I waste some tobacco, but if I'd enjoyed the smoke then I really haven't wasted anything.

Of course, it's gone the opposite direction, and I've ended up with a mouthful of ashes and embers. That's always nice.

 

[kcghost]

When I am not enjoying it anymore, I cut bait and dump it out.

 

[Mr_houston]

In the past 6 month, I have been smoking to the absolute last of the tobacco — even if I risk sucking ashe. I am finding the last 6th of a bowl of VA turns rich and magical.

In fact I’m doing it right now with St. James Flake.

 

[anotherbob]

honestly I find that typically it goes out suddenly that's when it's done. When it's just a little dottle. Ocassionally it just isn't as enjoyable and I'll toss the last third. Sometimes packed too tightly and slightly wet and sometimes just not still in the mood for that particular blend. But mainly it stops smoking without dying out on a curve.

 

[anotherbob]

I've found that in the rare event that I smoke a bowl all the way to the heel, it seems like the bowl stops smoking completely unexpectedly. Like I took a decent size puff, and then the next one, nothing happens. I very rarely get that far. I usually lose interest or the bottom of the bowl gets a little gurgly and I know that nothing good will come of trying to smoke a bowl that doesn't want to be smoked.

nice bass.

 

[renfield]

If I’m really not enjoying the bowl for whatever reason I dump it.

Maybe I packed poorly, didn’t dry enough or just chose a blend I wasn’t in the mood for. Life’s too short to smoke a bowl out of spite.