Pipe Smoking Myth #1

[stanlaurel]

Almost every tobacco review I read states "smokes down to a fine white ash with one light".
Well, this has never (almost never) happened to me. I always have multiple lights and I rarely if ever don't find some un-burned tobacco at the bottom of the bowl when I decide it is time to stop.
Don't get me wrong. I don't care. But is this really happening as often as it is claimed?

 

[aldecaker]

Doesn't happen to me very often.

 

[mcitinner1]

Has never happened to me. EVER

 

[lawmax3]

Me either.

 

[thomasmartin]

Never! Perhaps if I'd smoke very hot...

 

[prndl]

About as often as I win at "horseshoes".
And I pretty much suck at "horseshoes".

 

[wilson]

Fine white ash? Once in a great while. One light? Never.

 

[stickframer]

I've smoked a bowl with no relights once and way more often than not there's some dottle left unless the tobacco is super dry or it's high tide during a full moon with a south blowing wind.
Truthfully though I have noticed that comment a lot and wonder about it myself. I think it's a bit far fetched. Unless we're talking a slow smoke comp.

 

[ray47]

The only tobacco for me that ever burned down to a fine white ash with one light was 5 Brothers. That stuff burns faster then a brush fire.

 

[voorhees]

For me its the type of tobacco that seems to work better than others. For instance ribbon or shag nearly always leave dottle. Flake or Coins not so much.

 

[tobyducote]

I've done it a few times...smoked a bowl down to nothing but white ash...but it has taken a few re-lights...and once with only 1 re-light in a long smoke contest.

 

[sablebrush52]

Oh sure, lots of times. It's not like there's any big trick to it.
It depends in no small measure on the blend. Some blends smoke quite readily to the bottom of the bowl. Others need a relight or two, occasionally more.
Ash color varies as well. Sometimes it's a gray or mottle gray ash. Does that count?
Personally, I don't try to smoke to the absolute bottom of the bowl as it's really not good for your pipe, and who wants a sudden influx of ashes getting sucked into one's mouth?

 

[seacaptain]

I got ash to the bottom ONCE. But that was with a couple of relights. Most of the time I end up tossing out the bottom 25% of the bowl as dottle because it isn't worth finishing anyway after the relights.

 

[pipestud]

I've only had it happen in smoking contests when I know I'll be putting my tongue in a sling for a week or two afterwords. Also, only straight Virginia leaf burns to a totally white ash for me. So, on the rare occasions when I do hit bottom with one light its gray ash and black tongue.

 

[gloucesterman]

I'm with Pipestud & Seacaptain. That last bit of the smoke is always less pleasant than the rest. And since I'm an often distracted, casual sipper most of the time, re-lights are away of life. Honestly I could never figure why anyone would want to smoke to the point where it's fine gray ash. It just doesn't seem to work for me.

 

[cortezattic]

The presence of fine grey ash doesn't mean much to me.

It doesn't seem to reflect on the quality of the smoke, IMO.

I've seen it with SG/FVF, Esoterica's blends, Prince Albert, Borkum Riff, and others.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

Five Brothers

 

[crusher47]

Same here...noticed if I get too close to the bottom and try to smoke every last bit, I get a mouth full of ashes...no good and ruins an otherwise pleasant smoke.

 

[seagullplayer]

I got some hay down at the barn that is several years old, I am thinking in another five years I might try a bowl of it. Just to see if one light might work with it, because nothing else I tried does

 

[tarak]

The only fine white ash is my fine white ash.
Seriously, never happens to be. I think once with Esoterica Tillbury. I supposed if I started writing reviews it would happen all the time.