Pipe Smoking Myth #1

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seadogontheland

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 4, 2014
599
2
Never been able to smoke one bowl, with one light, to the bottom of my pipe with simply fine white ash remaining. No biggie to me. I see this stated on pipe sites and cigar sites as well...many will claim the cigar ash was white and espoused how well said ash remained in one of only few pieces. When a cigar is rolled tightly it will have a tendency to stay together, but I have never found ash color on a stick or in a bowl to be indicative of having a good smoke.

 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,699
16,206
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
I smoke my evening pipes for the enjoyment of the pipe and blend. I certainly do not need to look into the bowl and assess the remains to know if the experience was worthwhile. I do not grade myself as to ash, number of relights, etc. Nor do I have a panel of "experts" sitting in the room grading me as I enjoy myself. If I have to reload because I was distracted the first time, failed to form a perfect ring when blowing smoke, dropped my book, spilled the port, burned tiny hole in shirt or, perish the thought, had dottle in the bottom of the bowl I do not give myself a 6.5 as opposed to a perfect 10. It's not a competition.

 

oldredbeard

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 20, 2012
628
1
I agree with you all. I smoke a bowl as long as it is enjoyable. When it doesn't want to keep burning, after a tamp and relight, it goes in the ashtray. I have made it to the bottom, and hot ash in the mouth is no fun, but never done that with no relights. I enjoy reading, and other things while I smoke a bowl, so relight are just a part of getting distracted by something else.

 

coraxsnag

Lurker
Feb 13, 2015
41
0
The only tobacco I can do this with is Peterson Irish Whiskey. It's drier than my aros, obviously, so I assume that's the reason. Never in one light, though.

 

styler

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 31, 2014
144
0
Coming from the cigar world, I've always believed that ash color indicated burn temperature. The whiter the ash is, the more complete the combustion, hence a higher temperature. In both cigars and pipes you want to maximise flavour as much as possible by keeping the ember burning low so I've always looked at bright white ash as a bad thing, a sign that you are smoking too fast.
I can't recall where I got this notion from, so feel free to tell me that it's nonsense!

 

yaddy306

Lifer
Aug 7, 2013
1,371
502
Regina, Canada
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tarak

Lifer
Jun 23, 2013
1,528
15
South Dakota
Now that I think of it, "smoked down to a moist, disgusting clump of wasted leaf" doesn't sound all that great in a review.

 

Perique

Lifer
Sep 20, 2011
4,098
3,884
www.tobaccoreviews.com
There are a number of blends that I find to smoke very dry, down to white or, more often, grey ash.
Zero relights is another story. With most tobaccos, it's seems impossible. With a few others it's a matter of a solid true light(s) and judicious use of one's index finger to keep the embers going just right. It does, however, produce a bit more heat than what most pipe men are looking for. In fact, I can't remember relighting this bowl of Scottish Cake that I'm currently smoking in a cob. But maybe I have. Who knows. Regardless, I'm not sure it's something to brag about. Nobody keeps relight score.
In general, I find English blends take more relights than Burley or Virginia blends. Unless that Virginia blend is made by Sammy G, in which case you need an oven and a blow torch.

 
Sep 27, 2012
1,779
0
Upland, CA.
Ive done it many times but usually with one or more relights.... the times I do it are usually when Im working and I'm really focused on the task at hand and before I know it... ASH!... BLEH!
Just in case this matters, its usually nightcap and its nice and dry.
and who wants a sudden influx of ashes getting sucked into one's mouth?
Just did this on Sunday 8O AGAIN!

 

jiujitsubowl

Can't Leave
May 19, 2015
434
0
Muskegon Michigan
I believe this to be a bad marketing strategy. I think they are looking to convey a nice long, easy smoke with little to no dottle in the bottom. If I was to sell a tobacco I would word it "A good even smoke that will be sure to burn all the way to the bottom." No one really wants to suck ash into their mouth, so I dont think they were marketing that, just poor wording.
I do find my PS lux navy flake does ash up really well. I think because it burns so slow the heat is on it longer.

 

phil67

Lifer
Dec 14, 2013
2,052
7
I believe this to be a bad marketing strategy. I think they are looking to convey a nice long, easy smoke with little to no dottle in the bottom. If I was to sell a tobacco I would word it "A good even smoke that will be sure to burn all the way to the bottom." No one really wants to suck ash into their mouth, so I dont think they were marketing that, just poor wording.
I would agree if tobaccos were marketed that way, but the OP was referring to how people review tobaccos such as on TobaccoReviews.com, etc.

 
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