Re-lighting Advice

[bullet08]

Not by purpose, but by practice I always load large bits first. After drying the tobacco, I test for moisture. I pinch some and drop 'em on the paper plate I use. I do that enough times, small particles settle to bottom. So the tobacco I grab to load are bigger bits and smaller bits become kindlings. Also on relight, tobacco's already charred. Just have to pass the flame over the top few times with very light pull.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Right!

Often just a shake or two of a jar, tin or pouch will pop the large pieces to the top, fines to the bottom.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Tamp it down for goodness sake. The only way I know of to suck particulate through the pipe is for it to be too loose.

 

[hyperstar]

Don't inhale at all.

When I light up initially it's a short term blast furnace.

Relights are a whole 'nother thing. Gentle, slow; draw the flame in, do not blast it; draw gently.

I do inhale when I relight the pipe. Maybe that's the problem.

Or the pipe is done. 'Cause I don't feel inhale any ash when I lit a new bowl of tobacco.

Thanks guys!

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

No shame in an early release of a bowl (not what she said, lol), IMO.

I found the stir suggestion interesting - I had a bowl that wasn't going so well last weekend, thought stirring it up about halfway through would help. I didn't remove any ash (lesson learned, haha) and got a little anxious relighting and experienced for the first time what the OP must be talking about - dumped it! Was either too wet or too tightly packed to begin with and then working all that fine ash down into the bottom - I learn by doing dumb stuff. So not against stirring, just didn't do it correctly.

Dry, easy pack, tamp when needed - I'm sticking with that and for me just accept there are diminishing returns to enjoyment as the bowl progresses sometimes and when that happens, abandon ship.

 

[captpat]

I don't get ash on re-light unless I've stirred up the contents prior to relighting, or I've reached the bottom of the bowl.

 

[jaygreen55]

Perhaps the the problem is with the drilling of the pipe. If the airhole is too high from the bottom of the bowl you will encounter ash before you finish the tobacco. I have this problem with a couple of my pipes which are now in a box of pipes waiting to be moved on. Do you have the problem with other pipes or is this the only one you have?

 

[tklee]

You try these Amazon.com : tobacco pipe screens

There's a veteran pipe smoker cum pipe maker that I know in my country told me not to use it, but he didn't say why. I'm using it ?

 

[hyperstar]

*New update

In the first post, I mentioned my tobacco would came off when I tipped my bowl over after re-lit it.
It is because I pack my bottom layer tobacco too loose. Thus, making the ash can easily go through the unburn tobacco while smoking.
Now, I pack my tobacco a bit tighter. And tamp it nice and firm after re-lit. Finally, I can enjoy my pipe without inhaling ash before it is done.