Relighting a Half-smoked Bowl.

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JOHN72

Lifer
Sep 12, 2020
5,836
57,414
51
Spain - Europe
I don't see it as a waste of time, I see it as an advantage of experimenting over and over again, the results of repeating various techniques or ways. If it gives you a good smoke, go ahead and if it just smells like a pissed off skunk's ass, throw it in the garden. You can free ballast, I mean throw some ash, and test if it gives you a positive result. Trial and error.
 

kschatey

Lifer
Oct 16, 2019
1,118
2,284
Ohio
Occasionally while smoking, something will demand my attention and both hands for 5-10 minutes, requiring me to set down my pipe. I've yet to figure out how to relight without getting an awful, ashy taste. Dumping the contents, usually one-third or more of the tobacco is un-charred, so it's not like it's burned down to nothing. Should I just plan on dumping, refilling and lighting, or is there a salvage technique?
I've relight paused bowls many times after minute, hours, or even overnight. Some blends are better than others this way. There's really nothing to loose because if you try it and don't like it, just dump and start over.
 

Beers 'N Briars

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 5, 2021
105
490
Yakima, Washington
Lots of good advice above. I very much agree with running a pipe cleaner through for moisture. I don’t usually have an issue with relights and have had a bowl wait overnight and still taste great. Only thing I’d add is to make sure to give it a few puffs over a few minutes to let the tobacco warm back up. I’ve had a relight not taste great for the first few puffs then settle back into how it should taste. But if your blend tastes bad and won’t spring back, then dump and reload. The whole point is enjoyment!
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,211
60,635
Most of my pipe smoking is done like this, intermittently. Sometimes the pipe gets left overnight. I notice no diminishment in taste. If there is a lot of loose ash on top, you might dump it, but a little tamping, very gently, is usually a good idea. Sometimes the extra drying time actually improves the flavor from the top of the bowl. If the taste goes bad anywhere in the bowl, I usually dump it, but that is really rare.
 

krizzose

Lifer
Feb 13, 2013
3,371
20,986
Michigan
Most of the time for me it’s a good thing. I kinda like coming back to a cold bowl that’s already charred and lights up instantly
 
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pantsBoots

Lifer
Jul 21, 2020
2,356
8,950
Is it a waste of time to relight a half-smoked bowl that you've had to set aside and then come back to?

Title edited for caps and brevity. Original above. -jpm

Occasionally while smoking, something will demand my attention and both hands for 5-10 minutes, requiring me to set down my pipe. I've yet to figure out how to relight without getting an awful, ashy taste. Dumping the contents, usually one-third or more of the tobacco is un-charred, so it's not like it's burned down to nothing. Should I just plan on dumping, refilling and lighting, or is there a salvage technique?

I do it all the time, and most of the time it's at least as good as the first half of the bowl.
 

RevBriar

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 4, 2022
109
1,842
Thumb of Michigan
Is it a waste of time to relight a half-smoked bowl that you've had to set aside and then come back to?

Title edited for caps and brevity. Original above. -jpm

Occasionally while smoking, something will demand my attention and both hands for 5-10 minutes, requiring me to set down my pipe. I've yet to figure out how to relight without getting an awful, ashy taste. Dumping the contents, usually one-third or more of the tobacco is un-charred, so it's not like it's burned down to nothing. Should I just plan on dumping, refilling and lighting, or is there a salvage technique?
5-10 minutes seems like a pretty short amount of time for a bowl to go sour. I'll let a pipe sit that long after it goes out during a normal smoking session if I'm talking or reading, etc.

I have found that, with most decent tobaccos, smoking a partial bowl then coming back to it a couple hours later still gives me a good experience. I just dump the ash on top, do a new char lite, run a pipe cleaner through it.

Keep experimenting. Happy smoking!
 

sgh

Lurker
Nov 22, 2019
44
206
The only time I don't relight an unfinished bowl is if I screwed up on the smoke & the tobacco gets too wet to dry out in a reasonable time.
 
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waznyf

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 24, 2012
742
48
29
Texas
This is a very common practice for me, though not necessarily by choice.
I have got 4 kids so at times all I can get in are a few puffs at a time lol
While I don't very much enjoy a bowl that has been left out over night, I will generally finish it the next day unless of course it is too bitter.
Just hit it with the flame and go from there! If your taste buds enjoy it than go ahead and if not, dump it out!
 
Feb 12, 2022
3,587
50,580
32
North Georgia mountains.
Sometimes I don't smoke a bowl from start to finish. I'll smoke it for 10 or 15 minutes and set it down, then continue it 15 or so minutes later. I'll do this until the pipe is finished. I've found that it really depends on the blend, but for the most part it's fine. I usually dump the ash off before relighting. I also run a pipe cleaner through a couple times before a relight.
 

Davy Jones

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 26, 2022
154
690
7 Seas
Is it a waste of time to relight a half-smoked bowl that you've had to set aside and then come back to?

Title edited for caps and brevity. Original above. -jpm

Occasionally while smoking, something will demand my attention and both hands for 5-10 minutes, requiring me to set down my pipe. I've yet to figure out how to relight without getting an awful, ashy taste. Dumping the contents, usually one-third or more of the tobacco is un-charred, so it's not like it's burned down to nothing. Should I just plan on dumping, refilling and lighting, or is there a salvage technique?
This happens to me frequently during the day, depending on the things I need to do. Even putting more than or less than half a bowl aside until the next day also happens on a regular basis. I don't see an issue nor think it's a waste. I simply leave the accumulated ashes overnight when this happens but ensure to remove them and pass a pipe cleaner when I'm ready to pick up the pipe again.
The taste will be a bit old-fashioned for sure the next day but it doesn't bother me either. Sometimes, I find the taste ends up being improved.
 
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seanv

Lifer
Mar 22, 2018
3,099
11,117
Canada
Last week I finished a few day old smoke of sir Walter in a cob. It was smokeable even after the few days left out.
 
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