Tapping out ash...

[workman]

Yes

 

[Chasing Embers]

Never found the need. I don't pack very tight and the ember rarely needs ant more than the occasional tap from my finger to burn to the bottom of the chamber.

 

[PipeIT]

I only scrape out the ash with the pick on a Czech tool, when it starts to get hard lighting.

Then I just use the weight of the tamper to gently even out the top to light easier.

 

[Silvrbdgr]

I'll tamp, to get any tobacco around the edges of the bowl back into play, then ash. It's usually 8 or so puffs after I light up.

 

[Sinzalot]

Yup, pretty much every smoke. For me it improves the flavour and get rid of any ashy flavour.

 

[renfield]

If the amount of ash is interfering with keeping a steady cherry I dump ash.

 

[FLDRD]

Hi,

When you’re halfway down a bowl, or less, do you loosen up the smoked tobacco (now ash) and tap it out into an ash tray? If so, do you then tamp down what's left and re-light?

Thanks....

Not since I started smoking Petersons with a reservoir...

 

[jpmcwjr]

Sometimes. But I never stir the bowl. Never.

 

[Honkytonk Man]

I dump ash without loosening it, then tamp and relight. How many times I need to do that varies, but usually at least a couple of times.

^^^
This.

 

[MCJ]

Similar to several others above I generally leave the ash as long as I can (re-lighting thru built up ash as needed), then close to the bottom when that no longer works I use the pick on my pipe tool to simply loosen accumulated ash and just dump whatever comes out via gravity method (no "tapping" per se). A quick relight (minimal/no tamping) and I'm usually "good-to-go" until the end...

 

[alaskanpiper]

Hi,

When you’re halfway down a bowl, or less, do you loosen up the smoked tobacco (now ash) and tap it out into an ash tray? If so, do you then tamp down what's left and re-light?

Thanks....

Yes. Unless I'm driving.

 

[LeafErikson]

I do dump ash sometimes on the two blends I smoke the most which are Pegasus and sir Walter Raleigh. They’re dry and easy to get lit. If I’m smoking a flake tobacco I tend to not dump as often because it’s easier to relight with a bit of ash on top. But these are not hard and fast rules and it’s more of an intuitive thing.

 

[dobbs]

As you can tell by the replies, it depends...

Sometimes tamped ash will choke the ember and the pipe won't burn properly, that's generally when I get rid of it. I stir just the top, ashy part, and invert the bowl. Most of the ash falls out, then most times I'll blow across the top of the bowl to get the finer stuff out.

Works well for me and unlike a cigar, I've found it only improves flavor. Just try a bunch of stuff and figure out what works for you.

-dobbs

 

[bullet08]

Other way of doing it is sneezing into the stem. I don't recommend it, but it does a great job of making a mess.

 

[crashthegrey]

I prefer not to.

 

[Briar Lee]

I seldom dump ash until the end of the smoke.

If I do it right, I can taste when I’m done, and simply flick the pipe when upside down over an ashtray and the ember falls out, with all the ashes.

 

[tklee]

Yes. I do sometimes.

 

[sugardaddy]

I often have to dump ash during a smoke. If it is right in the middle of the smoke, then what comes after is not nearly as tasty, usually. So I could see how some would just stop there.

But some tobaccos still taste decent after the halfway point.

When I do it, I use the pick to gently loosen the fine ash, then I turn upside down and dump. I may do this again, if I discover there is some fine ash even deeper in there.

I then tamp, trying just a little to bring down the sides, if they are up too high.

However, I have learned NOT to stir the sides down, because apparently that usually lets down fine stuff that then obstructs the draught hole.

I definitely come across the situation often where a relight is difficult. This is usually where there's too much ash built up, and dumping the ash makes it light easily.

But ... I've just been at this a year, so my technique may be missing some crucial elements that the vets do well.