I've tried them a few times and they work great, but for the price there are better options: https://www.amazon.com/Acurel-LLC-Economy-Activated-Pellets/dp/B000YIWT0M/Ok so I get a lot of dottle in my pipes so have been recommended to try these little mesh balls.
Anyone had any experience with them?
Ok. First there needs to be made the obligatory reference to the habits of Sherlock Holmes on this issue.
In one story, Watson noted that Holmes’ first bowl of the day consisted of the leftover bits of dottle he’d knocked out and left on his mantle from the day before.
Aye. But surely mustn’t emulate all of the good inspector’s bad habits. Otherwise we’d become (even more?) misogynistic, cocaine-abusing violin players. And the world has had enough of coke and violins.
Secondly, a personal anecdote.
You’ve heard of people quitting cigarettes by filling a mason jar or soda bottle with some water and a week’s worth of butts. Then they open it, purposefully apply their olfactory sense, and find themselves so repulsed they never smoke again.
A few months ago I thought to myself, “Self, you have a wife and two daughters. Thus, you are broke. And not just broke. But broke in the most frustrating sense. For, ere you even make the next bit of money, a whole trove of clothes, Barbie dolls, and very expensive haircuts (which, incidentally, result in absolutely no discernible difference to your wife’s hair) have already laid claim to those funds. You should save where you can, and collect your bits of dottle in an old unused tin, then enjoy a mystery blend when the tin is filled.”
I replied, “Self, you really are a genius. A gentleman and a scholar. Well-endowed and Adonis-like in appearance. I’ll do it.”
(All lies.)
After about a week of doing this, I unscrewed the lid on said tin to add another plug. Well, that was a mistake. Unless you’re looking something called “Booty Blend,” I’d not recommend saving and stashing your dottle.
The end.
Well quoted brother.There is a Biblical reference for this, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9
or you can do what I do which has reduced my dottle tremendously. You gravity fill the pipe and only press the tobacco in the top third.Maybe you're packing too tight at the bottom of the bowl? When I started years ago I found a pamphlet from the 1940's that said the first third of the bowl should be packed like a baby, the middle third like a woman, and the top third like a man.
There are also Nørding Keystones, which I think are clay, which you put in the bottom of your pipe to soak up moisture. I've never used them, but here's info:
PS Those old pipe smoking pamphlets are fun. There is some site that has a bunch of them along with old catalogs. Wish I could list it here but can't find it readily.
Basically how I do it. I fill the pipe to the top, push it down and fill it again… push it down and ready to go.or you can do what I do which has reduced my dottle tremendously. You gravity fill the pipe and only press the tobacco in the top third.
I've wondered how the drying process of putting it on the mantle would effect the dottle.After about a week of doing this, I unscrewed the lid on said tin to add another plug. Well, that was a mistake. Unless you’re looking something called “Booty Blend,” I’d not recommend saving and stashing your dottle.
The end.
it's like the best packing technique is the most simple basic one.Basically how I do it. I fill the pipe to the top, push it down and fill it again… push it down and ready to go.