When I get to the bottom...

[ulsterpaddy]

As I smoke I tamp down the ash slowly until I get low and to the bottom of the bowl. When I guess that the smoke is ending as the ash gets significantly low, I take my tool and scrape the ash without touching the sides or the bottom of the bowl. Then I dump my ash. There always seems to be little bits of unburned and burnt tobacco at the bottom. What should I be doing with this? Light it? Get it out? Am I dumping the ash too soon? I am smoking half bowls right now to break in my new pipe and want to do it right. In other words i want to build a good even cake. Basically I always end my smoke by getting rid of all the ash and trying to light the small bits which doesnt really work. Am I doing this right?

 

[onizuka]

ulsterpaddy: I'm also a newbie pipe smoker - but I found out early that I don't mind tossing out the very bottom of the bowl. Sometimes I'll smoke it all until it's a very fine ash - this has only happened with the Dunhill NightCap & Early Morning Pipe. It seems that with aromatics, it is significantly damper, and I'll end up chucking the very bottom simply because the tobacco gets too harsh for me to enjoy at that point.
IMHO, you aren't doing anything wrong if it works for you.

 

[admin]

What onizuka said.
I find that some tobaccos will burn down to a very fine ash and that is all that is left.
Not all of them will do that though, no matter how hard you try. And if you try too hard, you may be displeased with the results when you inhale ash or burning pieces.

 

[ulsterpaddy]

so getting rid of the bottom bits and emptying out the ash till the pipe bowl is clean is fine for cake building as long as your not scraping the edges and bottom off with the tool?

 

[flipflopsandshades]

I almost always have unburnt tobacco at the bottom of my bowls. It bothered me in the beginning but not so much anymore. It depends on the blend of tobacco like Kevin said.

 

[chero]

i just leave in there most of the time for a buffer on the next bowl

 

[maxpeters]

Ulsterpaddy, there are a lot of different ways to start a good cake in the bottom of the bowl.

You'll hear about wetting your finger with water and rubbing the inside of the bowl before putting the tobacco in, or doing the same thing with honey or whiskey, or the old third of a bowl then half bowl, then full bowl method.

Everyone has their own way I suppose. I like to do things the simple way with the idea that pipes were made to smoke tobacco in, and not fuss over so much.

Briar is a hard, fire resistant wood. You're not going to do too much to hurt it, but it is a good idea to smoke it gently at first.

I have always just left the remains of the tobacco in the pipe when I am through smoking until the next time I want to smoke. This allows the moisture and tobacco tars in the bottom of the bowl to soak into the wood on their own.

Smoke gently for the first 10 to 12 bowls, and after that, feel free to smoke however you want. By then there should be a light coating on the inside of the bowl, and the wood should be protected from the heat sufficiently to avoid a burnout or maybe cracking the bowl.

After I have the bowl started in this manner, after every smoke I then empty the bowl, and run a cleaner or two through the stem. Then double the cleaner over, and swab out the bowl. This keeps a heavy cake from forming so quickly, and the pipe stays faily clean.

It's always worked for me.

 

[maxpeters]

Sorry. I just re-read my post. I forgot to mention that when I leave the tobacco in the bowl after a smoke to allow the moisture and tars to soak in, I DO clean them out before filling the bowl with tobacco again for my next smoke. Just a clarification. Good luck.

 

[nramey]

I have to agree with @maxpeters. I do the honey thing for every other smoke for the first 10 smokes or so, while alternating fullness. After that...its all about relaxing and enjoying the flavors!

 

[rinaldi]

I never smoke to the bottom, yak, get rid the gump

 

[hilojohnny]

Life is too short for us old guys....If the pipe has ceased being a pleasant smoke I dump whatever is left. The cake always seems to take care of itself.... :?

 

[collin]

Well said, hilojohnny.

I may be just a beginner but I figure if sometime during the few years I have left to enjoy pipes I have to buy a new pipe 'cause I wasn't fanatical enough about the cake,....well, good for me, I get a new pipe! :D

 

[surfmac211]

You can always take to dottle left over pop it in a baggy or jar and start making your own blend. A few people here do this and I just started recently to see what happens.

 

[ulsterpaddy]

sweet thanks guys.

 

[bootlegbonvivant]

Lol, I've read several different ways of building cake. Now, while they all sound feasible, I'd much rather just enjoy the pipe. There have been a few times where I'd loosen up the ash in the bowl after smoking, cover the bowl with a hand and shake. Then dump it all afterwards. However, like Hilojohnny said, the cake will take care of itself.
Good luck and happy puffin'

 

[bjeorn]

dito

 

[pstlpkr]

I agree with Hilo and others... The cake will take care of itself.
Just an interjection....
The "gump" in the bottom of the bowl is called: Dottle

 

[expatpipe]

If it's a new pipe that cost me a little, I will use a little little honey. Have no idea if it really does much, but makes me feel better anyway. Ahhh Dottle, not good stuff but a very cool word.