When to dump the ash and light up again?

[K.E. Powell]

One of the beautiful things about piping is the multitude of variables at play that can influence how we approach something so seemingly simple. I guess this is my rather pretentious way of saying, "You will build your own method that works for you and your circumstances in due time."

My own method depends on the size of the bowl. Bowls I consider fairly small to medium sized, I only tap roughly half way through once. If my false light was done well and I tamp properly, that will usually be enough to see me through. For bigger bowls, I go by the rule of thirds, gently tapping out loose ash as I get through a third of the bowl. I find with bigger bowls and longer smokes, unlike with smaller bowls and shorter smokes, tapping is necessary to avoid an ashy taste even with proper tamping. But that's just me.

 

[JOHN72]

I have tried the method of throwing the ash away and relighting as long as the flame is as far away from the tobacco as possible. I would have to do it more often, to give a convincing answer. But I do notice that the bowl tends to increase in temperature, perhaps due to the excess of oxygen, or air, which enters more easily into the holes of the tobacco. But this is just a personal opinion

 

[Bob the bear]

Depends on the tobacco type in my case. If it’s flake I tend to smoke to pure ashes with little to no tamping, if it’s ribbon cut I dump ashes after I tamp them down. This is not based any any empirical scientific method. Just my meanderings. Another good way to look at is this , when it starts to taste like *#£&* dump it….

 

[tklee]

There're no fix rules when to dump or dump or not. You can lightly knock it off, when you see there are a lot. Or, you still can light your pipe with the ash covered on top. We don't smoke ash bro, the draught hole is at the bottom of the chamber, the ash is at top layer, how can we smoke ash?

 

[aspiring_sage]

I will testify that Smoking a billiard upside-down reduces ash buildup.

Sometimes I get frustrated by ash and I'll stir gently at the top then blow softly through the pipe (just hard enough to move the ash, but not the tobacco) . This can heat up the fragile ember and also blast fine ash onto my face. In the best scenerio, I stand so that the breeze carries it away.

Sort of like this...



In the car, I'll stir the ash to loosen it and eventually hold the pipe out the window for the wind to take the ash.

I know this is "wrong", but don't care.
Dumping seems ineffective.
I've tried getting ash to stick to a wooden tamper (works, but slow)
I can't figure out how to scoop any considerable amount of ash with a pick or spoon.

No... I haven't figured it out yet...
Feel free to Ignore my comments.

 

[badbeard]

I'll dump ash halfway through, primarily on burley blends that tend to get a little ashy tasting near the end. It's probably all in my head, but it seems to prevent that. I just poke the ash (heh..heh) to loosen it a little and dump. A negligible amount of unburned tobacco falls out. Dumping ash with a System pipe can have bad results(dripping out the P-lip stem, all over the damn place). I am going to stop now before my maturity level completely loses integrity.

 

[mso489]

I seldom dump ash mid-smoke, unless there is a tangible accumulation of loose ash above the ember, which is rare. When you've reach the end of most of the unburnt tobacco, the relights become shorter or none at all. Or when the taste becomes ashy or harsh, no matter how much unburned tobacco is left, which is usually minimal.

Your instinct for this will improve with time, so you won't even think about it. Just observe the signals when the tobacco is gone, or the taste has gone bad, and end the smoke.

 

[cigrmaster]

I normally have to dump ash at the half way mark as my pipe went out. I take the pick of my tamper and gently stir the ash and tilt it easily in the ashtray. I then usse the other end of my tamper to scrap the sides of the pipe and then tamp lightly and light up. If I am paying attention I only do it once a bowl, if I am not paying attention I might have to do it more often.

Trying to smoke though a pile of ash tastes like shit and it takes forever for the pipe to get going again and the flavors never get better in my experience.

 

[Annaresti Red]

There are no hard and fast rules to smoking a pipe. Do what works for you and for your pipe.

I've never understood lighting through ash.

I don't often pay attention to the ash unless it's the tabocco is particularly feisty about staying lit. Then I might tip a little out.

Out of curiosity, do you tip out the ash when you relight? Does it help get it going?

 

[mikethompson]

I don't often pay attention to the ash unless it's the tabocco is particularly feisty about staying lit. Then I might tip a little out.

Out of curiosity, do you tip out the ash when you relight? Does it help get it going?

I find it gets the rest of the tobacco going, plus I don't have to light "through" ash, if that makes any sense.

 

[avail]

I've never dumped ash, just tamp down and re-light. I'll experiment with this and see what happens

 

[maker]

I usually dump the ash once before relighting

 

[jpmcwjr]

There are no hard and fast rules to smoking a pipe. Do what works for you and for your pipe.

I've never understood lighting through ash.

If it's loose and built up, perhaps a problem. But a lightly tamped bit of ash is easy to light through. And the ash is insulation for the ember.

 

[JOHN72]

I did some tests of throwing ash, in several smokes, but it does not give me good sensations. So I continue with the technique of not throwing ashes. I simply tamp or give fire to that shallow ash cover.

 

[mso489]

This original post seems to be a most asked question on Forums these days. I think we handle the subject about once a month or more, mostly more. I'm going to bounce this to keep it around longer in hopes it will reach others who may be about to ask this.

 

[Briar Lee]

I dump the ash when it becomes an issue to relight. Stir, dump, tamp, and light. Sometimes a little ash can be helpful for the ember, but too much can be a problem.

I just got in a dozen Czech tools.

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Sometimes you need to tamp, other times poke around and loosen the charge of tobacco up. You might need to relight.

Dump the pipe when it’s no longer delicious.

Never beat yourself up.

I hope there are pipes in heaven.

If I get my way, there will be.

 

[alaskanpiper]

I’m a once half way through guy meself. Or whenever I start to taste ash. Or not at all if I’m driving

 

[RudyH]

I was told to never dump ashes until the final draw, true? Looks like one would be smoking ashes instead tobacco.

It varies from tobacco to tobacco. If you find that your re-lit tobacco only stays lit for a brief time and there is not excessive moisture in the tobacco, then loosening some of the ash with your pipe tool and dumping it, then tamping the remaining tobacco will likely help the next re-light stay lit longer.

I typically smoke about 3/4 of the tobacco that i put into the pipe bowl. It's more common that tobacco is hard to keep lit when most of the tobacco has been smoked.

 

[avail]

Dump the pipe when it’s no longer delicious.

I find myself doing just that more and more...

 

[nolan613]

Whatever floats your boat. Pipe smoking is about gives you the greatest satisfaction. Learn from others be decide what makes you happy...