White Ash

[maxpeters]

Do many of you read pipe/tobacco literature? If so, how many times have you come across someone saying that such and such tobacco burned down to a perfect white ash, by implication, meaning that somehow it was an excellent tobacco?

I have read that proverbial statement many times, and have smoked some blends that seemed to do that from time to time, but not consistantly. It always left me wondering that maybe I was missing something, or just hadn't found that perfect tobacco.
I recently ordered a Vauen pipe, and have been smoking it pretty consistanly since I recieved it. I had a problem with the 9mm filter it came with, so I substituted a Savinelli 6mm filter. It gave what I consider an almost perfect draw, as well as controlled any gurgling, so no pipe cleaners are required.
But besides that, I have noticed that no matter what blend I smoke in it, the tobacco burns to a perfect white ash. Every time.

So far I have smoked Middleton's Cherry, Spilman Mixture, C&D's Two Friends, Blockade Runner, and Pennington Gap, and they all smoke down to that perfect white ash, which they don't seem to do in my other pipes.
That makes me wonder if it really has more to do with the combustion rate from a perfect draw, more that a particular tobacco itself.
Just an observation more than a question. I thought I would pass it on. Any experience either way?

 

[skylonrow]

Personally I think the whole 'White Ash' thing is a load of nonsense. Yes, it is nice to smoke your bowl down the that fine white ash with only a single light, but, does that white ash make much of a difference?
The definition of that perfect tobacco should be the one that suits you most, the most flavourful and enjoyable smoke for you. Because hey, isn't that why we all smoke a pipe? To enjoy it?
So I think the search for the perfect tobacco based on burning down to a fine ash takes a lot of the enjoyment away from smoking your pipe.
In answer to your question, it is probably down the pipe you're smoking it in, the moisture of the tobacco and there are probably quite a few other factors to count it as well. Some tobaccos don't burn to a white ash at all, not even a grey one, this may be due to their carbon content or their moisture content.
How you're smoking and the pipe will effect the ash, take burning wood for example, if the wood only burns for a short period of time you will end up with a black ash, yet, if it is fully burned it will go fluffy and light.
In conclusion, I think it has to do with both, a good pipe with a good draw, and the shape of the bowl will make a difference, yet the tobacco you are smoking will as well.

 

[cyndi]

White and light gray ash can be used to polish silver.

 

[jchaplick]

White and light gray ash can be used to polish silver.

That seems to be the only plus I can make out of it.
I guess white ash means that you have smoked the tobacco down as much as you can, I guess thats a good thing, if it doesnt suck or burn or bite or a whole list of other things that can be bad.
It dosnt make any difference to me one way or another, if i can burn my favorite tobacco to a white ash down to the bottom great, if I cant, great. If i can burn a bad tasting tobacco down to a white ash, who cares it still tastes bad

 

[nsfisher]

ya, drum ROY will burn to a white ash, and in 15 yrs its the only baccy i ever had that does that. but i tap my bowl out 3-5 times during a smoke anyway so it would hard for me to tell anyway.

 

[jameral]

The first time I heard about this was when I first started smoking cigars. I was told that cigars that burned to a white ash were preferrable to those that burned to a gray ash. I always thought that was a bunch of BS.

 

[cyndi]

According to the guy who runs our local B&M, that's true. He saves white ash in a baggie.

 

[aidampson]

if talk about cigars, then you should know that ash color reveals your cigar's origin. plants from different regions will contain different amounts of different chemicals and minerals - even if they're the same plant variety. Cigars made from central Cuban (Remedios) tobacco produce near white ash. Cigars made from Vuelta Abajo tobacco, on the other hand, produce gray ash streaked with white veins. probably the same reason applies to pipe tobacco.
smoking cigars

 

[danz]

I have heard/read about it many times but have only had it happen by surprise a couple of times from random blends that have never done it before.
Usually when i am in a trance like state and and wondering why no smoke is being produced, only to look and see nothing but white/grey ash in the bowl. And i am used to leaving a fair bit of dottle, personally i think its more to do with moisture content of the tobacco rather than the type of blend, but a pipe with a low 'shank hole'? would definitely help. But if your tobacco is a bit to moist your going to have a resinous blob left no mater the pipe.

 

[baronsamedi]

My Peterson smokes down to ash with very little dottle consistently, but I wouldn't say it was white. Usually, it's just grey.