Nothing to worry about. Decades ago I was having the same issue. Most only smoke about 3/4 of the chamber until the smoke gets bitter. Think of what you are dumping as a filter layer.
Tell me What I may be Doing Wrong
- Thread starter Gavrin
- Start date
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Just dumped this… there is a little moisture at the bottom. Fine white ash sticking to the side of the bowl. The stuff you dump will be a little bit darker.
This is how we do it…
This is how we do it…
All right now I have a clear picture of what I am aiming for. Once I think I have it, I will take a shot and show you guys!
You've gotten lots of good advice here, let me add to that by saying relax and enjoy it.
Without actually seeing what you are doing when you say you stirred it up along the way, this could also be contributing to the fact that you have to keep relighting. If you are constantly stirring up the bowl throughout the smoke, you would basically be breaking up the ember and constantly forcing a relight.
Good point! The "stirring up" was after it went out and then I would re-lite again.
For those having this issue with a cob... The construction of cobs usually has two "pits" on either side of the draft hole that will collect tobacco. Since they are below the draft hole, it's very difficult to burn all of the tobacco that gets in there.
Doing that is doing more harm than good, and may be a big part of your issues. I would substitute any stirring for very light tamping (assuming you have a good initial pack on the bowl and it isn't already overly tight). This will get the level of the ash closer to the ember, and then you will more easily be able to relight.
I agree with the previous posts. I think you should start with less tobacco then you think you need. Use the gravity method and pack it much lighter than you think you need, and tamp lighter as well. You can always tamp a lot while you smoke. I tamp at least 5 times during a bowl, usually more. All very light. Get the tobacco dryer than you think it should be. Once you go a little overboard you can start to add more tobacco or dry it a little less, but this will get you to burn most of the tobacco with fewer relights.
Follow Up: First I want to thank you all for helping me out with your advice. I took to heart all the information that was given. I have had a great success tonight and smoked a bowl all the way down with much less lighting and even had certified ASH!! I actually enjoyed it while watching videos-on, wait for it, tobacco and pipes of course! The major thing I was doing wrong was in the packing. I smoked using a humble and worthy, Legend MM corncob. I look forward to many more bowls ahead of me and have you all to thank. Oh, and @captpat, I was able to enjoy it and relax woohooo!
Ditto. My cob has an area below the draft hole which will always be filled with dottle. If I got it to combust, so likely, would my stem insert.
Sometimes the last fraction of a bowl won't taste good. I'd just pitch that out. You don't need white ash every time.
once I have to fight to keep it going it gets tossed. I figure I probably spill more tobacco filling the pipe then I lose to dottle.