Question about ashes

[lgoldberg]

I learned from YouTubers to gently tamp down the ashes as I smoke a bowl down, but I was wondering if anyone dumps their ashes at any point, to 'freshen up' the bowl?
Sometimes my pipe tastes like dirty ash tray by the time I'm halfway in, which made me think to ask.

 

[Carlos]

If it works.........good deal. Sometimes I do.

 

[Balisong]

I poke around the center of the ash outwards until I feel the unburnt tobacco, dump that into an ashtray, level out the exposed charred tobaco and fire it back up. I'll do that once or twice for an inch and a quarter deep bowl which most of my cobs are. It works for me, YMMV!

 

[Idlefellow]

Depends; whatever's necessary, so sometimes yes, sometimes no.

 

[Zeno Marx]

I don't usually do it, but sometimes, it demands it. It's most often when I go for that rare re-light at the bottom 1/3 of the bowl. When that is necessary, I attribute that to pilot error. I reckon it matters what kind of tobacco you're smoking too.

 

[WarneOut]

I'd say, I don't make any special effort to keep ash in the bowl or to get ash out of the bowl.

If it's there, so be it. Sometimes I'll turn the pipe upside down over an ashtray and let whatever falls out fall out.

Relights can taste a bit ashy if you're lighting a thick blanket of ash.

 

[lgoldberg]

Thanks, everyone. Sounds like I just need to fiddle around with it.

 

[D.L.Ruth]

I don't think I ever ash my pipe. If it starts to taste too ashy I just dump the whole thing.

 

[Blackhorse]

Thanks, everyone. Sounds like I just need to fiddle around with it.

Methinks thou hast discovered the great BoB Golden Rule.

 

[MisterE]

I like to dump it as I go, especially with narrower bowls.