Bottom of the bowl

jacobramsey74

I just bought a new Wessex pipe that smokes great. Well for the most part... once I get close to the bottom of the bowl I cant seem to keep it lit. It is very frustrating and I end up just digging the rest of the unburnt tobacco out of the bowl. I'm pretty sure I am packing it correctly but who knows. Does anyone have any advice?

vtgrad2003

If you have no air pockets, which it sounds like you don't, then it's probably the case that the draft hole is drilled slightly off bottom. I have a few pipes like that and it is what it is...I throw some tobacco at the bottom away too. You can (like I do) just leave the bottom stuff in there, whack out all the ash on top, and just fill the rest with new tobacco, that way you aren't throwing away new tobacco all the time, but you can only to that for a couple of bowls before what's at the bottom becomes rancid.

If you had a million dollars like @RockyMountainBriar does and could buy all the equipment he has, you could just redrill the hole, or like he also does, you could just keep buying more pipes until you find one that is drilled correctly , other than that, I just deal with it.

jacobramsey74

Well crap! I was hoping it was my fault. I usually dump kthe ash and pack it down hard and it will burn for a little but not nearly enough to enjoy it.

opipeman

@vtgrad2003;
Does @RockyMountainBriar really have a million dollars? Damn, I wish I had been nicer to him!

mfresa

You could try putting some pipe ash mud in the bottom of it.  I need to do that on one of mine.....

jacobramsey74

Could it be because the bottom is getting too wet? 

jacobramsey74

@mfresa

I'm afraid I might do it wrong and clog the hole

vtgrad2003

@jacobramsey74

No, it's not likely the bottom is getting too wet; any moisture down there wouldn't have time to creep up into the tobacco by the time you smoked the bowl. What does the draft hole look like? Is it right at the bottom or just near the bottom? It should come out so close to the bottom that most of the time the drill bit will actually leave a mark in the bottom of the bowl where it came through.

jacobramsey74

@vtgrad2003

I'll take a look at it again. I don't remember it having any drill marks but it was all black inside. I think it was one of those pre broken in pipes.

PappyJoe

@jacobramsey74
Try this.
Before loading the pipe, insert a pipe cleaner (You may have to remove the stem and replace it after loading.)
This creates a small air pocket at the bottom of the bowl and I find it provides a better air flow in some of my pipes.

RockyMountainBriar

If you have a long enough poker/pick on a pipe tool, you can run it from shank to bowl if you forget, or don’t have a pipe cleaner.

@vtgrad2003, @opipeman
Dang, if I have a million dollars I’d like to know where it’s at🤔

jacobramsey74

@pappyjoe

That's a great idea! I'll try that next. Thank you

jacobramsey74

@PappyJoe

That worked perfectly.

PappyJoe

Glad I could be of assistance.

opipeman

@jacobramsey74;
You have enjoyed the benefit of being a member of TPL brotherhood. All the advise you can hope for and it's free.

Londy3

Bottom of any bowl...🤮