Burn issues after ash falls

[FireDigger]

Today I was enjoying a SLR Regio. Everything was great, burn, draw, flavor were all there. However, right after the ash fell, burn issues started. The wrapper won't burn evenly and needed a few re-lights. Even after re-lighting, the cigar would still not burn well, almost going out a few times.

Thinking about previous smokes, it seems like the burn always goes south after the ash falls. Does any of you have this problem? Do you have any recommendations to prevent this scenario? I only smoke on the balcony, so the wind might be an issue, but today's wind was not too bad.

[Taino]

Sink your cigar in kerosene before smoke it...

I don't think there is much you can do, the problem you had was most likely due to a construction problem. The ash falls also due to that same problem. When that happens you can:

a ) keep smoking and pray for the problem to be just a spot, and the cigar will correct itself in a few minutes

b ) cut a few cms of the cigar and re light it to see if gets better

c ) throw it away and light a new one

[blooz4u]

Sink your cigar in kerosene before smoke it...

I don't think there is much you can do, the problem you had was most likely due to a construction problem. The ash falls also due to that same problem. When that happens you can:

a ) keep smoking and pray for the problem to be just a spot, and the cigar will correct itself in a few minutes

b ) cut a few cms of the cigar and re light it to see if gets better

c ) throw it away and light a new one

What he said!

It shouldn't be with every cigar... just hopefully, a random occurence!

[perfectform]

I find that purging a cigar every so often can help with most burn issues...

[Shelby07]

Yeah... Seems the center keeps burning but the edge goes out. When this happens I've found that simply touching the edge with a soft flame all the way around so he entire wrapper is burning gets things going nicely again.

[greenpimp]

Actually I purge softly into a lit soft flame. The flammable, built-up gasses in the cigar ignite, and the cherry shoots out flame, also tending to burn the uneven chunk. I then let the cigar sit for a minute in the ashtray, the uneven/unburned side of the cigar down (not up, it seems counter-intiutive, but the bottom of the cigar actually burns faster) . Usually does the trick, plus or minus a touchup.

[Kangaroo495]

I have exactly the same problem 75% of the time. Once the ash falls, the cigar starts burning like crap. Usually it will never recover from there unless it's a thin gauge.

Sometimes the flavour even suffers after the ash falls.

Odd.

[Stalebread]

I don't think there is much you can do, the problem you had was most likely due to a construction problem. The ash falls also due to that same problem.

Right. That makes more sense to me.

The ash falling is not a cause but a symptom.

[Kangaroo495]

Right. That makes more sense to me.

The ash falling is not a cause but a symptom.

But the ash on a cigar will always fall off at some point, unless you're competing in a longest ash competition...

[Stalebread]

But the ash on a cigar will always fall off at some point, unless you're competing in a longest ash competition...

Well . . . yes. You've got a point there.

Maybe there's a difference between an ash falling off (prematurely?)

and an ash that holds until you knock it off.

To me, an ash that falls off and/or is not more-or-less solid to the touch after it's off,

could be (but does not have to be) an indication of poor construction.

Either way, I just don't see how an ash coming off would impact the flavor to any appreciable degree.

Of course, I say that because I've never experienced it.

Does not mean it does not happen.

[Kangaroo495]

I guess that's what I was talking about too. I also never have a problem with ash falling off prematurely. But after it does fall off (or after I tap it), the burn immediately starts getting uneven.

Pain in the backside!

[fugwumpy]

Either way, I just don't see how an ash coming off would impact the flavor to any appreciable degree.

Here's a post from not too long ago discussing the presence of ash and burn/combustion/flavor...

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/inde...p;hl=combustion

~Joe

[FireDigger]

I should clarify that the ash is not falling off prematurely as some interpreted from my post. My problem is in line with what Shelby and Kangaroo stated. Thanks for that link fug; what Rob said in that post reflects my problem.

I wonder if this has something to do with the temperature drop at the foot of the cigar immediately after the ash drops, which would lead to the burn around the wrapper to go out??

So far, my only remedy is to puff a few extra times right after the ash drops, but that does not always keep the burn going.

[Stalebread]

I thought there was another thread about ash. Thanks for the link, Fugwumpy.

Even in that thread, however, there was no conclusion.

Does it have anything to do with how fast one smokes? Maybe because I tend to be a pretty slow smoker I don't have the ash-falling-burn-problem problem. I've never noticed any relationship between ash coming off and the need to correct a burn. Or there being a distinct change in flavor right after the ash comes off. Maybe I just don't pay enough attention.

Could it also be simply that the burn problem is there or is developing anyway and it's just after the ash comes off, or it is taken off, that we look more carefully at the burn and notice it going off?

It also occurs to me that maybe the ash/burn problem is a function of the difference between humidity at which the cigar is stored and that at which it is smoked. Just a thought.

[Stalebread]

. . . I also never have a problem with ash falling off prematurely . . . quote]

Oh, man, I do.

The Partagas SdC 2 I smoked a day or two ago is a good (or bad) example.

The ash dropped on its own about every half-inch.

The first time I looked and saw there was no ash I wondered what was going on. There was no ash on the cigar because it was in my lap and dusted across my shirt.

(but neither the burn nor flavor seemed to be affected)

Such is life, eh?

[Stalebread]

I should also add, although this is maybe a seperate topic, that I am reluctant to touch up a burn unless it is really going crazy. I'd rather hold out as long as I can in the hopes that a minor burn problem will correct itself. I find that the more I have to touch up or, worse, re-light, the more likely the cigar will turn harsh and tarry before its time.

[Smooth]

I remember working this out years ago and it is (for me anyway) an easy fix.

The thing is, when the ash falls off I concluded it takes the 'ember' part of the wrapper along with it, hence wrapper essentially goes out thus creating burn issues when it eventually re-ignites.

Discovered the simple fix: Whenever my cigar ashes, I immediately take take two slow long easy draws on the smoke, with a slight tap on the ashtray between the two while making sure the outer ring of the wrapper starts glowing. Have been doing it for years and has 100% cured any 'after ash' burn issues.

Has never failed me. Try it and see

[SamuraiJack]

I have started doing two things that help me keep the cherry from tunneling into the cigar:

1. keep an even ash; I will never let the ash get long enough to fall off on its own, I try to keep a 1/2 inch or so, by gently pushing/rotating the ash against something (eg. ashtray) My cousin taught me this.

2. this one came as a revelation to me, I tried it, and its helped a lot. Don't smoke so slow. I used to smoke a Monte No 4 for two hours. When folks say "its a great 45 min smoke" I was like "what!?". Well, I enjoy the flavors most on light puffs, but I still take harder puffs every now and then to keep things burning. I just won't let the smoke from the hard puffs linger too long in my mouth.

And of course there are sometimes cigars that are just duds. But I think there are fewer than I initially thought.

[Ellery]

This happens to me 50% of the time, I thought I was lighting it wrong, smoking too fast/slow, too windy outside, too much humidity outside (and any other rationalization I can come up with at the time.) Its frustrating, the smoke isn't as copious, the burn is off. I never notice, a change in the flavor, or lack of flavor, but I personally like that razor sharp burn. I just end up relighting it a couple of times. Im glad to find out that others have the same issue.

[samb]

Actually I purge softly into a lit soft flame. The flammable, built-up gasses in the cigar ignite, and the cherry shoots out flame, also tending to burn the uneven chunk. I then let the cigar sit for a minute in the ashtray, the uneven/unburned side of the cigar down (not up, it seems counter-intiutive, but the bottom of the cigar actually burns faster) . Usually does the trick, plus or minus a touchup.

x2 I will purge my smoke after the ash falls. I will purge it with a flame if and only if i should actually have to relight it. I've also adopted the strategy of taking a long slow drag after the ash falls.

[FireDigger]

I remember working this out years ago and it is (for me anyway) an easy fix.

The thing is, when the ash falls off I concluded it takes the 'ember' part of the wrapper along with it, hence wrapper essentially goes out thus creating burn issues when it eventually re-ignites.

Discovered the simple fix: Whenever my cigar ashes, I immediately take take two slow long easy draws on the smoke, with a slight tap on the ashtray between the two while making sure the outer ring of the wrapper starts glowing. Have been doing it for years and has 100% cured any 'after ash' burn issues.

Has never failed me. Try it and see

That's a good explanation. I draw right after the ash falls off part of the time. I'll try to do it more often to prevent the burn issues. Thanks!

[reigndrop]

I use to have that problem with the cigars I smoked, too. For some reason though, the problem just went away.