>>998590>Whats the purpose of the round bit in your ashtray? Just to tap the pipe on and empty the bowl?That's it exactly.
The round bit is called a "knocker". Most of them are cork and can be put into existing ashtrays, but since that is a silicone ashtray (I can clean it in the dishwasher), it's molded into the body.
With a name like that, it works just how you would expect it to.
It's funny you ask about reaming, because I just reamed out
>>996758 last night with my pocketknife.
There's no set schedule for it, it's just on an as-needed basis when you feel like the ash cake inside the bowl is starting to get too thick or you can't fit as much tobacco in as you used to. I just ran my knife blade lightly around the bowl and was shocked that so much cake came out so easily.
The advantage to reaming is pipe longevity. Although the ash cake is flavor neutral and helps keep the pipe cool, too much can cause your bowl to split, so keeping it in check is advisable.
Once it gets thicker than a nickel (2mm), it's time to cut it back. Some people take it all the way back to bare wood; I don't like to go that far. A small layer of cake (0.5-1mm) is sufficient for me.
Even though I have one, a reamer isn't a necessary piece of kit. You can get by with a small-bladed pocketknife to trim it back (indeed, pic related-the old Trim Trio knife that was sold in every barbershop and drugstore in America until not too long ago-had a blade that was the perfect size and shape for reaming a pipe bowl), but the dedicated reaming tools will do a better job faster, with more precision and less chance of damage.
