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As I say in that post, I merely gave the method a better name than "cannonballing". I think I mentioned it later it that thread, but I did figure out how to musketball Royal Yacht! As a matter of fact, I am smoking a musketball of RY right now!Quote:
Originally Posted by tmoran
Well, I'll be honest here - it didn't work out too well on the first try for me. I never could get it to stay lit, even though the flake was very dry this morning. I'm just chalking it up to user error and will keep practicing. This felt MUCH more promising a method than the way I'd tried doing it before.Quote:
Originally Posted by commonsenseman
Thanks Guys,,,now I'll have to start filling out the list,sounds like fun:pipe:
Hmm, my guess is if you had proper moisture content, it's most likely related to airflow. Another variable to consider is the fact that some flakes expand more than others, which could cause a more or less restricted airflow. It takes a little while to get a feel for how tightly it should fit pre-light, in my experience most of the time it should be fairly loose, it can always be tightened up with a little tamp.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cardinal
Thank you, I'm going to keep at it. Will try going a little looser next time, because it felt dry enough that it should have burned no problem.
Giving it a go with some PE lux BE flake. 2 coins, folded in quarters, cylindrified (I just made that word up) and stuffed with a bit of tinder on top. So far, so delicious.
I am going to have a flake workshop in Raleigh this summer. We cannot wait two more years for you, jeffle.Quote:
Originally Posted by CommonSenseMon
Since I originally posted this 5 years ago & it had taken me 2 years then to "figure flakes out". I'll see you at the 2022 international Flakes Summit. You can even sign me up as a keynote speaker, provided there will be complimentary 1792.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mister Moo
I was thinking more along the lines of Cakalackie BBQ but, 1792, sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by commonsenseman
Mmm. Love that Carolina BBQ!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mister Moo
ARGHHHH,,,stopped a few stores to get some OTC to try the musketball and they didn't have any ,,mo Cap't ,no PA,no Borkum,,,nothing.I hate waiting,,it just suuucckksss
Speaking of 1792 and flakes, what's your secret to smoking this stuff? Such nice, stong flavors in this weed but it seems to be the most incombustible substance I've ever put into a pipe. I can't ever keep it burning for more than a couple minutes. I've had the best success rubbing it out while still wet (if you try to rub a dry flake out it crumbles to dust and tiny toothpicks) then letting it dry a bit and loading loosely. I've tried the fold and stuff and it just will not burn and makes a lot of moisture.Quote:
Originally Posted by commonsenseman
A lot of it is the oil inside the tobacco. A lot of SG flakes suffer from this unfortunately.Quote:
Originally Posted by Emperor Zurg
I like to rub the flake out, then put it back in the tin and let it sit in there for about 3 weeks undisturbed. That seems to evaporate the perfect amount of water as well as oil to where it still smokes even and dry, but isn't so dry that it becomes harsh.
I also like to smoke all SG flakes in a big wide open draw pipe.
I'll have to try your rub-out method next time. Right now I've got another cob bowl loaded up and waiting with folded and stuffed 1792. Little drier than last time, little looser pack. I intend to fill my lighter to the max and do battle with it as I drive across town for a delivery :pipe: I expect an empty lighter and mostly empty pipe by the time I get back :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Branzig
1792 bulk is always much drier, ready to smoke, when I buy it. As you're figuring out with LBF, each flake has its' own character for how it burns and tamps. Starting with a new flake, for me, always begins with a meer (to know the flavor) and one dry-ish flake well rubbed out. Trouble with 1792 is, most people smoke half a bowl and they're done with it for life. It is weird tasting and, from the get-go, a little bit of a fight. Worth it, though. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Emperor Zurg
1792 is part of a world of leathery flakes that are a bear to burn without drying and rubbing out. However, in flavor-world, the bears are great. 1792, Full Virginia Flake, Stonehaven... there must be more.
I don't know how you do it...I get too frustrated with tobacco that won't stay lit :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Emperor Zurg
If it won't stay lit fairly consistently, I will just put the pipe down and come back to it later when it wants to behave itself again.
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Originally Posted by Emperor Zurg
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Originally Posted by Branzig
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Originally Posted by Emperor Zurg
Wow, so much good advice. I agree, 1792 is a very difficult flake to smoke, one of the hardest. It's dense, thick & wet. It's also tough because the flake thickness varies so much. The best bowls I've had required the tobacco to be very dry, and for me to smoke very slowly. Like, barely burning slowly. Folded & stuffed is good, but it expands a TON. I like to use medium thick flakes for the folded part & thin, almost dusty stuff for the "top-dressing". When rubbed out, I prefer a shallow, large bowl. When folded & stuffed, I almost always prefer a taller bowl.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mister Moo
Experiment with dryness & method. Keep us posted with your results.
Went a little better this time around. The stuff seems to burn the best after a 'crowd to center' tamp (or strand re-arranging more like it). I really like this weed alongside a can or 2 of cola. At times it reminds me a little of Penzance, at other times it reminds me of Dr Pepper. 2 hours on 1 thin half of a flake. I'm relaxed now and want to take a nap.
Glad it worked out ok. I'll try the cola trick next time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Emperor Zurg
Wow, 2 hours is intense, you WERE smoking it slowly.
Well I bought it in a 250g box so it was half of one of those flakes, albeit a very thin one.Quote:
Originally Posted by commonsenseman
First thing I do when I get a box like that is cut all the flakes in half so they fit in a squatty pint mason jar.
Well, crap. Jumbo flakes are a whole different bowl of fish.Quote:
Originally Posted by Emperor Zurg
With fold n' stuff, I like watching the tobacco embers heave up when the burning tobacco expands. It helps keep the smoke interesting.
Great post. I am about two seconds away from giving up on flakes. I have rubbed, fold and stuffed etc and cannot get the flake to stay lit at all, thus making me puff more which makes for a very unenjoyable smoke
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Don't give up! It takes years to master flakes, but it is totally worth it. Some of the best tobaccos in the world are flakes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Preferido83
If you're still having this trouble with a completely rubbed out flake, I'm figuring it's a Samuel Gawith flake? If that's the case, rub it out, load a bowl today, then wait and smoke it tomorrow.Quote:
Originally Posted by Preferido83
Amen to that!Quote:
Originally Posted by commonsenseman
Nothing something as simple as erinmore flake. I have rubbed out and fold and stuffed and absolutely no luck keeping it lit either way.Quote:
Originally Posted by mooster
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Well still rub it out and leave it in the pipe overnight. Smoke it the next day.Quote:
Originally Posted by Preferido83
If it doesn't stay lit after that I would say it is packed too tightly or tamped to often.
Flake just doesn't fire up the way ribbon, shag or crimp-cut does. While slow and gently puffing works once it is lit, a flake needs a vigorous, thorough first light, a tamp and relight or two (once again pretty strong) just to get that top ash smoothed out and an ember started. That top layer of ash, gently leveled, allows the flame to light the entire surface more easily. I really fire it up at first. Once the ember is established, you can back way down and it will stay lit for a long time even without puffing on it. I've set a pipe full of flake down for possibly ten minutes, and with a little damping and soft tamping, brought it back to life again. I think new flake smokers are a bit shy and gentle with that first few lights. Even rubbed out, a flake is a bit lumpier than ribbon or shag, and doesn't flash-burn. It's like kindling compared to wood shavings.
You bring up a great point Jim.Quote:
Originally Posted by freestoke
When I light up a loose cut blend, I always draw light and think, "I am lighting a pipe here" but when I light flake I try to think of it more as lighting up a cigar. Big, full draws and trying to get a nice even char and burn going.
Initially, my mind set with a flake is to treat it more like a cigar.
I had an opportunity to try this method with ODF. I used one flake, folded it in half, then layed my pipe by the side to estimate the bowl depth. I determined that I needed to fold the doubled over flake into thirds again in order to get it to fit as it was somewhat of a shallow bowl. I used the bits that fell away during the folding process to sprinkle on the top, but did not rub out further.
I initially had problems getting it to stay lit. I thought I had it going, then within only a few puffs, it went out. The flake didn't seem overly moist at all. The draw seemed very loose. After a couple of tries, I gave the tobacco a tamp, then tried again. Third time was the charm! Maybe these were the false lights Jeff referred to. Once I got it going though, it burned like a champ with only light sipping draws. I didn't feel the need to tamp it again until more than halfway through. I had very few relights the rest of the way.
Thanks for sharing your method Jeff. I will certainly repeat this again to get it down.
Sounds like a success to me. Getting it started certainly can be the hardest part!Quote:
Originally Posted by Nature