My Fold-n-Stuff Method

[commonsenseman]

Well I bought it in a 250g box so it was half of one of those flakes, albeit a very thin one.
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.

[Haebar]

With fold n' stuff, I like watching the tobacco embers heave up when the burning tobacco expands. It helps keep the smoke interesting.

[Preferido83]

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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[commonsenseman]

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.

[mooster]

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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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.

[mooster]

Some of the best tobaccos in the world are flakes.

Amen to that!

[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.

Nothing something as simple as erinmore flake. I have rubbed out and fold and stuffed and absolutely no luck keeping it lit either way.


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[Branzig]

Nothing something as simple as erinmore flake. I have rubbed out and fold and stuffed and absolutely no luck keeping it lit either way.


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Well still rub it out and leave it in the pipe overnight. Smoke it the next day.

If it doesn't stay lit after that I would say it is packed too tightly or tamped to often.

[freestoke]

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.

[Branzig]

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.

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.