Flake Tobacco: Preparing and Drying

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kane

Can't Leave
Dec 2, 2014
429
3
With flake tobacco, if one is to let it dry out before smoking, is it best to let the whole flake dry out before it is rubbed-out, cube-cut, folded, etc., or is it best to rub, cut, fold, etc., before drying?
Thank you

 

barleynbaccy

Can't Leave
May 31, 2013
436
0
I tend to prep it and then leave it, but I'm not sure it matters really.
I would think by separating the flake you would get it to dry more evenly and definitely faster.

 

freakiefrog

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 26, 2012
745
2
Mississippi
I like to let the whole flake dry seems to make it easier to rub out. But conventional wisdom says it would dry faster rubbed out, surface area is greater and all that. I'll set a flake out before dinner and normally it'll be good and dry by the time I'm done with dinner and have the kids in bed.

 

ericthered

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 29, 2014
511
2
Suffolk, VA
Prepping your flake (cube-cut, rubbing out) before drying it would probably shorten the amount of time it needs to dry since you are creating more surface area exposed to the air. If you prep after drying, the only negative I can think of is if you cube cut. The drier the flake the farther the cubes are apt to fly when cut. I think whatever works for you is the best.

 

cobguy

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
3,742
15
Prepping your flake (cube-cut, rubbing out) before drying it would probably shorten the amount of time it needs to dry since you are creating more surface area exposed to the air. If you prep after drying, the only negative I can think of is if you cube cut. The drier the flake the farther the cubes are apt to fly when cut
Same thing I would say ... especially about the flying cubes! :)

 

aldecaker

Lifer
Feb 13, 2015
4,407
42
I vote cut/prep first, then dry. While we're on the subject, I have a tin of C&D Burley Flake #1 that I just can't get to smoke dry. It doesn't seem like much of a gooper before burning, but man, the mess it leaves in the bottom of the bowl. Has anyone else had this experience with it, or should I just resort to a 15-second nuke job?

 

cobguy

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
3,742
15
should I just resort to a 15-second nuke job?
Never hurts to try ... I use this method quite a bit with much success.
Try this ... cube cut, nuke for 15 seconds on paper towel, remove and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

Now, gravity pack only by tapping the side of the bowl as you load.

Rub out some of the cubes fairly fine and top your bowl off with this "kindling".

Char, char, tamp (lightly), real light and off to the races! :puffy:

 

aldecaker

Lifer
Feb 13, 2015
4,407
42
Cobguy-

Yeah, that's a dead-on description of my method (except for the nuking) for OGS, Bullseye Flake, etc. Works like a charm-I think I learned it here, actually. Will try the nuking with the Burley Flake. Thank you. I don't want to hijack the thread, so bugging out for now...

 

jmsutton

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 11, 2014
103
0
I rub it out on a paper plate or something like that and let it sit for an hour or so. That has been the best result for me. But it depends on the blend. Orlik GS doesn't take as long to dry out, but Erinmore flake is a lot more moist so it takes a little longer. My friend likes to load it up and let it sit in the pipe for a while before lighting it up. Just keep trying stuff out and see what works for you.

 

billypm

Can't Leave
Oct 24, 2013
302
3
I prep (cube cut) all my flakes before drying, and I do an entire tin at a time. I believe the tobacco tastes better after drying and airing out a good bit and then sitting in a closed tin for a couple of weeks. YMMV but it always works for me.

 

stephenw

Might Stick Around
Nov 14, 2014
99
2
WV
I rub out my flakes and do not dry them. I tend to dislike bone dry tobacco and will smoke very moist tobacco. It takes much more skill to smoke moist tobacco :)

 

aldecaker

Lifer
Feb 13, 2015
4,407
42
I agree with that, Stephen. I think it's a lot easier to get a steam burn that to get bit by just the combustion temperature of a dry tobacco.

 

peteguy

Lifer
Jan 19, 2012
1,530
906
I rub mine out and then rub mine out some more. I then let it sit out to dry as I would any other baccy. Some are harder to rub out than others.
I've tried fold n stuff, cube cut, etc. and it just doesn't work for me. You might need to experiment a bit to find what works best for you.

 

tarak

Lifer
Jun 23, 2013
1,528
15
South Dakota
I usually let mine dry as a whole flake, but mostly due to laziness.
I've also found that I tend to over dry things and there are tobaccos that come ready to smoke out of the tin.

 

tppytel

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 23, 2014
156
0
It depends on the particular flake. For what I'd call "well-behaved" flakes (not super dense or moist) like OGS, any Solani, Capstan, Stokkebye LNF, etc. I dry the flakes whole just slightly. Then I fill the pipe with a combination of mush/fold-and-stuff at the bottom and more rubbed out tobacco on top. But for denser, moister flakes (Sam Gawith, G&H, some McClellands), I find that whole flakes don't dry evenly and take forever to boot. However, I also find they don't always rub out evenly straight out of the tin either. So I might dry them briefly (~20 minutes), then rub them out, then let the rubbed-out tobacco dry as long as necessary.

 

waxmojo

Might Stick Around
Aug 21, 2013
66
3
I rub out about half a tin on a sheet of paper, let it dry out some then put it into an empty tin and I am ready to go.

 

shutterbugg

Lifer
Nov 18, 2013
1,451
21
If you pack flake loose you don't need to dry all the flavor out of it first. Pack it much looser than you think it should be. It will expand when it's lit and be just right.

 
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Most of the time, if I have thought ahead, I will dry mine out also. If not, 8-10 seconds in the microwave does the rick for me. I notice that I get way more flavor this way, because the steam doesn't disrupt the tasting of the flavor. But, some report less flavor from drying. Sometimes, I rub them out, sometimes I cube them, sometimes I just fold and stuff. Depends on my mood.
Flavor depends on your mouth and how your taste buds work for you, highly personal. No right or wrong, but just experiment to see what works best for you.

 

saltedplug

Lifer
Aug 20, 2013
5,194
5,097
The only person with any authority say that smoking dry is smoking better is John Patton, and he says he learned this from his father, who also smoked dry. While this practice may have been found to be helpful by the Pattons and many other non-Pattons, I have never found it to be true, although from even a cursory analysis combustion, and to a lesser extent taste, must be affected by different amounts of water. Not a chemist/don't know.
I stopped paying moisture much attention long ago but tend to lean toward a GLP moisture level, say about 13%. I had some 1792, Stonehaven and St. James Flake that seemed to dry, so this week I added moisture to all three. I don't know as this helped as I've only smoked two bowls of 1792 after finishing it, and I have so many problems with that tobacco that singling out an improvement due to moisture is impossible.
Overall I think far too much attention is paid to this topic and that drying all tobacco is a waste of time. If the moisture of a tobacco seems wrong, adjust it. But I am accustomed to the way I smoke and may be missing what you find to be true in yours.

 
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