Rubbing Out Flakes.

[multitool]

I DO NOT understand this propensity towards doing what the makers intended. The makers of Coca-Cola never stated that they intended you to pour Jack Daniels into it, so stop it.
The makers of bubble gum intended for you to just chew it, stop blowing bubbles. They don't want you to.
Tobacconists also do not want you to blow smoke rings. This was never the purpose of tobacco.

In fact, if we are going to ask the real experts, why not go and ask the indigenous people who gave us tobacco in the first place how we should all be using tobacco. Like the British have any claim on being first with tobacco in any way? We should consult the Native tribes as to whether flake and plugs should even be allowed. Because these are the originators. What the hell is a white person doing giving any advice or conditions surrounding tobacco?
View attachment 276986

That all said, I rub mine out. I don't need the stresses of fiddling with a flake when all I want is to merely smoke.
Why they make them into flakes is for flavor. If you want to try two blends that are exactly the same, but taste differently because one was pressed, try GLP's Key Largo and Robusto. The only difference is that Key Largo was pressed to meld the flavors.

Why they make plugs... because you idiots will buy it up if they do.

This was great, as well as making a great point.
I also find I have the best results by rubbing it out.

 

[Uguccione]

I would never ask an Indian for tobacco advice, they smoke terrible stuff; just watch any Western film to understand it: when a cowboy is forced to smoke the Calumet of Peace, he coughs convulsively with an expression of disgust on his face.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

just watch any Western film to understand it:

You are soooo right. Movies are the absolute authorities of historical accuracy. I had no idea guns back then could just shoot endless rounds without ever having to reload them. What happened to this technology?

 

[Searock Fan]

You are soooo right. Movies are the absolute authorities of historical accuracy. I had no idea guns back then could just shoot endless rounds without ever having to reload them. What happened to this technology?

Yeah, those were the days! Not only did they not have to reload, they didn't have to take aim, just kind of throw the bullets out of the gun. And no one ever got shot any where except the shoulder.

 

[Uguccione]

Movies are the absolute authorities of historical accuracy

Obviously I was joking ;-) but I think it was really rubbish. Maybe pure perique.

 

[Searock Fan]

Remember Roy Rogers and Gene Audrey? Well, forget them. Here's the real hero of the old west. Kind of getting off topic....

Skipalong Rosenbloom (1951)

Big thanks to Steve for helping me obtain a copy of this movie.

ok.ru

 

[krizzose]

I fold and stuff anything of Danish or German manufacture, as they (i) tend to be cut uniformly, and (ii) are dense enough to stay generally together when folded. As long as the flakes are dried to my preference, this is just the easiest way for me to pack a bowl. I usually cube cut Gawith flakes because of their wildly varying flake thicknesses. McClelland I fold if I can, but usually end up cube cutting. My experience with C&D manufactured flakes is that they immediately fall apart, so then I just pack them as ready rubbed (without any extra rubbing).

As with most anything pipe smoking, YMMV, this is what I do and not what I think you should do, I believe you if you say you prefer flakes fully rubbed out, and I think you should smoke what you like however you like to smoke it.

 

[coys]

I normally don't fold flakes as I don't have much luck with that method. I prefer to rub them out. Some like SG seem to like being quite dry and fully rubbed out, at least for me.

 

[anotherbob]

Think......smaller

snuff?

 

[didimauw]

snuff?

Basically. Especially what goes on top of the bowl. Powder lol
I find that the better ground up it is, the cooler and more evenly it will smoke. Ill be honest, I don't really know how to smoke any form of tobacco, other than obliterated.

 

[anotherbob]

Basically. Especially what goes on top of the bowl. Powder lol
I find that the better ground up it is, the cooler and more evenly it will smoke. Ill be honest, I don't really know how to smoke any form of tobacco, other than obliterated.

I barely break my flakes apart. Though depends on the flake in question.

 

[didimauw]

I barely break my flakes apart. Though depends on the flake in question.

Interesting. How fast does your cake build up? I wonder if the small particles I create help speed up the cake building process....

 

[Swiss Army Knife]

Folding flakes is blasphemy, it disrupts the artisanal grain of the tobacco. True pipe smoking gourmands line up unbroken strips in a 3 inch deep bowl and then spend the next week smoking it.

Just as with plugs and the necessity of a square bowl to smoke the unadulterated plug from top to bottom.

 

[anotherbob]

Interesting. How fast does your cake build up? I wonder if the small particles I create help speed up the cake building process....

Honestly it's the most random thing ever. I have to cut it back between one month and seven months. And no clue why. Only thing I have noticed is when I get lazy on rotation it seems to build faster (smoking the same number of days per week per pipe, just two days in a row instead of split).

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

I usually rub out my flakes, because it's just easier; however, every once in a while, I will fold and stuff a flake. If I do fold and stuff, the flake needs to sit out for a bit and be fairly dry, otherwise, I'll be re-lighting like crazy.

 

[anotherbob]

Oh one thing that is counter intuitive with the fold and stuff is that on the initial lights I find it's best to really get the sucker going and then let it calm down. Seems to cause it to burn steadily. Also when and if I have to relight I dump the ash and then stir the top layer which is usually a bit jagged and mountainous, I use the pick of the pipe tool then flatten it all out. It feels off at first but it really seems to make a huge difference.

 

[Uguccione]

I prefer to crumble coarsely; the few times I tried to smoke a whole Flake I only got a idiosyncratic and aromatically claustrophobic smoke.