Discouraging Attempts at Smoking this Flake

strugglingthinker · Jan 8, 2012

I have had some really frustrating bowls of McLelland's St. James Woods Flake. My two major problems are as follows: MAJOR tongue bite and it is tremendously difficult to keep lit. The puffs are pitiful. I don't expect a bonfire, but this is ridiculous. I do smoke other flakes quite successfully (and without pain), such as Irish Flake. I realize that it sounds as though the tobacco is too moist. However, please read below.
I have attempted different combinations of the following:
1. Letting it dry, anywhere from 1 hour to 8 hours.

2. Partially and Fully rubbing it out...using finely rubbed and dried "kindling".

3. Trying different bowl sizes and shapes.
I WANT to like this tobacco. It is beautiful, and I have (on occasion) had a good tasty puff. What can I do that I haven't already done?

jameral · Jan 8, 2012

I'm no expert, but it would seem that the only other variable you haven't listed is your packing technique. Perhaps this particualr baccy would require a different method than what you are currently employing.

puffin · Jan 8, 2012

I had some trouble with University Flake. Bite hard and wouldn't stay lit. Rubbing it out helped a bit, but I just wasn't enjoying it, and I couldn't taste the casing that some say is quite prominent. Put it in the cellar and completely forgot about it. A year later, and it was a totally different experience. Easy burning and just sweet enough. If you don't like it now, put it away for a while in a mason jar, and see what some time does to it.

schmitzbitz · Jan 8, 2012

St. James Woods is a mainstay in my stash, but it can he finicky. I often dry it in flake form for a couple of hours, then give it a quick rub and back to drying for a couple more hours. Repeat until fully rubbed and on the verge of too dry, and it works like a charm...at least for me. I usually pack it with a "geezer pinch" if you will.

buster · Jan 8, 2012

Dry it, rub it, pack it, walk away. Smoke it tomorrow morning.

ebrand · Jan 8, 2012

St James Woods is one of my favorites, for me I usually rub it out as much as I can, and smoke it really slowly with a cup of coffee. I haven't had any trouble with tounge bite, (Isn't the perique in there supposed to nullify that anyway?) But I do find myself puffing too hard and it gets too hot. I would suggest A) smoking it AWKWARDLY slow at first to get used to how hard you need to puff it, and B) Take your time lighting it, go at it for a few seconds, lightly crush up some of the ashes on top and repeat for a few times, that way you dont fry your tongue trying to light it since it is (at least for me) difficult to light at times. Worth it though!

mlaug · Jan 8, 2012

Whenever I hear of someone talk about bite and trouble keeping a bowl burning, I bet they aren't getting bit but experiencing a burn from over sucking on the badly smoldering mess in the pipe while they're trying to get it going.
I dry it out a day in advance, rub it out hard and pack it lightly in my bowl.

thesmokindragon · Jan 8, 2012

+1 w/mlaug- I give the MC flakes at least 24hrs of dry time before rub/pack'in it, after that it smokes like a dream...all MC flake works this way...I also had trouble at first trying to figure it out...when I let the leaf rule...it granted me full access to pure smoke'in bliss

kcvet67 · Jan 8, 2012

I love McClelland flakes, but they can be very temperamental. Increased drying time will definitely make a big difference and I usually kitchen matches to light it. The cooler, softer flame works better for these blends than a lighter. It helps to rub out a pinch of it very finely and put that on the top of the bowl (sort of like tinder).

unclearthur · Jan 9, 2012

I dry my flakes to just shy of crumbly. They light well and burn a lot cooler.

strugglingthinker · Jan 10, 2012

Thanks for the tips, fellers. I let the flakes dry for a bout 36 hours (fully rubbed out) and they did MUCH better. Also, I smoked them in a cob, which likely helped as well.

rd02sir · Jan 10, 2012

Try packing it extremely loose. I've been having problems with flake, but I just came in from smoking a bowl of mb vanilla creme flake and it stayed lit!! Altho burned a bit on the hot side.
I just gravity fed till the brim them ever so slightly, lightly tamp it with very little pressure and repeat once more. It should be packed to the brim and very spongey. I find flake to expand more when heated, so what was once loose, will "tighten" up later on.
Oh yeah, if you think your bowl will take a whole flake (depending on bowl size), only use half. Try making a half flake pack to the brim.
Ps, I'm a relative noob to pipe smoking so I'm not an old wise man.

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Discouraging Attempts at Smoking this Flake

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