Flake Question

FVF... let it dry out a bit, as in a LOT. Terrific stuff, but way to freaking wet.

Other than that, I rarely fold and stuff whatever the method. I mostly rub it out.

I also tend to fully rub out my flake and then let it air out properly. It's well worth the effort!

I've never managed to get good results from stuffing a completely unbroken flake into the bowl. What I usually do is kind of mush the flake into a ball, breaking it up slightly but not totally rubbing it out, and use that for the first fill. Then I tamp that down - it won't tamp nearly as much as rubbed out tobacco. Probably it will leave the top 1/3 to 1/4 of the bowl empty. Then top that off with well rubbed-out tobacco in order to get an easier light and tamp a little more. I find that's the best combination of easy lighting and cool, slow smoking for me. But you've got to experiment to figure out what works for you.
Also, as noted above, SG flakes come ridiculously wet in the tin. They also have a weird greasiness to them that makes them dry out differently than any other flake I've tried. I find the best way to dry them is tear them into long strips about a cm wide - this helps them dry more uniformly than just leaving the whole flake out. But if you're just starting out with flakes, I would highly recommend almost anything other than Sam Gawith ones in order to avoid frustration while developing your technique. Capstan Blue is a good medium flavor one that's very easy to work with. Orlik Golden Slices is also great, though lighter. To be honest, I'm not sure the SG flakes are worth it even after you've gotten good with flakes. They're good tobacco for sure, but there are lots of other good tobaccos out there that don't require nearly so much fuss. I smoke them myself, but only once in a while. They're just too much work for a regular smoke.

I have gotten good results by giving the flake a quick rub and then slicing it. I rub out one or two of the cut slices completely and gravity fill the bottom of the pipe with some loose tobacco. I then cube cut the rest and gravity fill, and top off with a little more loose tobacco.

I usually fold the flake (standard method), then rub it slightly and stuff it into the pipe. Then take some of the fine rubbings and put in the too of the bowl to help get it going.

tppytel nailed it. :clap:

Tp is right as Cortez, said I have found a method similar, I let them dry , then I take a couple , as I have big pipes and ball them up and make a little fat cigar, screw it in but not all the way leaving an air pocket on btm. Then here comes the haircut , Flakes are sticking out the pipe like a bad haircut, I take sharp siccors and give my flakes a crew cut even with the rim of the bowl exposing a lot of little flakes wanting to get burned and release their pungent aroma and for filling their destiny .Works for me.LOL

Also. Rubbing out. The best method for a rub is to put the flake between the palms of your hands and rubbed them together in a circular motion. This creates a ball that can be easily packed into your pipe.

With all due respect to the much more experienced and well informed members above me, rubbing out a flake has never really gotten me the same flavor as keeping it whole. I usually let it dry 30 minutes to an hour and use the following method,
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vlx3T-isujQ
Works great for me.

-BnB

After reading the above comment from bulletsnbriars, my first response was, "well he must not be smoking a rubbed out flake right", so I put it to the test. I smoked a CVP flake folded like the guy did in the video and I smoked a rubbed out one. And wow have I been missing out. The folded flake gives at least double the flavor. I am amazed, I didn't think smoking could get any better than a rubbed out flake, but I was wrong.

I used to be obsessed with the slow burning potential of flake. I began with fold and stuff and am now rubbing it out, progressing by degrees from the most intact to the most pieced; this progression was endured begrudgingly; I was into the romance of the flake. I've been smoking it rubbed out for a number of years, but in the back of my mind I'm still hooked on smoking flake intact, and thus the "Z" method is appealing and something I will try.
I'm hoping that my smoking technique has improved to the extent that whatever the problem was that occasioned so many relights will no longer be encountered. There are many guys who smoke flake intact; maybe with more persistence I can be one.

I tend to rub out the flake out into a fine shag, just my preference. I have tried the Z method and it does work quite well. The only problem I have found with it is if the flake is really dry, like you need with the SG flakes.

I tried this method tonight and it works very well after drying out two year old SGFVF. It has not given my the taste that others have described but it tasted as good as it ever had. I normally cube cut and I find it no better in this method. I will try the Z fold method on other flakes to see if it works better than cube cutting.

uh...flakes they are a little bit tricky but once you master how to smoke it, it's a lot of fun!

you may want to pack less than a whole flake in your pipe to begin with. I don't know why it smokes better than packing a whole flake, but it just does.

While others choose to tear a flake along the layer I usually cut my flake against it, because I believe it will not separate the different ingredients.

Try different packing methods, it's trail and error time! I can't tell you how many flakes I dumped before I found the one method working for me, but you will find the one method for you. Oh right, this is probably another good reason to pack less than a whole flake: if you have a really bad experience and want to dump it, you will be dumping half a flake instead of a whole one.

Rub a little bit of loose tobacco and spray them at the top, it helps to do the charring light. Cubes do the trick too.

And finally, DON'T try FVF as your first flake. I find out that not only are they damper, but they're thicker than my other flakes which makes them harder to light as well. Try dunhill flake, peterson's irish flake or anything you like. Just don't start with SG flakes.

Enjoy your flakes!

I have tried a few flakes so far, but they are not my cup of tea, whether the GSs ones, Dunhills, or any other ones. The only ones I've enjoyed are De Luxe Navy Rolls, but I really cannot get on with the rest. For one thing, I find it very difficult to crumble them down, you need to relight every now and again, they smoke really hot in your bowl and the preparation will take forever.

Two words: cube cut ! Pour into bowl, tap tap to settle. Works perfectly every time.