I smoked a bowl about an hour and a half ago and I had dried it previously. I had to work on it to get it lit and going, but once done, it was very pleasant with few relights.
Wring out the Full Virginia Flake
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Cube cut? It’s fine. Still quite a few relights.
Reviving this thread. After some initial frustrations with FVF, I have had great success with the following method.
First, snip the flakes down to 1/4" to 1/2" then use a metal weed grinder to mill the flakes to a short ribbon cut.
Second, add some Pegasus or Haunted Bookshop, and mix together. I like one part burley to 5 or 6 parts FVF.
Third, allow it to air out for an hour or so, then smoke up. I've been doing this for a few months now and the results have been terrific. I almost always smoke this in a Savinelli 614 or one of my other deep bends. Takes the flame and burns beautifully with just a small touchup light here and there.
The weed grinder is a real game changer for these thick, rubbery flakes, and the burley helps keep the burn going. This mixture ends up with the consistency of a very short ribbon cut, so I always put a layer of meer chips in the bowl to prevent clogging.
I've tried just about every other method for FVF. This has produced by far the best results.
First, snip the flakes down to 1/4" to 1/2" then use a metal weed grinder to mill the flakes to a short ribbon cut.
Second, add some Pegasus or Haunted Bookshop, and mix together. I like one part burley to 5 or 6 parts FVF.
Third, allow it to air out for an hour or so, then smoke up. I've been doing this for a few months now and the results have been terrific. I almost always smoke this in a Savinelli 614 or one of my other deep bends. Takes the flame and burns beautifully with just a small touchup light here and there.
The weed grinder is a real game changer for these thick, rubbery flakes, and the burley helps keep the burn going. This mixture ends up with the consistency of a very short ribbon cut, so I always put a layer of meer chips in the bowl to prevent clogging.
I've tried just about every other method for FVF. This has produced by far the best results.
While I applaud your "search for excellence".... that sure sounds like a lot of work to me. Then again, I am first to admit that I am not a connoisseur of tobacco blends on the level of many here on the forum.
I take a flake and do a rough rub. Then I dry it out overnight for the next day as I tend to like my 
on the dryer side. This is really all I have to do. No microwave, no heat lamp, no out in the hot sun.
Honestly, if this method didn’t work I’d not bother with it. Taking the time to dry FVF out proper has led to some of my best smoking experiences. ymmv.
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on the dryer side. This is really all I have to do. No microwave, no heat lamp, no out in the hot sun.Honestly, if this method didn’t work I’d not bother with it. Taking the time to dry FVF out proper has led to some of my best smoking experiences. ymmv.
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My trick is to just close the jar and then open up some Bright CR. There’s such a fine line for me between too wet and too dry and I always seem to miss it. Too dry and it just fries my palate, I don’t get any of that deep custardy sweetness, it’s like smoking hay or unprocessed whole leaf. Too wet and I can see my soul crying out in the pitch black “ash” of the bowl as I attempt to smoke it down. I’m prolly much too gentle with my charring and lighting to begin with, in order to have any luck with it, but I have gotten lucky many times before and it can be a wonderful smoke, it’s just too far in between for me. So it is frustrating to hear that so many of you can just simply leave the lid off of it overnight and then enjoy because I’ve found it totally ruins the blend, and that there is an exact RH that is required to unlock it.
I’ll admit I skimmed the thread hoping to find someone who’s rigged up something similar to Linkmans Automatic Smoking Machine that Dr.Grabow might have used to pre smoke their pipes, so I don’t have to blow out my palate in the first 15min by churning out clouds and clouds of smoke just to get it started and then enjoy a calm session with Full VA. Especially when so much of the Gawith stuff smokes perfectly fine wet as if an accelerant was used in the casing whereas Full Va seems to employ a flame deterrent.
I’ll admit I skimmed the thread hoping to find someone who’s rigged up something similar to Linkmans Automatic Smoking Machine that Dr.Grabow might have used to pre smoke their pipes, so I don’t have to blow out my palate in the first 15min by churning out clouds and clouds of smoke just to get it started and then enjoy a calm session with Full VA. Especially when so much of the Gawith stuff smokes perfectly fine wet as if an accelerant was used in the casing whereas Full Va seems to employ a flame deterrent.
I feel like most things pipe-related sound like overthinking or too much work when you write them out.
I left mine out for five days once and it was still too moist to smoke. Makes me wonder if they add a preservative to it
I usually let mine set for a day or so, humid climate I fight against however in the room where I cellar I have a dehumidifier to keep the humidity regulated works for me
That’s what I thought the first couple of times smoking a pipe, it was hard not to toss in the towel and everyone that ask me about getting into pipe smoking says that’s a lot of work, I say it becomes 2nd nature and it’s more fun once you learn the “Art”I feel like most things pipe-related sound like overthinking or too much work when you write them out.
They use the old way. The way tobacco was transported would have dried it out to what we consider more acceptable moisture. That level of moisture is great when you put some in a pouch that lets it dry out. If they didn't do that it would end up as broken bits and pieces by the time the consumer got it.
Also there might be something to do with the way they sauce the tobacco. I know snuffs made that way are incredibly damp before being ground up (the ropes would drip juices when being twisted).
I'm curious to know the weight of the tins contents after they dry down to "normal" levels.
Hardly any work at all for such a great smoke, one of the best VA-BURs I've ever smoked, most excellent.
And this thread, is exactly why I am so happy to have found this forum!
Received a sampler along with a few tins of tobacco I bought here. Saw the dark flakes in a Ziploc bag in the box, "Full Virginia Flake 5g"....tossed it in my baggie humidor. In my mind I kept thinking about it. And thinking about it.
Finally got it out, let sit for 1/2 hour.
Went to rub it out and the stuff was so wet. Baggie was labeled 2019!? Let sit for hours, still soggy. Went on about my night and smoked some H&H AJ's blend. A few days later I packed the Full Virginia Flake in a small bowled Peterson and headed to the porch. While reading this very thread about how hard this was to light, keep lit, but how fantastic it is in practice. You guys were all correct on every front.
Took 5-6 lites, but WOW! This is one fantastic smoke. I am on the hunt now for a few oz's of this flake.
Tip of the cap to this fine forum. All the information, help and insight is so valuable to a rookie like me.
Many Many thanks
CB
Received a sampler along with a few tins of tobacco I bought here. Saw the dark flakes in a Ziploc bag in the box, "Full Virginia Flake 5g"....tossed it in my baggie humidor. In my mind I kept thinking about it. And thinking about it.
Finally got it out, let sit for 1/2 hour.
Went to rub it out and the stuff was so wet. Baggie was labeled 2019!? Let sit for hours, still soggy. Went on about my night and smoked some H&H AJ's blend. A few days later I packed the Full Virginia Flake in a small bowled Peterson and headed to the porch. While reading this very thread about how hard this was to light, keep lit, but how fantastic it is in practice. You guys were all correct on every front.
Took 5-6 lites, but WOW! This is one fantastic smoke. I am on the hunt now for a few oz's of this flake.
Tip of the cap to this fine forum. All the information, help and insight is so valuable to a rookie like me.
Many Many thanks
CB