Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake

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docrameous

Can't Leave
May 6, 2019
368
993
Colorado
Any suggestions or experiences similar to mine would be appreciated.

This summer I got a sample of SG St. James Flake. I had been smoking Orlik Golden Sliced quite nicely and so I didn‘t even think twice about trying another VaPer.

It kicked my butt!!! I could not keep the stupid thing lit. It was like I was a first time piper and knew nothing about how to prepare tobacco, pack a pipe and light it. I eventually made it through the bowl, but I don’t remember anything about the smoke other than it felt like I used a half of a can of lighter fluid to keep it going. I was so bugged about it that I put it away and smoked a bowl of Carter Hall to get my head back in the game... :)

I am about to try St. James Flake again and I'll let you know how it goes. Generally I am starting to find that these really bad experiences are pushing me to become a better piper. Every time it happens I experiment a bit more and rethink the fundamentals. I may find the same experience with St. James Flake and not touch it again for some time, but some blends just seem to push me and I may never click with St. James Flake.

Reading tobaccoreviews.com, some SG blends are revered and loathed all at the same time, so you and I are not alone. Hang in there!
 
Jun 23, 2019
1,845
12,758
That's good advice, as I am a new pipe smoker. I will certainly keep trying. It quite obvious blends like FVF are premium and I love the old world vibe but dammmnn it's been frustrating.
I already somewhat gave up on it, and tried blending it with other blends that im not so crazy about to maybe equalize the effect and that kind of works.

A great thing about Dunhill blends are that they are ready to smoke, "ready rubbed" if you will. Flakes, plugs, and twists are mostly tobaccos in some storage form where flavor retention and ease of use is traded off. With flakes I personally find it best to just rub it out with your fingers, ball it, do whatever really, until you get it to somewhat resemble those Dunhill ready-to-load mixtures. And then you can leave it out to dry for as long as you'd like... It's hard to describe these things as they tend to be vague. But I find the bowl size/shape often matters too.
 

Saintwilliam

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 26, 2019
213
317
I’ve got a box on its way but am feeling a desire to crack open one of the jars I’ve had for a year... maybe that’s the play. Better with age on it and it’ll let the new stuff age.

I know that Is how it’s supposed to go but for some reason I’m just trying to smoke the fresh stuff as it comes in to let the cellar age.

Is that crazy?
 
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BROBS

Lifer
Nov 13, 2019
11,765
40,026
IA
It’s good but not great. There are plenty of other examples of this. Samuel Gawith could shit in a tin (looks like they do) and people would buy it. I like some SG stuff but is is miles ahead of other brands? No way. Maybe even behind.
 

Mis Pipas

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 11, 2019
911
9,813
75
Holy Land
I picked up some HH along with many others when I went on a recent VA/VaPer/etc shopping spree. As far as straight up VA flakes I’ve only gotten into the FVF, Union Square, and Small Batch Carolina. Of those I prefer the FVF but now I’m urchin’ to crack open some of the others ?
View attachment 15997
Johnny Hi. I would like to buy those glass tins with screw cap that you have. Are they airtight? Can you help me find a place on the internet? In your free time. I will thank you
 
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Johnny_Pipecleaner

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 13, 2019
583
2,984
Mill Valley, CA
Johnny Hi. I would like to buy those glass tins with screw cap that you have. Are they airtight? Can you help me find a place on the internet? In your free time. I will thank you

Those are just 8oz Ball jars, mason jars, etc. I don't generally buy them online because of all the reports of breakage in shipping, but they have them on Amazon, etc. Otherwise your local Target, Walmart, etc will have them. The grocery store on my corner sells them.
As you can see I don't get too fancy with the labels. I try to peel originals from the tins and cut them to fit, then adhere them with double sided Scotch tape if needed.

I can get 100g of flake or 50g of ribbon/loose into an 8oz jar FYI

EDIT I see you are not in the USA, so my apologies. I wouldn't know where to find them in Israel. Sorry!
 
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Oct 7, 2016
2,451
5,195
Perhaps some of the current interest in harder to deal with tobaccos like FVF, plugs, twists and ropes is due to changes in what a “typical” smoker has the time and patience to deal with. I used to be an all day everyday smoker, and while I smoked lots of flakes, I would usually rub out several ounces of each of two or three, place them in zip locks, and fill my Rotator pouches as the need arose.

I don’t do that any more, as two or three large bowls a day or about the Max I smoke, and it doesn’t really seem to be a bother to take the time to rub out a bowlful. I am struck by the number of posters here who smoke even less than I do.

And they seem to enjoy the “ritual”, which I translate as finding a use for, or an excuse to acquire, a high dollar knife. ?. (True confession, I acquired a small Ulu knife a while back for the sole purpose of cutting plugs, etc. even though I easily could have used any number of knives in my kitchen. I thought they looked neat.)
 

Mis Pipas

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 11, 2019
911
9,813
75
Holy Land
Those are just 8oz Ball jars, mason jars, etc. I don't generally buy them online because of all the reports of breakage in shipping, but they have them on Amazon, etc. Otherwise your local Target, Walmart, etc will have them. The grocery store on my corner sells them.
As you can see I don't get too fancy with the labels. I try to peel originals from the tins and cut them to fit, then adhere them with double sided Scotch tape if needed.

I can get 100g of flake or 50g of ribbon/loose into an 8oz jar FYI

EDIT I see you are not in the USA, so my apologies. I wouldn't know where to find them in Israel. Sorry!
WE HAVE GOOD ONES BUT ARE TO BIGS, 1/2 LITER (0.11 GALONS) OR TO SMALLS 0.130 LITER (0.028 GALONS) WITH NUT MOUTH.
{| pageTitleService.title() |} - https://www.ikea.co.il/catalogue/Cooking/Jar_and_tins/70213545
{| pageTitleService.title() |} - https://www.ikea.co.il/catalogue/Cooking/Jar_and_tins/70429456
THANKS ANYWAY :)
 
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Mis Pipas

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 11, 2019
911
9,813
75
Holy Land
Those are just 8oz Ball jars, mason jars, etc. I don't generally buy them online because of all the reports of breakage in shipping, but they have them on Amazon, etc. Otherwise your local Target, Walmart, etc will have them. The grocery store on my corner sells them.
As you can see I don't get too fancy with the labels. I try to peel originals from the tins and cut them to fit, then adhere them with double sided Scotch tape if needed.

I can get 100g of flake or 50g of ribbon/loose into an 8oz jar FYI

EDIT I see you are not in the USA, so my apologies. I wouldn't know where to find them in Israel. Sorry!
PERHAPS I'LL BUY FROM AMAZON - IF YOU TAKE A LOOK



WHO IS THE MANUFACTURER
 

BROBS

Lifer
Nov 13, 2019
11,765
40,026
IA
Ball
you might have more luck in your country to find Bormiolli Rocco, Fido.
 
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