I really rub out the flakes well on a plate and then let it sit outside in direct sunlight for 10 mins. Perfect all the time. Add a few more minutes of drying time for a chopped and rubbed out rope.
Same issue on vintage Starfire. Screw in stem with stinger. I tossed stinger long ago but cant remove stem. It will not unscrew. It just turns. I can get a pipe cleaner thru so its not too bad. It is what it is.