10 Seconds in the Micro--Yea or Nay?

[cosmicfolklore]

Almost every fruit, vegetable, and meat has passed through microwaves before it gets to the grocers. Our phones and computers emits microwaves, and unless you live in a cabin off grid, with no means of electronic communication, in an area hundreds of miles from electric or communication lines, you are living in and amongst microwaves. Therefore, no one on this forum is free of microwaves.
But, if it makes you feel good to think that only the microwaves that cook your food are the bad ones, just feel free to toss them and live amongst all of the other microwaves surrounding you. Or, surround yourself with aluminum foil.

But, you are much more likely to be harmed by the many other radiation rays coming from the sun. Or, the carbon from cooking food with heat, or one of the many other billions of things that could kill you.
You'd think that a bunch of guys who have made an educated decision to smoke tobacco in pipes, wouldn't be such castrated nannies when it comes to something like hearing that someone else is microwaving their tobacco. We are all much more likely to die of heart disease from absorbing the nicotine into our system. And, if you are one of those naysayers, then why dismiss one scientific inalienable fact for something you'd see in a grocery store tabloid. ::

 

[gkr1]

No way I am zapping my baccy. Slow dry is much better! Or I like to think that.

 

[gkr1]

No way I am zapping my baccy. Slow dry is much better! Or I like to think that.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Everyone is free to zap or not zap. Just don't tell others not to do it or fan flames for the Luddites.
Interesting side note: You get more radiation walking through Grand Central Station in NYC than you get walking past a nuclear reactor......

 

[sablebrush52]

I do it sometimes, placing the weed between a layer of paper towel top and bottom to absorb the steam. But this is only when I'm short on time to let it dry, as cooking it changes the flavor in a way that air drying does not. Some may like that cooked flavor, I don't.

 

[warren]

There is a reason some tobaccos are air dried and others dried in kilns (cooked). But, again, it's what the smoker will tolerate and accept. If you find pizza, reheated in a microwave appealing ... cooking/drying blends that way will probably result in an acceptable smoke. But, as a matter of perspective, I'm one of those who enjoy most blends right from a freshly opened tin. To each his own is the correct answer I believe. Everyone's palate is different.

 

[fredo]

Before smoking, I lay my tobacco on a table for about an hour (I guess time would vary, based on relative humidity), until it isn't tacky anymore, but before it's crispy. It requires some planning and often delays the next bowl, but I favor that approach to microwaving.

 

[balkisobrains]

I say to those who leave it out, or who don't like the microwave, you owe it to yourselves to try the hair-drier / heat gun approach. Try not to overheat/cook the leaf (unless you want to), and it's not for everything. But for blends that need drying, it is consistent and repeatable, and it might take 5 extra minutes for something like soggy cubes. I do a bowl at a time and never feel like it is time-consuming. :puffpipe:

 

[npod]

I use a small sushi rice drying fan instead of the microwave. A pipe smoking senior from Japan thought me that trick. Works better than a microwave if you are in a hurry smoke and need drying first. 5 minutes is usually good.

I've read that touching yourself too much can lead to developing allergies to red Virginias

:clap:

 

[midwestpipesmoker70]

I look at drying tobacco as just part of the ritual of pipe smoking. I actually enjoy the wait knowing how good the smoke will be. However, I may have to try the microwave method the next time I am really in the mood for one of my wet flakes and haven't the time to air dry. Glad to know that it works.

 

[brightleaf]

My understanding of how microwaves work is due to their emitting an electromagnetic wave frequency that is in resonance with the water molecule's vibration rate. The microwave energy causes water to vibrate faster with the effect that the temperature is raised. Short periods in the microwave will accelerate the rate of evaporation without visible steam. Longer times would cause steam to be visible.

 

[balkisobrains]

That's pretty much how I understand it, the microwave basically "insta-boils" anything with moisture in it from the inside-out, as soon as the magnetron kicks on. Also handy to know is that when voltage is sent to the step-up transformer and the mag is powered, it is always max output. Any power level selectors just regulate when and for how long the mag runs for, but it does not reduce operating voltage.