Am I Flaky over Flake Cut?

[Pipeoff]

Title edited: Please capitalize important words. Rule 9.- jpm


After all my years on the pipe, I just can’t warm up to this cut of tobac. It seems that many quality blends are prepared this way. I know that they need to be rubbed out but the sticks remain and get all over the place when loading. The frequent relights and tamping is a pain. Call me lazy, beat me up if you must, it is all attention. Just my opinion.

 

[Alex.Jr]

Dry it more than you think you should.

 

[mso489]

No question, loose tobacco is way easier and carefree, and it saves some time. However, there are advantages to slowing down, at least now and then, and going the flake/coin/plug/rope route, if you have the patience. These cuts have been left partly in their pressed format, so they retain a little more moisture, age a little more intensely, and burn a little slower. They can provide a longer smoke out of any pipe. With blends, they provide the maximum in melding of flavors. If they just seem like trouble to you, leave them alone. But if you want a most flavorful and longer smoke from time to time, go for the flake (etc.) cuts.

 

[prairiedruid]

Could try cube cutting it and just do a gravity fill for you pipe.

 

[sablebrush52]

If breaking it up and rubbing it out is too much work, buy yourself a coffee grinder and give it a blitz or two.

And definitely dry it out more, a lot more.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

After all my years on the pipe, I just can’t warm up to this cut of tobac. It seems that many quality blends are prepared this way. I know that they need to be rubbed out but the sticks remain and get all over the place when loading. The frequent relights and tamping is a pain. Call me lazy, beat me up if you must, it is all attention. Just my opinion.

You're obviously welcome to your opinion. I find Flake very easy to load and smoke. Dry it more and don't bother rubbing it out. You're robbing yourself of the pleasure of smoking many fabulous blends for no good reason.

 

[Grangerous]

Scissors. I make cubes then rub the cubes a bit further for an easy loading/burning Rough-cut. Never was much for Fold n Stuff.

 

[anotherbob]

you don't need to enjoy everything. There are plenty of great blends that aren't flakes. I wouldn't worry about it until the itch to try University Flake gets unbearable.

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

Failure is the key to success.
If it doesn't work one way, then try another.
Persist until you get it right, it's worth it.

Frustration is pointless and self-defeating. Don't get angry with the flake, get even with it.
It's only tobacco.
We are the highest life form on the planet for goodness sake.

 

[cigrmaster]

Out of the 43 blends in my cellar, 41 are either flakes, plugs or a rope. I fold and stuff most all of my flakes and most are the perfect humidity right out of the tin. I prefer a bit off moisture in my flakes as they smoke cooler and drier with more flavor than any other cut of tobacco. If fold and stuff isn't your thing I would try cube cutting. I would also make sure to check the draw before lighting up as I prefer a bit of resistance and hate a loose fill. I never rub out a flake as for me it defeats the purpose of buying flakes.

 

[karam]

Can’t say I share the sentiment, flake is probably my favourite form of pipe tobacco.

 

[anotherbob]

Can’t say I share the sentiment, flake is probably my favourite form of pipe tobacco.

me too. I found the trickiest part of flakes is how loose you need to pack even rubbed out.

 

[karam]

me too. I found the trickiest part of flakes is how loose you need to pack even rubbed out.

Ah i never rub them out, what i like to do is corkscrew a moist flake in the chamber, then carefully pull it out and let it dry as much as needed, then put it back in and light.

 

[anotherbob]

Ah i never rub them out, what i like to do is corkscrew a moist flake in the chamber, then carefully pull it out and let it dry as much as needed, then put it back in and light.

I don't tend to rub out flakes much. More break them into ready rub, but I included that bit for educational reasons.

 

[cfreud]

Call it plug, cake, kake, flake, broken flake, mottled flake, it just burns more slowly and, to me, and produces more flavor. I've heard about coffee grinders or cube-cutting. I just break it up for a rough feeling cut to my fingers with some "kindling" in the upper half of the bowl. Bottom line: I'm a freaking flake.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Rub it out, dry it, rub some more, dry some more. Then good to go.

And you guys: Please put your location in your Profile, as people are forgetful.
Why:
That will save questions in the future as to where you live when you later mention local stores, weather, tobacco prices, availability, regulations, location of photos, wildfires, air quality, etc. In many instances that saves time for those who read your posts. It cuts down on posts or PMs asking where you are.
How:
Under your avatar, (top right, left most of three symbols) you choose "Account Details", which brings up "My Account". "My Location" is halfway down. Whatever you're comfortable with- town, city, county, state. province, etc.

 

[Worknman]

Ive found flakes, broken flakes, and rubbed out flakes to be the best behaved, longest lasting, best smokes out of any other cut.

 

[bullet08]

Sticks will be there. Fold, work it, and stuff it after good drying should almost always work with sticks. But if you must rub it out, just pick out the sticks. Most of the time, they don't interfere. If the stick is too big, just take out while smoking.

 

[Chasing Embers]

After all my years on the pipe, I just can’t warm up to this cut of tobac. It seems that many quality blends are prepared this way. I know that they need to be rubbed out but the sticks remain and get all over the place when loading. The frequent relights and tamping is a pain. Call me lazy, beat me up if you must, it is all attention. Just my opinion.

More than one way to skin a flake.

 

[tmcg81]

A decent chunk of my favorite blends come in flake form, so I've learned to love them. I'll generally rub them out pretty vigorously and pack them like I would a ribbon, but lately I've been feeling lazy and just folding and stuffing. Out of the blends that I smoke, OGS, PSLNF, and MacBaren HH Burley Flake seem to respond the best to folding. Solani ABF and MacBaren Navy Flake don't seem to work as well for me. The ABF for sure needs dry time though and I rarely dry it enough.