Can Constant Relights Cause Premature Bowl Charring?

[Chasing Embers]

I wonder this as I go through an entire tube of butane smoking this Samuel gawith St James flake.

Curse you, asbestos-ridden tobacco

Cube cut it, let it dry on a paper towel overnight, and gravity fill it. That one will mostly burn itself to the bottom of the chamber with little effort.

 

[Chasing Embers]

lots easier to reach inside without charring the edge!

Hold and remove the flame while still drawing. The flame will never touch the pipe regardless of the lighter used.

 

[kcghost]

I tamp a lot, but I've never had any bowl charring.

 

[gervais]

Cube cut it, let it dry on a paper towel overnight, and gravity fill it. That one will mostly burn itself to the bottom of the chamber with little effort.

I must never ever have my tobacco dry enough no matter what Im smoking. To say that I've had anything burn down to the bottom with little effort would be a lie.

 

[coys]

I must never ever have my tobacco dry enough no matter what Im smoking. To say that I've had anything burn down to the bottom with little effort would be a lie.

it seems like only the burley heavy blends will burn unattended for me. The rest require some relights, some need a fair number of relights.

The folks here impressed on me that some relights are pretty normal but drying time will help but not eliminate them with certain blends

 

[AJL67]

I have many years of SJF, this from 2008 is like leathery bacon strips and is used to drive me up the walls, it i dried it too much it would just turn into charcoal in the bowl, found that a super small cube cut was perfect for it, i might try grating a bit to see how that works, amazing stuff when it burns well. I’ve found using cigar scissors to cut it up works great.

 

[gervais]

I have many years of SJF, this from 2008 is like leathery bacon strips and is used to drive me up the walls, it i dried it too much it would just turn into charcoal in the bowl, found that a super small cube cut was perfect for it, i might try grating a bit to see how that works, amazing stuff when it burns well.

View attachment 187224

That stuff looks amazing. Mine was cut alot thicker it seems. I wish mine was nice and thin like yours

 

[AJL67]

That stuff looks amazing. Mine was cut alot thicker it seems. I wish mine was nice and thin like yours

Different years different cuts / production.

 

[Papamique]

FVF is just as stubborn for me

I was traveling last night and tried to load a bowl of FVF and smoke it all while driving. Not fun. Couldn’t keep it lit, tasted like burnt garbage, scorched my tongue and almost went off the road fiddling around with it. Worse than texting and driving and frustrating to boot. Dumped the whole bowl out the window and grabbed some HH Dark Fired Kentucky. FVF is one for the house only when I have the time to break it up/load it proper. Then it is sublime!

 

[TheWhale13]

I've only tried Saint James Flake once, but it was amazing. I just rubbed it out and left it to dry for an hour or so. It burned very slow, but just needed some relights.

 

[gervais]

I think the key is going to be rubbing it out ultra ultra fine. I like the mortar and pestle idea

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ok guys, the trick to getting a great smoke from these English made tobaccos is sort of complex. This is not my discovery, but one Peck made and posted a few years ago, but it works well for me with a few small revisions that I added.

1. Just cube cut the flakes,
2. and let them dry out to touch. I have to use a coffee mug warmer in humid Alabama, so just take your area into account on how you dry yours.
3. Put it all back into a jar for a month. This allows the moisture set deeper into the cubes/flakes to even out. Remember SG and GH&co drench this shit with water.
4. I then try a bowl, and check to see if it smokes better, for most of you it will. You will notice that it feels moist to the touch again. But for me...
5. I let the tobacco dry out on the coffee mug warmed for an hour or so, to be at the right humidity for my liking.
6. Then I seal mine back up in the jar, because atmospheric humidity will re-moisten my perfectly dry tobacco, and I don't want that.

YMMV

 

[gervais]

Ok guys, the trick to getting a great smoke from these English made tobaccos is sort of complex. This is not my discovery, but one Peck made and posted a few years ago, but it works well for me with a few small revisions that I added.

1. Just cube cut the flakes,
2. and let them dry out to touch. I have to use a coffee mug warmer in humid Alabama, so just take your area into account on how you dry yours.
3. Put it all back into a jar for a month. This allows the moisture set deeper into the cubes/flakes to even out. Remember SG and GH&co drench this shit with water.
4. I then try a bowl, and check to see if it smokes better, for most of you it will. You will notice that it feels moist to the touch again. But for me...
5. I let the tobacco dry out on the coffee mug warmed for an hour or so, to be at the right humidity for my liking.
6. Then I seal mine back up in the jar, because atmospheric humidity will re-moisten my perfectly dry tobacco, and I don't want that.

YMMV

Gonna give this a shot Cosmic. Super low humidity this time of year so I at least have that on my side

 

[Peter Peachfuzz]

I wonder this as I go through an entire tube of butane smoking this Samuel gawith St James flake.

Curse you, asbestos-ridden tobacco

If you think St. James is a pita try keeping 1792 going.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Gonna give this a shot Cosmic. Super low humidity this time of year so I at least have that on my side

So far, it hasn't gotten below 70F inside my house yet this year, but when I do have to turn on the heater, all of the picture frames on the wall will condensate for the first few days. I love how warm it is here, because I just don't care for the arthritic cold of winter, but it has it's drawbacks. This is why all construction and materials used down here are different from most other building codes in the US. I guarantee that all older homes in this state all have some sort of fungus that is dangerous in them.

 

[gervais]

So far, it hasn't gotten below 70F inside my house yet this year, but when I do have to turn on the heater, all of the picture frames on the wall will condensate for the first few days. I love how warm it is here, because I just don't care for the arthritic cold of winter, but it has it's drawbacks. This is why all construction and materials used down here are different from most other building codes in the US. I guarantee that all older homes in this state all have some sort of fungus that is dangerous in them.

I find it absolutely hilarious that, at least here in Canada, we are moving more and more towards building houses that are 100% sealed to the tits with plastic and spray foam. Then we frame it all up with wood that is wetter than a dog that rolled around in a puddle. And how is all the moisture suppose to come out of this lumber after its all sealed with plastic??? Mold and mildew disasters, I'll bet

 

[Winnipeger]

Ok guys, the trick to getting a great smoke from these English made tobaccos is sort of complex. This is not my discovery, but one Peck made and posted a few years ago, but it works well for me with a few small revisions that I added.

1. Just cube cut the flakes,
2. and let them dry out to touch. I have to use a coffee mug warmer in humid Alabama, so just take your area into account on how you dry yours.
3. Put it all back into a jar for a month. This allows the moisture set deeper into the cubes/flakes to even out. Remember SG and GH&co drench this shit with water.
4. I then try a bowl, and check to see if it smokes better, for most of you it will. You will notice that it feels moist to the touch again. But for me...
5. I let the tobacco dry out on the coffee mug warmed for an hour or so, to be at the right humidity for my liking.
6. Then I seal mine back up in the jar, because atmospheric humidity will re-moisten my perfectly dry tobacco, and I don't want that.

YMMV

That's very similar to what I do, without cube cutting the flakes first. The KEY is number 3.: putting it all back into a jar for a month to even out the moisture.

Dry first, then jar.

That way your tobacco is nearly ready to smoke when you reach for it. I used to make the mistake of opening a tin and jarring it right away. Depending on the moisture, the tobacco might not be ready to jar for a few days, up to a month depending on how you store it. You can dry it slowly in the open tin with the lid on, or take the lid off to dry it out quicker. Bottom line is, you can't pop a tin of SG flake and light it up right away, expecting a great smoke. It takes more patience one way or another. This goes double for plugs and especially ropes in my experience. YMMV

 

[Briar’s Echo]

This is great information. I have one question regarding grinding tobacco. A few have mention like a coffee grinder or herb grinder, but is this something that is often done? And what would be the best type of grinder for tobacco? Thanks.

 

[eljimmy]

Cube cut it, let it dry on a paper towel overnight, and gravity fill it. That one will mostly burn itself to the bottom of the chamber with little effort.

This works. I dried out some 1792 Flake for about 5-6 hours. Broke apart really easy once dried and I smoked it to the bottom with no relights.

 

[sparker69]

Thanks for the question - I would never have thought to ask that. But when I saw it, I wondered too.