Do Cuts Matter

[Old_Newby]

As I learn more and shop more (or make my wish lists -?) I notice I am offered the same size tin in either a flake, a ready rub, or ribbon, etc.

I noticed I can save $1 if I choose flake over ready rub, which obviously is less work for the manufacturer.

However is a flake better to cellar than a ready rub? Or a ready rub over a ribbon? Or are they just different cuts with the same qualities?

 

[onestrangeone]

Flake gives you options on how you want to prepare it, there’s some subtle difference in the flavor depending on how you go about it. I think the biggest is that different cuts smoke different. I don’t think it makes much difference in how it ages.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Entirely depends on how you smoke.

 

[captpat]

Personal preference, all else being equal I prefer flakes, lots of packing options

 

[weezell]

Personal preference, all else being equal I prefer flakes, lots of packing options

I agree!...

 

[mortonbriar]

I look at it more from the angle of 'it's fun how many cut options there are' rather than preferring one over another.

I have a suspicion that flakes, plugs, ropes will age different better in terms of the flavour melding but I have no peer reviewed study to back that up, just a number of years smoking stuff...and in contradiction of that suspicion I have aged ribbon blends that have flavours melded deliciously...

What a wishy washy answer, good thing there are members here with actual opinions!

 

[verporchting]

Personal preference, all else being equal I prefer flakes, lots of packing options

This ^^^

 

[bullet08]

Some blends don't come in different preparations. You get what's offered. Doesn't really make much difference to me. I'll smoke 'em either way.

 

[clynch]

I like playing with the flake. Today i tried flake strips. Bent in half, half again, and stuffed them. Didn't work well for me. I don't have the experience to deal with it like that in the bowl. Tomorrow Ill try rubbing it out. As mentioned above should taste and burn differently depending on how you load it. I'm learning.

 

[Old_Newby]

I have a couple Newminster bulk samples (80 & 400). 400 indicated flake but it’s more a ready rub when it arrived. In both I found a stem about half inch long. I think they were stems being very hard and well stem looking. I threw them away. Not a big deal and it probably happens with bulks more than tins. Led me to think about stems and how they probably ruin a smoke? I am thinking a flake or ready rub would allow you to find and discard stems easily, but if a ribbon cut do stems get chopped up into small pieces and not found?

 

[onestrangeone]

I have a couple Newminster bulk samples (80 & 400). 400 indicated flake but it’s more a ready rub when it arrived. In both I found a stem about half inch long. I think they were stems being very hard and well stem looking. I threw them away. Not a big deal and it probably happens with bulks more than tins. Led me to think about stems and how they probably ruin a smoke? I am thinking a flake or ready rub would allow you to find and discard stems easily, but if a ribbon cut do stems get chopped up into small pieces and not found?

The leaves have veins that do get worked into blends, they actually provide a fair amount of flavor, admittedly the bigger ones do cause problems.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

It’s really about preference…

Easy load and puff ribbon cut seems to be the most forgiving as far as packing. Flakes give you options…fold & stuff, strip rip, cube cut, or simply roll it in the ball of your hand load & stuff.

Flavor can be more enhanced subtlety on plugs & flakes as they’ve had more time to meld the various ?s in blends…it’s an O2 science surface idea or some damn thing, but who knows.

Either way, I have both & like both depending on my mood. ?️

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yes... the only thing that doesn't matter is the label on the tin, name of the blend, or how much you paid for it.

 

[Streeper541]

Yes.

 

[mso489]

I suspect plug and rope, and to some degree flake and coin, stay fresh a little longer, age better, and pack a little more flavor than loose tobacco which gets exposed to more air. I know that those more solid cuts, in general, burn more slowly. So you can get maybe 45 minutes of smoking out of a small chamber packed with these than with loose tobacco. I like loose tobacco for ease and saving time packing, but I do enjoy prepping the more solid cuts when I have time.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

stay fresh a little longer, age better

Which is it? Do they stay fresh longer or age better? These conflict. I'm not even sure exactly what people mean by fresh these days.

I prefer ribbon, because it smokes without me having to tamp after I get it going, nor fiddle with it. Cube cut would be a close second. Coins just crushed and stuffed are ok.
Flakes folded and stuffed are the worst for me. I have to keep fiddling with tamping down the sides that didn't burn, and it just gives me an inconsistent smoke. I suppose this is a favorite mostly for non-clenchers or guys who don't mind tending the fire, so to speak. I cube cut these, or if on the go, I just rub them out.
I have no special love for flakes, and plugs... :::sigh::: a tobacco that requires more freaking prep, nah. I mean, I do have a ton of plugs, but I bought them mostly before I began to get annoyed with prep.
C&D plugs are ok, because I can just break them up with my fingers into a crumble cut of sorts.

 

[mso489]

They retain a little more moisture (stay fresh) and because of this and being packed together in larger mass age better in melding the constituent tobaccos. I don't insist on this, but since the original post asked ....

 

[JSPiper71]

In my limited experience, I've recently been recently finding ribbon smokes and tastes better. Maybe because I don't know how to rub out flake properly??!? Maybe because the ribbon is easier to dry and often less wet? I don't know, but I am definitely finding that I am enjoying ribbon cut smokes a lot more. Tough though, because most of the VaPers I like are flake of some kind.
Not sure about the tamping comment from @cosmicfolklore though. I find I need to consistently tamp ribbon or it will smoke faster. Again, I'm a noob, so what the hell do I know.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

In my limited experience, I've recently been recently finding ribbon smokes and tastes better. Maybe because I don't know how to rub out flake properly??!? Maybe because the ribbon is easier to dry and often less wet? I don't know, but I am definitely finding that I am enjoying ribbon cut smokes a lot more. Tough though, because most of the VaPers I like are flake of some kind.
Not sure about the tamping comment from @cosmicfolklore though. I find I need to consistently tamp ribbon or it will smoke faster. Again, I'm a noob, so what the hell do I know.

You can tamp it, but I am a clencher. I don't like to take my pipe out of my clench once I get it going. With flakes, I have to tamp, or else I end up with a small hole burned through the flake, and 90% of the flake unburned.

 

[Charrington]

Yes.
They all matter.
In my opinion.