Flake Does Not Stay Lit; Goes Out Every Minute!

[marko]

Hi pipe smoking people,

I'm Markus from europe and 52 yers old since February this year.
Greetings to all pipe smokers here.

I must add little bit prologue first:
5 years ago I smoked pipe different tobaccos- but liked Dunhills, they stay lit through 1 hour smoke with max. 2-3 relights other tobaccos not, so I was a Fan of the Dunhills. But after that I got antidepressant pills from the doc and must stop smoke, I could not taste the tobacco anymore it was always bitter chemical.

Now today I be fit again, not use any antidepressants anymore and want try pipe smoking again!
I buy some pipes not so expensive like Butz choquin, Jean Claude and one Georg Jenssen estate and use Dr. Pearl filter.

Capstan Gold Flake , Marlin Flake

So, but my problem is I can not stay the Flake tobacco lit through the smoke.
Today a new try, put the Flake out on my balcony for 2 hours to dry it out.

After 2 hours the Flake is more crunched I fold it and put the side where the Flake is spring out to the buttom of the pipe, then slightly tamp with my thumb at the top.
Put the pipe at very left side in my mouth not at the front. (to avoid hefty tongue bite)

Charring light with half dozen chokes....then wham! I get ash taste in front of my tongue. Drink cold Icetea....
wait 2 minutes, then another lightning 3-4 chokes, tamp the ash down very lightly.

After 1 minute make slow 2 chokes, wait 40 seconds, make again 2 chokes....
Then wait 1 minute- the pipe goes out.

Charring light again with 3-4 chokes.........
40 seconds making slow chokes, then after 40 seconds again....
then wait 1 minute- pipe goes out, pipe is not hot and I not get that very sweet flavourful virginia fruit taste, I get cigarretish grass-hay taste not more.

With this rhythm, I try to get the Flake stay lit burn for the next 10 minutes= no success
I give it up today after 10 minutes. It is not delicious ,it is like gaslighting smoking.

I do not know what I doing wrong here ?

When I think 5 years back I smoked pipe, I used the Dunhill tobaccos, twist a bunch of tobacco with three fingers in one move into the pipe, tamp down with the thumb- this thing stays lit, 1 hour smoke,
I not must make more than 2-3 relights, with other tobaccos (except dan tobacco) that was not possible for me only with the Dunhills cut.

But with Flake is not possible for me, better I buy Dunhill (the new Petersons) tobacco again.

What do you guys think? What I doing wrong here?
I think about to smoke Dunhills again (the new Petersons) and maybe my body chemistry will macth better with semi aromatic/ bulrey blends to taste th eflavour during the smoke instead of getting long lasting mouth/tongue aftertaste?

I hope to get discussion, answers and ideas to get my pipe smoke route goes on....

Happy weekend!
This is my pipe beautiful Jean Claude pipe the bowl is thick.

 

[shanez]

Capstan Gold Flake

This is one of my favorite blends.

I fold it like you did but I also twist it back and forth a little to help break it up before stuffing it in my pipe. I also put some fully rubbed out and loose on top to act as "kindling" to help get it going without the need to char it so much.

Also, since it is a flake, it will expand quite a bit so be sure not to put too much of the flake into the pipe to begin with.

Hope this helps.

 

[captainsousie]

Shanez has a good method so that you allow the tobacco decompress a little.

I struggled with flakes. I love them when rubbed out but can't help but feel that is the wrong way to go sometimes. It really is OK to rub them out if it works for you though. Cube cut never worked for me no matter how hard I tried. Fold and stuff can work if used with the above method and can still be a bit rough.

Keep at it and you will find the nirvana smoke...or just give up and go back to the shag/ribbon cut and be just fine as well. I'm not judging those who give up. If you don't enjoy the smoke, why do it?

 

[mso489]

I usually rub out flake pretty well, though the previous post describes good fold and stuff techniques. In rubbing out, it helps if the flake is fairly dry, maybe even out of the jar or tin for a day or two. Once it is crunchy but still slightly moist, the pieces should be small enough to burn evenly. Overdo this at first to get an even burn, then maybe dial back a little for more flake flavor. You'll find what works for you.

 

[workman]

I have had little luck with folding flakes.
I dry them untill they are crunchy and crush the hell out of them before I gently slip the bits and pieces into my pipe while tapping the bowl to settle the tobacco.
I top it with the dust and finest ground stuff for kindling.
Works for me.

 

[Charlie718]

Welcome and glad to hear your feeling better and are back to smoking a pipe!
I can’t say I have much experience but my flake goes out a lot to when I fold and stuff. For me it’s every time the ember gets deep and I can no longer tamp the ember down to the tobacco. I’m prob doing something wrong but I just got used to the fact that it’s going to go out on me and I take that time to knock the un-burnt tabak stuck to the sides into the center and get a nice tasty re-lite each time, almost a smokey flavor.

 

[Charlie718]

So I’ll watch this thread to learn how I can improve lol

 

[anotherbob]

not popular but I find if I get it really lit at the beginning seems to burn nice through out the whole experience. Only need many relights with flakes however I pack them if I forgot to refill the lighter or am low on matches.

 

[sablebrush52]

I prefer to rub out my flakes, but occasionally do fold and stuff. Shanez's description is a good one. I wonder if your flakes have been dried enough. Besides too tight a pack, too much moisture can inhibit burning. Generally I'll give a flake between one and two hours to dry, flipping the flake over a few times so that it dries more evenly. I reserve a little bit of the flake to rub out very fine and to sprinkle over the top as kindling. That also helps get the flake burning.
Different flakes have different burn characteristics. Some burn quite readily while others a a bitch and a half to get going.

 

[shanez]

Welcome and glad to hear your feeling better and are back to smoking a pipe!
I can’t say I have much experience but my flake goes out a lot to when I fold and stuff. For me it’s every time the ember gets deep and I can no longer tamp the ember down to the tobacco. I’m prob doing something wrong but I just got used to the fact that it’s going to go out on me and I take that time to knock the un-burnt tabak stuck to the sides into the center and get a nice tasty re-lite each time, almost a smokey flavor.

Especially with flakes, tamping is sometimes more scraping down the sides than actually tamping down. Sometimes they expand a little funny and I use the "spoon" portion of my tamper and gently work my wy around the sides of the chamber and more push the tobacco inward rather than downward.

 

[craig61a]

I used to fold and stuff flakes, and it does help if you rough them up a bit.

My issue with flakes is that they usually expand and then the bit of it that is up along side the chamber wall doesn't burn as fast, so it burns down through the center and then I have to push the stuff on the sidewall down and relight.

 

[craig61a]

Especially with flakes, tamping is sometimes more scraping down the sides than actually tamping down. Sometimes they expand a little funny and I use the "spoon" portion of my tamper and gently work my wy around the sides of the chamber and more push the tobacco inward rather than downward.

Yeah, what he said...

 

[Mr_houston]

I’ve been smoking flakes a lot lately. What’s working for me is to fully rub out a couple of flake, then let them dry for an hour or so.

It seems like if I dry them first, they crumble too much.

 

[Charlie718]

Especially with flakes, tamping is sometimes more scraping down the sides than actually tamping down. Sometimes they expand a little funny and I use the "spoon" portion of my tamper and gently work my wy around the sides of the chamber and more push the tobacco inward rather than downward.

Same thing, good to know I’m doing it at least partially right. Sometimes I’ll use the spoon end and poke at the side wall right at the height of the rest of the tobac and let it break off and fall into the center so I can re-level the bowl

 

[chopper]

G'day and welcome Markus [I've bought a couple of dozen pipes from a German on ebay called Markus]

Good to hear that you're better and no longer in need of those dangerous pHarmaceuticals [An Indica strain of cannabis works way better for depression and has other therapeutic benefits. Many patients are even getting relief from full spectrum CBD oil, that will not get one high, which is even now legal here in Nanny State Australia]

I've not tried either blend but hear that they're both good.
I'm wondering if a smaller bowl might help you get a handle on them?

My attitude is that lifes too short - If I found it too much hassle I'd be tempted to jar those flakes and come back to them when I had gained more experience with the flakes that work for me [Virginias just get better with age]

 

[Servant King]

Bitchin' pipe! Love that stem in particular. I'd offer my two cents on the topic, but @shanez pretty much nailed it. If one method fails, try another. You'll find the right technique for yourself sooner or later.

 

[peteguy]

Drier and looser - pipe tobacco only.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Drier and looser - pipe tobacco only.

This. I smoke 4 to 6 bowls of flake per day every day. Dry it out more, twist it a little to break it up. If it is drier, it won't expand much when it gets hot. There will be some flights but not many.

 

[daytonsean]

I like to cube cut mine and gravity feed into the pipe. Get a deep char light, and the 2nd light will stay. Draw slow.

 

[Sincerely]

I twist and fold multiple times to turn it into a sort of nest-like ball.

Or I do a full rub out.

Either way, I pack the pipe the night before and leave it out or leave it in my cigar humidor if I'm afraid I might not get to it in 24 hours.

For me, the drying time has been the biggest improvement in keep flake tobacco lit and smoking well.