I try to do the same. Plus it gives me some leeway if I pack a little too tight: if so, after about 2/3 of the bowl has been smoked, I’ll stir up the ash and dump it, then scrape the remaining unburned flake off the sides of the bowl and tamp lightly. Usually I will have no problem burning the rest to the bottom. Of course, any time that happens is a good reminder to not pack quite as tightly next time
Folding And Stuffing Flakes
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I miss Dubinthedam. He always put out worthwhile contentGood show!
Stick with it & you’ll find it’ll get better when you find what flakes work best for you & in which pipes.
After this thread I remembered one of Pearce’s old videos. Might be of interest to you & others who are getting to grips with flake.
Leaving an empty space between the tobacco and the bottom of the bowl. Can also be done with other cuts of tobacco by forming a tighter than normal wad, so that it doesn't just collapse into the bowl. I do it more for amusement than efficacy, but it does work if done right.
"Fold & Stuff" is a myth. It's never worked for anyone... ever. The old-timers are just having a laugh getting newbs to try to smoke tobacco in this fashion. If you've fallen victim to this prank, just take it as the rite of passage that it's meant to be and return to rubbing out your flakes.
I’m starting to think you’re right. I’ve tried it several times now and it’s about a 50:50 success rate but tbh, I’m not finding the smoke any more enjoyable or easier than just rubbing out and packing normally. Maybe it works with the massive pipes but For me it’s a fine line between a decent smoke and solidfied mass.
I use gold and stuff on 95% plus of what I smoke. When I encounter a flake that is too moist, I make certain to stuff it loosely to account for the expansion that will inevitably occur as the tobacco heats up.
The better solution is to let your flakes dry properly and to practice your packing method. I prefer the longer, tastier smoke Flakes deliver when packed and smoked properly. But if you prefer rubbing out, stick with it.
I would add that I open my tins of Flake a week to three prior to smoking them to allow them to dry out in advance. My preference is to error of the side of drier.
The better solution is to let your flakes dry properly and to practice your packing method. I prefer the longer, tastier smoke Flakes deliver when packed and smoked properly. But if you prefer rubbing out, stick with it.
I would add that I open my tins of Flake a week to three prior to smoking them to allow them to dry out in advance. My preference is to error of the side of drier.
they also seem more compressed to my simple little mind.
I'll retract slightly on Gawith; I've had some St James Flake in a jar for about 3 months and strips of that fold and stuff nicely in a flake pipe. Multiple charring lights and then we have ignition, no more relights so long as there's some tender care. Fresh St James Plug though, vale of tears. YMMV.
Nice video; Thank you ! I do all of that except I twist it slowly while putting in the pipe ... same thing but not in the hand... and I smoke it in much larger pipes and haven't 'keeled over' ... yetGood show!
Stick with it & you’ll find it’ll get better when you find what flakes work best for you & in which pipes.
After this thread I remembered one of Pearce’s old videos. Might be of interest to you & others who are getting to grips with flake.
I've recently finished about 3 ounces of Sutliffe 507-C rubbed out completely and went back to fold and stuff ... fold and stuff is more flavorful for me. I do everything the video said except I do smoke far larger pipes like Peterson Pub pipe. I also don't pack all the way to the bottom of bowl. YMMV. Find what works for you and stick with it. Its your enjoyment that matters not what anyone else says ultimately.
I’m thinking that there are several factors at play with fold and stuff. The baccy needs to be virtually dry. The pipe must not be too narrow. When folded the flakes almost need to have a rubbed out consistency to them. And what I’ve found to be really important is to not overfill the pipe. That is the most difficult bit I find. When I draw on an unlit pipe it must be almost like an empty pipe because if it’s not, I find the baccy expands when lit and becomes that concrete mass.
Today I folded and stuffed 1.5 flakes of St Bruno into my Bones brandy stubby. It took a bit of lighting but when it got going it was an excellent smoke. A few relights but I had no problems with that really nice baccy. It’s so delicate and dried perfectly that it’s like it’s meant to be rubbed out. Folding and stuffing it is a one shot only affair; if you don’t manage to make an instant plug just forget it and rub it out and pack normally.
I think the problem is nowadays we have loads of info at our fingertips but there is nothing that can replace an old timer showing a newbie what to do one on one like in the old days where a father or co-worker would show you what to do.
Today I folded and stuffed 1.5 flakes of St Bruno into my Bones brandy stubby. It took a bit of lighting but when it got going it was an excellent smoke. A few relights but I had no problems with that really nice baccy. It’s so delicate and dried perfectly that it’s like it’s meant to be rubbed out. Folding and stuffing it is a one shot only affair; if you don’t manage to make an instant plug just forget it and rub it out and pack normally.
I think the problem is nowadays we have loads of info at our fingertips but there is nothing that can replace an old timer showing a newbie what to do one on one like in the old days where a father or co-worker would show you what to do.
Many of us on here just worked it out by ourselves long before the internet.
Even though I don’t fold and stuff like the rest of life, I prefer just to rub it out , also smaller diameter bowls that are deeper seem to be the better flake Pipes. Carry on.
Maybe I'm the weirdo here, but I almost exclusively smoke hot pressed flakes or coins. I always fold and roll, then stuff. It breaks it up a little more, but not very much. I also never dry my tobacco. Dryer means hotter, and besides, the people who blend these concoctions aren't idiots. They blend them the way that they want their product enjoyed.
For context, I have won a long smoke and I'm one of those people who incidentally smokes to the bottom of the bowl without having to think about it and I never re-light. Why my experience is so different than most is unclear to me though, and all of this is just my opinion.
For context, I have won a long smoke and I'm one of those people who incidentally smokes to the bottom of the bowl without having to think about it and I never re-light. Why my experience is so different than most is unclear to me though, and all of this is just my opinion.
I usually get grief when I talk about this, but its true.
In my decades of smoking a pipe, I have never dried any tobacco.
I hear about letting a tobacco sit out for minutes to hours, to days even.
Years ago(2010?) I had a long talk about this with Craig Tarler and a couple other blenders/pipe guys.
The consensus was that most competent blenders sell their tobacco at the moisture they believe it smokes and tastes the best. Generally drier for Va ribbon, wetter for Va flake and wettest for English/Balkan blends.
With the proper puffing technique, even very moist tobacco lights and smokes to the bottom. Sometimes they are tough to get lit, but once they are, they smoke great.
FVF tastes much better in my opinion when its got some age, but just from the tin/jar. After its dried, it loses some of its dark figgy taste.
Same with McClelland Virginias and many others.
The trick to "fold and stuff" is to not cram the tobacco in.
Fold the flake smaller than the bowl is wide, and let the tobacco "grow" into the chamber.
Many more moist flakes start off slow, but after awhile, they stay lit and last a long time.
I know many people like their tobacco drier than "right from the tin", but when I hear people say that a certain tobacco is impossible to smoke unless dried for a fort night, I have to disagree.
The lightest, almost just a breath of air movement will light ANY tobacco......in my experience.
In my decades of smoking a pipe, I have never dried any tobacco.
I hear about letting a tobacco sit out for minutes to hours, to days even.
Years ago(2010?) I had a long talk about this with Craig Tarler and a couple other blenders/pipe guys.
The consensus was that most competent blenders sell their tobacco at the moisture they believe it smokes and tastes the best. Generally drier for Va ribbon, wetter for Va flake and wettest for English/Balkan blends.
With the proper puffing technique, even very moist tobacco lights and smokes to the bottom. Sometimes they are tough to get lit, but once they are, they smoke great.
FVF tastes much better in my opinion when its got some age, but just from the tin/jar. After its dried, it loses some of its dark figgy taste.
Same with McClelland Virginias and many others.
The trick to "fold and stuff" is to not cram the tobacco in.
Fold the flake smaller than the bowl is wide, and let the tobacco "grow" into the chamber.
Many more moist flakes start off slow, but after awhile, they stay lit and last a long time.
I know many people like their tobacco drier than "right from the tin", but when I hear people say that a certain tobacco is impossible to smoke unless dried for a fort night, I have to disagree.
The lightest, almost just a breath of air movement will light ANY tobacco......in my experience.
I'm wondering if you cut a rope into the perfect size to fit the bowl, slide it in more then stuff, if you can get an enjoyable smoke from it. Pretty much fold and stuff with less air space.I usually get grief when I talk about this, but its true.
In my decades of smoking a pipe, I have never dried any tobacco.
I hear about letting a tobacco sit out for minutes to hours, to days even.
Years ago(2010?) I had a long talk about this with Craig Tarler and a couple other blenders/pipe guys.
The consensus was that most competent blenders sell their tobacco at the moisture they believe it smokes and tastes the best. Generally drier for Va ribbon, wetter for Va flake and wettest for English/Balkan blends.
With the proper puffing technique, even very moist tobacco lights and smokes to the bottom. Sometimes they are tough to get lit, but once they are, they smoke great.
FVF tastes much better in my opinion when its got some age, but just from the tin/jar. After its dried, it loses some of its dark figgy taste.
Same with McClelland Virginias and many others.
The trick to "fold and stuff" is to not cram the tobacco in.
Fold the flake smaller than the bowl is wide, and let the tobacco "grow" into the chamber.
Many more moist flakes start off slow, but after awhile, they stay lit and last a long time.
I know many people like their tobacco drier than "right from the tin", but when I hear people say that a certain tobacco is impossible to smoke unless dried for a fort night, I have to disagree.
The lightest, almost just a breath of air movement will light ANY tobacco......in my experience.
Rattray’s Stirling Flakes seem to be an absolutely perfect fit for my Peterson Emerald 221. They fold and stuff perfectly. Tbh, I think I was overpacking the bowl and wasn’t allowing for expansion of the baccy. A single flake is enough for this pipe and although it seems quite loose the way it draws and smokes proves that it isn’t. One has to fail in order to learn and succeed at things in life and I think the fold and stuff technique is one of those things. I thought the pipe had to be packed in a similar way to ready rubbed but it turns out it doesn’t. See, this second time ‘round rookie is learning 
