Good Way to Prepare GH flakes?
- Thread starter ParkitoATL
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Following up on my progress here. I have taken to removing a flake from the jar, cutting it into approx 3/8" pieces, then leaving those in a little 1.5" tupperware (about a 1/4 cup size) for a few days. The flakes seem to shed a bit of moisture but not get super dry. Then I rub these out until fluffy right before smoking. My Ennerdale smokes this weekend in my Peterson 05 were sublime, just smooth and creamy, really quite incredible.
@pip01 It was VERY windy when I went to the Sealed Knot at Bolsover Castle, Dad says I spent all day trying to light my pipe!
GH Flake EVOLUTION:
Last night, I snipped some Rum Flake into 3/8" - 1/2" pieces, then dropped it into the bud/spice grinder and gave it two or three quick turns. The grinder puled the flakes into a lovely short ribbon which I dried for 30 minutes and then gravity filled into my Peterson 303. Super easy to light and smoke, delicious flavor.
This is a terrific way to handle flakes.
Last night, I snipped some Rum Flake into 3/8" - 1/2" pieces, then dropped it into the bud/spice grinder and gave it two or three quick turns. The grinder puled the flakes into a lovely short ribbon which I dried for 30 minutes and then gravity filled into my Peterson 303. Super easy to light and smoke, delicious flavor.
This is a terrific way to handle flakes.
After some time in a jar, SG and GH flakes seem to be nearly identical prep wise, when compared to other manufacturers' flakes.
Yes, that Rum Flake had about six months in the jar and seemed much easier to keep lit than previous attempts with it and other Gawith flakes.
Following up on this if anyone is still paying attention. The grinder has become my preferred method for flakes.
Straight out of the jar, no drying, cut flakes to 3/8" - 1/2" pieces, then grind. You can actually customize your grind a bit by only turning it once or twice, you will still feel some resistance and thus have some smaller chunks, but the burn is very much improved compared to rubbing, at least with the thicker GH flakes. I call this a light grind.
If you keep turning the grinder until there is no resistance you get very small little flakes, I would almost call this a mince cut or full grind. It's very fluffy and so small that drying time is not needed.
Since the mince cut is so small I add a layer of meer chips on the bottom of the bowl, then drizzle in the tobacco, using zero pressure, just trying to fill it up nice and fluffy. It burns wonderfully this way.
I'm experimenting to see if I like the light grind or full grind better. Either way, the grinder is a winner for Gawith flakes.
I started experimenting with cross cutting the flakes (aka cube cut). Simply let a flake dry for a few hours, then roll it into a tube (it will probably fold) and cut across the grain into 1/4"ish pieces. Gravity fill and light.
This works wonderfully well with Gawith flakes. Need to experiment more but the first samples have been excellent.
This works wonderfully well with Gawith flakes. Need to experiment more but the first samples have been excellent.
Reviving this conversation with myself: The grinder seems to me the best of all options. I grind it fully from the rubbery flakes with no drying time.
Now, here's the key: gravity fill, tap the bowl, and do not tamp.
This is much what @georged said when I first posted this: "gravity fill the bowl ONE SMALL PINCH at a time, tapping frequently as you go to settle and interlock the fuzzy-fluffy pieces of tobacco into a Magic Balanced Matrix of tobacco and airspace." Again, gravity fill but DO NOT TAMP.
Also, @sablebrush52 noted "I prefer to leave a little more moisture because I like the toppings," and I would fully agree with this. The grinder gets them small enough that they burn easily without drying, and the additional moisture keeps the Lakeland flavors intact vs. drying.
A good Dublin bowl, like a Peterson 120 or 05, is your friend here, although most pipes will handle this grind cut quite well. My Mark Twain cob has been a remarkably good smoker for the GH flakes despite the $15 price point.
The one match smoke has proved elusive. Some relights are required. Kind of like a shag cut, the tobacco takes the flame so easily and responds to such gentle puffing that it never seems to get hot.
Now, here's the key: gravity fill, tap the bowl, and do not tamp.
This is much what @georged said when I first posted this: "gravity fill the bowl ONE SMALL PINCH at a time, tapping frequently as you go to settle and interlock the fuzzy-fluffy pieces of tobacco into a Magic Balanced Matrix of tobacco and airspace." Again, gravity fill but DO NOT TAMP.
Also, @sablebrush52 noted "I prefer to leave a little more moisture because I like the toppings," and I would fully agree with this. The grinder gets them small enough that they burn easily without drying, and the additional moisture keeps the Lakeland flavors intact vs. drying.
A good Dublin bowl, like a Peterson 120 or 05, is your friend here, although most pipes will handle this grind cut quite well. My Mark Twain cob has been a remarkably good smoker for the GH flakes despite the $15 price point.
The one match smoke has proved elusive. Some relights are required. Kind of like a shag cut, the tobacco takes the flame so easily and responds to such gentle puffing that it never seems to get hot.
Same here. Tried FVF for the first time. After drying for 3 days in the open it got a little better but still difficult to light. Not enjoying it so far and close to giving up on it. Don’t get near the flavor from it as I do from my latest obsession GLP Union square.
I need to experiment with cube cut a little more. Last time I did that with FVF the nuggets were flame proof!
FVF for me tends to get rock hard if I dry it before rubbing out. Even cute cuts gave me hard pellets.
Try the grinder, I think you'll be pleased.
I'm having trouble wrapping my head around this grinder thing, probably because my only familiarity with those kingtop contraptions is from friends who are into the "other leaf" using it to absolutely pulverize things into a fine dust, and that sounds like an awful way to smoke tobacco.
Can you take a couple photos of what your tobacco looks like after running it through your grinder? I feel like this will help me conceptualize all this, haha
