I just can't seem to get it right. I pack too light and it burns up in 20 seconds and singes my tongue, too tight and it seems to extinguish itself. I tried the air pocket method, no bueno. Any time i try to have a 'cadence' it's a burnt tongue. Currently I'm trying to rehydrate it a little bit to see if it helps. Any tips? I used small to medium sized bowls
How does one pack shag (finer than ribbon) cut tobaccos? D&R and the likes
- Thread starter cengic
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I try and pull it apart a bit, kind of fluff it up. Have to pack a little at a time, get the bottom right,especially dublins, then fill the rest. Not really rocket science, just try it a few times till you get the hang of it. Pack it, draw it, if you like it, light it. If too tight, dump it and start over before you light it.
I tend to pack shags tighter, but not by sticking finger down in bowl, just thumb flat across top. This helps the top 2/3 be tight without compacting the bottom to much.
The biggest thing for me was getting my cadence down (applies to all tobaccos).
YMMV
The biggest thing for me was getting my cadence down (applies to all tobaccos).
YMMV
Well i tried with one big clump for the most part, and going "tight" as everyone seems to suggest but something isn't right, I'll try layered like you suggested to me
Yeah, i'd have to agree on you with that. Since giving up on keeping my other tobaccos moist, I've had much less issues. I guess I have to work on my cadence, as a clencher I tend to go a bit fast, even if attempting the boring "breath smoking". Currently just take an occasional sip, and had a great bowl of Pegasus yesterday. No bite, but i'd always blame the cut
I find when in doubt, I use the Frank Method or a modified version of it.
Wouldn't it be a tad hard with shag? I tried the "bob method" i.e Frank without filling the bowl, and the shag just plugs up the bowl and I get no draw, or it falls through
I've not had this issue with shag
- I do break it up with my fingers, gravity fill, add on last bit and push with my thumb. Of course, one simply has to find what works best for them through experimentation. I personally prefer a lighter pack and one with easy air flow. I can smoke a pipe for an hour plus, but I hate to give up that much time to any one activity so I generally go for 30 minute smokes and toss out what I haven't smoked. I wasn't so liberal when tobacco was in a short supply, but now that I have more than I will ever smoke, I am more generous with my smoking. Especially with high nicotine blends - 20 minutes top and toss the rest.
- I do break it up with my fingers, gravity fill, add on last bit and push with my thumb. Of course, one simply has to find what works best for them through experimentation. I personally prefer a lighter pack and one with easy air flow. I can smoke a pipe for an hour plus, but I hate to give up that much time to any one activity so I generally go for 30 minute smokes and toss out what I haven't smoked. I wasn't so liberal when tobacco was in a short supply, but now that I have more than I will ever smoke, I am more generous with my smoking. Especially with high nicotine blends - 20 minutes top and toss the rest.
Counterintuitively, I pack a bunch into a noodle press for a few days, then break up the puck as needed. Always get a good draw and it never seems to clog the stem. D&R Ryback is a nearly daily smoke for me that way, and it burns at the same rate as a standard ribbon cut.
It could also be that packing isn't the problem.
I find regardless of how tighter packed or not it is, shag does best for me if I draw more gently, but draw more often.
Try taking your normal draw and "chop" it up a little, break it into 2-3 smaller draws in succession (on the intake, you don't need to blow out between each).
Even with that though, in a pipe where flakes normally take me about 40-60 minutes, shag cut will only last me 30-40 minutes.
Shag burns a lot easier, so the same draw you'd normally use causes more of it to burn because it has a greater surface area (and therefore greater burning area) than other cuts.
I find regardless of how tighter packed or not it is, shag does best for me if I draw more gently, but draw more often.
Try taking your normal draw and "chop" it up a little, break it into 2-3 smaller draws in succession (on the intake, you don't need to blow out between each).
Even with that though, in a pipe where flakes normally take me about 40-60 minutes, shag cut will only last me 30-40 minutes.
Shag burns a lot easier, so the same draw you'd normally use causes more of it to burn because it has a greater surface area (and therefore greater burning area) than other cuts.
Actually tried this but in the end it still breaks up into a shag. It comes out like a crumble cake
Put it in a coffee grinder for just a few turns, you don't want to turn it to powder, and then scoop it like you would a codger blend.
Yes, it does come out like a crumble cake. But when I break up the resulting cake, it packs much better than the original shag, and burns very well and evenly. The pressing helps reintegrate the strands in a way that gives a better burn. At least that’s my experience (and I’m smoking a bowl of noodle-pressed shag as I write this!).
I’ve been using a coffee grinder lately on ribbon cut. Two or three bursts and it is great for gravity fill, or codger scoop if you choose. I will give it a try on the shag cuts.
Fast Touch Electric Coffee and Spice Grinder F2034251
One touch grinding for coffee, nuts, herbs and spices
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Please do keep me posted! Sounds interestingI’ve been using a coffee grinder lately on ribbon cut. Two or three bursts and it is great for gravity fill, or codger scoop if you choose. I will give it a try on the shag cuts.
Fast Touch Electric Coffee and Spice Grinder F2034251
One touch grinding for coffee, nuts, herbs and spiceswww.krupsusa.com
This sounds like a pretty good idea.
As a few others have mentioned, I gotta think you need to rough it up, rub it out, whatever and make it lighter and looser.
If the campfire won't light, you need some smaller kindling.