How Often Do You Rub Out Flakes.

[PA Piper Mike]

I'll usually fold and stuff, but 2 of my jarred flakes (MB HH ODF and Peterson Flake) are a little dry, so I end up rubbing those out, since folding them pretty much causes them to break apart.

 

[dunnyboy]

Prefer to fold and stuff but, if I can't get the wad to fit the bowl, I give up and rub it out.

 

[OzPiper]

Fold&stuff has never worked for me

I used to rub out my flakes but recently I've taken to cube-cutting them.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Fold&stuff has never worked for me

I've had a handful of really amazing flavorful smokes with fold and stuff, which might be even worse!

At least when something never works, you can give up on it and move on. Occasional success taunts one to keep trying, usually in vain...

 

[Brewfan]

I prefer flakes and always fold and stuff. That said, I take a very rough approach to my fold so little bits of tobacco will fall away. I use those bits on the top of the folded flake , which amounts to a bit of a hybrid packing method. Lights and stays lit.

 

[jpmcwjr]

50/50.

 

[hawky454]

I love plugs and flakes but I rub em out 99.9% of the time. I usually rub flakes out to the same consistency of St. Bruno RR. Plugs I cut very thin and rub out to almost a shag cut.

 

[Yadkin1765]

I tend to fold and crush it rather thoroughly--seems to facilitate an easier, sweeter smoke and make the bowl last longer. I will rub it out if I'm planning on a smaller, shorter smoke--so, usually, only when dealing with less tobacco.

 

[anotherbob]

If I wanted it like that I'd buy ribbons.

 

[BlueRidge]

i'd say 80% of the time. just cubed some ennerdale which i do the rest of the time

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

I primarily rub out the flakes I smoke. Though if it's a blend with really well constructed flakes that maintain their structure, I'll fold and stuff em. I leave certain blends in their tins instead of jars for this reason. Sometimes I'll cube cut a flake if it's a tricky one to smoke

 

[Scottishgaucho]

Always rub out flakes. In 50 years of pipe smoking, mostly in Scotland I've never ever seen a pipe smoker ''fold and stuff'' a flake.

 

[FurCoat]

After folding and before stuffing, give it a little work out. Bend it few times, twist it.. This gives better place for ember to get hold of. And whatever falls out, rub it finely and use it as tinder.

My method also

 

[Streeper541]

Sometimes I rub them out, other times I do a variation of the "fold & stuff" I fold, twist/rip, and stuff... which works pretty well. Generally, I air out the whole tin so it's ready for the week. No moisture issues that way.

 

[sigaholic]

I like to fold, twist and stuff. Works for me.

 

[reloader]

I used to fold and stuff, now I just rub them out each time. Can't remember why I got away from fold and stuff, but that's how I prep flakes now.

 

[Auxsender]

Used to rub, now I fold and stuff unless the flakes are “meaty” like Watch City flakes are then I rub em.

 

[mbmoehl]

I'm new to flakes and have tried a few different ways from fold and stuff to fold and crush to fold, mild crush and ball up to fully rubbing out. Ive found that I like something along the lines of folding and crushing and packing, keeps a good density of the tobacco for flavor and a slower smoke, but also has a good draw.

 

[didimauw]

Every....Single....Time

Out of pounds and pounds of burley flake tobaccos smoked, I tried fold and stuff ONE TIME.

 

[anotherbob]

I like making flakes into ready rub strips. Smokes great like that.