I rub out my flakes all the time. Everytime I've tried the fold and stuff it never works. So rubbing it out it is.
How Often Do You Rub Out Flakes.
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Every time—though, depending on the flake, it varies from a simple “breaking up” to a full “rubbed out.”
I don’t count curly-cut blends as “flakes,” but I noticed at least one “replier” here that did. With dime/quarter-size coins (Escudo, Three Nuns, Roll Cake), I break up a few and leave a few intact. Anything bigger gets broken up completely.
My hat’s off to you, good sir. Much as I enjoy some of the GH/SG blends—and I love a good rum-infused navy flake—that one packed too much of a nicotine punch for me. (If a nicotine-rich flake is your thing, though, I’d recommend that you try McConnell’s Latakia Flake. I couldn’t get more than a couple of puffs down the bowl before I had to toss it. Wow.)
I’ve always preferred F&S because I like the cooler, slower burn of tobacco that’s still somewhat compressed. I generally cube cut plugs since I’ve already got the knife out. But bottom of the jar flake that’s fallen apart to a ready-rubbed consistency smokes just fine too
When I first started smoking flake tobacco, I began experimenting with all the different techniques. Along the way, I experienced success with each of the different techniques. For me, fold n stuff technique seems to work best with flakes that are made and arrive as a well formed, integral flakes. I like the cube cut technique for some flakes and use it on PS LTF usually. I always rub out coin cut tobacco. The majority of the time I rub the flakes out after drying them.
One thing I learned for sure is the importance of properly drying out or appropriate moisture prior to preparing the flakes for packing in the Pipe.
One thing I learned for sure is the importance of properly drying out or appropriate moisture prior to preparing the flakes for packing in the Pipe.
Fold and stuff is my usual practice, but on occasion I do rub them out.
You flake, Rocky's gonna rub you out, see?
I have a couple of pipes that work really well with fold and stuff. For my other pipes I generally rub out. Although I have tried a few cube cut blends and liked them, I have never really thought about taking the time to cube cut a flake. I think I will try that this evening. Ahh, the adventure never ends. 
Aired out some Peterson Flake and enjoying the difference after a couple of weeks or more of that! Thanks @hoosierpipeguy for the encouragement. And …. my best fold and stuff effort to date!
It's true that America flakes are not like European flakes. They more or less disintegrated after awhile. Not like those nice, neat sliced Capstan flakes. Folding C&D flakes are almost impossible. Most of the time I just stuff them after drying.
I smoke mostly flakes and cakes/plugs. I usually rub flakes into a broken flake condition. For some time SPC Hogshead has been my most often go to and i break off a piece, put the larger piece on the lid and roughly rub out the broken piece, fill my pipe and return the larger piece to the tin on top of the extra rubbed out pieces and enjoy a great bowl.
I have not had any luck with fold and stuff yet. For me at this point it has only led to tons of relights.
But I can't say how much drying time I use because I haven't figured it out yet either!
Sometimes I dry it for an hour, sometimes not at all, and I seem to get random results. I suppose this is probably just because all the tobacco is different and the conditions are all different for each bowl. Relative humidity, dampness of the tobacco, type of fire I'm using, the size of the bowl, etc etc..
But I can't say how much drying time I use because I haven't figured it out yet either!
Sometimes I dry it for an hour, sometimes not at all, and I seem to get random results. I suppose this is probably just because all the tobacco is different and the conditions are all different for each bowl. Relative humidity, dampness of the tobacco, type of fire I'm using, the size of the bowl, etc etc..
This. I already replied in this thread and said I rub them out. That's not necessarily true. My mainstay is Luxury Navy Flake, and most often, when I'm not rushed, I take the flake and pull it into strips 2-3mm wide, like you would string cheese, and then I softly rub the mound of strips between my thumb and index finger and middle finger. I do not rub them out until they're like ribbons. More so, I'm trying to create more surface area for an easy light and consistent burn. When in a hurry, I don't do the strip thing, but I loosely roll the entire flake. The results are basically the same, but not quite. When I used to smoke other, thicker flakes, I would roll them closer to ribbons. The thickness of the flake is significant.
Drying Newminster 400. Too short to fold and stuff. Too long to just stuff. Decisions.. Decisions..