I Cannot Smoke Peterson University Flake, Little Help?

[Simmerdown☕️]

I understand you wanna smoke this blend. However, it appears you’re either unable to rangle it, or this blend and your body chemistry are at odds. Either way, there are many, many other options out there for you. So, I’d suggest leaving this one alone for a good while. Have fun.?️

 

[--dante--]

For Uni Flake (and Irish Flake), I cut the flake crosswise (across the width) with knife or scissors, then rub it out and let it dry a short while. It also helps to make some of those cuts very fine and rub it out into
'kindling' for the top of the bowl. That'll help it get started.

A previous poster mentioned doing this (cube-cutting) followed by microwaving, but I've never needed to add the microwaving step.

 

[Ryan]

IMPORTANT UPDATE!

I just finished a bowl, mostly. I didn't cube it because I had already rubbed it last night before I read about that. I did let it dry about 12 or 14 hours, and that helped immensely. It still did not light easily and required several re-lights. I started with gravity feed (pretty loose) packing and eventually tamped it down just a little bit. It still never really burned well like Luxury Twist Flake or other flakes I have tried. I was able to smoke it a bit. The poor burning was consistent from start to finish, but I smoked it.

Of course after this much time and effort, the tobacco itself was a letdown. It is ok. Parts of it still had a bit of a scorched taste at times. The flame never touched it directly. The ash was still quite dark and inconsistent as if it wasn't really burning thoroughly. I'm sure I will eventually finish this tin, but it seems likely at this point I will be trading the other tin away.

Thank you to everyone would contributed to this portion of my learning curve.

 

[hauntedmyst]

View attachment 118341


This is my new pipe lighter. Just for Uni-Flake.

It won't help. I think Peterson Flakes are what NASA will use on the next generation of space shuttles to absorb heat on reentry.

 

[Ryan]

Ok, just to be real complete about this, I am now finishing up the last third of the bowl and it is tasting and burning a bit better. I'm finally picking up a wee bit of that tin note.

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

Just curious, is it your preference that the tobacco be that wet? Or just something you can deal with? Do you never dry anything once you have enough experience? I had actually gotten the idea that most experienced smokers were drying their tobacco just a bit before burning, but maybe I just got the wrong idea? Or are you just saying it isn’t mandatory?

Usually I don’t put the flame down in the tobacco but I did on this one a bit because it seemed to be the only way to get anything from the tobacco. Holding it above wasn’t lighting it. I will keep that in mind for the future though. I definitely scorched it every time I tried it.

A few people have have told me to move on and come back. Is Univeristy Flake really that hard to smoke that I just need to move on? I never saw anyone talk about it as being for experienced smokers like they do many other blends, so I didn’t realize it would take an advanced technique and years of experience just to be able to smoke it. There should be a list somewhere of these blends! Or at least a warning label. Haha This is the first one I encountered like this. I kinda hope it is the last one too. Thank you for the tips!

Yes it is my preference to have the tobacco moist.
If it is actually wet, I will dry it out until it's somewhat moist, but never dry.
For me dry tobacco has lost its flavour and is harsh and unpleasant.
Personally I've never found that Peterson flakes need any drying out, and I certainly wouldn't say that University flake needs any kind of advanced technique to smoke it.
.
It sounds as though in general you're doing well.
My advice is not to listen to too much advice haha, but do things the way that you want to, learn from your own mistakes, and build on on what goes right.
If I'd joined this forum when I started smoking a pipe years ago, by now I would be smoking a load of dried out old crap, and not be enjoying tobacco half as much as I do.
It's a good forum though and a fun place to be. Just don't take it all seriously.

 

[ofafeather]

It’s also not unheard of to have batches that are odd. It could be an atypical lot. I haven’t smoked any recent batches so can’t comment on the current state of things.

 

[Ryan]

Yes it is my preference to have the tobacco moist.
If it is actually wet, I will dry it out until it's somewhat moist, but never dry.
For me dry tobacco has lost its flavour and is harsh and unpleasant.
Personally I've never found that Peterson flakes need any drying out, and I certainly wouldn't say that University flake needs any kind of advanced technique to smoke it.
.
It sounds as though in general you're doing well.
My advice is not to listen to too much advice haha, but do things the way that you want to, learn from your own mistakes, and build on on what goes right.
If I'd joined this forum when I started smoking a pipe years ago, by now I would be smoking a load of dried out old crap, and not be enjoying tobacco half as much as I do.
It's a good forum though and a fun place to be. Just don't take it all seriously.

I appreciate the time that you and others on this forum have taken to educate me on this and other matters, this website has been a valuable resource for me. I don't know any pipe smokers in "real life" and this gives me a chance to learn from people who have a lot more experience than I do.

This tin aggravated me in an unusual way. Next bowl I smoke will be Burley Kake or Stokkebye cube cut. I don't feel like learning anymore today and those just about smoke themselves.

P.S. You know someone out there loves smoking dried out old crap and thinks that is the best way to smoke.

 

[ofafeather]

P.S. You know someone out there loves smoking dried out old crap and thinks that is the best way to smoke.

Lol. There are plenty of threads on this. And yes, some people do love their baccy this way.

Another thought is try it in different pipes if you haven’t already. Some blends are ready for the bin but then it hits the right pipe and seems to come to life.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Just curious, is it your preference that the tobacco be that wet? Or just something you can deal with? Do you never dry anything once you have enough experience? I had actually gotten the idea that most experienced smokers were drying their tobacco just a bit before burning, but maybe I just got the wrong idea? Or are you just saying it isn’t mandatory?

Usually I don’t put the flame down in the tobacco but I did on this one a bit because it seemed to be the only way to get anything from the tobacco. Holding it above wasn’t lighting it. I will keep that in mind for the future though. I definitely scorched it every time I tried it.

A few people have have told me to move on and come back. Is Univeristy Flake really that hard to smoke that I just need to move on? I never saw anyone talk about it as being for experienced smokers like they do many other blends, so I didn’t realize it would take an advanced technique and years of experience just to be able to smoke it. There should be a list somewhere of these blends! Or at least a warning label. Haha This is the first one I encountered like this. I kinda hope it is the last one too. Thank you for the tips!

Anyone can smoke this blend. Just for fun, take a couple of Flakes, rub them out and put them on a paper napkin. Fold over the tobacco and let dry for a day or two. Take a flake or two, fold into a napkin and nuke for 12 seconds. Let cool and smoke it. Report back then if you're still having problems. Experience doesn't allow one to smoke sopping wet tobacco.

As far as scorching the tobacco, that's ridiculous. Scorching it is somehow bad but fully lighting it is okay? I do agree it is better to keep the flame from the tobacco and draw it to the tobacco but only because it will light easier, you won't clog up your lighter and you're less likely to burn the rim of your pipe.. The very tip of the flame is the hottest. You learn this if you ever use a blow torch.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

A lot of people on this forum, myself included, could take a fresh moist flake of that Peterson from a new tin, fold and stuff or rub it out, and smoke it no problem, without any drying at all. It's simply a matter of experience.

One important thing is not to let the flame touch the tobacco. Hold it away and let the heat from the flame to the work.
Once the tobacco is scorched, it won't light properly and the flavour will be lost.

Jar it up. Work on your technique, and come back to it in a few months when you've developed a more laid back approach.

If you're willing to use a chamber full of butane, that's true. Or if you want to get the tobacco so hot and puff enough to scorch your tongue, true. Otherwise, not true. If you maintain otherwise, video yourself smoking a full flake of SG FVF, out of a freshly opened tin, and post it to YouTube.

 

[sablebrush52]

So, here's the thing. Different blends have different smoking properties.

Whether because of their processing, topping, etc, some blends smoke like they're coated in flame retardant. Several of the McClelland flakes were legendary, or infamous, for their difficulty in burning.

When I try out a new-to-me blend I figure on experimenting with different moisture levels and different preps to find what delivers to me the best smoking experience. That's just part of engaging in this pastime. I'll start with what has worked for me with other blends and then vary it, a bowl at a time, until something clicks.

I didn't find University Flake difficult to figure out how to smoke after a little experimentation (if you can smoke Tawny Flake you can smoke anything) but I did find the topping unpalatable and way too much of it. So for me this one is a pass.

Regardless, accept that getting the most from a blend will take some trial and error and that's OK. Also, with some blends, relights are a fact of life. They just don't like to burn.

 

[Fralphog]

As I read through this thread, I thought back on the challenges I’ve had learning to smoke a pipe.
There’s definitely lots of great advice in this thread and I’m sure you will master the art of smoking flake tobacco.
I have to admit that as I read through this and picked up on your ardent determination to smoke UF, I chuckled a bit as I was reminded of Monty Python‘s Holy Grail.
As you persevere to discover “the way of the flake”, just make sure when you get close to the end, watch out for that rabbit!

 

[ofafeather]

All this talk of UF got me thinking wanting to revisit it. It’s been a bunch of years since I’ve smoked it. Instead of cracking a tin from the cellar I decided to reach for the clone, Rattray’s Wallace flake which I picked up earlier in 2021 and haven’t tried yet. Smells delicious. Have a couple of flakes out on the tray to dry a bit. Will smoke it this evening.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

 

[Ryan]

I don't

View attachment 118421

Wait a sec, am I supposed to have the pipe upside down? Have I gotten EVERYTHING wrong with smoking a pipe?!?! My god smoking flakes is complicated! lol

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I don't

Wait a sec, am I supposed to have the pipe upside down? Have I gotten EVERYTHING wrong with smoking a pipe?!?! My god smoking flakes is complicated! lol

You mean you're doing it differently than that? No freaking wonder you're struggling.

 

[karam]

If you're willing to use a chamber full of butane, that's true. Or if you want to get the tobacco so hot and puff enough to scorch your tongue, true. Otherwise, not true. If you maintain otherwise, video yourself smoking a full flake of SG FVF, out of a freshly opened tin, and post it to YouTube.

Yeah, was going to say the same only subbing for StJFlake.

 

[Ryan]

You mean you're doing it differently than that? No freaking wonder you're struggling.

The toughest part has been trying to draw the flame up the stem far enough to light the bowl in my mouth. Most of these cheap stems just burn.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

The toughest part has been trying to draw the flame up the stem far enough to light the bowl in my mouth. Most of these cheap stems just burn.

Just like I used to tell my girlfriends when I was younger "suck harder"