I Cannot Smoke Peterson University Flake, Little Help?

[Ryan]

I don't think the other gentleman meant he could smoke any flake in the world straight out of a fresh tin anytime. He said if it was wet, he would bring it down to the moisture that he likes. He mentioned specifically that he had not found the Peterson tins to be too wet to smoke. I found that this tin was. We could both be correct.

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

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.

I certainly do not use a chamber full of butane, neither do I scorch my tongue.
I just hold my old boy over the tobacco for 3 or 4 seconds, job done.

I also said that if a tobacco is actually wet, I will let it dry out until it's moist.
FVF Is certainly one of those flakes that are too wet to smoke straight from the tin.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I certainly do not use a chamber full of butane, neither do I scorch my tongue.
I just hold my old boy over the tobacco for 3 or 4 seconds, job done.

I also said that if a tobacco is actually wet, I will let it dry out until it's moist.
FVF Is certainly one of those flakes that are too wet to smoke straight from the

Here's what you did say

"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."

I'm saying is not simply a matter of experience. It's a matter of getting the tobacco dry enough to light and smoke properly.

 

[Ebarber]

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.

This! It took me a long time to learn this but once I did it changed everything. Some tobacco's are very forgiving but some tobacco's will not burn unless you learn this technique. Once you learn this your experience on every tobacco will be a lot more rewarding.

 

[anotherbob]

no matter how you take care of it. Rub out stuff whatever you have to pack a flake a lot lighter then you do a ribbon. The tobacco expands a lot when burning even if rubbed out. That is one thing that will help takes a bit to get that right with flakes.

 

[cigrmaster]

Do you check the draw on your pipe before trying to light it? If you don't that is a big deal. If you do check the draw what are you getting?

I smoke University flake and enjoy it's flavors. Once I did a test tin, I bought a decent amount to cellar, maybe 40 or so tins. I bought most of mine in 2012-2013 and have never had the problems you have run into.

Yes it is moist right out of the tin, but not worse than any of my Samuel Gawith flakes. I live in southwest Florida and when I am drying a flake, it normally takes 2-3 hours just letting them sit on my leather cutting mat. I prefer a bit of moisture in my flakes as for me I get more flavor than from a dry flake. Dry flakes burn too hot and lose flavor for me.

 

[Ryan]

Do you check the draw on your pipe before trying to light it? If you don't that is a big deal. If you do check the draw what are you getting?

I smoke University flake and enjoy it's flavors. Once I did a test tin, I bought a decent amount to cellar, maybe 40 or so tins. I bought most of mine in 2012-2013 and have never had the problems you have run into.

Yes it is moist right out of the tin, but not worse than any of my Samuel Gawith flakes. I live in southwest Florida and when I am drying a flake, it normally takes 2-3 hours just letting them sit on my leather cutting mat. I prefer a bit of moisture in my flakes as for me I get more flavor than from a dry flake. Dry flakes burn too hot and lose flavor for me.

I do check it, and if I cannot draw it through easily, I repack. Generally I pack fairly loose, particularly with the flakes. I think these flakes are the most damp I have tried (by a lot really) and also I believe they are probably a bit tighter (more dense) as well compared to all the other flakes I have tried. So they require a much longer dry time and probably will require a looser packing. I'm not trying to smoke anything bone dry, I just can't smoke this stuff wringing wet.

 

[Ryan]

I forgot that I loaded the leftover rubbed out flake in my little cob pipe. This has the most drying time and it is the best this blend has tasted yet. Best it smoked as well.

 

[mortonbriar]

I like a flake to immediately crumble into VERY small pieces when I just start to break it, it has to be really dry to make this happen.

I have enjoyed uni flake when it is less dry than this, but if I was finding it hard to light because of the moisture of that particular tin, then I would let dry out.

 

[karam]

I forgot that I loaded the leftover rubbed out flake in my little cob pipe. This has the most drying time and it is the best this blend has tasted yet. Best it smoked as well.

These leftovers are often very good, I attribute it to the additional drying time. Chasing Embers said a nice line once: freshly bone dry. I agree with this, and have found that there is a window of about 24 hours for the best tasting smoke, after which everything goes downhill.

 

[woodsroad]

Dry it to point that it crumbles just a tiny bit. Just until it starts to lose its pliability.

 

[sablebrush52]

I’m reminded of a practice that some use with smoking flakes, DGT, otherwise known as Delayed Gratification Technique.
Take the flake, make a “z” fold with it, and place it in the chamber. Reserve a little bit to crumble up very fine.
Put the pipe aside for the following day, leaving the finely crumbled flake to dry out.
The following day, sprinkle the rubbed out flake over the top to use as kindling and light up. I’ve used this successfully with several flakes when I have the patience to use it.

 

[woodsroad]

Better yet, spark up that bowl, take a few draws, then set it aside for a day. Work great with Virginians, not to hot for burley.

 

[woodsroad]

Damn, my proofreading sux.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

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.

I'm so glad to see you say this. As a cigar smoker, I learned early on to keep the flame about 1" from the end of the cigar when lighting, with the goal of smoking the tobacco as "coolly" as possible, so as not to scorch the tobacco and mask flavours. I see soooo many cigar smokers touch the flames of their triple flame blowtorches directly to their expensive cigars and it saddens me that they'll never taste what they paid for.

 

[bullet08]

Leave it overnight on a paper plate and forget about it. Next day, when you remember, fold and stuff. Enjoy.

 

[ofafeather]

One thing I noticed using my old boy just now is the flame bends to the tip points up. Unless I’m drawing super hard it’s always the side of the flame nearest the baccy. Still not touching though.

 

[sablebrush52]

Damn, my proofreading sux.

On the other hand, you still may be correct. Let's round up a few Virginians and give it a go!

 

[woodsroad]

72 Virginians should suffice.

 

[ofafeather]

72 Virginians should suffice.

You’ll need to find Virginian flakes though…