Issue Smoking Flakes

[Snook]

I was smoking some Quiet Nights for the first time in a long while last night, and had the realization that I tend to avoid smoking flakes because I have a hard time keeping them lit. This seems to happen especially when the bowl hits the halfway mark. When preparing, I'll usually rub the flake close to the consistency of a ribbon and then load the bowl as usual. Sometimes I'll just fold over broken flakes and load it that way. The problem seems to happen no matter what and no amount of tamping/poking/etc seems to help. The ember just goes back out after a few puffs.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[didimauw]

Not drying it enough sounds like. Give it 20 or 30 minutes to air out after you break it up before you pack it.

 

[folkleaf]

I usually dry an hour on flakes... even older ones.

 

[Barry H]

I'm a convert to loose(r) packing. Sounds like could be not enough airflow, but what do I know? In addition to the above try packing a bit looser. See if it helps.

 

[Sigmund]

The big pieces are prone to holding a lot more moisture, even if the outside doesnt feel very damp.

 

[Snook]

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll try drying it out beforehand and packing a little more loosely. Will report back with my findings.

 

[NudgeWink]

I use a small Fiskar scissors to cube cut my flakes (and plugs after knifing off a thin flake). I do let most of these dry a few minutes and more or less gravity feed with VERY slight tamping. Relights happen sometimes but no worries.

 

[Sea Lord]

Flakes are not easy to master. Mostly, they're bound together with arabic gum, I've read somewhere. So it makes it a bot challenging, to start with. It the flakes are a bit moist on top of that, it will prove difficult.
They take time, patience and a fair amount of tries. But you'll get there.

 

[Snook]

Flakes are not easy to master. Mostly, they're bound together with arabic gum, I've read somewhere. So it makes it a bot challenging, to start with. It the flakes are a bit moist on top of that, it will prove difficult.
They take time, patience and a fair amount of tries. But you'll get there.

That may be... I will persevere!

 

[sardonicus87]

You might also try when you start getting close to that midpoint, gently dump out any ash that has built up, then take a pic and just poke it in a few times, maybe even stir it up a little and re-tamp (draw on it intermittently through this process).

Goal is just to loosen it up a bit because what can happen is you get a thin layer of pieces that are "cooked" and they don't burn as easily, getting those pieces mixed in with "uncooked" pieces that burn easier will cause the cooked ones to burn.

 

[Snook]

You might also try when you start getting close to that midpoint, gently dump out any ash that has built up, then take a pic and just poke it in a few times, maybe even stir it up a little and re-tamp (draw on it intermittently through this process).

Goal is just to loosen it up a bit because what can happen is you get a thin layer of pieces that are "cooked" and they don't burn as easily, getting those pieces mixed in with "uncooked" pieces that burn easier will cause the cooked ones to burn.

Great suggestion, I'll give this a try. Thanks!

 

[elvishrunes]

Aside from English I only buy or smoke flakes now, but used to think they were unnecessary work. More flavour, longer burn, thicker smoke. But they should be packed looser as they are already highly compressed. For Gawith specifically I shred them finer than others.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Single-speed food processor or blender ?

 

[Hutch Piper]

I love Universit Flake. If I know I want to smoke it, I set it out for at least 2 hours. That seems to do the trick.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

I never fold & stuff. I rub out flakes roughly depending on their moisture content and then let them dry for at least 1/2 hr or more.

Also, packing your pipe could be the issue here. Providing your using the 3 pinch method…Make sure the first bit of you place in the bowl is more loose than the the proceeding 2. That’ll allow for better air flow and a more continuous and consistent smoke. At least that what I do. ️

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

I gave up on flakes.

Cube cut it.

 

[Infantry23]

I try to dry out flakes for an hour, but often I forget and leave them drying longer I also pack looser to help with the airflow.

Good luck!

 

[Oddball]

Pal, I think that a mid bowl relight is fine.

That being said, all of the above is good info.

I hit a point where I was tired of cakes, plugs, flakes, etc... Just give me the ready rub.

But, nothing really bonds like a flake cut. It's pressed before slicing, letting the juices run between the leaf, and mix. Yet it holds more moisture than RR. That extra moisture is like oil highways... I feel like the flakes are worth the trouble if you have the time to mess with it. I Flake smoke when I have nothing to do but said smoke.. same for plugs I have cut down into flakes.

 

[Sgetz]

Try cube cutting and a gravity fill. Rubbing out a flake seems a shame,you miss so much that way.

 

[zanxion]

I fold the flakes and twist them to loosen a bit. I prefer having them as a flake in the bowl rather than rubbed, because while dense and a bit moist they burn slower.