I’m going to ask another question about Samuel Gawith flakes at the risk of being annoying. I had some trouble with these and took some advice and rubbed out some of my FVF, BBF and Bothy Flake and left them to dry out for a full 24 hours. What I have is very hard textured cube cut tobacco that I find really hard to pack and keep lit. It’s driving me a bit crazy. The texture is kind of dusty-dry now and I’m wondering if I really did something wrong with these. It may be the way I’m packing my pipe which I know can be crucial. I’ve tried experimenting but with these very hard flakes, there’s not much you can vary between loose gravity fill and tamping it a bit more packed. Anyway, I’m just frustrated because it seems impossible to keep a bowl of one of these flakes lit. I seem to remember really enjoying FVF years back but I don’t remember how I did it. Any advice?
More Frustration W/SG Flakes
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I’m probably in the minority here, but other than giving a newly opened tin of FVF about 20 minutes of airing time, I don’t “dry” it out. I rub it out so it’s the consistency of a broken flake/ready-rubbed, and I pack as usual.
For me, this flake is smokeable straight from a fresh tin; I don’t share the obsession with drying it out that some here seem to have. And it sounds like you’ve essentially dried it to death.
Also: You describe FVF as “very hard.” I’ve had numerous tins over the last 20 years, and that has never been my experience. It’s easily broken or easily folded-and-stuffed. If yours are “very hard” to start with, it sounds like your tins have failed; you should probably be humidifying, not drying.
For me, this flake is smokeable straight from a fresh tin; I don’t share the obsession with drying it out that some here seem to have. And it sounds like you’ve essentially dried it to death.
Also: You describe FVF as “very hard.” I’ve had numerous tins over the last 20 years, and that has never been my experience. It’s easily broken or easily folded-and-stuffed. If yours are “very hard” to start with, it sounds like your tins have failed; you should probably be humidifying, not drying.
I should clarify. I actually cubed it and then dried it for 24 hours and now I’ve got dusty hard flakes that don’t seem to light well. I almost wonder if I should rehydrate a bit. Maybe I dried it too much? I mean, with Peterson flake, it will stay soft after drying it out so whether you prefer it out of the tin or dried it’s still retains a “normal” tobacco feel. These SG flakes have turned into very hard dusty bacon bits.
I've not smoked a lot of FVF, just a few times. But yesterday was the first time ever that it was at least a bit enjoyable. I followed the advice of many and it worked. I cube cut it into small cubes and left it to dry for 2 days, gravity filled, and it was satisfactory. You could try that if you haven't already. By the way, my flakes have been the same as yours, they can be quite hard when they are dry.
Ok so they’re like mine: very hard? And you gravity filled? I wonder why this didn’t work for me tonight. I had to relight for every puff. Maybe I’m not filling my pipe quite right. Because these tobacco cubes are so hard, there aren’t too many options. They do not stick together at all. With other flakes like Peterson flake, it’s soft tobacco even when dry and you can try various ways of filling your pipe.
For me, FVF is a tobacco that can’t be dried enough. It may as well be asbestos when it’s fresh and wet. I generally cube cut, and gravity fill. Once it gets going, it’s fine. But, I’ve found it needs to be dry.
Maybe I can still dry it more? Best Brown and Bothy are similar I think. They are very wet but turn hard when dry.
I just cut them up real fine, and dried them a couple days and gravity filled. They did actually light pretty easily, but you need to make sure that they are very dry I think.
Keep in mind that combustion will create moisture, so, what you’re thinking is dry, may not be dry enough.
Don't just dry the tobacco. Feel it, touch it, make love to it! Get the sense of when it's dry enough by keep checking it. Otherwise, are you gonna do this again next time?
I have had issues with getting SG flakes to smoke properly. However, I enjoy them enough that I keep them around. I generally take out a flake, rub it out as thoroughly as I can, then let it dry for an hour, or more, as needed. Once I get it lit, it burns fine. It may take a few relights here and there. Part of pipe smoking is experimenting with things and finding out what methods/procedures work for you.
I normally open a tin ~7 days before I expect to start smoking it, that usually is sufficient to get the tobacco to the right level of moisture. For really wet tobaccos I'll leave the lid off of the tin for extended periods. I used to monkey around with taking stuff out to dry for awhile or using the microwave I find I prefer the extended drying process.
This thread has inspired me. I think I'm gonna go smoke a bowl of FVF right now.
Never had problems with the flakes rubbed out fresh from tin. Even folded some of the stuff into the pipe. Once lit it burned down slowly with a few relights. Once a little bit on the dry side it’s getting difficult to do so. Soooo, maybe better now to rehydrate that stuff.
And of course the aroma of a tonquin-bean for example will soon vanish the dryer the 1792 gets.
Otherwise move on to another tobacco.
And of course the aroma of a tonquin-bean for example will soon vanish the dryer the 1792 gets.
Otherwise move on to another tobacco.
When I encounter stubborn tobacco sometimes I’ll mix it with a similar but more combustible blend.
I never thought of that. As I’ve mentioned before, I generally think Peterson Flake (Dunhill) burns quite easily by comparison.
When I started smoking SG flakes I had a lot of trouble with them. Now O just rub out a flake and let it sit for a few mins pack and light.
Since you are really having trouble I second the idea of putting a bit of something that lights easy on top to get it going.
Since you are really having trouble I second the idea of putting a bit of something that lights easy on top to get it going.
This. FVF Flakes are dry enough when they basically disintegrate as you push them in the bowl. I suspect most people won't believe how dry you need to get them for them to burn well and taste best.
I’m just now about half way through my first tin of an SG flake (Best Brown). I use 9mm filters, and I can usually get 3 smokes per filter. The first bowl of SG that I smoked, I THOUGHT I had dried it enough. However, about halfway through, the filter was soaked and gurgling! I’m getting it dialed in now, but I’m amazed at how much moisture those flakes can hold!