Navy Flake and flake tobaccos in general

[ash13brook]

I just came back to the pipe after a twenty year hiatus.

I used to really like navy flake, but after recently buying a flake tobacco, realized I didn't remember how to get into my pipe correctly. As a result, I got a lousy smoke and mild frustration.

I would like to have it all broken up at once so I can load without a ritual.

Thanks,

Matt

 

[cortezattic]

Welcome to the PM.com forums! Glad to have you on board, and welcome back to the pleasures of the pipe. :clap:
Don't get too frustrated by flake tobaccos. Even though I prefer them, they still give me a hard time now and then.

If you look in the left hand column of this page you'll see an article by Bob Tate titled Flake Tobacco Preparation.

That should be a good refresher course.
If you're interested in rubbing out a flake, fold it, and with the palms of your hands, gently rotate the clump until it comes apart.
A variation is to fold the flake and smash it up by squeezing it until it is loose.

The biggest problem I ever have with folding and stuffing flakes is when I use too much tobacco. It expands, and the air flow stops.

 

[hobie1dog]

Welcome to the forum. I just put some flakes in between my hands and rub them together and let them crumble down onto a sheet of paper, then load that into a container.

 

[judcole]

Welcome aboard. I just fold mine up and stuff 'em in.

 

[baronsamedi]

It really depends upon the pipe shape for me. If it's a smaller bowl, I rub into small pieces. With a bigger bowl, I fold and stuff. Cortez is right. Overfill will ruin the smoke because you can't get air through.

 

[reichenbach]

I recently had a seemingly unlikely victory over flake tobacco. It seemed unlikely because it looked like I had underloaded my pipe with the fold-and-stuff method but it turned out to be the perfect amount due to expansion. This was one sheet of Peterson Irish Flake in a MM Country Gent. Chalk it up to another case of less is more but I thought this might be a helpful visualization.

 

[cigrmaster]

I have used all three methods(fold and stuff, cut into little squares, and my version of rubbing it out) and find that in larger pipes group 5-6 I enjoy the blend more when I rub it out slightly. I break it up in my fingers into smaller chunks and then use the 3 step filling method. In smaller bowls I will fold and stuff. I don't ever put the tobacco in my palms and fully rub it out. I think you need to experiment and find what method works best for you.

 

[baronsamedi]

it looked like I had underloaded my pipe with the fold-and-stuff method but it turned out to be the perfect amount due to expansion.

That's exactly it! you have to trust that it's enough and resist the urge to cram more tobacco in. Took a few tries before I understood that as well. :puffpipe: