Packing a Flake?

[dunnyboy]

I suck at the fold&stuff technique.
BUT I thought I'd give it another go this afternoon.

It did result in a much slower smoke - more so because I needed numeorus relights and time out to allow the bowl to cool down.

Was it a better smoke ? Any theoretical flavour improvement from flakes vs rubbed-out was negated by the stop-start cadence.

I concede that I still suck at this technique and will go back to rubbing out my flakes from now on. ?

I have no idea whether this is the "correct" technique for fold and stuff, but I leave plenty of space around the periphery of the bowl. The lozenge of tobacco could be easily tapped out if I were to invert the pipe. (Check out the photos in my post just above.) The term stuff is misleading because it implies almost plugging the chamber. The flake needs room to spread out and breathe. There should be very little resistance on the cold draw or while smoking. Once there is a bit of ash on the tips of the tobacco, you can lightly tamp to create a flat bed. The tobacco should burn pretty smoothly after that, requiring no more relights than when rubbed out. As has been noted, dusting the top with crumbs can act like tinder. I don't find I always need to do that but, if I have crumbs, I'll use them.

 

[OzPiper]

I have no idea whether this is the "correct" technique for fold and stuff, but I leave plenty of space around the periphery of the bowl. The lozenge of tobacco could be easily tapped out if I were to invert the pipe. (Check out the photos in my post just above.) The term stuff is misleading because it implies almost plugging the chamber. The flake needs room to spread out and breathe. There should be very little resistance on the cold draw or while smoking. Once there is a bit of ash on the tips of the tobacco, you can lightly tamp to create a flat bed. The tobacco should burn pretty smoothly after that, requiring no more relights than when rubbed out. As has been noted, dusting the top with crumbs can act like tinder. I don't find I always need to do that but, if I have crumbs, I'll use them.

I did all of that. Even put a Sharrow Philtpad in the bottom of the bowl for additional airspace.
Perhaps I didn't allow enough .

Perhaps I will try again, I recover from the "trauma" of that bowl ?

 

[dunnyboy]

@OzPiper, I'm certainly not an expert when it comes to pipe packing.
But when the stars do align, smoking folded flakes is special.

 

[OzPiper]

The stars must dislike me ?

I will keep trying despite my stated intention not too.
Hopefully there will be a lightbulb moment ?