Still Struggling With Samuel Gawith Flakes

[renfield]

Getting the moisture level correct and rubbing the flakes out completely is crucial, at least for me.

Try a pinch of a Va ribbon cut mixed in on top to act as kindling. Sometimes that can get things going.

Some days SG flakes just seem to be half asbestos no matter what. They’re not the easiest flakes around.

 

[pipebuddy]

I bought 250g boxes of FVF, SJF and 1792, then placed them in Mason jars.
9 months later, they were still too damp to smoke.
This is not natural; or, should I say, there is something sinister at work here.
I gave up on this brand a long time ago.

 

[python]

The cube cut method works well on SG and GH flakes when you are having problems getting used to it. Here is a video on it:

Flake Pipe Tobacco Preparation - Cube Cut Method

Here is my old article that I wrote about flake preparation. The video links don't work anymore, but all of the videos are on our youtube channel.

Flake Pipe Tobacco Preparation

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

As far as S&G and G&H blends go I don't have particular issues with these, I will leave them dry out at least 30min then I rub them out more or less,and whats crucial I'd suggest to pack 'em quite loose, good charring light is crucial also,be watchful with tamping , granted,these tend to need more relights than standard 'euro flakes and so what?

 

[gervais]

I bought 250g boxes of FVF, SJF and 1792, then placed them in Mason jars.
9 months later, they were still too damp to smoke.
This is not natural; or, should I say, there is something sinister at work here.
I gave up on this brand a long time ago.

When you seal something in a mason jar, the moisture is trapped inside. It “shouldn’t” be any dryer than when you sealed it up

 

[BROBS]

I bought 250g boxes of FVF, SJF and 1792, then placed them in Mason jars.
9 months later, they were still too damp to smoke.
This is not natural; or, should I say, there is something sinister at work here.
I gave up on this brand a long time ago.

where would the moisture go?

yes some should dissipate but most will stay trapped inside the jar.

what tobacco do you put in a jar that is dry after 9 months?

 

[soviettubes]

Not to be redundant, but I’m supporting what some others have said above, because they’re right on, in my view.

I smoke FVF, Best Brown Flake, and Balkan Flake quite often, and some various GH flakes occasionally, which have a similar (wet) tin presentation. I rarely let them dry all that much, maybe a few minutes, or something,

I find a tall billiard with a more narrow chamber does best with these flakes, which seems counter-intuitive to some, I suppose.

Sometimes I rub them out pretty well, but generally I just twist the flakes a couple times to “shred” them up a little, but still keeping it together. Then I fold in half long-ways and bunch them together in a loose little “tube” like shape. Then, folded end first, I sort of corkscrew them down into the bowl loosely.

Next is the most important part for me, if your gonna do it this way... Take more time and do some longer charring lights to get a really good burned cap on top. Once you have a nice thick tamped-down crust on top, you’re ready to go.

Again, just echoing what some others have said, but that’s how I usually do it, and I don’t have a lot of problems enjoying these flakes or relighting a whole lot.

 

[danimalia]

where would the moisture go?

yes some should dissipate but most will stay trapped inside the jar.

what tobacco do you put in a jar that is dry after 9 months?

To be fair, I do think SG uses something beyond water as a humectant. Or maybe it's a property of their casing/topping. Tin moisture is one thing, but some of their VA-based blends can stay wet far longer than some other brands' VA based flakes. I'd hardly call it sinister, nor unique to SG, though I have no real aversion to humectants beyond the added dry time. Oddly, 1792 and Lakeland Dark seem to dry far more quickly.

 

[BROBS]

To be fair, I do think SG uses something beyond water as a humectant. Or maybe it's a property of their casing/topping. Tin moisture is one thing, but some of their VA-based blends can stay wet far longer than some other brands' VA based flakes. I'd hardly call it sinister, nor unique to SG, though I have no real aversion to humectants beyond the added dry time. Oddly, 1792 and Lakeland Dark seem to dry far more quickly.

Oh surely they do! I just can’t imagine condemning a tobacco for not drying out in a jar? I do agree that not fully rubbed out they take a ridiculous dry time. However I have never had an issue drying the flakes fully rubbed out and always figured it was because of how tightly the flakes had been pressed in the machinery.

 

[Worknman]

I gave up trying to get an enjoyable smoke with fvf. Since then its been in a jar waiting for the future more experienced version of myself to get in the mood and give it another go.

 

[Magpiety]

I had issues with them initially, until I started smoking using the breath method. Granted, that was early on, so the problem may have been my cadence in general and not necessarily the breath method, but they all seem to do fine now. They do require some drying time, an hour or two, but I haven't had any real issues with them.

I always break up the flakes as much as possible beforehand and use the three/four pinch method (depending on chamber size).

Just rocked some Bob's Chocolate Flake on Saturday. A divine smoke. One relight.

I just want to second this. I prefer flakes, and I always fold and stuff. The breath method works well for this. It doesn't keep it lit forever, but it does alert me about when to tamp. Gawith Flakes need a bit of time to dry, but all that much in my experience.

 

[pipebuddy]

When you seal something in a mason jar, the moisture is trapped inside. It “shouldn’t” be any dryer than when you sealed it up

That is not quite true.

 

[pipebuddy]

where would the moisture go?

yes some should dissipate but most will stay trapped inside the jar.

what tobacco do you put in a jar that is dry after 9 months?

You are assuming too much, here.
I never said the tobacco should have been dry after 9 months.

 

[pipebuddy]

To be fair, I do think SG uses something beyond water as a humectant.

I agree.

 

[burleyboy]

Thanks so much to all of you for your good words! Your advice and ancouragement is highly appreciated. I definitely won't give up on these flakes and I'm gonna do some experimenting with different packing methods in the future. I'll also definitely try "food processing" one of the flakes and I'll be as aggressive as possible on the charring light without bruning my tonge. And I thnik I'll have to accept, that these flakes are not for the times, I want an "effortless" smoke.

@BROBS - Thanks for the photo, I guess, I'm rubbing out no more or less than you do. You must have been kissed by some pipe god, if you're able to smoke through this without relighting.

 

[whsergent]

Used to smoke a lot of bracken flake and the only way it really burned well for me was rub out fine, wait till almost completely dry, gravity pack, very light tamp and you are ready to go.