The Cube Cut Method

[taerin]

I will try this when my VA tobacco ages. Flakes have been rather difficult for me to smoke. When I was a total novice, I actually put my Irish Flake into a coffee grinder and smoked the powder, which often got inhaled by acident. It almost needed a filter!

 

[tbradsim1]

Masterful way to smoke flake thanks mike. The old cajun

 

[captainsousie]

I'm still trying to figure out flakes. This method seem to work best but it still is a pain in the keister to keep lit. I tried rubbing and cubing with a tin of SG Full Virginia and it tasted good but didn't like to stay lit at all.

 

[captainsousie]

I dried it for a couple of hours before cubing but I'll try after cubing to see if there is a difference.

 

[slownumbers39]

I tried the cube cut method tonight with some Peterson Irish Flake and it worked well for me. Took it out of the tin, cut it up and let it dry for a couple hours. Lit easily, smoked well was able to put it down for a bit and I could still bring it back without much issue. Only had to relight in the last 1/3 of the bowl and I think it was mainly from neglect. I will try it again this weekend and pay more attention to it and see how that works. I like this method more than the roll or fold method and appreciate the tip.

 

[thebadkitty]

I've been using scissors on my flakes after reading this and I'm becoming a cube-cut-convert too. Today I lit a bowl of scissor-cut Bullseye Flake with the magnifying glass...FUN! Mike, your suggestions rock!

 

[cortezattic]

Let me join the chorus of converts too! This technique makes SG/St. James Flake sing!

I've been here for almost 3yrs., and I have to say, this is probably the most beneficial post I've read to date.

Thank you, Mike. :clap:

 

[bentmike]

Thanks cortez!

 

[sparroa]

I still haven't tried this but I've got some Sam's Flake that doesn't work too well when it's rubbed out, and I don't like all of the folding methods I've come across... Great tips!

 

[bentmike]

Hey sparroar try the cube cut and let us know what you think.

 

[gnatjulio]

Excellent post. Ya got me. Next flake I smoke, I use the CC method. :P

 

[sparroa]

I will. I'll give you my thoughts in a day or two! *Pause* I've had enough tobacco for today... "GUARDS!"

 

[sparroa]

Bravo, Mike!
So I cut up my strip of Sam's Flake into fine cubes and let it dry for a few hours. (The tin is opened for two days)
It was a nightmare to light even with extensive drying time! I must have used half a box of matches... I was also outdoors with a mild breeze so it was a job to get a steady fire going.
I'll admit that I was skeptical, mainly because the only factory cube cut I had was a bit tough to keep lit.
But when I finally got the fire going, man, what a difference it makes from the rubbed out Sam's I had on day one...
I don't know what it was I liked exactly but when I got the fire properly stoked and good rhythm on the go the plumes of delicious smoke began to rise up and I was really lost in the blend... The flavours seemed super concentrated, whereas when rubbed out it had been fairly flat and tasteless. Great straight VA taste in the forefront with a subtle musky spice character either from the orientals or the tonquin or both! 5 stars for Sam's Flake with the cube cut method... It took me awhile and I was cursing and swearing about ready to give up, but it was really tasty.
I sipped and savoured it for what seemed like forever and the bowl barely seemed to be combusting - it was like there was an endless supply of tobacco in there... I don't know if I'm imagining it but you seem to get more bang from your buck this way as far as smoke volume and "session" longevity is concerned... I also couldn't help but inhale I was enjoying it so deeply so this might be a very "dangerous" method after all!
I'm going to try this in a couple days with Peter Heinrich's Dark Strong Flake - stay tuned. lol
Thanks again for the tip... I'd heard of cube cutting before but I never thought to do it with flakes which I have considered really troublesome up to this point.
If I'd make a change to your method I'd probably throw some loose cut "neutral" tobacco on top to get it going, or rub out some flake to a finer consistency to serve as that tinder as it was truly a pain to get it started...

 

[mick]

If I'd make a change to your method I'd probably throw some loose cut "neutral" tobacco on top to get it going, or rub out some flake to a finer consistency to serve as that tinder as it was truly a pain to get it started...

That really could be because you were outside. Once I stopped smoking outside, my frustration level – and blood pressure – decreased exponentially. :lol:
Man, I have to try this method again. I think I'll set out some Solani Aged Burley Flake for tomorrow.

 

[sparroa]

If I was smoking inside my girlfriend would not have been pleased and my blood pressure would have gone through the roof! Outside smoking isn't so bad with a cooperative blend and a calm day, but trying to light and smoke a tricky blend is another story altogether...
I wish I had some burley flake on hand to try, actually. I'd be in the mood to give that a whirl, I bet you will get some deep and dark flavours out of that using the cube cuts... It'd be interesting to see how a latakia flake would be as well - I've got some Sam Gawith Balkan Flake in a jar but IDK if the moisture level is right... It'll likely be really soft by now because I found it rather mellow 18 months ago when I put it away.

 

[gnatjulio]

Cube cut Dunhill Flake and I gotta say that it smoked real well. Heavy smoke, kept a consistant flavor, smooth draw. I guess you have a convert here.....as long as I don't lose my scissors.

 

[plet]

Trying the cube-cut method for the first time due to this post. I burning bob's chocolate in a Parker London Briar straight poker.
My first impression is that its hard to light, but not too difficult. The flavour however is much more detailed. Maybe its just me, but I like it! I'll give it some more tries ::
Cheers

 

[sparroa]

I have since done this several times with 3 different tobaccos.
To me, all of them are better cubed than rubbed out loose.
I have had great success by ensuring that my tobacco is sufficiently dry, that the cubes are cut very finely with sharp scissors, that they are packed "properly" via gravity without too much tamping, and that I proceeded with a very thorough charring light followed by a very thorough true light.
If I meet all of those conditions, the results are almost uniformly excellent, whereas my experience with rubbing out flakes was very inconsistent and much less pleasurable on the whole...
If you want a long smoke, then cube cuts are the way to go. I have surpassed the 1.5 hour mark when normally I only have short sessions. In my experience, the density of the cubes can be far greater than the loose cut tobacco without compromising the integrity of the smoke. When they finally ignite, they burn better than any other form of tobacco that I have seen (providing that your moisture level is appropriate) and they provide a fuller volume of smoke and a richer flavour WITH LESS EFFORT than rubbing out the tobacco will give you...
With other methods, YMMV, but cube cuts are virtually foolproof in my eyes.

 

[jbbaldwin]

Another convert - cube cutting makes my flakes taste much sweeter than the fold'n'stuff method. I've been making my way through some GLP Jackknife and a tin of Heinrich's Dark Strong Flake and have had nothing but near-transcendent bowls.
Thanks for the tutorial!

 

[mick]

but cube cuts are virtually foolproof in my eyes

No wonder I have been having so much trouble getting this method to work! :rofl: