The Cube Cut Method

[stickframer]

Good read. Cheers.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I'm too lazy to spend so much time chopping up a flake into tiny little cubes lol.
I did have Peterson's St. Patrick's Day Blend which is cube cut, and I have to say it was a bugger to load and get lit. Once it did finally take light, after many many char lightings, it did pretty much smoke itself. Personally for me it's too much hassle to load it and get it to light to make cube cut tobacco or self cube cutting a regular occurrence.

 

[seacaptain]

I just started trying flake and I've been rubbing mine out. I'll have to try this.

 

[lenticular]

I am a convert to cube cut and have been putting away as much Peterson St Patricks Day limited edition

cube cut as I can afford or indeed find as it really is limited in availability.

Contrary to what lordofthepiperings said above I have found it very easy to load into my larger bowls

and it lights and stays lit much more easily than other tobaccos I have tried.

 

[baccyfart]

mike, great post! most of us are too impatient to spend any amount of time on prep. it can and does make all the difference in the quality and flavor of the smoke. stuff and puffers, take note. this is pipe smoking wisdom!

 

[cigrmaster]

lordofthepiperings, I cut my cubes into very large ones, probably 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch in size. The only blend I cut into small cubes like 1/4 or a tad smaller is Sameuel Gawith Full Virginia flake, as that one is my most finicky of flakes and it just smokes better with the smaller size. I also use a group 4 Dublin for the FVF.
Bentmike, you are still the man and I still think you should be on Mount Rushmore.

 

[jmill208]

I never fold and stuff anymore. Too much time wasted tamping and trying to get a good burn and even draw with a balled-up wad jammed in the bowl.
If I can't efficiently cube cut, I will tear the flakes. Sometimes in a pinch I will rub them out.
Cube cut that shit - all the cool kids are doing it. :wink:

 

[yaddy306]

I have nothing against the method, but "cube" cut? Have you guys ever seen a cube before?

Harris, you should be able to pack only two 3/4 inch cubes in a pipe.

 

[sw0snuff3r]

After reading this thread yesterday I decided to give it a try with my morning smoke. Up until now I've been mostly rubbing out my flakes, I've had little success with folding and stuffing them. I loaded up my pipe with some cube cut HH Old Dark fired and wow! It was a richer, fuller smoke than I would get rubbing out the flakes and very enjoyable with a big mug of coffee. I'm a convert to this method of preparing flake.

 

[cornleader]

After reading this thread yesterday I decided to give it a try with my morning smoke. Up until now I've been mostly rubbing out my flakes, I've had little success with folding and stuffing them. I loaded up my pipe with some cube cut HH Old Dark fired and wow! It was a richer, fuller smoke than I would get rubbing out the flakes and very enjoyable with a big mug of coffee. I'm a convert to this method of preparing flake.

OMG are you spying on me? Don't tell me you used a cob!
Exactly the same for me! Read this yesterday, decided to try cube cut as I also had no luck with fold and stuff so I usually rubbed it out. Cubed up some HH Old Dark Fired, which I found strong rubbing it. Did a gravity feed in a cob. I lightly tamped it down with very little resistance on the draw. It's a fairly new tin so a bit damp. I dried it for about an hour.
The smoke was way milder then rubbing. Stayed consistent to the bottom although it did get a bit nasty towards the end as I find ODF a bit strong. Not as nasty as rubbing though. The cob did get a bit hot so I slowed my pace. I'm new to this tobacco so I'm not sure if ODF burns hot or not, or perhaps it was too damp. I will now give some stronger flakes a second chance as I try cubing. Much smoother and tasted great.
I cube cut some Samuel Gawith Balkan Flake just now. I'll load it in my Peterson 2013 St Patrick's 221 I bought yesterday! (I might have to dry this a bit longer!) Can't wait!

 

[cornleader]

Quick update. I tried to cube some Samuel Gawith Balkan Flake. Didn't work out too good. These flakes are thicker, wetter and seem to be more oily then other flakes. Perhaps I didn't dry it enough or maybe the cubes were to big as the flakes are rather thick but had a hard time keeping it lit. Just cubed some Orlik Golden Slice and it was perfect. Tasted good all the way down. Burned to the bottom.
It seems the characteristics of the flake play a factor in the cube cut method. Most of the flakes I have are the same thickness and have the same moisture levels. The thicker flakes may need a different approach.