The Flake Mistake

[locopony]

Ok so I have been rubbing my flake out until it was like shredded tobacco. I dont think it wrong exactly, but after watching some fold and stuff videos, and some rub out videos I could be over doing it. According to them I am losing flavor and coolness.

Input desired, what do you think.

 

[gray4lines]

Flakes are my new favorite kind of pipe tobacco, for the reason that they can be prepared so many ways. I have cube cut them a couple of times, but rub out or crumble them more often. I have yet to really just fold and stuff one into the bowl, but I'll give that a try sometime.
I think as long as it works, it's the right way! Maybe a certain flake will taste better to you depending on how you prepare it, so whichever way you prefer.
Again, as for me, right now, I rub most of them out

 

[crpntr1]

I prefer to rub out FVF but if I get carried away it does loose flavor and smoke hotter, seems to anyway. I like it more crubled up than fully rubbed out. I prefer Erinmore cube cut because it seems to smoke cooler that way

 

[rotschefeller]

I'm no expert but I hear the folding technique creates uneven burning problems.

 

[taerin]

I second the cube cut technique for the reasons rothnh has stated. I prefer the fold and stuff method though, which can work well, but it takes a lot of pratice and can be somewhat frusterating before you get it right.

 

[locopony]

Ok aboit to do the fold and stuff method for the first time. I'll let ya know how it goes.

 

[dottle]

I dry it,fold and stuff,and sprinkle a little rubbed out on top.I seem to get my best flavor that way, but to each there own,,,,its what ever works for you.

 

[locopony]

Yes, I let 2 flakes set out about 3 hours, folded it over together against the grain and again with the grain. I gave it a little twist to loosen it a bit, then stuffed it into my DiFranco. Then rubbed out the loose bits and packed it in on top, charred it then lit it up. Thus far its going swimmingly.

 

[baronsamedi]

Fold and stuff is actually my favorite. I do cube FVF, though.

 

[locopony]

Vitamin N over dose woo. Had to let it go out lest I toss my tacos.

 

[locopony]

Now this is what I learned. It burned really nice all the way to nearly the bottom. Then it burned toward the center and I got an ashy taste "bwlagk" so I dumped it. When examining the dottles it seem that there was very little, but it was a bit of a ring that had burned out in the center. Over all fold and stuff is far better in my opinion. However that ring was some unburned toby and the ashy taste realy got me. How do I avoid this. The unburned dottle was dry as well which is good no dampness in the bottom of the bowl. With other shredded or ribbons I normally have a small bit of damp dottles in the bottom of the bowl.

 

[batdemon]

I'm another who prefers the cube cut method.

 

[flyguy]

Ditto on cubed. I cube it, then dry it. Next best is rubbed-out. I will save the fold-and-stuff method for fishing (burns slower).

 

[igloo]

I always pretend to be Edward Scissors Hands , that fold and stuff method only works every third time anyways . :crazy:

 

[sparroa]

Loco you were not necessarily doing it wrong to begin with - it's all a matter of taste.
Flakes are ideal because they give the smoker freedom to choose how they want to enjoy their tobacco.
You can fold and stuff today, rub out loosely tomorrow, rub out to a shag the next day, or in the case of coins you can stack them directly in the pipe...
I personally prefer cube cutting for most of my flakes and I have been doing it since bentmike made a thread about it a few months back. It is the same philosophy as the fold and stuff (bigger pieces, bigger flavour) but much easier to master - it is virtually idiot proof and definitely less fussy than the other ways out there...
There is a reason, however, that the same tobaccos would often come in 2 or 3 forms and it all boils down to convenience. Plugs, flakes, and ready-rubbed variations of the same blends were often identical but back in the days when pipe smokers were a dime-a-dozen and demand was high the tobacco companies would cater to the individual preferences of the smoker.
In short, don't feel bad about rubbing out flakes if it tastes right. It is my preferred option for some blends.

 

[jah76]

I find it's easiest for me to screw up a pack job with folding and stuffing then any other method.

 

[sparroa]

I'd say it is easy with MacBarens flakes but I have never found another blend that was conducive to the fold and stuff.

 

[atboth]

I fully rub it till it's ribbony, using a gentle palm roll to let the heat from my hand permeate the tobacco. Then I spread it to dry out, leaving a little in the tin as a "moistening device" - this lets the still moist tobacco reinvigorate the nearly dry tobacco when I put it back in the tin.
Fully rubbed out just loads easier for me. And the interplay between the dessicated shreds and the moist remnant really makes each smoke sing after the first day.
Don't pack too tight, and let the tobacco finds its own speed after lighting up. Sheer heaven.

[Wessex Red Virginia Flake, Davidoff Medallions, Escudo, plus Cornell & Diehl Manhattan Afternoon, at present. Finished the tin of Hal O'The Wynd.]

 

[kcghost]

Escudo I just fold. Works great. On others I just rub them out lightly and only the amount I need. I have seen other who cube cut them and then only gravity feed their pipes. They swear by that method.

 

[cigrmaster]

I love the cube cut method, it allows me to pack my pipe tighter which gives me a longer and cooler smoke. I also love the way the tobacco tastes from this method. I used to fold and stuff on occasion but it is not as consistent as the cube cut for me. I did use to break apart my flakes into bigger chunks with my fingers which worked well also. I fully rubbed out my flakes once but felt that the tobacco burned too quickly like a ribbon cut there bye defeating the purpose of buying a flake. It did not burn cool like a flake is supposed to or taste as good when I fully rubbed it out.