To Rub or Not to Rub?

[JRW11b]

I have a 1/2lb of PS400 Superior Navy Flake coming in. I'd like to set aside a small bit to taste right off the bat and wish to cellar the rest away, as I understand it will do much better with some age on it. Upon your recommendations, should I store it as is, or rub it out and store it? Any downsides to the latter? Will it compromise the flavor at all? Thanks!!

 

[trudger]

As is. Takes less space for starters and melds the flavors nicely.

 

[verporchting]

Store as-is. Ages better, easier to store.

 

[Ahi Ka]

I would assume most people who buy bulk tobacco flakes store them as flakes, regardless of how they choose to load the bowl. However, just because most people do this, doesn’t mean it has to be how you do it.

For experiments sake why not do a 4oz jar of rubbed out and whole and then compare them side by side when you come around to smoking them?

If you find you significantly prefer the rubbed out jar, then maybe stock up on va and VaPer ribbon cut blends

 

[MikeDub]

I’ve got a few pounds of 400 and at least for me once you start handling it it becomes a broken flake anyway, regardless of how gentle you are with the flakes. Can’t say I notice a huge difference in flavor either way. I store them as flakes and tend to smoke it that way, but I don’t have a strong preference

 

[JRW11b]

I would assume most people who buy bulk tobacco flakes store them as flakes, regardless of how they choose to load the bowl. However, just because most people do this, doesn’t mean it has to be how you do it.

For experiments sake why not do a 4oz jar of rubbed out and whole and then compare them side by side when you come around to smoking them?

If you find you significantly prefer the rubbed out jar, then maybe stock up on va and VaPer ribbon cut blends

I like your way of thinking. This appeals to the side of me that always loves a good experiment. Thank you for that. I'm almost a 100% positive I'll be ordering more anyway. I'm a new pipe smoker and I've been going crazy on ordering new blends to try. I like this route though.

 

[JRW11b]

I’ve got a few pounds of 400 and at least for me once you start handling it it becomes a broken flake anyway, regardless of how gentle you are with the flakes. Can’t say I notice a huge difference in flavor either way. I store them as flakes and tend to smoke it that way, but I don’t have a strong preference

So are you a fan of the "fold and stuff" method?

 

[canucklehead]

Store it as flakes, you can always rub it out later if you want, you can't unrub it if you change your mind.

 

[ADKPiper]

When in doubt, rub it out.

 

[JOHN72]

I can't imagine rubbing kilos of tobacco and putting them in jars, what a bore. I would never have thought of that. I also love the original state of the tobacco.

 

[MikeDub]

So are you a fan of the "fold and stuff" method?

Yes. I rarely ever rub flakes out unless it’s a Samuel Gawith flake, and even then I rub them out so that they reach the proper moisture in a reasonable amount of time. If SG flakes didn’t come sopping wet from the factory I’d fold and stuff those flakes too

 

[Sinzalot]

I went through a similar predicament when deciding to jar several tins of my favourite Peterson's Signature flake many years ago.
After much trial and error I've found that storing the flakes whole produces a far more consistent flavour over time. With less area open to fermentation/oxidation the flakes mellow but lose no flavour. I just rub out what I need at the time and seal up the jar.
Jars that contained rubbed out SF show a significant darkening of the ribbons and for me a marked change in their flavour profile, it tasted 'watered down' and weak and also lost it's woody / caramel flavour I love so much.
Jars containing whole flakes show almost no change in appearance but the time in the jar rounded out any rough edges that were there fresh from the tins. Nowadays as soon as I open a fresh tin it goes straight in a jar to mellow and keep from drying out.
This experiment was only conducted due to several of my tins being compromised. I keep all my SF in the original tins but it was an interesting outcome.
Happy smokes.

 

[UB 40]

Wouldn’t like to mix up some mildew spores while rubbing out.

 

[sablebrush52]

Stick them in a few jars, or Mylar bags, as is. I like Ahi Ka's suggestion of an experiment, because I like experiments, but it will prove nothing.

I've jarred FVF from the same bulk, at the same time, in several different brand new jars from the same palette, left them to sit side by side on the same shelf for years, and upon opening to smoke found that the contents had changed in slightly different ways, none of them bad, just different. In two of the jars the FVF developed a pronounced sweetness that didn't happen in the other jars. All this proved to me as that the effects of aging are unpredictable.

 

[mso489]

Flake/coin/plug/rope retain a little moisture longer and steep in the blend better left as-is for aging. Do any rubbing out once you prepare to pack it, and I'd rub out only one or a few bowls at at time.

 

[kcghost]

Store it as it is made. Nothing to be gained rubbing it out.

 

[JRW11b]

Thank you all for your replies!!

 

[towhee89]

I went through a similar predicament when deciding to jar several tins of my favourite Peterson's Signature flake many years ago.
After much trial and error I've found that storing the flakes whole produces a far more consistent flavour over time. With less area open to fermentation/oxidation the flakes mellow but lose no flavour. I just rub out what I need at the time and seal up the jar.
Jars that contained rubbed out SF show a significant darkening of the ribbons and for me a marked change in their flavour profile, it tasted 'watered down' and weak and also lost it's woody / caramel flavour I love so much.
Jars containing whole flakes show almost no change in appearance but the time in the jar rounded out any rough edges that were there fresh from the tins. Nowadays as soon as I open a fresh tin it goes straight in a jar to mellow and keep from drying out.
This experiment was only conducted due to several of my tins being compromised. I keep all my SF in the original tins but it was an interesting outcome.
Happy smokes.

Very interesting. Would it really matter if I broke flakes in half (HH Bold Kentucky) for storing in a smaller mason 8oz mason jar? They were too long to fit, and I just broke them in half not thinking, but I didn't think it should make much of a difference because the flakes are still intact except for the edges. Ideally I'd want to keep them whole of course but just wanted to get it in that jar when I got ahold of some.

 

[woodsroad]

Rub it out, at least until you need glasses.

 

[proteus]

I store flakes ropes and coins in original condition in air tight jars big enough to fit the tobacco as is. I rub out everything in small quantities and store the rub outs in another jar so I have a ready supply of ready to load tobacco and yet still maintain most of my stock in original form.