I'm very inexperienced with flakes, ive only ever had Orlik, still have some in a jar I need to rehydrate and attempt. What is everyone's preferred method, and the pros and cons to that?
Your Preferred Method of Smoking Flakes
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Did this demo with Orlik.
Don't worry about rehydration, with flakes and Virginias, dry is a good thing.
Don't worry about rehydration, with flakes and Virginias, dry is a good thing.
I like to fold them into origami swans, and then... it really depends on my mood. Sometimes I will stuff them in my pipe beak first, sometimes tail first.
Or, if I am feeling really arts and crafty, I'll use a hole punch and make it into small round cylinders, instead of the boring old cube cuts.
Or, if I am feeling really arts and crafty, I'll use a hole punch and make it into small round cylinders, instead of the boring old cube cuts.
Kiddin' aside... I just crumple them up and put them in the pipe. I don't really ever give them much thought. Just don't get them packed too tightly, because when the heat hits it, they expand. Unlike ribbon, you want the first few draws will be wide open.
Yes, absolutely on wanting the draw to be open. It’s only going to get tighter as you tamp a bit throughout the smoke. Back when I first started smoking flakes, I would sometimes force a whole flake into a pipe that was a little too small for it. The draw was too tight of course, but I eventually learned.
Ditto on the not packing too tight.
Don't take "fold and stuff" too literal. In my hands, "fold and place" works better.
Don't take "fold and stuff" too literal. In my hands, "fold and place" works better.
If I'm in the mood for a slower smoke I'll fold and stuff, otherwise I'll rub the flake out.
Done em fold and stuff, long smoke that, fully rubbed out and cube cut. Can’t really tell the difference between those two. I guess I prefer fully rubbed out
I rub most all flakes and coins. I will occasionally fold and stuff Orlik Golden Sliced, Mac Baren Virginia Flake and a couple others.
The smoking format MAY or MAY NOT provide you different experiences, and it varies per individual.
You owe it to yourself to try each blend in every configuration, so you might discover what YOU like best.
I love ODF folded and stuffed but almost always rub out FVF, for instance.
You owe it to yourself to try each blend in every configuration, so you might discover what YOU like best.
I love ODF folded and stuffed but almost always rub out FVF, for instance.
Rubbed out. I've tried folding and stuffing, but it always ends up too loose with air gaps or too tight.
Haven't tried cube cut yet. They won't let me have sharp objects.
Haven't tried cube cut yet. They won't let me have sharp objects.
I rarely have any luck with the fold and stuff method, I end up wasting the tobacco. It always seems to burn uneven for me no matter how I do it. And yes, I always top it off with some rubbed out to use as kindle but once it gets going it either burns straight down the middle and the sides don’t burn at all or it burns on one side and not the other. I always go back to giving it another try but every time I do, I wish I would have just rubbed it out. It just ends up causing more trouble than it’s worth (for me). Some master it early on, I’ve been trying it for 11 years now and still rarely have any luck with it. I don’t have a very sensitive palate that would discern the very mild difference in taste anyway.
However, I still prefer Flake and Plug cuts most of the time (with the exception of St. Bruno, I prefer the RR). I think they just age a tad better but this could totally be psychosomatic.
However, I still prefer Flake and Plug cuts most of the time (with the exception of St. Bruno, I prefer the RR). I think they just age a tad better but this could totally be psychosomatic.
Cube cut all flakes. Tried fold and stuff many times with frustrating results.
Yeah I've tried the fold and stuff method a couple times. Never works for me. Can't get it to stay lit, even with a little broken up on top like kindling. And it takes too damn long to smoke. So I just rub it out completely, and let it dry for 15 minutes.
Always fold and stuff. I smoke at least 4 bowls per day that's flake, sometimes more. Not taking the extra time to rub it out or cube cut it.
No preferred method but lately I've been rubbing it out a lot.
I never have luck with cube cutting either. It never gets a nice solid ember for me and if I’m moving around, chunks end up falling out of the pipe and burn me or the sneaky wind ends up blowing cubes out. I’ve always found it to be a sloppy smoke. You should see my shirts after I smoke a cube cut bowl.
I pretty much always wad the flake up into a little ball and rub it out and then let it sit for a bit ...lately, since I am fairly neurotic and smoke smaller bowls, I will take whatever rubbed out flake I have left over and keep it in a separate baggie inside the jar and then use that stuff for kindling... I love to fold and stuff but find I get too much dottle, surely operator error on my part 
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