Double-drying technique for flake, plug?

[NorthernLights]

Hello all,

Wondering if anyone does a double-drying technique for flake or plug tobacco, after rubbing out.

Seems logical that if the rubbed strands are somewhat thick, unlike uniformly thin ribbon cuts, they will dry unequally, and much faster on the outside. Thus they may FEEL dry, but actually be very dry outside and quite a bit too moist inside. Overall, this would result in having to over-dry the outside to counteract this, but this over drying may sacrifice quite a bit of the aromatic compounds on the outside of the strand.

Does anyone partly dry their rubbed flake/plug, and then seal it in a small airtight container for a time, and then re-open it, to allow it to dry homogenously, letting te inside catch up to the outside?

Thoughts? Not worth it? Make sense?

 

[Ocelot55]

Good thoughts. The same has crossed my mind as well. I rub out my flakes pretty thoroughly so I haven't had a problem with it.

I'd be interested to hear additional comments.

 

[gravel]

I either cut my flakes across the grain into cubes and gravity feed or I fold, fray, stuff, and finish with a slight pressure thumb twist.

No intentional drying time here.

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

Some flakes I cube and others I rub out and dry. My preferred method with individual blends are all based on experiences that I have gained preparing those blends in a variety of ways.

Dry time always depends on the blend as well as the time of year.

I don't have time to double-dry, but it sounds like an interesting concept.

 

[Kelhammer]

I have always assumed that the tobacco being moist inside a flake is partially why I like them. I love that bit of locked in moisture. To me it makes a thicker smoke. In my mind it is a bit more forgiving as well. I mostly cut cross grain to cube, but use the fluff-n-stuff method as well. I will dry at times after the cut, or fluff. Mostly if I want to avoid relights. Still learning.

Andy