Firedance is on its way...

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Stick

Stick

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It should be somewhere between Edinburgh and the 'shire as I type. I've ordered this to broaden my horizons a little but the thing is chaps, I've never smoked a flake before. Rather than asking Mr You Tube, I figured I'd ask my trusted friends and brothers... So, without furhter ado, how do you pack a pipe with flake?  :confused: 
 
Lots of different ways mate.

I personally like to rub it out. Take a flake and rub between your palms over a plate until you have little strands. Depending on the moisture content you may want to dry it a bit first, or not according to how you like it.

Some folks cut it across the grain into little cubes, and gravity fill.

And some prefer the fold and stuff method.

I'd say experiment and find out what works best for you. Each way will yield slightly different results.

Firedance is one of the very few aros I smoke. Hope you get on well with it.


Cheers,

RR
 
I dry and gently rub out all Sammy G. Flakes, otherwise they are WAY too dense & moist for easy smoking.

PS - Firedance gets along nicely in a cob.  ;) 
 
Brewdude":ea2j1m71 said:
Lots of different ways mate.

I personally like to rub it out. Take a flake and rub between your palms over a plate until you have little strands. Depending on the moisture contend you may want to dry it a bit first, or not according to how you like it.

Some folks cut it across the grain into little cubes, and gravity fill.

And some prefer the fold and stuff method.

I'd say experiment and find out what works best for you. Each way will yield slightly different results.

Firedance is one of the very few aros I smoke. Hope you get on well with it.


Cheers,

RR
Click to expand...
THIS 100%! Try one bowl in a pipe done one way, try another in a different pipe another way and work your way through the different methods till you find the way that WORKS FOR YOU !! There really is NO ONE WAY to do Fakes.  :twisted: 
 
Sound advice brothers thank you. I believe I am prepared for action.

Both tins arrived today and curiosity got the better of me; I popped the lids. Instant and obvious cherry from the Dark Cherry and an intriguing aroma from the Firedance. With that smell and the fact it's a flake, of the two I'm most looking forward to the latter... I'll let you know how I get on...
 
I am wanting to order this next time around. I took a whiff of a sample tin in a b&m in austin tx and did not detect any cherry notes. Maybe it was due to the fact that someone was smoking a cigar (blech) at the table next to the pipe tobacco samples. Anyways, I have heard it is good. Let me know what you think.

btw, I haven't figured out the best way of prep for flake yet myself. Im still pretty much a noob when it comes to pipes. I am learning to enjoy the journey.
 
I agree, what suits you, is the way you are going to smoke your flakes.

I love flake tobacco, smoke a lot of it. I treat every brand according to the type of flake. Most of them, I fold and stuff. Others I rub a bit, but not all the way.Then I make a little plug that will fit easily into the bowl. Others I will rub out completely. Still some others I will take a pair of sciccors and cut the flakes up in small pieces and gravity feed.

Only one piece of advice; be careful to pack to tightly. It can easily happen with flakes, especially if you fold and stuff. Try the draw before you light up. If the draw is tight, rather remove the baccy and start from scratch.
 
Firedance is similar in consistency and moisture content to Best Brown Flake. I usually rub it out. Make sure it is good and dry before firing-up.
 
The more I smoke flakes, the more I'm deciding to just rub them out. I tried the fold and stuff at first, and it allows your flakes to burn forever, but if it doesn't want to stay lit, theres so little you can do. Rubbing out and packing a little loose seems to be the magic for me.

But try out the fold and stuff at least once, if you can get it to work for you, it allows the flake to smoke slow and cool throughout!
 
Thanks Milkman. I'll give it a go with both with rubbing it out and also the fold and stuff. I recon you have to try folding a few times, it is after all a flake! It seems that a little drying is the order of the day too...
 
One of the lessons I've learnt for the BoB:

I smoke what I like and I like what I smoke.  :D 
 
I have been smoking flakes for decades and as most of the brothers mention, the answer to your question is experiment around. I will say that given the original purpose of forming flakes (it was a space saving process whereby sailors in the olden days would try to pack as much tobacco into as small a space as possible when serving on board sailing ships which had limited space available, of course the unforeseen and pleasant consequence of this method of storing tobacco was that, especially with Virginias, the pressing method forced the natural sugars to the surface of the flake and made it sweeter). Given that historical fact it seems that the flakes originally were intended to be fully rubbed out which is the only way I have been able to smoke them successfully. However, try it both ways and enjoy.
 
I like the fold and stuff method modified: one or one and a half flakes ready to stuff, but "mess with them" to loosen them up.

Also, remember when stuffing not to overload the pipe, because everything expands when lit.
 
jefe1037":f2cb811k said:
I like the fold and stuff method modified: one or one and a half flakes ready to stuff, but "mess with them" to loosen them up.

Also, remember when stuffing not to overload the pipe, because everything expands when lit.
Click to expand...
Yes, that's what I do mostly.  I form sort of a plug while "messing" with the flake!!  Well said, sir!

And bacon makes everything better
 
Well, I've just had my first experience of Firedance in my Rhodie from Brian. I found it to be very different to my other aros which I guess must be down to the predominantly Va component as opposed to the Cavs. Tin note was intriguing. It was a far lighter, more delicate smoke, and didn't taste as 'thick'. For this sortie I rubbed out the flake and left to dry for a short while which seemed to go ok. I'll try it a few more times like this and then for a fold... Very good though!
 
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