VA Flake Advice?

[StogieJim]

So I tried my Orlik Golden Sliced again. Haven't touched it since March due to it biting me pretty badly.

I'm still only 3 months into piping, and I just can't puff on VA Flakes. They bite me almost instantaneously. Even if I puff slow. Even if I put the pipe down for 5 minutes and re light, that first puff bites.

I rubbed out the flakes and let them dry on the counter for 20ish minutes. Packed it really lightly and lit it up. Standard procedure for me by now.

I know VA tends to bite (from what I've read) but this was immediate. Anyone have any suggestions? I'd like to really "taste" VA as everyone here seems to love it, but to me it just tastes like hot ass tobacco that bites

Even if I smoke slow!

 

[javelin377]

That sucks as Va's are one of my favorite tobaccos. Maybe it just doesn't mix with your body chemistry. I dip skoal, but I hate cherry skoal. I'd quit if that's all they made. Va's might be your cherry skoal.

 

[Whtwtrman79]

Revisit them in 6 months or a year, you may be surprised, your technique will change, I didn't care for vas for the same reason at the onset of my piping but that has changed

Just put them away and forget about them for a while, maybe try some vapers like escudo or dnr, perhaps Dunhill flake, these are all less likely to bite in my experience, fully rub them out use a smaller pipe and let them dry a bit more, or even pack it in the am and smoke it in the evening

 

[The_Rev]

+1 on Dunhill Flake. Let it dry well first.

 

[danmdevries]

I had to let the flake dry almost crispy with some, but eventually it just seemed to work out and I almost never get bit anymore.

My current prep technique is to lay a few 3-5 flakes out overnight, or all day while im at work. Ambient humidity in my basement is usually 50-60 so they dont get totally crispy, but fairly dry. Then I stick the dry flakes in an empty tin with a few fresh flakes and let that sit for the next overnight or full day, and smoke from the tin. Whether or not it does anything truly beneficial, not sure. But thats what I started doing with all my flakes and I've not had a bite in some time. Last I remember was some DFM or maybe 3 Nuns that I smoked fresh from the tin with little dry time.

Also, i smoke almost exclusively in cobs, and I feel that helps too. Different bowl sizes will impact the smoke as well.

 

[Russ622]

So I tried my Orlik Golden Sliced again. Haven't touched it since March due to it biting me pretty badly.

I'm still only 3 months into piping, and I just can't puff on VA Flakes. They bite me almost instantaneously. Even if I puff slow. Even if I put the pipe down for 5 minutes and re light, that first puff bites.

I rubbed out the flakes and let them dry on the counter for 20ish minutes. Packed it really lightly and lit it up. Standard procedure for me by now.

I know VA tends to bite (from what I've read) but this was immediate. Anyone have any suggestions? I'd like to really "taste" VA as everyone here seems to love it, but to me it just tastes like hot ass tobacco that bites

Even if I smoke slow!

Heres a question I always ask new pipe smokers when they tell me a tobacco is biting them no mater how they pack it or how long they let it dry for.

What pipe(s) have you tried smoking flakes out of?

 

[StogieJim]

Heres a question I always ask new pipe smokers when they tell me a tobacco is biting them no mater how they pack it or how long they let it dry for.

What pipe(s) have you tried smoking flakes out of?

Hey Russ, It was just a cheap MM pipe. Not a cob though. Some sort of hardwood. Very thin and it gets very hot!
I may take @Whtwtrman79 advice and just put them away for a bit. I never get bitten from anything else I've tried. Deception Pass is a VaPer I believe and I've never been bitten. English blends are no problem. Aro's (Lane 1-Q) are no problem.

Very weird!

 

[bigbill72]

That sucks as Va's are one of my favorite tobaccos. Maybe it just doesn't mix with your body chemistry. I dip skoal, but I hate cherry skoal. I'd quit if that's all they made. Va's might be your cherry skoal.

Lol