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Dr. Grabow Pipes
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steverino
Golden Duke
Joined: 15 Oct 2008
Posts: 787
Location: Piedmont North Carolina
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 Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:22 am Post subject: Ping LokoMac8 - Dark Star |
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Hey RJ, how about writing us up a review of the McClelland Dark Star? I've had a love-hate relationship with that tobacco for some time and I can't seem to get it to smoke just right. Like you, I know it's good (anything that looks like pieces of rubber tire has got to be good), I'm just having a hard time getting it to be good. If you would, regale us with your Dark Star experiences.
Last edited by steverino on Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:52 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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LokoMac8
Tru-Grain
Joined: 19 May 2008
Posts: 985
Location: Heidenheimer, Texas
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| Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:52 am Post subject: Re: Ping LokoMac8 - Dark Star |
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| steverino wrote: | | Hey RJ, how about writing us up a review of the McClelland Dark Star? I've had a love-hate relationship with that tobacco for some time and I can't seem to get it to smoke just right. Like you, I know it's good (anything that looks like pieces of rubber tire has got to be good), I'm just having a hard getting it to be good. If you would, regale us with your Dark Star experiences. |
Well, I'm about to call it a night, but I'll try and write up something. Just for starters, though, it doesn't remind me of anything around a dairy (just had to say that, Barry). It's nice and naturally sweet and has a nice sweet room note. That may be about it, but I'll smoke another bowl (about all I have left) tomorrow and see if I can sense a bouquet or something. I like all of McCelland's virginia based tobaccos, but for some reason I have singled this one out but at this point, I'm not sure why. --RJ-- |
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steverino
Golden Duke
Joined: 15 Oct 2008
Posts: 787
Location: Piedmont North Carolina
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| Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks RJ. Maybe you could pass along some info on how you prepare it, how you pack it in the pipe, etc. I think I may be veering off course with some of that. |
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LokoMac8
Tru-Grain
Joined: 19 May 2008
Posts: 985
Location: Heidenheimer, Texas
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| Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 4:03 am Post subject: |
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| steverino wrote: | | Thanks RJ. Maybe you could pass along some info on how you prepare it, how you pack it in the pipe, etc. I think I may be veering off course with some of that. |
Well, once again I am caught short of time with it being late and me ready for bed, but I couldn't let this lay until I got around to it on the morrow.
I probably know less than anyone in this Forum when it comes to SMOKING pipes. Oddly enough, as technical and methodical of a person as I am, when it comes to smoking pipes, I guess because it is something I do totally for relaxation and enjoyment, I give little thought as to what I do while preparing the smoke and smoking.
I have tried different methods, especially after reading about them elsewhere, but I seem to fall back on what I always do with a flake tobacco, or coins or those having large chunks, and that seems to be good enough for me. I basically rub them out, but for me that is merely taking a pinch of the tobacco and rubbing it, not in the palm, but just between my thumb and ajoining two fingers, breaking it up into shreds and small bits onto the lid of the tin. All I am looking for is a consistency that loosens it up and that I think I can load easily. I take several "pinches" until I have what I think is enough for one bowl. then I load it up.
Dark Star is sort of moist, so I don't want to pack it too tightly, as it will be difficult to draw through, plus, as it smokes down the moisture, etc. seem to automatically compress things down. Yet if it is too loose, especially at the top, it will be hard to light and keep lit. If you tend to tamp the ash down a bit occasionally (and dump off) as I do, that will also add to the density, too. OK, that's about as technical as it gets.
Now, the problem, at least for me is, just about everything in my collection is in my rotation and I am always smoking a different pipe, and only by accident do I ever smoke the same tobacco in the same pipe. This alone probably breals every cardinal rule of pipe smoking! This matters though, as every pipe will have it's own characteristics and idiosynchrocies and may have to be packed a bit different from another. Through osmosis or experience or something, it seems I have sort of "learned" what it takes with the only guide being the feel of my finger as I load the bowl. In other words, it doesn't seem to be something that I conciously think about, so now that you have asked, I am hard pressed to explain it. I manage pretty good unless I am "emotional" (happy or stressed, etc.) in some way, and then I have a tendency to tamp it down too tight.
Anyway, I don't have much of a problem with Dark Star at home, but while trying to run a locomotive in which my hands are already constantly in motion and hardly have a break, I either won't get the packing right, or I'll have a hard time getting the pipe lit because I may get interrupted while trying to light up. I smoked two bowls today at work and did experience some difficulties, but managed to salvage enjoyable smokes. This experience, though, may have clued me in to what you mean about "veering off course".
In short, I still love this tobacco, but I do think it demands a bit more "technique" than other tobaccos to get the best burn and enjoyment. I wish I could tell you something useful, but all I can guess at is try rubbing it down to small parts and packing about "medium". If you leave it in big chunks, I think the air spaces between the tobacco will wreak havoc in trying to achieve a nice even burn though the whole bowl full, and to offset that, the tendency may be to tamp it too tight.
Does this make any sense at all? I would be very interested in hearing what others might have to say in this regard. In the meantime, I might have enough left for another bowl full and I will go at it again tomorrow sometime and see what happens. If your "love" only turns to hate for Dark Star, I will take all you have off your hands! --RJ-- |
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LokoMac8
Tru-Grain
Joined: 19 May 2008
Posts: 985
Location: Heidenheimer, Texas
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 3:46 pm Post subject: Re: Ping LokoMac8 - Dark Star |
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| steverino wrote: | | Hey RJ, how about writing us up a review of the McClelland Dark Star? |
Oh, by the way, I meant to ask, what does "Ping" mean? May be a dumb question. --RJ-- |
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TheDuke
Golden Duke
Joined: 07 Dec 2008
Posts: 297
Location: Klamath Falls,Ory-gun
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| Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 3:24 am Post subject: Re: Ping LokoMac8 - Dark Star |
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| LokoMac8 wrote: |
Oh, by the way, I meant to ask, what does "Ping" mean? --RJ-- |
Not sure in this context, But it's the name of most of my golfclubs! They got their name by the sound made by the original putter's created by Mr. Karstan.. 
Oh nevermind...Nice review,Mac! 
EM
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ozark southpaw
Golden Duke
Joined: 08 Jul 2008
Posts: 1376
Location: Poplar Bluff,Mo.
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| Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 3:39 am Post subject: |
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Duke,where the heck you been? Fishin' ? Huntin' ?
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TheDuke
Golden Duke
Joined: 07 Dec 2008
Posts: 297
Location: Klamath Falls,Ory-gun
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| Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 3:50 am Post subject: |
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| ozark southpaw wrote: | | Duke,where the heck you been? Fishin' ? Huntin' ? |
Bowhunting and golfing and working too much! All us maintance guy's got laid off on the 23rd , so the chainsaw & lawnmower & blower & rake has been going like crazy getting the yard put down for the winter. Sure nice to walk into my garage,load a pipe, and park my butt in the easychair for a bit! (also got 2nd season for the bow in a few weeks!  )
I just saw a ransom pic! Colonel Harland Saunders kidnapped your little dog! 
L8 EM
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BWThomas
Golden Duke
Joined: 12 Jul 2009
Posts: 450
Location: Leesburg, VA
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| Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 4:23 am Post subject: |
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| LokoMac8 wrote: | | I would be very interested in hearing what others might have to say in this regard. --RJ-- |
My first experience with flake tobacco was with Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake. Very mature Old Belt flue-cured Virginia's spiced with Louisiana Perique is the description. I knew I liked the flue cured Virginia, and I had been wanting to taste the Perique. Now before I got my hands on it I had never even seen a flake tobacco close up, what a shocker, looked like beef jerky. Before I even smoked it, I had to know the history, so I googled it. What I found in several articles is that it was designed to save space, makes sense, a sailor back in the day didn't have much on board. Also, the dense packed material made for easy handling. You can imagine the wind blowing across the deck of a ship and trying to handle a pouch of loose tobacco.
I decided to smoke it as I imagined it was smoked on board. I broke off some flake, folded it and stuffed it into a pipe. The open spaces between the tobacco allowed it to be fully and easily ignited. You can pack it as loose or tight as you want, just keep wedging the flake into the bowl. As I smoked it down about half way it was ready for a tamp. The flavor varied, sometimes sweet, sometimes spicey in the top half of the bowl, the second half was different, a blend of both. The full ignition at the top of the bowl dried out the bottom, resulting in a dry smoke.
Give it a try while you're haulin' down the rails with the wind whipping through the cab.
I also do the rubbing out, sometimes just as you described, between the fingers. If it is something that is very moist, I'll rub it and let it air dry a few minutes. But I have found that even the wettest flake will light up just fine when folded and stuffed and fully ignited with a good flame. I've read where some folks call this 'stoving in the pipe'
The hot top heats the tobacco in the bottom of the bowl, and does in fact change its flavor. I've smoke this 1792 Steve sent me, both ways. Both ways are good, different, but both enjoyable to me. I prefer the Navy Flake folded and stuffed. Same with the ABF (Navy Flake on steroids) I feel like the true character of the blend comes through. When I rub out the Navy Flake, the flavor is somewhat stifled, the VA over powers the Perique.
I'll have to revisit the 1792 folded and stuffed before the night is out
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steverino
Golden Duke
Joined: 15 Oct 2008
Posts: 787
Location: Piedmont North Carolina
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| Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 4:26 am Post subject: |
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RJ, thanks for your comments on the Dark Star. They were very helpful, if for no other reason than to confirm that I'm essentially doing things "right". I did start off trying to smoke the flakes (treads?) whole, but that never worked very well - couldn't keep it lit. I probably need to experiement with the packing a bit, I'm probably getting it a little too tight.
"Ping" was just my way of getting your attention - I guess it worked! It's actually an IP command used for sending data packets to a website or other IP address to see if it's active.
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