Rolling your own with whole tobacco leaves takes a little practice and patience but it’s totally worth it! Skip the chemically bleached papers, save money, and enhance your smoking experience using all natural Funnels whole tobacco leaves.
Interested in trying or maybe stepping up your fronto/grabba game? Below is a brief introduction with tips on how to roll your own.
Water Makes it Pliable
First, open the package, roll out your leaf, and moisten with a little water. Before they can be rolled, your leaves should be lightly moistened or “cased.” A fine mist of water or a wet towel should do the trick. Placing the leaves in the bag they came in with a bit of water will also work. Keep in mind that
A fine mist of water or a wet towel should do the trick. Placing the leaves in the bag they came in with a bit of water will also work. Keep in mind that the amount of water you need and the length of time your leaves should be moistened depends on the type of leaf you buy.
Very dry leaves will need to be exposed to more moisture than less dry leaves, and some leaves come slightly moist already. Experiment with different amounts of water and periods of absorption to get the most pliable leaf. Finally, if the leaf is overly moist to the point that it is leaving water on your hands after handling, let them dry in the open air until just flexible.
Trim to Size
Next, cut the central vein out of the wrapper leaves. This vein is identified by tracing the stem up through the leaf to its tip.
By cutting the leaf vertically along each side of this central vein, you will ensure the wrapper will be as smooth as possible. If you want, you can make your wrapper even smoother by pressing it briefly with a warm iron or rolling the surface with a heavy, round object to press and smooth it – anything from an actual rolling pin to a large socket from the toolbox works just fine.
Occasionally, a small hole or tear is present in the leaf but simply cut around them. For a standard size, cut along the side veins in the leaf, leaving those veins intact and a little leaf to one side of the vein, in order to use the vein as a structure to cradle the filler at the bottom of the wrap.
Then use the rest of the cut leaf to roll around all your smokeable stuff. Obviously, grinding or finely shredding your filler will give you a smoother finished product.
In Case You Were Wondering
Green spots on leaves are a natural discoloration that occurs during the curing process. Mold on tobacco leaf stems is normal and to be expected; it’s usually confined to the main stem, but can also show up on the leaf itself from time to time. Unless excessive, it can simply be washed off or cut around and discarded.
Unless excessive, it can simply be washed off or cut around and discarded. White spots on the leaves are also a natural discoloration that is common on cigarette leaves. They occur when the leaf is fully mature, and is frequently a sign to farmers that the tobacco is ripe and ready to be picked. Some farmers will pick the leaves before the spots occur for aesthetic purposes, but others wait so that the leaf reaches its potential maturity. In other words, don’t worry. Grabba a leaf and smoke, Mon! Happy rolling!
They occur when the leaf is fully mature, and is frequently a sign to farmers that the tobacco is ripe and ready to be picked. Some farmers will pick the leaves before the spots occur for aesthetic purposes, but others wait so that the leaf reaches its potential maturity. In other words, don’t worry. Grabba a leaf and smoke, Mon! Happy rolling!
Some farmers will pick the leaves before the spots occur for aesthetic purposes, but others wait so that the leaf reaches its potential maturity. In other words, don’t worry. Grabba a leaf and smoke, Mon! Happy rolling!
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