I just started smoking some pipes seriously after dabbling several times. I purchased some pipes and some variety of Virginia flakes - I liked the juicy feel and powerful aroma of flakes. I will preface this question with the statement that I am a very slow cigar smoker.

So here is my question...I fold the flake on itself until it balls up, throw it in the chamber, and smoke away. However, I relight eveytime I hit it, like a crackpipe.:-) I don't know how to tamper it, nor do I care, because I find the flavors on every relight is soooooo rich and smooth. It's like pure flavor. Is this a bad method?

I can see how unorthodox it is, but I just have a hard time keeping the thing lit without the smoke getting noticeably hotter, and not as enjoyable. Plus it's a pain to keep puffing on it.
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It sounds like you are filling the pipe with too much tobacco, and it could possibly be too wet. The tobacco should be a loosely folded and twisted if you decide to use that method. It does take some extra time to get the tobacco lit when you fold it but once it's going it shouldn't be going out every puff.

This is a good video for demonstrating the fold method
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9tzmB0JInY

However it's your tobacco, so if you like what your doing stick with it
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dude, why are you still up at 430?
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Yeah, uh Marc you ok:-):-)
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They way your doing it allows for some pretty big air pockets that could cause a loose draw. However, it seems to be working for you. The traditional method to pack a flake is to rub it out and load in a more traditional fashion. I've always loaded flakes in a manner that is somewhere between yours and the traditional method. I take the flake and bend it vertically so as to fit into the bottom of the bowl. I then just push it into the bowl so it is folding onto itself until the bowl is filled. I then give it a light tamp before lighting and away I go. This method was always perfect for Best Brown which was pretty much the only flake I smoked.

MCS
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That is a great video hightlighted above. Great technique. Do not overpack or overfill.
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Going to Vegas for the weekend, so I'm getting myself conditioned.

Thanks for the video. The tobacco is wet. I was thinking maybe letting it sit for an hour before packing it next time. Some of the juicy flake tobacco tastes like old vintage cigars!
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flake maybe too dry - bend in half and it breaks
flake probably too wet - bend in half like rubber
flake about right - bend in half and it partly fractures, partly bends

After drying, bust the flake up into shreds and shards and crumbled stuff and put it, more or less evenly, in a pipe. Do not overcompress when filling or tamping because it WILL SWELL UP as it warms; keep a slightly open draw all the time. If th pipe gets plugged and won't burn, dump it and start over. Easiest way to master flake rubbing, filling and smoking is beginning with half-bowls.

If hard to start with a thoroughly even light across the top of the bowl, add some fine crumbles atop to get things going; tamp lightly - relight. You oughta be good as gold following this advice with 80% of flake tobacco. Each has its own burning character but these general rules apply.

Puff on my brother. Puff on.
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