There are lots of reasons to roll your own cigarettes. In the first place, you get to choose your preferred paper and moreover your favorite tobacco too.
Rolling ciggies has been around since America was founded and tobacco was also the first cash crop to be grown in the US [Health Literacy].
Of course, generations on people still need to know how to roll a cigarette by hand and in addition to roll with a machine too.
You can roll your won cigarette in various ways e.g. with hand, with a manual cig roller machine, automatic or electric rolling machine, with a filter, without a filter and even with a dollar bill. Here you will find some best tips to roll a cigarette.
How to Roll a Cigarette for Beginners
Once you have chosen your paper and your tobacco, the next important decision is whether to add a filter or not. Beginners will wonder what order they need to put these elements in, for example when is the filter added.
So let’s start in the correct order. Firstly the paper, choose a paper that has no chemicals added and that burns smoothly.
Chemicals in paper can alter the flavor significantly in addition papers need to burn slowly. It is a good idea to keep spare papers in a tin or dispenser.
Next, choose your tobacco, loose leaf and again look to buy a brand that has fewer chemicals added. There are options for plain tobacco or flavored too but this will become a personal preference after time.
Popular options are menthol or clove flavors but most people will start with plain.
If you are using a filter, then get this ready prior to the rolling process.
How to Roll a Cigarette with a Filter
Step – 1: Start by shaping your tobacco, the key here is to make sure you do not pack the tobacco too densely. Furthermore, make sure you use a clean smooth surface.
So take some tobacco, tease it apart and shape it into a narrow cylinder, obviously a loose cigarette shape.
Step – 2: Once this is done, you need to take a paper and hold it between your middle finger and your thumb. You now need a steady hand as you need to form a valley down the paper with your free hand for when you add the tobacco.
This part will take a little time to master but it is vital that you keep one finger in the crease to act as a stopper. This will prevent he tobacco from falling out of the end and will be the end that you light.
Take the tobacco and fill the crease, pinch the tobacco lightly as you go down the crease in the paper. It is always best to apply the tobacco from the end you are still holding.
You need to add the amount for the size of cigarette you prefer. Some people like quite thick rolls but remember you will need to seal the cigarette so don’t make it too bulky.
Step – 3: At this point, you must ensure there are no dense clumps and to that end tease apart any lumps you can see. Two things to consider here, if the tobacco is too dense then drawing will be harder. Additionally, a smooth burning cigarette needs an even level of tobacco along the paper.
One common mistake is to leave the tobacco sparse at the ends so make sure you have plenty there and you can pinch off any hanging threads. If you are using a filter though you will need to leave a space for it at one end.
Step – 4: Filters therefore can be added now or if preferred at the end of the process, make sure the gap is the same size as the filter. There are a variety of filter types including homemade ‘Roaches’ which are made from cardboard and shaped into a ‘W’.
The filter is important for the removal of harmful substances but also it helps to strengthen the end you draw from.
Step – 5: Now it’s time to roll and as with everything, practice makes perfect. Hold the paper at both ends with your middle fingers and your thumbs.
Now, push your middle fingers along for extra support and ensure that they are in-line with your cigarette. At this point, your thumbs should be just on the underside of the cigarette.
Now here we go, roll gently but ensure that you keep your fingers in place and that enough pressure is applied to compress the cigarette.
You can compress at the ends a little tighter and keep your fingers straight. Once you have done this, align the edge of the paper with the top of the tobacco.
Step – 6: Ensure you can see the crease in the paper because you will need to tuck this loose edge into it. Now, slowly rotate your fingers, try to apply pressure along the cigarette and rotate until the tobacco is fully wrapped.
This will take practice and the common problem is getting the paper to tuck in so if this does not happen just roll back and tuck again.
Step – 7: Rotate until just the adhesive edge is left and then lick along the length before sealing. At this point, you need to run your fingers along the whole length of the adhesive edge, try not to damage or tear the cigarette.
Step – 8: Nip off any strands that are hanging and twist the tip, insert the filter if you have not already done so.
How to Roll a Cigarette without a Filter
This process is much the same as the hand rolled instruction but instead of inserting a commercial filter you will use a ‘W’ shaped card.
Step – 1: To do this, you will tear a short narrow strip of cardboard from your papers pack. Fold it into a tight ‘W’ shape and then roll the remaining tongue of cardboard around the shape. This is made from a single continuous strip.
The final diameter needs to match the hole you have left at one end of your rolled paper in the same way a filter would.
Step – 2: Insert this and then nip any excess tobacco from the end you are going to light. Then it’s pretty much job done, this process stops your paper getting wet and strengthens your cigarette end for smoking.
It will not remove the small particles in the same way a filter would. The ‘W’ shape allows small airways for the smoke to travel down when you are drawing.
Now you are ready to enjoy you smooth smoke.
Special Tips: Don’t roll a huge number of cigarette at a time if you haven’t a cigar humidor. Cigar humidor keep your cigarette fresh long time.
How to Roll a Cigarette with a Rolling Machine
The rolling machine is a very popular way to roll cigarettes and much of the same process above applies with the addition of the machine. This one is must have accessories to every cigar lover
Cigarette rolling machine has a hinged end so take a few moments to check it out as this is the end that you keep towards your body as you use it. You will see a roller and a moving scroll, take a few minutes to get accustomed to this as it is important.
Step – 1: Place the roller on a flat surface with the hinged end towards you and run the loose tobacco along the groove, again tease out any lumps.
The machine will take care of the density so this makes life easier than when you are hand rolling.
Step – 2: Now roll the scroll gently backwards and forwards, the key here is that the scroll moves and the roller stays put. There should be some gentle resistance when you are scrolling and this is normal, too much and it means you have over packed with tobacco.
Step – 3: Now with the hinged roller facing you carefully open it up, remove any excess and then turn the roller back once. Taking a paper, place it into the top of the rollers with the adhesive side up.
Make sure the hinge side is facing towards you and that the adhesive edge of the paper is also facing you. Roll the paper into the cylinder, this will take practice to get it right.
Step – 5: When just the adhesive edge is showing gently lick the length of the edge and roll the last of the paper into the machine, a couple of extra turns is a good measure.
Step – 6: Open the roller carefully and there you have your perfect smoke.
How to Roll a Cigarette with a Dollar Bill
You can watch below 3 min 25 Sec video before start reading.
Step – 1: Take the dollar bill and fold it in half to make a good dip in the center.
Step – 2: Open the dollar bill and spread the tobacco evenly across the dip in the center.
Step – 3: Close the dollar bill back up. Place each thumb on either end of the front of the bill and place your pointer fingers at either end of the back of the bill.
Step – 4: Once the hands are in place, start rolling the bill back and forth. you can do this about 5 or 6 times at least so that the tobacco inserted in the bill will form a nice cylindrical shape in the space inside.
Step – 5: The tobacco is now rolled up and ready to be rolled into the paper. Place your rolling paper at the top of the dollar bill so that the glue strip is at the top and the sticky side you lick is facing towards you.
Step – 6: Close the dollar bill back and prepare to roll. (Make sure the paper is even on both ends of the bill so your cigarette rolls perfectly.)
Step – 7 : The next step is one that needs to be done slowly because you will be slowly rolling the paper into the dollar bill, but you will need to stop before it is pulled in completely.
The paper needs to be pulled into the dollar bill until only the top edge with glue on it is left sticking out.
Step- 8 : Very gently lick the glue line of the paper that is exposed and facing towards you. As soon as the glue has been moistened, keep doing the rolling motion outline in earlier and do it so the papers is fully drawn into the dollar bill and is nicely wrapped around the tobacco.
Step – 9 : Using the exact same method as used in earlier, roll the paper into the bill.
Step – 10: The tobacco is now rolled so you can open the bill and remove your cigarette. You are now ready to smoke your won cigarette.
Conclusion
So there we have it a simple guide but remember whichever way you roll it will take a bit of time to get it right so don’t be too hard on yourself when you get it wrong.
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