Disclaimer: This is NOT meant to encourage smoking. It's merely a blogpost.
As of late, instead of saving time and hassle, I've begun to roll my own cigarettes.
Why?
Simply because it IS a HASSLE and it IS TIME CONSUMING. Therefore, I would be put off whenever I crave a puff because smoking has become altogether one very troublesome process.
It is also considerably cheaper, if it's a no-frills rolling.
But, then again, I always go the "extra-mile".
_____
First, we start out with a roller.
Now the thing about rollers is, if you have steady hands to roll, it really isn't at all necessary.
Unfortunately, thanks to certain arm-strengthening contraption, I'm stricken with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome on my left hand and a recovering-after-release-procedure, right hand.
Everything I bought here comes from Kamelah at Queensbay Mall, Lower Ground, Center Court.
This roller is by
Smoking a cigarette rolling paper brand from Spain. It is one of the earliest smoking paper factories.
Smoking not only produces rolling papers, but an array of products like the rolling machine (which I bought), filters (which I also purchased) and other cigarette related products like cases and tubes.
Of course there are other brands out there such as
Zig-Zag. However, I chose
Smoking simply because it looked nicer than the very plastic looking one from
Zig-Zag.
As you can see it looks pretty nice with stainless-steel instead of just plastic.
A little dusty cause I've been using it. (",)
Currently in Malaysia, there aren't many places that sell tobacco. If I'm not mistaken Kamelah is the monopoly company for everything from Porsche lighters to Sampoerna kereteks.
Finding rolling tobacco isn't that daunting a task since
7-Eleven,
KK Mart and
Happy Marts carries
Domingo and
Harvest brands.
However when you want a little more than those two brands and flavours that aren't as common as Vanilla and Chocolate, Kamelah would be the best place to check out.
Below, as you can see, I purchased some Wildberry flavoured tobacco cause it smells so fruity, it's almost like I'm smoking a hookah.
Here's what you need to start rolling your own cigarettes and then some...
1.
Smoking Regular Filters - RM 7.50 (pack of 100)
3.
Harvest Rolling Tobacco (comes with rolling paper) - RM11.90 (probably 70-80 cigs)
4.
Mantra Grape Flavoured Rolling Papers (also by
Smoking) - RM 7.50 (50 leaves)
Now where was I? Oh, yes! The roller.
First, open the roller forward so the logo faces outwards.
You will see a valley in the middle.
At the far left of the valley, place a filter as below.
The tobacco by Harvest is already one of
Von Eicken's special fine cut tobacco.
However, I find it a little too large when I pack it and not to mention it burns a little too inconsistently.
So, I usually get out some paper and ready a scissors and snip the tobacco slightly finer.
Here's the before.
And here's the after.
Can't really see the difference but trust me, it burns way differently.
Now, back to the rolling machine.
What happens is directly after the filter, start filling in the tobacco to the end.
Make sure it is not too tightly or too loosely packed.
A loosely packed cigarette rolls into a small tube which looks like an anorexic fag.
And if it's too tightly packed, you would blow a lung trying to suck out the smoke.
Here's a nicely filled one.
Right after filling it, push the valley lower and bring the cover back to its original position.
This should cover the roller furthers from you.
Roll the front roller downwards one full cycle.
Next, get a rolling paper and with the glue strip at the top facing you, insert the bottom part of the paper between the two rollers.
Yes, I know, I know!
The paper looks damn girly!
With the paper slightly wedged in between the two rollers, slowly pull downward the roller closest to you.
When the paper is nearing the glue strip, moisten the strip with your tongue and continue rolling a little more till you can feel a proper cigarette tube being formed between the rollers.
And WHALLA!
Front view.
As I mentioned earlier that I'm a little 'extra', I bought a secondary filter.
I have been rolling with double filters because it was a little hard on my throat when I first rolled my own ciggies.
I just bought the secondary filters for RM 20 which contains one holder and 8 filters good for 120 cigarettes.
With all the hassle, from 7 sticks a day, I'm down to at most 4 sticks a day.
Here's the cigarette with the extra filter.
It comes in a nice slick case.
Made in Japan.
Here's a closeup of my Mantra grape.
It fits perfectly in a slide below the rolling machine for convenience.
I'm hoping to cut smoking completely by slowly cutting down stick by stick.
On the downside (for my health)/ upside (cause I always wanted one), I bought myself a hookah!
C'est la vie!
