I have a couple of points here which might be instructive. Like yourself, I am a beginner roller.
1) My first batch was a rank failure rolled from tobacco bought at another site. I rolled them way way too tight. I believe upon reflection that I wetted the leaves too much, so that as they dried they shrank. My second batch was from the same Whole Leaf sampler. This leaf is of MUCH higher quality, far tastier, better conditioned. These cigars were a pretty fair success and smoke well. I am seasoning them now. In this case, I was wary of making them toot tight, so i did not wet them hardly at all. They came out a bit loose. But as they season, they do appear to be firming up some. So my first suggestion would be, let the filler be, dampen the binder, wet the wrapper, then let them rest.
2) At first, I was inclined to just bunch the filler together. To start the second batch, I bunched them together but end-for-ended them to make my cylinders more consistent. Toward the end, I discovered how to accordion the leaves. That right there was a milestone. Just fold each leaf back and forth zigzag as you bunch it up. Works wonder.
3) Feel free to throw leaf away. Not just the stems; but the funky bunched parts. Lay whole long leaves together all accordioned, then tear away the ends to length. You get a much straighter and more cylindrical shape if you throw your funky bits away.
4) Don sent me twice as much wrapper as I needed. This is becuase virtually every bezuke leaf he sent had two perfect sides to it. Like deluxe above, I used one half for binder and the other half for wrapper. If I were to do it again using the sampler, I would definitely use both sides of one leaf for the binder and one side of the next leaf for a wrapper. That's right -- double bind the thing. This bezuke is so delicate that I think two layers, rolled at the same time, not one after another, would make it easier to hold the bunch firm and cylindrical. Don't worry -- you should have plenty. I received two bundles of bezuke. I rolled consistent robustos about 5 1/2" x 50 gauge and yet I had almost a whole bundle left.
5) If your head is giving you trouble coming apart, try either of these ways:
a) When your wrapper approaches the head, smear your pectin on the remnaider pretty thoroughly, then wrap on up, then twist the end into a wet pigtail. Now cut your cap and apply pectin there. Now cut your pigtail off just before you apply the cap.
b) I also had success by applying a flag before the cap. Cut a bit of leaf shaped sort of like a P with a wide upstroke and no hole in the loop. Apply pectin. Wrap that leg of the P around the head, then convince the round bit of the P to cover where the cap will go. You probably have to cut a couple slits at 2 and 4 oclock of the P loop to convince it. Now apply your cap.
Hey don't get discouraged. Post some pics of your best rolls here, and any one of us will tell you we have done worse. After all, none of us have the advantage of having rolled twelve hours a day in a sweatshop since the age of eight, like that capable matron Maria Conchita Lupita Evita Rosita de Jesus and her sister Luz. We do, however, enjoy the advantage of not having to get paid piecework for creditable product or go hungry, so we can take our time.
, i must admit its a good feeling smoking them knowing I made em...
