After you de-stem the leaves what do you do with the tiny pieces?

[vanjen]

I don't know if I taking the leaves off the stems the wrong way or not. I hold the bottom of the leaf by the stem and pull the leaf off. Sometimes I am left with tiny pieces of leaf which I have been throwing away since they don't go through the powermatic shredder that well. I haven't tried putting them in a coffee grinder yet.

Just curious what others do. Thanks!

 

[deluxestogie]

I've found that leaf will usually stem most easily when I fold the leaf in half, with the under (veins most prominent) surface to the outside. I grasp the stem two or three inches above the tip of the leaf with one hand, and break the stem there, leaving the portion of tip stem that is thin enough to use or shred. While moving the other hand from one secondary vein to the next, I draw the stem in the direction of its axis, and work toward the leaf base (thick end of the stem). Others do it all sorts of ways. How easily and cleanly a leaf stems depends on the case of the stem and of the lamina.

Bob

EDIT: Since I use my leaf for cigars and pipe tobacco, I simply remove and add any bits to the stemmed leaf.

 

[vanjen]

Thanks Bob! I will practice the method you are using as that makes more sense compared to the way I have been doing it. I'm the type of person who doesn't like to waste anything especially such good tasting leaves.

 

[Knucklehead]

Notice the angle of the secondary veins where they come down to meet the main rib. If you start at the tip and work down, the tears are directed back to the main rib by the angle of the secondary veins. Working from the bottom, the tears are directed away from the main rib toward the sides of the leaf by it trying to follow the angle of the secondary veins. You can get more full half leaves by working from the tip. This is more important for binder and wrapper but whole half leaves are easier to shred than many small pieces.

 

[vanjen]

That makes so much sense to start at the tip and work down instead of what I have been doing. Much appreciated!

 

[vanjen]

Hi, I have been removing the stem from the top (folding the leaf in half) and it's so much better compared to the way I used to remove the stems, thanks and Happy New Year everyone!