How to Flatten Wrappers

[webmost]

Got some tasty smelling wrapper leaves here recently. Only thing is, they were folded and crunkled. I mean, beyond what a good spritzing and stretching could do to spread them on the board. Might be because they'd been kinked like that for eight years storage -- plenty of time for the creases to become permanent. Then on top of that, they had a pronounced tooth.

Any notion how to flatten wrapper leaves? Not looking for the usual suspects here ... looking for a novel and effective way to flatten extreme crunkle.

 

[johnlee1933]

Adding moisture is what needs to be done. Spritz it and leave in an air tight bag for a day, steam it, spritz and microwave all your call. I like Bob's spritz and seal in a bag. It takes a little longer but works well for me. A caution, If you leave it too long you can get mold so keep an eye on it. I've tried the other stunts to go faster and my results have not been as good. If they are really rough you can roll or press then after you get them damp.

 

[marksctm]

I use a neoprene roller that I used to use on detail work on rubber roofs.
When the leaf is in high case.
That roller has seen many miles of seam and laps, now reclaimed to cigar use.

 

[MarcL]

Stretching a thicker wrapper out over a wet piece of stainless steel or board is common. (after what they said) We really need the upper case for pliability. Yeah ?

 

[deluxestogie]

Thin wrapper (Besuki, CT Shade, etc.) will become completely limp within 30 seconds of lightly misting with water. The thickest and heaviest wrappers (e.g. CT Broadleaf) may need to rest in a plastic bag overnight after misting. For leaf in between those extremes, mist it heavily, wait a couple of minutes, then blot away the excess moisture.

Bob

 

[Tfrankz]

Takes me about 3 mins. to get a thicker leaf to use when in low case. What I have been doing is loose fit the wet high case leaf around the cigar. Move to the next cigar or two than come back to the first one and roll it on good. It seems to help with those veins and gives time for the water to sink into those veins and speeds up rolling for a few cigars at a time.