"Everybody Must Get Coned"

n previous issues, we have looked at various rolling machines (hand-held) that all do pretty much the same quality of roll and are, for the most part, pretty similar in design. Back in the July/September 2000 issue, we reviewed Rizla's 110 mm blue acrylic roller (with orange blanket) and still feel it is the one of most versatile machines on the market. However, due to availability, we failed to test other 100+mm rollers that are out there including the Chill's Super Cone Roller. While it is similar in function, design and capability to the Rizla, there are some important differences that merit a quick look. Made by the innovative Chill's Company, The Super Cone 110 mm roller is unique in its ability to roll both 100+ mm smokes and sticks with a conical shape. Now we are not positive as to the advantages of a cone shaped stick, although "pyramid" shaped cigars have found a certain popularity. So let's first examine the engineering dynamics of such a shape. Ram jet, ram scoop designs and high velocity gas or liquid ejection designs (high velocity car wash sprayers for example) use a conical (ever narrowing) shaped to accelerate that which is being ejected and, in some cases, the compression of the material before ejection causes it to become heated due to friction from increased collisions among particles, molecular or larger. Interesting conceptualization and twenty seven more words to boot, but neither a cigar or cigarette wrapper is dense (solid, non-porous) enough to make much of a difference in the preceding phenomena. So likely the cone is simply a cool shape that makes for good conversation. But wait! We did, however in fact, notice the ability to pack a smoke much tighter and still have it draw well with this design. We can think of situations where this might be very desirable and you probably can also.

   The most interesting thing about this particular roller, however, is the way the conical shape is created. We were expecting a more exotic design but the fact is the roller makes perfectly straight long or short smokes and does this very well until you add the little "cone attachment" shown at left. The addition of this piece reduces the length of paper you can use to a 78mm sheet, but its addition really does (and easily so) make a cool looking coned cigarette. And the cigarette smokes great, seems a bit milder, is easier to draw on, and of course, can be quite a bit wider - thus holding more tobacco, resulting in a longer lasting smoke. Wow! All of this from a cone. The fact is, all of the above is quite true and we were frankly more than a little bit surprised at how well this thing actually works. It rolls the standard long-papered straight cigarette as well as the Rizla mentioned above and the coned shape stick is particularly nice with stronger, darker halfzwares like Bali, Samson, Zig-Zag, Gauloises, Drum, and of course, Chill's own Americana blend.

   The side view at left show you how the attachment affects the shape of the roller blanket and thus the shape of the final roll. Leave it to Chill's, (whose Survival Kit and college campus guerilla marketing techniques have made the company quite a success story, and somewhat of a controversy as well, at least in the rather formal hallways of the rolling tobacco industry), to come up with another usefully weird product. RYO should be fun. Everything good in life should be fun. Hats off to Chris Hill (Chills) for yet another smile. And thanks for the Alien Clock. It keeps excellent time, but to which galactic standard we are not yet sure. - rYo

   we get a lot of mail about handrolling techniques and we feel it is pretty obvious how to accomplish this feat with simply tobacco, paper and two hands (in some cases one). So, we will continue to repeat the techniques, tricks and tips for true hand-rolling. As a preface, however, suffice it to say that hand rolling is mostly a matter of practice - not secrets. - RYO

Our thanks to Paul at TobaccoLovers.com ( http://www.tobaccolovers.com ) for the following graphics and text

	Step one Your thumbs and index finger on both hands, with the glue facing up and at the top. The rolling paper should have a crease about half way down, so you make another crease splitting the difference in the bottom half. Resulting in a little V shape.
Step two Pinch a heaping teaspoon out of the pouch with your fingers and plop it in the middle of the crease Step three Begin to level the tobacco off and start to roll it up
	Step four Using your thumbs and index fingers, work the tobacco until it takes cylindrical form (which isn't more than a couple of rolls, back and forth) then roll it up lick and seal. If you roll it too much it gets to tightly packed and will not smoke well. Next, pinch the shaggy scraps hanging out the sides and toss them back in your pouch to be recycled. then pick an end that looks the best and using your thumb nail or finger nail bend in the very tip of the paper inside the cigarette cylinder. This makes a rim and provides you with a more stable cigarette and prevents little scraps from getting attached to your lips.
YUPP!