AugustWest's helpful tips for rolling cigarettes (and other things):
1) Already been mentioned, but practice. The more you roll, the better your cigs.
2) Place the proper amount of tobacco into your paper; too much and it'll be hard to achieve a smooth roll, too little and your smoke will burn uneven. How much is enough? Practice and find out - basically, you want less on the filter side, and more on the end - but remember, when you pack (roll it down) it will compress.
2) Upon licking the gum, be sure to begin the fixation from the filter side. This will help you achieve the cone shape, also improving your smoke. Make sure your filter side is tight as can be, and when you fix the gum at the filter, work slowly up to the other end. Always continue to tighten the cigarette as you are moving up the gum, this will help maintain a slimmer cigarette.
3) When you have finished rolling, you aren't finished! Pack your cigarette. You can do this upon a table top by holding the cig like a pencil/pen and tapping it repeatedly. Or you can use a paperclip/small thin object to pack the top of the cigarette. This will make the beginning drags more pleasurable as the tobacco is packed tightly.
4) Inspect your cigarette upon completion. What can you do better?
If it's bulging in the middle, less tobacco next time (or spread it out better).
If it's breaking at the filter, more tobacco in that area and more saliva on the gum.
If it's unrolling, lick again and allow more time to dry.
If it's falling out the end, roll tighter next time.
If it drags really hard, roller tighter and slimmer.
If it's too hard to drag, less tobacco (you can also fix this sometimes by rolling the thickest parts lightly between your fingers - this will move the tobacco about and create air pathways).
Remember, practice makes perfect.
- August