King Rollers don’t require special rolling papers. In fact they work just fine with most sizes of papers. There are a lot of rolling papers options to choose from though and some work better than others. If you don’t know the differences, it can get confusing. This guide to rolling paper sizes should help you out.
Common Rolling Paper Sizes
Most smokers are familiar with the two most common rolling paper sizes so I’ll start there. You can usually find these for sale at most corner stores or gas stations that sells cigarettes.
Classic or 1 ¼ Size Rolling Papers
First is the “Classic” or “Spanish Size” rolling papers also know as “1 ¼’s”. These papers typically measure 78mm wide by about 44mm tall. This is the size of the Zig Zag “Orange” rolling papers. This was the original standard size for rolling papers developed in Spain and the only size available until the early 1600’s. These papers hold about 25% more tobacco than “Single Wide” rolling papers which is actually how they got the name 1 ¼’s. They hold about ¼ more tobacco.
Single Wide Rolling Paper
The second common rolling paper size is known as “Single Wide” or “Standard” which measure 70mm wide by 36mm tall. In 1604 King James the 1st of England (son of Mary Queen of Scots) passed a tobacco tax which created demand for a smaller rolling paper. This size eventually became the standard size throughout the British Empire. When you see the Zig Zag “White” rolling papers, this is the story behind them.
Both 1 ¼’s and Single Wide rolling papers are ideal for the Ace Roller because the maximum length the Ace can roll is about 78mm or 3 inches.
These sizes also work great in the Tumbleweed, King Roller or High Roller but these larger rolling machines are capable of so much more. If you want to roll cigarettes or joints longer than about 3 inches you’re going to need to buy specialty rolling papers and this opens up a whole world of possibilities.
1 ½ Size Rolling Papers
Rolling papers labeled as “1 ½’s” are the same length as 1 ¼ rolling papers but are taller so they allow for a larger diameter cigarette or joint. They get the name for holding 1 ½ more tobacco than Single Wide rolling papers. This size works just fine in our rolling machines but because the rolling cloth length somewhat limits the diameter of the smoke, you can’t really take full advantage of their capacity. Staying with the Zig Zag examples, these would be the “Blue” Zig Zags that measure 78mm by 69mm.
Double Wide Rolling Papers
Rolling papers advertised as Double Wide are usually the same length as the 1 ¼ papers but roughly twice as tall so they can roll very large diameter smokes. While these might be great for hand rolling big thick short joints, they are less than ideal for our cigarette rolling machines because you end up smoking much more paper than if you used a 1 ¼ size paper.
King Size Rolling Papers
For those who want to roll with crutches or filters, or just prefer a longer thicker smoke the “King Size” papers are a great fit. This category is actually broken down into “King Slim” and “King Size”. Depending on the brand, King Slims range from about 100mm – 110mm long by 42mm to 46mm tall. King Size range from 100mm – 110mm long by about 55mm to 60mm tall. The King Slims work great in the Tumbleweed, King Roller and High Roller machines. The regular King Size papers also work well but the machines limit the diameter of the finished smoke so you’ll be smoking a little more paper than than you might like.
Less Common Rolling Paper Sizes
Head shops and specialty tobacco stores usually have a good selection of premium quality rolling papers ranging in length from between 70mm and 110mm but they don’t always stock papers capable of rolling smokes over 4 inches. For the best selection and best prices on premium rolling papers you may need to shop online.
12 inch Rolling Papers
Who knew their was a demand for a 12 inch rolling paper before our 12 inch cigarette rolling machine the King Roller? Both Raw and Elements make rolling papers that are 12 inches long by 44mm tall. This allows for a rolled smoke the same diameter as the 1 ¼ papers but up to 12 inches long. These were perfect for our original models, the King Roller and the High Roller as they are capable of rolling up to 12 inch joints or cigarettes. We no longer make those models, but this papers could be used in our cigar rolling machines if desired. These can be cut into multiple smaller joints or cigarettes or smoked long. The papers can also be cut in half and used in the smaller Tumbleweed which uses up to 6 inch long papers but this is kind of an expensive option as 12 inch papers are not as inexpensive as longer papers that come in rolls.
Rolling Paper Rolls
For those of you who don’t like limitations, both Raw and Elements also make rolls of rolling papers about 5 meters or about 16 feet long. When unrolled the papers can be torn or cut to your desired length. The paper is 44mm tall so it can roll the same diameter as the 1 ¼’s. These are very versatile and work perfect with all our joint rollers. These are the most affordable way to roll 6 inches smokes in the tumbleweed since these papers are less expensive than cutting the 12 inches papers down to size.
While the list of rolling paper sizes listed above are by no means complete, hopefully this will help you select the correct rolling paper sizes for your needs.
