Is this Mold on Kendall Plug?

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64alex

Part of the Furniture Now
May 10, 2016
566
339
I just purchased a SG Kendall Plug and I am afraid it has mold on it. I don't think it is plum. As from the attached pics it is on the two sides of the plugs extending from the corner. What do you think, really mold?
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bazungu

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 28, 2018
110
7
Definitely looks like mold to me! I would contact the seller and ask for a refund. I have only seen mold on my tobacco once, and I could immediately tell because of the really funky smell.

 

jrenko

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 26, 2016
140
2
Scandinavia
Looks like free penecillin :mrgreen:

Honestly it looks a bit wierd. Send the pictures to the seller and they will mostly likely give you a new one.

 

unadoptedlamp

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 19, 2014
742
1,368
To me, it is a bit suspicious because it is not uniform. But to complicate it, from the pictures, it doesn't look obviously fuzzy... the picture is fuzzy.
With plum, you will often see crystals. They obviously shine.
I ordered this bulk size (Gawith Bright CR flake) from a retailer and when I opened it up, it was almost like a dusting of powdered sugar. Obviously glinting in the light. It covered every flake (even in the middle of the block) and was entirely uniform. I don't age my tobaccos, but I have had some tins with age over the years by chance, and it is always the same. Crystals. But... I primarily smoke flakes. No idea what ribbon cuts might look like.
Your block, I think, should be similar.
Because it is not uniform, I'd think it is suspect. If it's not shining with crystals, doubly so.

 

erhardt85

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 14, 2017
200
61
39
The picture isn't clear but plume would not stand out from the tobacco. Mold grows out and is 3 dimensional. Usually hairy. Plume usually lays flat and is two dimensional and often has tiny crystals that should shine when you move it under a good light. I have seen such an abundance of plume on old FVF that I wasn't sure. If you could post a high definition pic or send a high definition pic that would help.

 

erhardt85

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 14, 2017
200
61
39
Maybe put a chunk in a jar and wait a few days. I've had some weird experiences with mold on best brown flake where it was hard to tell when I examined it out of my jar but when it was sealed in my jar it had more fur and was more obvious. Very strange.

 

64alex

Part of the Furniture Now
May 10, 2016
566
339
Still confused. Id does not smell bad, it is scratched easily by nails and on the eyes it looks 2D and not hairy 3D. However at high pics resolution it looks a little bit flurry and it is strange the location in two well defined areas.

I try to post two higher res pics.
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mikestanley

Lifer
May 10, 2009
1,698
1,126
Akron area of Ohio
I say no. It looks like something very common to Virginias from Gawith. Does it smell musty ? If you have a magnifying glass, mold will have stalks. To this looks fine.

Mike S.

 

erhardt85

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 14, 2017
200
61
39
Damn it's still really hard to tell even with higher resolution images. It's hard to tell in person sometimes. Hmm... I have a few thoughts nonetheless. First I don't really like the look of that. I don't understand why there would be that much plume on a new product. I've never seen that much plume on a freshish Virginia. Maybe if it was a few years old. My bright CR flake is covered in plume but it's not really white yet. It seems to be isolated to a couple areas. If it were me I would err on the side of caution or find a trusted pipe smoker in your local area to check it out. To be fair I'm not normal though.

 

erhardt85

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 14, 2017
200
61
39
Mike Stanley had good advice. Bust out a magnifying glass. A good one. That should clear things up. You'll be able to see the "hairs" or tubes then

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,570
27,079
Carmel Valley, CA
Those photos may have lots of pixels/hi-rez, but the focus is soft. (Camera phone? You may be too close.)
Having no funky odor is a good thing, but doesn't assure it's not mold. But my bet is it's bloom.

 

64alex

Part of the Furniture Now
May 10, 2016
566
339
[I've never seen that much plume on a freshish Virginia. Maybe if it was a few years old.]
It's purchased new but the box code is 07 261 which, if I am correct, the production date would August 7, 2017, so it is actually more than 1 year old.

I will look for a good magnification lens as I don't have one on my hands.

 
Jan 28, 2018
12,955
134,678
67
Sarasota, FL
I seriously doubt that is mold. Not sure it is plume either. I have some 6 year old tins of BBF and FVF that look similar. I've smoked a number of them. Perhaps you're overthinking it.

 

64alex

Part of the Furniture Now
May 10, 2016
566
339
I got better pictures with better lighting on the sun which I uploaded below at different magnifications. Well still confusing as most of the stuff appears crystals but at high magnification there are some structures I pointed with the arrows I don't know if they are the hairs/tubes we are talking about. What do you think?
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Dec 24, 2012
7,195
456
Looks like mold to me.
I am naturally suspicious on the age old mold vs plume/bloom debate. In the cigar world, people often say their cigars have plume/bloom and in 99% of the cases it is some sort of mold or fungi. One cigar forum site even sent a large number of different cigars to a lab and all came back as mold/fungi, although different strains were found. They have yet to find plume or mold. I hope pipe tobacco is different, but until I see a laboratory analysis, my natural inclination is to assume mold.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,570
27,079
Carmel Valley, CA
Yeah, well, it looks like there's a fungus among us. Been waiting since the 5th grade to use that in context.
Yes, those photos say mold to me, though far far from an expert in fungi.

 

erhardt85

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 14, 2017
200
61
39
Thanks for the higher quality pictures. I'm sorry to say that it doesn't look good Alex. I wouldn't smoke that it it were me. Some people would smoke it anyways but I think that's a very poor risk benefit analysis. Mold can have severe health effects. Hope you find some more dark plug that's good. Personally it's pretty high on my list. I love dark flake and their other dark fired bl blends.

 

sparroa

Lifer
Dec 8, 2010
1,466
4
It looks pretty suspicious to me. Hard call to make but I would share your concerns if I was in the same boat...

 

64alex

Part of the Furniture Now
May 10, 2016
566
339
Given it was just purchased from a respected shop I will contact the shop asking for a replacement. Will keep you posted on the outcome.

 
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