How Do You Open a New Tin of Tobacco?

You must be dealing with small tins. The other guys will know how to open those.
All of my tins are like the below. They just have pull tabs.

You will need a coin or something sturdy and flat. There should be groove you can slide the coin into and then twist, it will pop the seal.

Their are little notches under the lid. Use somthing thin enough to get in between the lid and the tin. Once in the notch turn the object like using a screw driver. After you hear the pop just unscrew the lid.

Coincidentally, I am now offering a personalized five day course on how to open tobacco tins for the paltry sum of only $5,000.
Send me a PM and I will sign you up.

This is a fairly standard tin, like Dunhill My Mixture 965. You stick the coin, like a nickel or a quarter, into the

little notch and pry it up slightly until you hear the air escape. You don't actually pry the cap off with the coin;

you just need to break the seal and hear the air escape. After that the lid screws off smoothly. I learned this

on the fifth day of peck's course.

The testimonials speak for themselves:
“I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to peckinpahhombre for allowing me to study under his watchful eye and passing on his vast amount of knowledge regarding pipe tobacco tin opening. Peck is a patient and thorough teacher with well thought out lesson plans. I believe the time I’ve spent with him has greatly improved my tin opening methods. If your [sic] thinking about taking a class or two regarding tin opening I can’t offer any better way than with Peck at his shop in Canada!”
-Sablebrush
“In 2013, I went to Peck's tin opening school. I had been practically begging him to help me, and he graciously accepted. When I arrived I was surprised by how much effort he had put into preparation. He had developed a plan to, step by step, go through his process. Careful not to suppress any of my own “style,” he kindly lead me through a number of steps that he follows in opening a new tin. He did not work on his own stuff but for a few minutes when I was absorbed in something else. I had his full attention the entire time. In the end, I not only learned how to open a tin correctly, but I learned how to open one efficiently. Every single day I use what Peck has taught me. But the single most meaningful part to me was the warm welcome I received from Peck and his family. I went to find a teacher, and I did. But more importantly I found a friend for life. Go! It is well worth your time and expense.”
- Papipeguy

Before I took Peck's tin opening course my fingers were bloody stumps. With his careful tutelage I became adept at tin opening without using my mouth and have had satisfactory results going forward. I can't wait to take his advanced "Using A Match" course since I have no eyebrows anymore.

Thanks papipeguy - I was stunned when I learned you were trying to open tins with your eye socket!
Glad you got your money's worth.

Thanks for the endorsement Russ.
You are one of my best students, and I was proud when you moved on to my The Joys of Tamping and Pipe Cleaners: What Are They For? graduate level courses.

This would seem at first glance to be a dumb question but it is anything but. I rubbed the skin off my right hand trying to unscrew the lid of the first tin of tobacco I bought. I had to watch a Youtube video to figure out how to open it. Easy once you know how but not intuitive at all.

No discounts per se for forum members. However, anyone who signs up for the course today will get a free tin of Captain Bob's Blend as well as a complimentary two hour trip in his plane where you can smoke that wonderful stuff that was made by by the loving hands of the Late Craig Tarler and Captain Bob himself and then buzz a variety of small towns in a low-level, nicotine-fueled flyby.

I use only one fingernail, attached to the finger, and my palm. For 3 loonies or $5.00USD I will explain how I slip the nail of the index into the notch, lifting up while pressing my palm on the lid until the seal is broken. Oops!

This would seem at first glance to be a dumb question but it is anything but. I rubbed the skin off my right hand trying to unscrew the lid of the first tin of tobacco I bought. I had to watch a Youtube video to figure out how to open it. Easy once you know how but not intuitive at all.

Click to expand...

boilermakerandy - The pain in your words is palpable. PM and course syllabus sent. Welcome aboard.

I started smoking a pipe less than 2 months ago, and when I bought my first tin I had the same issue.
Had a tin of Peterson's Connoisseurs Choice, would not twist open at all... grabbed and twisted and heaved on it, then noticed in small lettering around the edge 'to open insert coin and twist'. :D

Once I learned that the cat food can opener wasn't the right tool, I was half way to enlightenment. It's a whole

new way of life. I make more friends and get job offers routinely.
Welcome to Forums, bigsby. I think you have a gift for starting a thread.

We all can agree that Peck is an accomplished tin opener but am I the only one a bit offended at the fact he is charging a fee?? It is an insult to the craft and art of tin popping !! What about the time honored tradition of apprenticing with a master. Start by emptying ashtrays, polishing tampers, dusting the cellar. You know...Paying your dues. I have traveled the world visited many of the great tin openers and they were happy to share their knowledge for free. They do so out of a love of the tin. And don't think you can just pay the $5k and become an overnight sensation. You might learn some tricks an tips to help but you have to have the vision and the inspiration to be a truly great tin opener.

I can see where others might need tools, or lessons from Peck, but I just use my hands: