How to Prepare Rope and Twist Pipe Tobacco

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travis

Lurker
Nov 29, 2014
17
53
77
Cigar Cutter - brilliant, I would have never thought of that. An X-acto (sp) hobby blade is the sharpest tool I have and does and excellent job. Don't do much 'rope/twist' tobacco, however. The Nic hit is too potent for this old codger!
 
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I make and smoke a lot of ropes, and I use a cigar cutter also. But, I lay the cutter on a table or flat surface, and then put the rope in it till it touches the table below, then snip. This keeps my coins uniform and thin. I can slice up a whole 4 oz rope in no time this way.
I will cut all of my rope up when I pop the jar it's in, and then just smash them all back into the jar. I'm not particular about keeping it in coin form, usually just wadding them up and stuffing them into the chamber.

I figure that I have twisted the tobacco for aging and melding of flavors. Then, I prepare the whole rope just to make it easier to smoke.
But, I can also understand why someone would prefer to be more careful loading the coins into the pipe.

Great video!! And, it's always great to put a voice to a face. You are less terrifying that way, ha ha.
 
Any recommendations on purchasing rope and a vendor?

BTW, Excellent article!
Right now, almost all GH&co ropes are out of stock. But, you can do a search for Cotton Boll Twist or one of the other regional tobaccos and order from Native American distributers. Good stuff and strong. But, in my state tobacco (even multi use twists like Cotton Boll) are forbidden to receive via mail, so I ask friends to mail them to me occasionally. The sites will tell you if your state has a ban on chewing tobacco, like Alabama does.
 
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Reggie

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 22, 2020
646
3,070
Gardendale, Alabama
Right now, almost all GH&co ropes are out of stock. But, you can do a search for Cotton Boll Twist or one of the other regional tobaccos and order from Native American distributers. Good stuff and strong. But, in my state tobacco (even multi use twists like Cotton Boll) are forbidden to receive via mail, so I ask friends to mail them to me occasionally. The sites will tell you if your state has a ban on chewing tobacco, like Alabama does.
I also live in Alabama. Anywhere local?
 
I also live in Alabama. Anywhere local?
Skip at the Briary had some tinned GH&co ropes in stock last time I was in there. He never keeps bulk ropes in stock. He's a lightweight, ha ha.

I got most of mine from someone on here that just PM'd me on their own offering to mail me some. Maybe the generosity of a stranger might prove to help you out.

But, smoking pipes has told me that GH&co bulks will be back in stock soon enough. So, patience might pay off also.

As soon as we can start meeting again in person, join me at The Briary for our pipe club meeting, and I'll let you try some of my homegrown ropes. It will be a pleasure to meet you.
The club is called Magic City Pipe Club. As soon as Skip tells us, we will start back up with monthly meetings.
 
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pauls456

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 19, 2020
239
478
60
Tucson, Arizona
Great info, thanks. I've been using an Alaskan Ulu knife and curved wooden cutting bowl-board, with good results. I make a cube cut, and then let it dry out for several hours before packing.
I've been gravity filling a medium-small conical bowl, but I'm struggling with multiple relights. I need to sip slowly because of the nic-hit, but my ember will not stay lit. Any suggestions?
 

Reggie

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 22, 2020
646
3,070
Gardendale, Alabama
Skip at the Briary had some tinned GH&co ropes in stock last time I was in there. He never keeps bulk ropes in stock. He's a lightweight, ha ha.

I got most of mine from someone on here that just PM'd me on their own offering to mail me some. Maybe the generosity of a stranger might prove to help you out.

But, smoking pipes has told me that GH&co bulks will be back in stock soon enough. So, patience might pay off also.

As soon as we can start meeting again in person, join me at The Briary for our pipe club meeting, and I'll let you try some of my homegrown ropes. It will be a pleasure to meet you.
The club is called Magic City Pipe Club. As soon as Skip tells us, we will start back up with monthly meetings.
I would love to attend a meeting. Ashamed that I have not already since I work in Homewood...... I also would like to meet the legendary Cosmic!