BaccyFlap Vs. FlapJack

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Which do you prefer


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    29
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kurtbob

Lifer
Jul 9, 2019
2,131
12,748
57
SE Georgia
For those of you who don't know, Baccyflaps were made for carrying tobacco with you for your pipe. The original (and more elusive) model was called the Wunup Baccyflap. It was made out of bakelite between 1937 and the mid 1950's They stopped making the Bakelite model due to the expensive process required to make the material and started making them out of a hard plastic from the mid 50's through early 60's The plastic model was called the Parker Baccyflap although both models were made by the Parker Company of England.

The preferred collectible model is the Wunup model made out of Bakelite. They were damn near bulletproof as evidenced by the excellent example shown below on the left (and top on the second pic). It's gotta be pushing 70 years old! Not a chip on it and the threads are still like new.
View attachment 17478
View attachment 17479


They unscrewed and hold up to 35-40 grams of tobacco. You can still find them on eBay and elsewhere today although you have to really want one because they command very high prices.

The plastic model is a bit flimsy and subject to distortion and cracking if stored (and sat upon) in the back pocket of your jeans. Consequently, while still pretty pricey, not as collectible.

I have used the Baccyflap for short 2-4 day trips to hold my stash and it has performed flawlessly. It's surprising how many veteran pipe smokers know immediately what it is and what it does. It's old, nostalgic and reminiscent of a bygone era when "There was a place for everything, and everything was in its place".

Because of its age, I am still concerned about damaging it when using it so I don't take it into the mountains hiking, camping, or biking. For rough activities I use another type of tobacco storage device. A sort of "Modern Day" Baccyflap. It's called a Flapjack.

The flapjack, pictured above on the right (and bottom) is a modern, sleek, made of aircraft grade anodize coated (READ: tough as nails) storage disk that is kept together by an O-Ring. It holds a bit less tobacco than the Baccyflap, up to about 20 grams (which for me is like 8-10 pipes). and REALLY ARE bulletproof!

Although the giant logo is a bit cheeky, the disc is great quality and would last many lifetimes.

My question to you is which do you prefer? Modern and sleek or old and nostalgic?
They are both bad ass!
 

BROBS

Lifer
Nov 13, 2019
11,765
40,026
IA
why would you want to carry your tobacco in a hard case rather than a pouch? seems stupid.
 

BROBS

Lifer
Nov 13, 2019
11,765
40,026
IA
so use a flake box? that baccyflap is ridiculous huge for what it holds.

also your flakes won't break if you put them flat in your pouch.
 

litup

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 16, 2015
722
2,206
Sacramento, CA
Mine fits very comfortably in the front pocket of my jeans and holds enough to get me through a full day of smoking if I need it to.

I can't imagine that a pouch in my front pocket (or back pocket for that matter) would protect a flake. And in my experience, the square tins that most flakes come packed in aren't great at staying closed when you subject them to a days' worth of movement.
 
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BROBS

Lifer
Nov 13, 2019
11,765
40,026
IA
you must have some loose jeans bro.
that thing would not fit in my pocket.

I guess I've never had my feelings hurt by a flake breaking up. I usually rub them out fully anyways.
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,678
29,400
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
Funk me. I don't know otherwise then I'd be pretty happy to have either. Not pretty but damn that would be convient. It would increase the number of two pipe walks to have a storage that can fit comfortably in a pocket. And I feel like it wouldn't bang up the baccy as much as leaving it in the tin when taking a walk.
 

litup

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 16, 2015
722
2,206
Sacramento, CA
you must have some loose jeans bro.
that thing would not fit in my pocket.

I guess I've never had my feelings hurt by a flake breaking up. I usually rub them out fully anyways.
Most jeans come with a fair amount of stretch built in these days don't they? Besides, my baccyflap is actually smaller than my wallet so it doesn't feel abnormal to me. That said, if I had to wear skinny jeans with no stretch in them, I'd likely find another way to carry my tobacco.

I'm a fold and stuff flake smoker so I like them to stay intact as much as possible.
 

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
why would you want to carry your tobacco in a hard case rather than a pouch? seems stupid.
For the same reason people used snuff boxes instead of drawstring pouches?

It's hardly stupid. If these flaps were more elaborated, decorated, embossed with different designs, they'd be more than practical items: they'd be artistical. (Such adornments and beautification of a practical item would of course make Le Corbusier turn in his grave, but who cares?)
 
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Funk me. I don't know otherwise then I'd be pretty happy to have either. Not pretty but damn that would be convient. It would increase the number of two pipe walks to have a storage that can fit comfortably in a pocket. And I feel like it wouldn't bang up the baccy as much as leaving it in the tin when taking a walk.

There is a "Pretty" option too. Check out litup's first post. That's a handmade Rosewood disk made by Scott Tinker. I have a Zeppelin tamper made by him out of Snakewood and Ivory, and it is FLAWLESS as well as super functional.

He is a Master with wood. Check him out!
 
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