Bagged Versus Tinned-Another Ignorant Question

[urtpiz]

I'm sure some or most of the veterans on this site get tired of answering the same ole questions, but I didn't see this one. I've only smoked tobacco that is in a bag, because, as I witnessed as a kid, I simply plunge the pipe head into the bag and "scoop" and pack with my thumb. Seems like with a tin I'd almost need a spoon to scoop it into the bowl. Other than clueless about how to fill a bowl from a tin, are there any significant differences between bagged and tinned? What I mean is, if your favorite tinned tobacco arrived in a bag, would it bother you?
By the way, great forum here! I can't believe the wealth of knowledge about the subject and the camaraderie among the members.

 

[teufelhund]

Welcome to the forums! Tinned tobacco is basically tinned after being processed so it is the cloest you can get to uniformity among blends and they can stay fresh for a very long time as well as continue to age into a better tasting tobacco. The bagged stuff tends to dry out a bit on it's own; which is just fine also, but you may need to store it in a jar to keep it fresh. As far as filling the pipe just grab a few pinches and drop them in; or dump the tin into a tobacco pouch. Happy smoking!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Very small shovels :rofl:

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I'm sorry. I think I find this the most humorous, because I enjoy the more ritualized aspect of smoking the pipe, which involves a lot of touching a feeling the tobacco as I rub the flakes out to prepare it for the pipe. There are several techniques for actually filling the pipe, and videos on YouTube(believe it or not) on different ways to load your pipe. This is a very important aspect of learning to be a pipe smoker. In the beginning, I think one should pay attention to pressure in the packing and how much to get a good smoke out of it.

 

[winton]

Here is another hint of on how to load a pipe. Lay a piece of paper on a table and load the pipe over the paper. I always spill tobacco while loading. The paper makes it easier to collect the dropped tobacco and put it back into the pouch / tin / pipe.
Winton

 

[jservant98]

Is there a significant taste difference between bulk tobacco and tinned? I just received my first TAD order today of bulk tobaccos. I ordered Lane LL-7, Lane 1-Q and McClelland vanilla black cavendish. All three get good reviews, I am honestly kind of dissapointed. I don't know if it is just me but none of them seem to have much flavor to me. I am smoking the LL-7 right now and it is pretty good, but I thought these tobaccos would have much more flavor. Any advice would be great..

 

[woodsroad]

Lay a piece of paper on a table and load the pipe over the paper.

That's what I do, Winton, but instead of putting it back in the container, I'm collecting my own "best of the rest".

Might be interesting.
Bulk vs tins: Tins are much pricier. I'll buy a tin of something to see if I like it. If I do, I'll re-order bulk, jar it, and refill the tin. A pound will usually fit nicely in a 2 qt. jar. 4 oz's in a pint jar. Ribbon cut straight tobacco will need a pint and a half jar.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I keep a piece of leather in my pipe bag that I lay out to gather the pieces up that fall aside while prepping. Like I had said above, it's almost like an OCD thing for me in prepping the tobacco for the pipe, ritual. Touching it, breaking it up into my favorite consistency, and the whole charring light, second char, and then tamp and puff.
I use the square sheet of leather to wrap my pipe up when I finish and return it to the pipe bag. I will also fold the more moist tobaccos in the leather to slowly dry in my bag before I load it latter in the day. I like my Virginias very dry, and the slight leather scent adds to the whole aesthetic experience for me.

 

[vikingz]

I’m new here and new to pipe smoking so my questions are very basic (dumb?).
For example, I read about ‘B&M’ on some forum posts. What does ‘B&M’ mean?
Smoking a pipe for me right now seems to be a process of building up some tolerance to the effects of the smoke irritating my throat. Is this a common effect with some beginner pipe smokers (and I’ve never smoked cigarettes or cigars before)? It seems like I can only smoke one smallish bowl about twice a week or so because more than that gives me a soar throat and an intermittent cough throughout the day. I am not puff, puff, puffing rapidly, but taking my time and even blowing out almost as much as sucking in.
How about the kind of tobacco? Maybe I’m smoking something that’s too harsh. For example I just purchased a tin of Borkum Riff ‘Limited Edition 2013 -- Trinidad Rum’. Is there a popular, super mild blend that I could try?
I love the process--the ritual--of smoking a pipe and it’s so relaxing, so I hope I can stick with it without any undue harmful effects. My wife is on my case now about my new ‘habit’ because of this cough that I’ve developed (and mild soar throat). What a wimp, eh?
Thanks for listening!

 

[woodsroad]

vikingz, pipe smoke should not be traveling much beyond your mouth. If your throat is sore, then you are inhaling the smoke, which is not the usual practice for pipe smokers. The idea is to draw a bit of smoke into your mouth for taste, then exhale, clearing your mouth of smoke. Many pipe smokers accomplish this by breathing through the nose while the pipe is in the closed mouth. Negative pressure in the mouth will draw smoke in, while the lungs fill with fresh air through the nose. Then exhale. it's pretty simple and easy, and will become automatic once you do it for a bit.
Just keep the smoke out of the throat and lungs.

 

[craig94yj]

I like the tins, but I am still tasting as many tobaccos as my budget allows, so I have not made any bulk purchases yet. I use the three pinch method that I saw in a youtube video to load my bowl and that has worked quite well for me. The tins I have been getting come with that cupcake paper thing inside. I just usually open it up wide all the way around the tin and it acts like a hopper to catch the droppings right back into the tin. With flake I roll it right on the cover and use it to dump any scraps into my bowl on top to act as kindling. Welcome to the forum and happy smoking.

 

[sfsteves]

winton said:

"Lay a piece of paper on a table and load the pipe over the paper.

I always spill tobacco while loading. The paper makes it easier to

collect the dropped tobacco and put it back into the pouch/tin/pipe.

I use a folded paper towel ... the flexibility of the towel facilitates returning the excess tobacco to the jar.