Cutting Plugs

[condorlover1]

I have always been interested in others prep methods when dealing with plug tobacco. Do slice and create flakes that you fold and stuff? Do you slice slivers off the plug as I do and then rub out into a very fine shag? Do you use a plug cutter or a battered old family heirloom pocket knife? Do you cube cut? Do you pre-slice your plug and then transfer it to your tobacco pouch or even mix in other tobaccos like an equal amount of black/brown twist? Do you prefer Irish plugs or the less dense and more moist American iterations? Since I only use meerschaum 'cutty' pipes and really only smoke plug/twist have any of you noticed any differences when smoking plugs in other pipe styles and clay pipes don't count as being a regular clay man I can answer that question better than most.

 

[ashdigger]

I use a curved cutter and shave the flakes. I've tried a pocket knife but stopped smoking plugs because it turned into a shit show. Purchased a Mezzaluna (kinda like Alaskan Ulu) with its curved cutting board and Shazam! It changed me back to smoking plugs and ropes because cutting them is so easy an efficient. I slice them thin and rub them out or I cube cut them. Woohoo!! All hail the mighty Plug.

 

[hawky454]

I prefer Irish plugs hands down.
I only slice off what I need at the time of loading and I try to slice them the normal width you see most flakes cut to. I loosely rub out the flakes and let them sit out anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes and prefer to smoke my plug baccy in larger bowls so the tobacco has plenty of room to expand without tightening up the draw. I use a ceramic blade for my Conor Plugs and a regular kitchen knife dedicated to all my other plugs.
I am currently looking for one of those vintage tobacco cutters that Troy (MLC) has but I haven't yet found one to my liking in the right price range. I know a couple of other folks on this forum have nice plug cutters but I can't recall who. I really think they would be a life saver for folks like myself who have arthritis in their wrists, it can make cutting a plug a real PITA but it's absolutely worth it in my opinion.
For ropes and twist I just use a cigar cutter and cut them as then as possible and then rub out the coins and lay them out to dry.
Great thread!

 

[hawky454]

Ashdigger, do you have pictures of your set up? I might be interested in getting something like that.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I have a Case folder that is so sharp that it starts cutting before the edge makes contact. I kid you not, it makes butter of all European plugs. I tend to like both cutting paper-thin slices and rubbing them out and cube cutting for variety.
For ropes and twists, I have a heavy duty cigar cutter that makes quick work of slicing down a rope.

 

[blackbeard]

I'm a fan of cutting with a cigar cutter. Clipping corners into chunks. It usually ends up like a cube cut. Just seems to be my preference.

 

[warren]

Pocket knife and rub.

 

[davidintexas]

With traditional plugs I use the Alaskan cutter. It makes short work of it. For the American style usually just pull apart or use a pocket knife

 

[twangthang]

I love plugs. The dense plugs I cut very thin with an Opinal knife and rub out. Something like Warhorse I usually pull a corner off and rub that out. I use a variety of pipes, but after reading a discussion on smoking GL Please's plugs in a pot... I have to agree that a pot seems to really make that tobacco sing.

I just wish Condor was easier to get here so n the U.S.

 

[weezell]

Plugs, Opinal knife thin slice and rub out. Rope, cigar scissors, cut in to thin coins and layer or rub out...

 

[darthcider]

I use a penknife for plugs, changing a mix of thick and thin slices.

Use a cigar cutter on ropes.

 

[saltedplug]

When Pease released JackKnife Plug he said several times that it had to be cut from top to bottom as he purposely layered the red VA in the middle. Leave it to the Dark Lord to do the mysterious and inexplicable. Subsequently I slice plug from top to bottom except Condor, and although I have no evidence, I believe that the whole leaf is in not so segregated as in JNP.
Condor I peel off a layer and break it up with my fingers.

Salty Dogs, JNP and Triple Play I cut from top to bottom and then fingers.
Brown and Black Rope: all fingers.
I've been smoking brown rope frequently and no longer find the nicotine prohibitive. Yes, stronger the than the stronger of the strong Dark Flake, but maybe by only 15%. Spicy, brown VA.

 

[saltedplug]

Cosmic I admire your focus on plug an rope. If I'd have known earlier in my pipe career their wonders, stout and dark, I'd have made them my focus much earlier. But I have long been an admirer of flake, Dark Flake that is, but also 1792. Irks me that War Horse plug is not a plug but a crumble cake. But as I understand it, Standard Tobacco was under the gun to release it given some by-date of the FDA; though the deeming date is 2007.

 

[gloucesterman]

Short of a dedicated plug cutter, the next best thing is the Alaskan Ulu. It gives great control over the cut. Then I usually rub it out and let it dry a bit.

 

[akfilm]

I use ulus and cut from top to bottom through the layers, than rub out. Being a bladesmith, I've considered forging some dedicated plug knives/ulus. I think there could be some interest in them.

 

[mawnansmiff]

I use a Sheffield made carbon steel pocket knife and a thick ceramic ashtray for my UK and Irish plugs. I slice say 3mm flakes then roughly rub those out afore allowing a little dry time. Some of those rock hard plugs hold a lot of moisture.
I am however keeping my eyes peeled for a proper cast iron plug cutter. They appear aplenty on American Ebay but very rarely on Ebay UK.
For so called American plugs I just pick them apart with my fingers as they are so soft :roll:
Regards,
Jay.

 

[papipeguy]

My preferred method. Ulu knife and curved bowl. I just rock the blade across the plug and I can shave paper thin flakes. I think the knife and bowl cost me around $35.00 with free shipping.

 

[oldreddog]

A no 6 opinel does the job for me. Handy for opening bottles too.

 

[deathmetal]

Pocket knife, cut into slivers and flakes, then rub out halfway and stuff the pipe, then go. Works wonders with 3P.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I remember seeing the old guys who chawed, taking a plug and biting a corner off to chew on. Maybe that is why American plugs are all so soft. Remember tobacco was tobacco back in the day. There was no differentiation between pipe, chewing, nor cigarette tobacco.