How Could Someone Make Their Own Navy Flake

[atjurhs]

Hi guys,
So I've got a tin of Chonowitsch tobacco, that I don't care for, but after asking the "Characteristics of a 'Navy' Tobacco" in another thread in this Discussion forum, I've decided that I'd like to try and turn it into a "Navy" flake.
So I plan to get some rum for the soaking portion of this process, but which rum (I'm not a rum drinking guy per se?
And then the question becomes how long to soak it?
And then the question becomes how to press it, but I've found a thread on that in the "Pipe Acessory" using a giant C clamp or a bench vice (which seems like the perfect reason for buying a bench vice
And then the question becomes does the output of the soaked tobacco need some other additional process to get it ready for smoking. I would think that based on the origin/construction/process of making a "Navy" tobacco aboard a ship, the answer to this question is no, but idk.
Other thoughts?
Todd

 

[bryguysc]

You're on the right track.
One exception is that starting with a ribbon-cut tobacco will get you more of a crumble cake. You have to start with whole leaves to get a true flake.

Other than that, get a spray bottle, and soak it down with rum. I like to use something like Kraken, as it has a nice molasses sweetness and a little spice.

You will want some sort of mold, to hold the shape. One tin of tobacco is going to press down to something super-thin, even if you have a small mold.

Some people use reinforced PVC as a mold. You could try that.
Or don't press it at all. Just spray it down, pack it in a jar, and let it sit for a few weeks. Then lay it out to dry back to usable levels.
Regardless of what you do, experiment! It is a lot of fun!

 

[stvalentine]

I done that (and still experimenting) and I´ve got myself a six ton hydraulic bench press for it (cheap on Ebay). One thing that must be said about it is that the professionals use hydraulic presses with a pressure of 50 tons! So don´t expect to massproduce flake anytime soon. I would suggest a 10 ton press by now and forms made form PVC or wood won´t get you nowhere. I use a stainless steel tube of about 2 inches in diameter and two round blocks of brass to insert into the tube. I cover the brass plates/blocks with backing parchment.
What bryguysc saif about the rum is correct. Spray your tobacco but don´t soak it. Otherwise you will have a very messy blowby (ask me how I know).
Making actual flake is quite difficult as you can´t slice the block that accurately. Better go for a plug or at least a crumble cake. It´s all about blending the aromas not so much about getting a plug or flake.
Take a look at the end of this thread for my press: http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/tobacco-press#post-903292

 

[aquadoc]

Another rum to consider is Pampero Aniversario out of Venezuela. It is a complex rum that had to be sipped to be appreciated, neat. No spices are in this rum but it has toffee and butter undertones with the right amount of kick. Pussers is thought to produce a fair facsimile of the rum of the British Navy. Smith & Cross also make an authentic period rum.

 

[shutterbugg]

Hold it, back the truck up. Who says "Navy" means it's been doused with rum? I smoke Dunhill Deluxe Navy Rolls and believe me if there were even a hint of rum in the taste it would've given me the dry heaves.

 

[atjurhs]

shutterbugg,
From what I've read about "Navy" tobaccos, you are right, rum does not have to be an ingredient, and the McBarren's Capstan Gold that I have was not made rum.
Ok that said, the tin of tobacco that I have I don't like the flavor of, so I want to try the rum soaking that sailors of old used to make "Navy" tobaccos used.
So, we can call this thread "Making your own rum based Navy Tobaccos"
Good by you?
Todd

 

[rx2man]

I have been playing around trying to make my own rum baccy. I only had 20 grams of raw VA and 20 grams of unflavored black cavadish. I soaked it in a shot of Pussars rum. Did not get much rum flavor at all. I have some natural rum flavoring and I need to add more as I went pretty conservative.

 

[disinformatique]

You need to get a real nice press. Lots of whole leaf baccy and lotsa rum.

 

[stvalentine]

This is mine. Recently the hydraulics gave in so I need to get myself a new jack. Might go for a 10 ton this time....

 

[condorlover1]

The perfect device for squashing Falcon Pipes!

 

[atjurhs]

For now, I just have one tin of tobacco that I don't care for the taste/flavor of and I'm willing to invest a couple of bucks and an hour of time (not counting the soaking time) in making. I don't think I need any super-hydraulic press (no place to keep it in the garage anyways), just a simple goofing around experiment to see if I can take something I don't like and turn it into something I do, and if it all goes terribly wrong, I've only lost a buck or two (not counting the tin of tobacco which I would have thrown away anyways).
So two questions left...

- How long to let the tobacco soak in the rum

- After pressing it out (as best I can with whatever method I choose), is there any other processing that I need to do (besides drying it of course)?

 

[cranseiron]

Atjuhrs, if you don't get the results you want from this experiment you may want to try baking (stoving) your tobacco in the oven or crock pot. Search on "baking tobacco" for info. I had some Briar Fox that I didn't care for, stoved it for several hours, and it turned into a wonderful smoke afterwards. I added bourbon to one batch and the result wasn't that great. Maybe you'll have better luck with rum.

 

[atjurhs]

So the experiment continues...
It's been soaking in the rum for one day. How many days should I let it soak?

 

[stvalentine]

The perfect device for squashing Falcon Pipes!

Simon, behave! :rofl:
@atjuhrs: I found that pressing under two weeks is not successful. The longer the better. Soaking longer than one day shouldn´t make difference as far as I understand. After all when the tobacco strands are soaked they are soaked.

 

[toobfreak]

It's been soaking in the rum for one day. How many days should I let it soak?

I hope you don't mean you literally have the tobacco covered drowning flooded in rum? If so, by now, you've made a "Tincture of Chonowitsch". The alcohol has no doubt leeched many of the agents out of the tobacco into the broth leaving behind the woody fiber. Maybe if you let it air for several weeks, the rum will eventually all evaporate away. I think if you pour off any of the liquid content, you will pour away some of the valued tobacco.

 

[andrew]

I tried adding dark rum to G&H brown bogie to make my own rum twist, I put enough rum so it soaked up completely in the tobacco then added a lid and let it sit for maybe 2 weeks, then I let it dry out to a smokeable product. The result was a bitey mess whereas brown bogie doesn't bite at all by itself. I think you may have to cook the rum off before you jar it. Either way I wouldn't try it again. GL Pease talks about just letting dried out tobacco be re-moistened with rum or whisky or whatever spirit you choose, and he says a little goes a long way. So the key maybe less rum, let it dry again, then jar it up.

 

[atjurhs]

Yep, toobfreak it's drowning in rum as I type and will be for two more weeks. Then I guess I'll bake it and let it sit out and dry for a while, then jar it up for a month or so and see...
If it doesn't work out out well then I lost $1.50 on the bottle of rum, because I was going to toss the tin of Chonowitsch anyways.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Hmmm, drowning in it? You probably should have just put some rum in a spray bottle and just have squirted a few even blasts over it.

 

[toobfreak]

Not sure how this is going to turn out atjurhs, but whatever you do, don't pour off any of the rum. I would open it now or wait the two weeks and put it in a large flat pan in the oven on a low heat and try to bake the rum away to evaporate, then let the stuff air dry until smokable and see what you get.

 

[atjurhs]

Sounds like a plan.
I'll report back in two weeks...