Make Your Own War Horse Bar!

[condorlover1]

'Woodsroad' I just re-examined the War Horse bar this morning and I think it was glazed with something. I licked in a corner and its definitely glazed with something but I cannot quite put my finger on it. With regard to the licorice I think you are right about the essence and I would assume the Peppermint oil was less than 1% by volume in the topping as was probably added like the Winter Green as a mold retardant. People have said that War Horse was very similar to Condor but I don't see the structures of the Lakeland Essences in the lab report. Anyone have an idea of what Lake Land essence is made from?

 

[condorlover1]

Bingo! I wonder if this stuff had Tonkin Beans in it because after all these years it would have degraded and would not be noticeable.

 

[woodsroad]

Simon, you now have a mission:
Track down the folks who made War Horse.
Someone needs to do an oral history on British Plug Tobacco Production, and you is the man to do it.

 

[condorlover1]

Why don't we just ask Gallopers what went into the stuff - they might tell us if we give them a good reason!

 

[woodsroad]

Simon said:

I licked in a corner and its definitely glazed with something

 

[condorlover1]

I have a cunning idea…… Dan read your email from!

 

[misterlowercase]

:mrgreen:

Cunning licks!
I couldn't ever find much about the old steam presses back when I looked, a long (pun) laundry list to go through and still not find anything of much value...
...but there was one document that laid it out fairly well and described the process.
First, a simple plug would be made using 1 ton per sq. in. for 5 mins in a regular hydraulic press,

when finished, each plug was wrapped with whole leaf specially selected for appearance
The wrapped plugs are then again pressed at 750 lbs/in² for 1 min to set them
then a pressure of 2 tons/in² is applied for 2 mins
they are then transferred to a steam-jacketed press and applied with a pressure of 750 lbs/in² for 2 hours
then 2 tons/in² is applied and the press is locked, but the pressure is removed, to be left overnight
the next day the press is unlocked and steamed in situ at 25 lbs/in² for 30 mins
(steam and pressure applied together would cause the press to burst)
steam is shut off and a pressure of 750 lbs/in² is applied for the remainder of the day until at the close of the day when the 2 ton pressure cycle is repeated and the press is again locked overnight
This alternate plugging, pressing, steaming, and pressing gives the standard dark color and very smooth smoking qualities...

 

[darwin]

A 10-12 ton shop press ought to be able to handle this sort of duty if the plug size is kept to ten square inches or less. The fact that the plug needs to be heated in situ while under pressure could be the main hang up here. Even though the recipe is calls for only 25 pounds per square inch while steaming the mold this could be tricky and not a little bit dangerous.

 

[woodsroad]

The solution that I've come up with is to weld up a press mold that can be locked to hold the pressure. The mold is then moved to an oven. The mold isn't sealed, so no danger of bursting. The question then is what temperature to heat the plug to.
What is not clear to me: Was steam used to jacket and heat the mold (and tobacco in the mold), or was it applied directly to the tobacco? My guess is that it was just used to heat the mold (and tobacco in the mold). I can't see pushing steam through a plug.
But I wouldn't be surprised if the tobacco was steamed prior to pressing.

 

[darwin]

Yeah I doubt the steam heated the bar directly. Doing it electrically would have been possibly more difficult back when those ironclads were made. If the steam they used was not superheated than about 200 degrees or so in the oven should work although it might dry the bar out somewhat.

 

[condorlover1]

Hence the addition of glycerine which probably was added to the treacle or brown sugar. I am sure the small amount of Winter Green/Pepper Mint Oil was a mould retardant and was a less than 1% addition with the Tonka beans getting boiled up with the topping. 'Woodsroad' is right the tobacco was not boiled in this but more likely sprayed on the leaves in some fashion.

 

[kibo]

Let me just say....WOOOOOHOOOO! Future project!

 

[woodsroad]

Allow me to resurrect this wonderful MLC post. It will help add some context:
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/for-the-love-of-plugs-an-historical-appreciation

 

[misterlowercase]

This is sorta offtopic, but I found this vid while searching War Horse bar, one of the commentators talks of his Grandpa smoking it, I think it's a great song and it gave me that feeling where you get all misty eyed while at the same time feeling a tremendous jolt of uplifting joy, ifya know what I mean?
:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISJBIZrKniQ

 

[misterlowercase]

 

[jitterbugdude]

A screw press can exert quite a bit of pressure. You can get them cheap on ebay. This is what I use to make plug. I place the screwpress/plug box in a kiln. For "steam" I use a crockpot set on high. I've had plugs come out so dense that I had a very difficult time cutting them.