Plug Preparation

[--dante--]

Several tobaccos I like are plugs and cakes. Cakes are no problem, but with plugs I always had the same problems as I do with some flakes -- basically I end up with rubbed out asbestos, or cubes that require endless relights if I don't pay attention for two minutes.

I finally tried something different. With a very sharp knife, I went for a shave off the plug, yielding two _extremely_ thin sheets. Rubbing it out yielded a shag that doesn't smoke like a shag (regarding the downsides of shag). Without drying, I found it to smoke perfectly, have more flavor (it seemed to me) and still lasted quite long. I never would have believed I could go through a bowl of Peterson's Perfect Plug (one of your denser plugs) on one initial light, but I did.

Anyone else have particular ways they prepare plugs (or even flakes for that matter)?

 

[sallow]

Yes, I do the same with Perfect Plug, like a shag. I love that stuff.

 

[--dante--]

Yes, I do the same with Perfect Plug, like a shag. I love that stuff.

I have no idea why it took me so long to try it that way. Bull-headed I guess.

 

[shanez]

Does incorrectly count as a way? Cause that's typically how I do it.

Luckily Salty Dogs tastes great no matter how badly I butcher it.

 

[BROBS]

Several tobaccos I like are plugs and cakes. Cakes are no problem, but with plugs I always had the same problems as I do with some flakes -- basically I end up with rubbed out asbestos, or cubes that require endless relights if I don't pay attention for two minutes.

I finally tried something different. With a very sharp knife, I went for a shave off the plug, yielding two _extremely_ thin sheets. Rubbing it out yielded a shag that doesn't smoke like a shag (regarding the downsides of shag). Without drying, I found it to smoke perfectly, have more flavor (it seemed to me) and still lasted quite long. I never would have believed I could go through a bowl of Peterson's Perfect Plug (one of your denser plugs) on one initial light, but I did.

Anyone else have particular ways they prepare plugs (or even flakes for that matter)?

View attachment 33767

That’s how I cut it. I take the small end of the plug and whittle chips off. Then rub them out.

 

[verporchting]

Yup that’s exactly how I prepare plug tobacco. Works great.

 

[--dante--]

Does incorrectly count as a way? Cause that's typically how I do it.

Luckily Salty Dogs tastes great no matter how badly I butcher it.

It certainly does in my book . I have a block of Salty Dogs -- I'm going to try it with that next. What is the "incorrect" method you employ?

 

[condorlover1]

I smoke plug everyday. Everyone has their preferred method of preparation. I slice it with an iron blade pen knife by holding the plug in my hand gripped by my middle finger and the other two and then cut the plug so the tobacco collects in my hand. If I am in a beer garden then I go with the thin slices, like wise in the office since I can use something to cut the plug on such as the table, my desk, magazine, junk mail flyers etc. You can cut fresh Warrior Plug so fine that it resembles RYO tobacco.

 

[sandollars]

Ulu knives work great and very controllable. For a more elaborate method there is always a plug cutter from the 1800's They can be had quite reasonably(well, around a hundred bucks shipped) on eBay.

Here's a link to the first one that popped up. There are a bunch of them since every drug store in the 1800's and early 1900's had one mounted on the counter and they are made of cast iron = nearly indestructible.

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. Antique Plug Cutter 5837 PLEASE READ | eBay

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

www.ebay.com

 

[mingc]

My plug slicer, via Amazon:

 

[sandollars]

THAT ^^^^ is BADASS!

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

I use my Case & a scrap piece of maple as my board. I either slice it very thin and rub it out, or cube cut it depending on my mood. Cube cut requires more delights typically to start it up because of density. However, once lit it stays smoldering for a much longer and is often a more satisfying full flavored experience for me.️

 

[mso489]

If I smoked plugs often, I think I would have a more developed way of prepping them, though I really enjoy them. Usually, I just cut slices and rub them out, and they light up well, burn pretty evenly, and burn as slowly as similar cuts like flake, coin, or rope. I think all these cuts retain full flavor longer in the jar. It's that little extra time prepping that steers me toward loose tobacco of various cuts, though I can remove that obstacle by prepping several bowls at once. Their drying out over several days is not noticeable to me, or may actually be a benefit.

 

[--dante--]

I smoke plug everyday. Everyone has their preferred method of preparation. I slice it with an iron blade pen knife by holding the plug in my hand gripped by my middle finger and the other two and then cut the plug so the tobacco collects in my hand. If I am in a beer garden then I go with the thin slices, like wise in the office since I can use something to cut the plug on such as the table, my desk, magazine, junk mail flyers etc. You can cut fresh Warrior Plug so fine that it resembles RYO tobacco.

Yes I believe what I have found is to shave off a plug to RYO. It's an epiphany to me, however simple

 

[mingc]

My plug slicer, via Amazon:

Link: https://www.amazon.com/BAOSHISHAN-G...KD7X8180MP9&psc=1&refRID=W39VNM6CDKD7X8180MP9

 

[--dante--]

That looks great, but I'm much more likely to carry a small sharp knife on my person. I'm not one to plan that far ahead

 

[mingc]

That looks great, but I'm much more likely to carry a small sharp knife on my person.

Definitely not portable!

 

[shanez]

It certainly does in my book . I have a block of Salty Dogs -- I'm going to try it with that next. What is the "incorrect" method you employ?

I was using a knife almost identical to the one in the OP picture (it's a Japanese knife that I can't remember what it's called) but I've been practicing with this brass dragon handheld antique cutter I bought:



The problem I'm having is the hinge is a little loose so halfway through my slice tends to get thicker or thinner. Kinda like a cheese slice gone awry.

 

[newportpipe]

I was using a knife almost identical to the one in the OP picture (it's a Japanese knife that I can't remember what it's called) but I've been practicing with this brass dragon handheld antique cutter I bought:

View attachment 33784

The problem I'm having is the hinge is a little loose so halfway through my slice tends to get thicker or thinner. Kinda like a cheese slice gone awry.

“Kinda like a cheese slice gone awry.”

 

[--dante--]

Definitely not portable!

What could be more portable than I pocket knife?