Some Help with Vintage Tins

[Sloopjohnbee]

I need some help regarding vintage tins- If a tin shows rust on the interior but the tobacco is contained like in cellophane or plastic bag which has not been compromised, would that be okay to smoke?
-What makes a vintage tin okay vs. not?
-Are older tins considered a heavy risk due to lead in the solder? if so what years?
-Tobacco prone to a 'Botulism' or leaf specific- pathogen?
Feel free to fill me (an others) in on things that I missed
thanks

 

[ChuckMijo]

This is the internet. If you have to ask then the answer is probably No. This would be a internet answer. If it smells good, looks good, don’t have stuff growing out of it smoke away. You decide.

 

[Sloopjohnbee]

waitin' to see if Pipestud can get a quick response in.

 

[musicman]

This is the internet. If you have to ask then the answer is probably No. This would be a internet answer. If it smells good, looks good, don’t have stuff growing out of it smoke away. You decide.

Well, this may be true to an extent, it's not like he's asking for medical advice ("Hey internet, I think my leg is broken, what do you think?"), and this is probably the best place in the english speaking world that he could ask such a question. Maybe the only place.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Should be fine.

 

[ashdigger]

Smoke it. Worse case scenario you can skip spinach for a day.

 

[Mr.Pink]

Should be fine. I found this: the moisture in the tobacco condenses on the inside of the tin, like a little terrarium, and rusts the metal inside

 

[pipestud]

waitin' to see if Pipestud can get a quick response in.

Hi wintergarden. I can only give you answers according to my personal history with selling & smoking pipe tobacco. So, here we go and my answers are in bold print.

I need some help regarding vintage tins- If a tin shows rust on the interior but the tobacco is contained like in cellophane or plastic bag which has not been compromised, would that be okay to smoke? - Yes

-What makes a vintage tin okay vs. not? - If tobacco is in a container with rust on the inside of the tin that has gotten to the leaf, I would not touch it. I've tasted tobacco with rust particles in it and the experience was not pleasant. If the tobacco has mold on it, history dictates the tobacco will have an unpleasant sour taste, so I take a pass on those, too. If bugs are crawling around in the tobacco, I would chunk it. And yes, I opened one tin a few years ago that was actually factory sealed and there was movement. It was not the tobacco.

-Are older tins considered a heavy risk due to lead in the solder? if so what years? In all my years of selling pipe tobacco, I have never been asked that question. And I don't know the answer. All I do know is that I have been smoking literally over 2,000 blends of all vintages ranging from the 1930's to present day and I am still alive and as healthy as an old guy my age could possible be without taking youth serum, prune juice or smoking Mixture #79.

-Tobacco prone to a 'Botulism' or leaf specific- pathogen? I plead total ignorance to that question. It's way over my head.

Hope this helps a little,

Pipestud

 

[Sloopjohnbee]

Excellent. Thanks