Video: Gawith & Hogarth Factory - Making Rope/Twists

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condorlover1

Lifer
Dec 22, 2013
7,993
26,607
New York
What I thought was interesting was seeing the part where they cut the twist into lengths and wrapped it in wax paper. When I started smoking you purchased your twist exactly the same way but wrapped in silver foil paper with the packaged sealed with a sticky label exactly as in the film. To this day I use a waxed U.S. Post Office envelope folded in the same manner to carry my twist about if I haven't pre-sliced it so it doesn't get dry or contaminated with Lakeland essence from my baccy flap which normally now has either Grasmere Flake or Warrior Plug. The coils of Black Rope which used to be sold by the long gone Smiths Snuff on Charing Cross Road and Inderwicks of Carnaby Street had a wooden spike through them and were called 'Bee Hives' as they resembled the old rope woven bee hives. I don't remember the weight by they would cut off a length and put it on the scales and sell it to you in any amount you wished to buy.
 

Jaylotw

Lifer
Mar 13, 2020
1,062
4,063
NE Ohio
That was awesome. I know that much of the process remains the same, but packaging has changed...

The thing that surprised me the most was the guy slathering the ropes in olive oil!
 
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mingc

Lifer
Jun 20, 2019
3,976
11,065
The Big Rock Candy Mountains
That why the black twists are so shiny. Its rather strange that the olive oil doesn't impact the taste but it does explain why they remain pliable long after brown twist has dried out.
I can taste the oil. I find it singularly unpleasant, but to each his own. What I do find remarkable is that the product doesn't feel greasy at all; you wouldn't know that it was covered in oil. I suppose the baking processes burns it all off.
 

condorlover1

Lifer
Dec 22, 2013
7,993
26,607
New York
I don't know really. It doesn't taste too bad to me but then I am notorious for my bad taste when it comes to tobacco. I think you can even buy the stuff pre-shredded and I have often wondered if it tastes the same but I have never felt compelled to buy the stuff.
 
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verporchting

Lifer
Dec 30, 2018
2,879
8,933
Does anybody have links to any other videos from G&H factory? I’d love to see how the flakes are made and the perfumes added!!!
 
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Tommy Boy

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 28, 2020
810
1,235
Michigan
Very cool to see indeed how much time and effort went into making a twist. I wonder if its still anything like that now. Did make me laugh when they where casually ponding nails in it and setting on the floor.
 
Jun 9, 2018
4,012
12,928
England
Does anybody have links to any other videos from G&H factory? I’d love to see how the flakes are made and the perfumes added!!!

I don't have any videos but I did find these photographs from a tobacconist who visited Gawith during the 1920's.

Spinning twist:
photo7.jpg

The store presses of Kendal Twist?:

photo8.jpg


Here a link to the original website where I found them. It's an interesting little read.