Greetings from NYC Metropolitan Area

[winston-smoker]

Hi, guys! I just registered here yesterday, and thought I would introduce myself. What brought me here: I "met" Don at another smoking forum back in March, and I received a sample of whole leaves. Not having a shredder, I cut the leaves and ended up with what resembled goldfish-food flakes, but my Zen SuperShooter injector handled it fine, and it was the best tobacco I've ever smoked. In fact, I think my "fish-food" flakes would probably work better with my injector than a proper shag cut anyway. I was reluctant to "jump on board" with whole leaves then, but now I've decided to make the switch, so I contacted Don on Monday, who encouraged me to join the Fair Trade Tobacco forum.

I'm male, 49 years old, and have lived in the New York City metropolitan area all of my life, except for the times in which I was going to school in Scranton, PA and England. I also own a condo in Puerto Rico. I smoke full-flavor king-size "regular" filter cigarettes, about a pack per day on average. My "primary brand" was Winston until late 1996, when RJR changed them, and then smoked mainly Marlboro Reds and Camel Filters. In Oct. 2012 I started making my own, using "dual purpose" pipe tobacco. I liked some pipe tobacco brands better than others, and a few I hated; for example, I detest anything with fire-cured tobacco in it, and anything that seems too heavy with added flavors. I tried my first cigarette when I was 13, and smoked "on-again, off-again" for about 15 months, when I finally committed to being a regular, daily smoker a few days after my 15th birthday, which I think was the right time for me, and I have no regrets. I really enjoyed smoking then, and 34 years later I still really enjoy smoking. If I could go back in time, I would still start smoking without hesitation. The very thought of ever giving up filling my lungs with smoke is, frankly, inconceivable!

I'm not going to repeat the rest my background information, if interested you can look at my profile page.

 

[leverhead]

Welcome! The price of cigarettes up there will make the time spent starting from whole leaf pretty rewarding. I tried "dual use" tobacco and found that it left allot to be desired. Getting whole leaf cut right is the hardest part, Don's got a good shredder for that. I used to smoke Winston, starting from whole leaf, my tastes have changed. Even if you leave out fire-cured, there's allot of room for blending.

 

[winston-smoker]

Thanks for the welcome, leverhead. Some "dual use" tobacco has been quite good (at least to my taste): notably NCS 3C and D&R Vengeur Platinum. Wind River Bold also had a nice taste, but the smoke seemed a little weak-bodied to me, so I used it to blend with other tobaccos, and Smokin G MRD was good, though a tad "one-note" in flavor (but when blended with Don's whole leaves, the result was pure perfection). Others have been dreadful: Kentucky Select's weird aftertaste, Red Cap's heavy-handed casings, ditto for Peter Stokkebye (especially the "Norwegian," the "Danish" was better), thought not quite as bad as Red Cap. The worst of all was, not surprisingly, D&R Ryback -- even the smell from the bag was repelling (in fact, I could smell it through the closed bag!).

I recently saw an antique Teck One, in seemingly good condition, for $150, which is a good price. I've thought about getting it (if still available), but there was really nothing wrong with my "fish-food" flake cut, it probably just requires a little more labor, perhaps. The thing with a shag cut is that it wouldn't work at all with my injector's hopper (and I have that experience from having used NCS 3C, which is a shag), and I do like that feature of my injector. That's not a problem with "fish-food" flakes.

I'm planning on trying Don's new cigarette blends: while the Virginia Blend is probably closest to what I'm used to, I do like a strong full-bodied smoke, so I would also want to try the American Old-Style Blend. I wonder if the Yedi Turkish-American is like a Camel? If so, then that would also make my list of blends to try.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

Welcome a-board W-S. I would not recommend the Teck-1 (I have one) for cigarette tobacco. Save up and get a Powermatic. I just rode through your neck of the woods this past August on the way up to Maine and New Hampshire.

 

[leverhead]

The D&R tobaccos were what I was smoking when I gave up on dual use tobaccos, I prefer to compost my stems rather than smoke them. D&R had some nice tasting tobaccos, it's kind of a shame. I made a cutter, so I'm kind of stuck with a traditional shag cut, I use a simple hand stuffer and it makes cigarettes that burn well. I looked at the Teck ones early on and thought I could make something better. I think it was Jack in NB that posted some pictures of something similar to a Teck one that used utility knife blades, it would be easier to keep sharp edges in it.

I'm going to try the Yedi Turkish-American blend, my tastes have been running lighter than full flavor. Having a blend in a box is a good idea, it makes it easier to get started.

 

[leverhead]

I just rode through your neck of the woods this past August on the way up to Maine and New Hampshire.

It's a good place to be from, isn't it.

 

[Knucklehead]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[MarcL]

Welcome to FTT. I'm from Garfield myself. I roll whole leaf to about an inch and use tuck cutter to shred it. Works well. Nice vintage advertisement pix.

 

[winston-smoker]

MarcL,
I'm in Bayonne. I guess you meant you are originally from Garfield, and live in Maryland now? Or is the location on your profile outdated? Oh, and thanks for the welcome!

Knucklehead & Jitterbug,
Thanks for the welcome!

Jitterbug,
I'm planning to go up to New Hampshire next summer for a week. I have relatives in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. My Dad had an aunt who lived in Maine, so there may be some more distant relatives in Maine too. In 2009 we drove through Maine on our way to the Maritime Provinces of Canada. Also, thanks for the advice about the Teck One. While I seriously considered getting it, and even watched a youtube demonstration on its use, one of my concerns was actually about sharpening the blades, so I doubt I would have gotten it. I'm not at all a "handyman," and repairing or taking apart machinery of any kind is something I definitely would not want to do.

 

[winston-smoker]

Well, I just "jumped" into committing to whole leaves -- I just ordered the American Old-Style Blend and the Virginia Blend.

Leverhead,
After you've tried the Yedi Turkish-American, let us know how you liked it. A review might make interesting reading, and help others decide whether to try it too.

 

[Knucklehead]

The Powermatic shredder doesn't produce a shag cut like the D&R three sails (is that the shag cut?) It's more the size of a traditional cigarette cut, although slightly narrower than the "dual purpose" MYO pipe tobaccos. The D&R shag cut was much narrower than that produced by the Powermatic. I find it's perfect for cigarettes and works well in a pipe also. No problem with burn or the cherry falling off the end of your cigarette. It's heavy, well made (designed in America), and definitely the Chrysler of shredders. The cut is perfect for injectors.

 

[winston-smoker]

Knucklehead,
Thank for your input. You're right, D&R 3 Sails is a shag cut, like NCS 3C. I'll have to give some thought about investing in a Powermatic shredder. But I don't think I really need to make a decision right away.
By the way, which do you recommend: cutting/shredding all of the whole leaves, even if it's 4 or 5 lbs., all at once OR it is a better idea to cut/shred only about a lb. at a time, leaving the rest uncut in the packaging (I'm assuming vacuum sealed plastic) until needed?

 

[Rickey60]

Welcome to the forum. You'll like it here.

 

[winston-smoker]

Thanks for the welcome, Rickey60. And I think you're right, that I will like it here.

 

[Aaron]

Welcome to the forum! Glad to have you with us.

 

[winston-smoker]

Aaron,
Thanks for the welcome!

 

[FmGrowit]

Welcome to the forum. Glad to see you made it over here. Please feel free to go into a little more detail about your "fish food flake" (FFF) process.

 

[grgfinney]

Welcome to the best tobacco site on the web lots of good info and ppl here

 

[Brown Thumb]

Welcome aboard,
Take the stem out of the middle before processing . You said whole leaf?
BT

 

[Knucklehead]

Knucklehead,
Thank for your input. You're right, D&R 3 Sails is a shag cut, like NCS 3C. I'll have to give some thought about investing in a Powermatic shredder. But I don't think I really need to make a decision right away.
By the way, which do you recommend: cutting/shredding all of the whole leaves, even if it's 4 or 5 lbs., all at once OR it is a better idea to cut/shred only about a lb. at a time, leaving the rest uncut in the packaging (I'm assuming vacuum sealed plastic) until needed?

If you are knife cutting it's up to you. Shredded leaf will take up less storage space. With the Powermatic, I shred about a pound at a time as I don't want to gum up the machine. Letting it rest for awhile will allow the gummy material to dry and be pushed out the next time it is used. Other members shred up to five or six pounds at a time, and I'm not knocking them, but these are the members that have jammed, gummed up machines that have to be taken apart for cleaning. Just keep it mind the unit is a home appliance and not a commercial unit and you'll be okay. I've never had a moments trouble with mine.