Whole leaf blending and pressing

AceFour

I pulled out the bright and lemon whole leaf. After de-stemming it filled an entire mixing bowl. Amazing that it was only 235g of tobacco. Looking at the bowl I was having my doubts but I did a hand rip and stuffed in the new press. It was full to the top but spongy. Opened the C-clamp to max and angled it to push down until I could fit the bottom of the clamp under. I cranked that sucker down. The results

After 10 days it cannot crank any tighter. 1/2 lb of whole leave pressed into a 2 1/2" x 3" x 3" square. Placed it in a really hot in the truck so it probably stoved for 16-20 hours.It is unreal. 233g dense as a board plug. It has a nice mellow sweetness and no hay/grass and no harshness at all. 2/3 bright, 1/3 lemon whole leaf. The casing was bought and was lemon/inverted sugar water. I will start making my own casing in the pressure cooker from here on out.

Londy3

@AceFour
Amazing. It looks really good. Let us know how it is. 

mfresa

@AceFour, did you purchase the tobacco or grow it?

AceFour

Tobacco purchased from wholeleaftobacco.com

Woodsman

I tried it once with some wooden molds I made with disparaging results, you did a great job. 

AceFour

Second plug pulled. Same blend different casing.  Will smoke both blends tonight to see the difference

AceFour

New 8oz whole leaf plug aka block of wood. Red and bright Virginia plus Kentucky fire cure.  Smells heavenly.  Will slice some flakes on the plug cutter tonight and give it a go.

AceFour

mapletop

@AceFour Did you cook that plug as you did before?

AceFour

Stoved in the truck for several days

Londy3

WOW. Freaking cool man!

AceFour

Upgraded the tobacco press
https://acefour.org/2022/08/upgrading-the-tobacco-press/

Londy3

@AceFour
That's so cool! You've got it all going on.  I'd love to see your shop sometime. I'm here in NC too!  

AceFour

We should meet up at Afterburners sometime

Londy3

@AceFour
Yeah! That sounds great. It's about 30min from me.  

There is also a great bourbon bar with a cigar lounge here as well

https://www.revival1869.com/

AceFour

Oh nice!  Wish they would something like that near me ... 

Here is the last dark fired Kentucky/Virginia whole leaf plug for the season.   Going to focus on whole leaf Latakia/oriental and burley blends this fall/winter

Londy3

@AceFour
Wow, your definitely a pro. Looks fantastic!  Hit me up and for a libation and bowl.

AceFour

Results of the whole leaf Virginia/Burley experiment https://acefour.org/2022/09/making-a-virginia-burley-whole-leaf-plug/

jim102864

That is so cool! Can't wait hear about the results!

mapletop

@AceFour Yeah, I really want to hear how it tastes.

Londy3

Amazing 

AceFour

The plum cased Virginia is dominate. The molasses on the burley is way in the background. So no, this is not Gemain’s Rich Dark Flake, sorry folks. Maybe age will change the aspect as this is a really young plug. However, this is a very pleasant smoke. no burley bite at all. Single light got most of the way down the bowl. The burley was balanced out by the Virginia and a little bit of burley aftertaste after the bowl was done.

AceFour

Whole leaf latakia blend plug Whole leaf latakia blend plug - Ace Four's Notebook

AceFour

Two more Red Queen plugs

https://blog.acefour.org/the-best-cheapest-plug-cutter/

Londy3

Work of art

opipeman

@AceFour;
Looks good enough to eat.

RockyMountainBriar

The humidity in my house is going low with the heat on so I decided to start up the humidifier again.  I have been wanting to take some of the C&D “Carolina Red Flake 2022”, and spice it up a bit.  I have no idea how to blend tobaccos, but I know what types and blends I enjoy.  I took a tin of RF 57 grams, and rubbed out the flakes.  I stuffed ~3 grams of C&D “Long Cut Perique” in my antique rope cutter and chopped the long strands into smaller pieces.  I weighed out 1 gram of C&D “Dark Fired Kentucky”, and 1 gram of C&D “ Izmir Turkish”.  I mixed and blended and fluffed all those tobaccos together by hand.  The RF was the most moist, then the Perique, then the DFK, and the Izmir was the driest.  Blended together, I thought the blended tobaccos were a bit dry for making a good plug with my press.  I added 1/2 oz. of Evan Williams Black Label Bourbon and mixed, blended, fluffed the tobacco blend to hopefully get the tobaccos to press/meld better in the mold.  The plug is under pressure from a lever arm with about 50-60 lbs. of lead plates hanging off of the end.  I wish I could remember my physics, I’d like to know how much pressure my tobacco plug is under.  The humidifier is set to 70% RH under the plastic bag.  My house RH is slowly climbing as well.  I have used this method and press with good success in the past with my home grown whole leaf.  I have another 120+ lbs. of lead I can add to the arm if need be.  I built the mold blocks with oak and plate joiner “biscuits”.  I cut one of my mold press blocks into three pieces so I could make a plug that will fit in the old Imperial Tobacco Company of Canada Limited, made in Montreal, Canada, “Repeater” tobacco tin.  My original mold is about two times longer.

motie2

@RockyMountainBriar

You, Sir, are way advanced when compared to the rest of us pipe hobbyists, but for those of us starting out in leaf blending....

Pipe Tobacco Leaves - Craft Your Own Custom Pipe Blends

https://www.leafonly.com/pipe-tobacco-leaf

RockyMountainBriar

I decided to drill a hole in two more of my lead plates and add them to the tobacco press arm for more weight.  About another 40-50lbs, so I have about 90-110 pounds hanging on it now, maybe more.

RockyMountainBriar

Well, it’s been a month since I started pressing my tobacco block, time to see the magic.  Hopefully it won’t be a big wad of mold 😳.  My press and methods worked last time, so I don’t expect anything as unfortunate as that🤞🏼

RockyMountainBriar

Let’s see what I have🤞🏼