Storing Flakes

[Mad Hatter]

Originally Posted by morefifemusicanyone

I was just taking a free jab in jest at you guys. I think its funny having "old folks" who read something, somewhere, at some point.

Pretty much anything I have read or heard on aging tobac can be traced back to Mr. Pease, so that is probably true.

Just wait. You'll get "old" too

[DubintheDam]

I just wish some of our newbies would read some 'stuff' like us oldies used to, before they post those..."I can't be bothered to read any of those old men blogs talking about stuff, so can you just answer my dumb ass question please"....posts.

Old man moan over.

[dillonmcmurphy]

Originally Posted by DubintheDam

I just wish some of our newbies would read some 'stuff' like us oldies used to, before they post those..."I can't be bothered to read any of those old men blogs talking about stuff, so can you just answer my dumb ass question please"....posts.

Old man moan over.

Haha reading your guys "old man rantings" is the reason I participate on this website. It's the best way to learn a thing or two about pipe smoking and you usually end up learning about completely unrelated subjects as well .

[Jesla]

Maybe it was from Mac Barens site... anyway this is what they had to say about it.

Mac Baren - The packing

[morefifemusicanyone]

Originally Posted by DubintheDam

I just wish some of our newbies would read some 'stuff' like us oldies used to, before they post those..."I can't be bothered to read any of those old men blogs talking about stuff, so can you just answer my dumb ass question please"....posts.

Old man moan over.

Haha, well said Dub!

It sucks to have to

Thank you gentleman for your participation and wisdom.

[Jesla]

I know that I have seen the article about the aerobic and anaerobic but I can't remember either. I thought it was here:

The Pipe Tobacco Aging, Storage and Cellaring FAQ

but after a quick re-scan I didn't find it... oh well, senior moments come more and more often these days.......... Anyway that site has some very good info.

[WWhermit]

The mythical article is in Pipes & Tobacco magazine, I believe the Winter 2008 issue. If I have time I'll dig it up.

WWhermit

[phatmax]

For my tobacco I am not going to try to vacuum seal it, just make it airtight to prevent dry out.

I think that "canning" tobacco to create a seal removes such a small amount of air to be negligible. You are heating the molecules in the jar atmosphere to, say 120-150 degrees, at least some of them. Then you put the lid on and the temp drops to 60 degrees and it is sealed up.

The thing I thought of is our troops in Iraq. It can be 120 in the shade there, but they can still breathe, even though the molecules of air are at that temperature, which leads me to believe that unless you are wet canning, such as with veggies, there is still plenty of air floating around in those bottles.
And with veggie canning, you heat the jars with the food in them for a very long time. It is not the lack of air or the seal, by default that preserves the food, it is the bacteria kill off with the temperature.

I doubt any of us are going to heat our tobacco through and through to 150-180 for 15 minutes.

So a tight cap or "canned" seal, I feel, is doing roughly the same thing, except in the amount of work put into it.

[morefifemusicanyone]

Originally Posted by phatmax

For my tobacco I am not going to try to vacuum seal it, just make it airtight to prevent dry out.

I think that "canning" tobacco to create a seal removes such a small amount of air to be negligible. You are heating the molecules in the jar atmosphere to, say 120-150 degrees, at least some of them. Then you put the lid on and the temp drops to 60 degrees and it is sealed up.

The thing I thought of is our troops in Iraq. It can be 120 in the shade there, but they can still breathe, even though the molecules of air are at that temperature, which leads me to believe that unless you are wet canning, such as with veggies, there is still plenty of air floating around in those bottles.
And with veggie canning, you heat the jars with the food in them for a very long time. It is not the lack of air or the seal, by default that preserves the food, it is the bacteria kill off with the temperature.

I doubt any of us are going to heat our tobacco through and through to 150-180 for 15 minutes.

So a tight cap or "canned" seal, I feel, is doing roughly the same thing, except in the amount of work put into it.

WWhertmit had the interesting idea of using a Foodsaver and the jar attachment to seal a jar of baccy. I have used it also, and it is much better than heating the jar.

Anyway, read the aging FAQ, it is full of good information.

[KinnScience]

Originally Posted by morefifemusicanyone

Bouncing of what DQ said, your description of how you are putting it in the jars sounds like you are cramming it in there.

I don't know if that is the case, but the baccy does need some air. Cramming the jars full of baccy will limit the air inside. Vacuming, I have also read is a bad idea because you want a seal, not an absence of oxygen.

That said, my take on it is the flakes come in tins and age fine, they should age fine as a flake. I find flake tobac to dry out faster when rubbed out (not really a concern when sealed for aging) so that may dictate how you like to store it. Either way should work fine.

-Tyler

Um .. yeah, I am cramming it in pretty tight. I thought that was what I was supposed to do. I read it .. um ... one of those 400 documents that I have spent time reading. Anyway, there is no way I could get all the air out. There was always about a 1/2 inch at the top of each jar. The reason? Because everytime I added more bacco I pressed it down with everything I had in me ... I was afraid I was going to break the jar. I try to do everything to the best of my ability .... and that includes pressing down on the tobacco ...

I actually wasn't kidding about the spread sheet. I have pipes, times used, rotation, tobaccos used, tobacco rating, and a whole lot of other info that I'm sure most would think unecessary. I was showing my wife last night ... she rolled her eyes and shook her head. Then she made me sleep on the couch (which was fine because I just smoked until I went to sleep).

Ah but seriously (wasn't I serious?), I'm having a ball. Thanks to everyone for their help. I do not know what I would do without the info I have gotten here.

Peace (pipe),

Brian

[Mad Hatter]

Originally Posted by WWhermit

The mythical article is in Pipes & Tobacco magazine, I believe the Winter 2008 issue. If I have time I'll dig it up.

WWhermit

More likely winter 2009, the "Great Tobaccos of the Past" article.

[nate560]

I use mason jars that are called jelly jars hold 2oz perfect. For flakes i just fold them in half put them in the jars and put the lid on. Thats it no heating no wax just tighten the lid and iv'e had these for years when opened the flakes are still nice and soft. This works for me!

[phatmax]

I have put my 4 oz bags into 16 oz jars. A little tamping, but they fill up the jar, I found some Ball Platinum jars at ACE hardware that hold a 2 ounce bag really well and they are flat and wide.

Maybe I should be crushing the leaf more, but it seems no looser then the jar at the shop.

[strider72]

Originally Posted by morefifemusicanyone

Interesting...I read somewhere that Dub, Mad Hatter, and RJ are not to be trusted. I can't remember where, but I think it was a knowledgeable source.

It's a conspiracy!

[strider72]

Originally Posted by DubintheDam

I just wish some of our newbies would read some 'stuff' like us oldies used to, before they post those..."I can't be bothered to read any of those old men blogs talking about stuff, so can you just answer my dumb ass question please"....posts.

Old man moan over.

They apparently don't see the Search icon... It ain't just here. You can go through the gunforums and the same question will be posted every so often even though there are a 1000 threads/replies about it if someone would search.