sagedil and lös

[oregonrain]

How about not making it a chore or work. Just have a can in the fridge and when the mood strikes bake a pris. If you are forcing yourself to use it, you will have subconcious negative associations with los. And, there is nothing wrong with not liking los, that's why they made portions in the first place. Before you give up los for good, you have to try skruf stark los. I am not really a big fan of their portions (white portions are ok I guess) but the los is so much better. It also has a nice soft feel on the gums and jolt of nic.
Have fun!

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

OK girls, if you need to put your snus in a tampon to enjoy it so be it. But before you completely give up on loose let me suggest something.

HAHA! I DO SO LOVE Mocca Pomegranate minis, so TOUCHE!

Use your applicator (errr… ice tool) for about a month. Stick with it and use at least a 50/50 pris to portion ratio. Do the usual: bake it, don’t play with it, bitch about there being no flavor, take a few Midol and wait.

Question for the LösMaster: Isn't it possible to make many pris(es?) and bake them all at once? Could they then be stored in old snus tins, to be popped in much like a mini-portion whenever one pleases?

Also start placing the pris on the right or left side of the mouth instead of directly in the front.

I do this with the mini-portions anyway.

Note a crumbly or dry snus is harder to manage as is an extremely fine snus (Granit, Fint, and Roda are hard to hand toss).

Wouldn't a drop of USP vegetable glycerin solve that problem, particularly if one will be baking?

No way, just use portions.

[snupy]

Just have a can in the fridge and when the mood strikes bake a pris.

Any suggestions as to how to carry my fridge and oven around when I am in the car or out of the house? Gee, I wonder if baking up a bunch of pris in advance might solve that issue?

[snupy]

No way, just use portions.

I am contemplating switching to loose exclusively, for several reasons.

[rscott222]

Such as?

[vodkaniac]

No way, just use portions.

I am contemplating switching to loose exclusively, for several reasons.

What are your reasons. I'd be interested to know. I find myself drawn to making that same decision, but my first and only foray into los did not end well. I bought a single can of General los. My first hand baked pris was perfect actually, but all subsequent ones were not pleasant. I read comments later that General is not one of the better brands for baking. Anyway, I'm getting an icetool and trying again.

[snupy]

Such as?

1. With the receipt of my next order, I will be familiar with the majority of mini-portions available, so will know the type of flavors I prefer.

2. Having cut Stonewalls in half and used them successfully, I am absolutely sure that the 4 mg of nicotine in the mini portions is more nicotine than I need. Loose allows custom sized portions to fit such needs. (Translation: I am a customization freak.)

3. Cost

4. I am presently growing tobacco in order to begin making snus. That means I must deal with loose sooner or later. (Translation: I seek to get to the point in my tobacco usage that it matters not what either Big Tobacco or government does, since they both will be completely out of the process.)

[vodkaniac]

Good reasons. Keep us posted on #4.

[snupy]

Good reasons. Keep us posted on #4.

You are more than welcome to read my own experiences at getting my feet wet, as well as those more experienced at this link. My username there is Alist, although the user named "tekwyzrd" is the God of grow your own, given that he is presently smoking his well aged 2007 crop. You can see pictures of his 2007 crop on page 2 of that thread, while page 7 includes BEAUTIFUL pictures of his dried Virginia Gold leaf. It's one thing to hear a person claim we need less government intervention or taxes in our lives. It's an entirely different thing to see people who have set things up to achieve exactly that. What better way to reward the recent tobacco tax increases by the US government than refusing to ever pay them again?

[vodkaniac]

Fascinating reading on that RYO forum. I see you are into e-cigs as well. Me too. I have three of them, but they have fallen by the wayside as snus and snuff have been the perfect fit for me.

[Roo]

I have a suggestion for anyone not able to get into los: on your next order, get yourself something nice and strong like my all-time favorite skruf, or general ES, which I tried for the first time with the order I got yesterday (it's excellent and bakes up very nicely). Use your cheap prismaster, and hold the depressor thing tight with your thumb in order to make a very small pris and not let much snus up into the prismaster or icetool. Alternately, bake a very small ball. Put it way up in your gums, and with the right size (small) you will barely notice it and mudslide is virtually not a factor. With such a small, strong pris, you can get your fix, enjoy the flavors, and get used the feel of los without a big mess. Just an idea

[sagedil]

I'm already using a very small pris, and mudslides have never been my issue. I just still don't like the feel in my mouth compared to portions. Or maybe, I don't like that I can't move it around. Maybe it's my OCD or something, but I just find the whole los thing a bit uncomfortable, or maybe better to say invasive.


But......will be playing more with it again tomorrow. Gotta try the Thunder next.

[snupy]

Fascinating reading on that RYO forum. I see you are into e-cigs as well. Me too. I have three of them, but they have fallen by the wayside as snus and snuff have been the perfect fit for me.

E-cigs are high maintenance, whereas snus is not. I do have 100 ml of 24 mg tasteless e-liquid (strictly for dilution to 4 mg), which I bought long ago in preparation for the upcoming FDA ban. Many are sure the FDA will ban the e-liquids at least, which means e-cigs are not a long term solution. Growing and making one's own snus does not have that limitation. As a matter of fact, 6 of the tobacco seed varieties I have, were actually sent to me free from the USDA. I presently have Virginia Gold, the Turkish varieties of Bafra, Basma, Bursa and Izmir-Ozbas, as well as a Brown and Williams low nicotine variety, which I suspect is also a Virginia, growing as seedlings. In addition to those varieties, I also have seed for the following Turkish varieties:

Black Sea Samsun
Balikesir
Celikhan
Louisiana Perique
Samsun No. 15

As well as the following varieties:

Marlyand 10
Maryland 40
Rose Tobacco
Rustica
Virginia Brightleaf
Yellow Orinoco

My main interests, for obvious reasons, are the low nicotine varieties, which would include all of the Turkish varieties, both Maryland varieties and the Brown and Williams low nicotine. I will also grow some of the rustica, which, being high potency as far as nicotine, will allow me to bump the nicotine content of snus, if necessary, should the low nicotine varieties be too low in nicotine content. The fact tobacco for snus need not be cured, is just icing on the cake.

I have already located EXCELLENT extract for flavoring, with pomegranate being my first choice. I have used this company's kahlua extract for e-liquids. Ideally, I hope to create a plain tobacco flavored snus, a la Tre Ankare, which can then be flavored however I wish.

[snupy]

get yourself something nice and strong...and with the right size (small) you will barely notice it

That had crossed my mind as well.

[Qor]

Yeah, I am experiencing the same thing as Sage with los. However, I am much more new to this.

Today I brought with me to work a can of General Onyx (In case the los doesn't give me the kick I need.), a can of Gotslandsnus Yellow los and a can of Odens XS Kanel los. I have an Onyx portion in atm, but I started at work with some Gotslands Yellow los. It was ok, I probably want a more robust flavor, but it tied me over I suppose.

Last night I tried some Skruf Stark los (Tastes just like the portions if I have them juicing!), and I enjoy that, but as stated above I am new to los and haven't had time to acquire the los skills such as not messing with it, squeezing it to get more flavor, etc. I will keep on it though because I think I will enjoy it. I got my Icetool in the mail yesterday so I have been trying some los out. I think a bit after this General Onyx portion that I will try some more Odens XS Kanel, but this time put it slightly further back of my upper canine teeth so it juices more. I don't really have a problem of it mudsliding, even after 30-45 minutes. It usually just turns into a form fitting glob of snus on my gums.

I think its just that I am a big proponent for flavor, if I feel like I just had a pris of tastelessness up there, it doesn't do it for me. This has led me to packing the Icetool a little softer than the first few I tried, so it doesn't feel like I just injected a piece of gravel in my gums.

Still experimenting! But enjoying this portion of Onyx as I speak (Going to order a roll of this stuff, yum).

-Qor