Lazy man's alternative to ropes?

[NeverBend]

At the risk of thread-jacking - Pete, maybe you can shed some light on something I've been wondering about ropes. They mostly seem to be uber-strong, and I've seen statements that they are the strongest tobaccos around. So it intrigues me that Turkey Foot is selling one they described as being mild. It seems to me that there's nothing inherently strong about ropes, and that it all depends on the tobacco type they use to begin with. And may that they become more dense and concentrated? Do blenders simply tend to use stronger tobaccos when they make ropes? And if so, is that due to tradition? Maybe sailors preferred the strong stuff?

Hi Chico,

You pretty well answered yourself .

I'm no scholar on the subject but I believe that Native Americans would put several tobacco leaves together (effectively blending) and twist them to smoke or chew. I don't know what method they used to cure the tobacco (I expect they did something). Tobaccos tended to be strong until about the middle of the nineteenth century when bright leaf (VA) evolved.

The Gawiths (Sam and Hoggarth), make heavily compressed roped but it's the same idea as what the Native Americans did. Makes the flavors marry quickly and it's more stable than cut mixtures but the outer leaf is prone to flaking when dry. Gawith was a single company, purportedly beginning in 1792 (probably as a snuff maker), so their tradition was strong tobaccos. The company split but their roots were the same.

Pete

[c.ortiz108]

Hi Chico,

You pretty well answered yourself .

I'm no scholar on the subject but I believe that Native Americans would put several tobacco leaves together (effectively blending) and twist them to smoke or chew. I don't know what method they used to cure the tobacco (I expect they did something). Tobaccos tended to be strong until about the middle of the nineteenth century when bright leaf (VA) evolved.

The Gawiths (Sam and Hoggarth), make heavily compressed roped but it's the same idea as what the Native Americans did. Makes the flavors marry quickly and it's more stable than cut mixtures but the outer leaf is prone to flaking when dry. Gawith was a single company, purportedly beginning in 1792 (probably as a snuff maker), so their tradition was strong tobaccos. The company split but their roots were the same.

Pete

Thanks, Pete. I seem to remember at our previous home @Tobias Lutz making his own rope? Tobias, did that thread migrate over here? I'd be interested to see it again.

[Tobias Lutz]

Thanks, Pete. I seem to remember at our previous home @Tobias Lutz making his own rope? Tobias, did that thread migrate over here? I'd be interested to see it again.

http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/the-do...iment-693.html

[c.ortiz108]

http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/the-do...iment-693.html

That's the one, thankee! An interesting read.