My Sailor's Rope Experiment...

I originally posted this on another site back in the second week of November...I wanted to re-post it here since I have yet to finish the whole experiment. If you missed it the first time around, now you can catch up :)

Thanks to @Bruck continuing to put ideas in my head, I've been experimenting again...

I searched around the interwebs and found some great information on making a rope like the sailors (that I'm so often accused of talking like) used to.

Step 1.
I filled a pan with my homemade Cavendish
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC03874.jpg

Step 2.
I filled a second pan with a 50/50 mixture of Red Leaf Virginia and Turkish Izmir
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC03876.jpg

Step 3. I re-hydrated both pans of leaf with rum
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC03875.jpg

Step 4. While I was woefully short on sailcloth, I did have a couple painter's tarps in the basement. I cut a nice square out of the cleanest one.
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC03879.jpg

continued in next post...

Step 5. I started with a layer of half my VA/Turkish blend
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC03880.jpg

Step 6. I placed all my homemade Cavendish in the middle
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC03881.jpg

Step 7. I topped it off with the other half of the VA/Turkish mix
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC03882.jpg

Step 8. I folded the cloth over the mixture and began tucking it in (think rolling a burrito)
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC03883.jpg

continued in next post...

Step 9. When I had it rolled up firmly I closed the ends with heavy zip-ties
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC03884.jpg

Step 10. I worked the roll with my hands until it felt like all the tobacco was evenly distributed
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC03885.jpg

Now came the tricky part...

Step 11. I tied my nylon cord around the one end and then in place of a ship's mast, I tied the other end to a support post in my basement and pulled it around a second so that I could leverage my body weight as I tightly rolled the rope. This was actually a little painful on my forearms after a while
When I had wrapped the length of it I cut the cord, secured the loose end with a knot and another zip-tie.
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC03886.jpg

I then hung this baby up from a joist and will leave it there until Easter, just as if it were dangling in a ship's hold sailing around the horn of Africa.

I'll report back in the spring...

UPDATE: Here she hangs, three months later. Lent begins on Wednesday, so it has about 6 weeks left to go.
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC04185.jpg

Very good, tnx for reposting. Another thread you might consider reposting, if you still have the verbiage or can find a cache of the old one, is your reviews of the po' boy sampler. I did not, unforch, save my old threads on pressing flake and making a twist, but I can probably recreate them easily enough.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bruck

Very good, tnx for reposting. Another thread you might consider reposting, if you still have the verbiage or can find a cache of the old one, is your reviews of the po' boy sampler. I did not, unforch, save my old threads on pressing flake and making a twist, but I can probably recreate them easily enough.

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I've thought about the po' boy thread, but it was quite a number of pages (15+) and that is a pain in the butt to try and recover via caches.

Hmmm, you made me remember I wrapped up some leaves in twine back in Oct. 2013 and hung them. There wasn't a lot left in the crop after a wicked hail storm I I decided to do something different. Maybe in Spring we can compare notes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OnePyroTec

Hmmm, you made me remember I wrapped up some leaves in twine back in Oct. 2013 and hung them. There wasn't a lot left in the crop after a wicked hail storm I I decided to do something different. Maybe in Spring we can compare notes.

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Screw notes, Wayne, we need to compare samples :) Did you top them with anything?

Nothing at all, it is all straight tobacco. I got the idea from the tambolaka stuff. Odds are it is going to be some harsh stuff. Time will tell I suppose.

Do you feel like growing some plants? I have a large stock pile of a few strains.

Very cool.

Once it is finished, do you plan on taking a bite out of it and giving it a good chew like sailors used to as well? :p

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Branzig

Very cool.

Once it is finished, do you plan on taking a bite out of it and giving it a good chew like sailors used to as well? :p

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(I know you weren't asking me but...) I would expect it to make good chaw. I've tried Sam Gawith Brown #4 and it's pretty good between the cheek and gum. I made a cigar leaf twist a few months ago and I actually like chewing it better than smoking it.

Excellent! Can't wait to see this baby when she's out of her cocoon.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bruck

(I know you weren't asking me but...) I would expect it to make good chaw. I've tried Sam Gawith Brown #4 and it's pretty good between the cheek and gum. I made a cigar leaf twist a few months ago and I actually like chewing it better than smoking it.

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You're more of a man than I sir :chuncky:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Branzig

Very cool.

Once it is finished, do you plan on taking a bite out of it and giving it a good chew like sailors used to as well? :p

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Yeah...I'll get right on that. :) When I unwrap it I plan on spraying it down with DW and Rum again so that it can be nice and soft for slicing. Then I'll cut it into coins and jar it up.

Can't wait. This should be good.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OnePyroTec

Nothing at all, it is all straight tobacco. I got the idea from the tambolaka stuff. Odds are it is going to be some harsh stuff. Time will tell I suppose.

Do you feel like growing some plants? I have a large stock pile of a few strains.

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Do you know a source that sells small amounts of tobacco seeds, like you would buy flower or vegetable seeds in the outdoor section at Wal-mart?

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Originally Posted by GWBowman

Do you know a source that sells small amounts of tobacco seeds, like you would buy flower or vegetable seeds in the outdoor section at Wal-mart?

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George, shoot me a PM, I have LOTS of seeds. $2.50 would cover postage, packaging, and several strains. Time is NOW to get them in the soil for spring.
That would go for anyone who wants seeds.

If you want to buy from a retailer, search up coffin nails tobacco seeds Lots of information on growing.
I'm not posting their URL since they have tobacco forums there.

It's been hanging up since November...but now it's Holy Week, so down came the rope for the final steps...

The bundle...
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC04323.jpg

The ropes removed...
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC04324.jpg

The canvas rolled back...
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC04325.jpg

I filed a spray bottle to re-hydrate it. I used distilled water, rum, and topping from wholeleaf.com...
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC04328.jpg

Dry...
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC04327.jpg

Soaked...
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC04329.jpg

Once the bottle was empty I placed it back on the board...
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC04326.jpg

And cut it in half to place in a Sterilite container for a couple days until the entire thing is at an Rh where I can slice it up to rub out...
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC04332.jpg

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/...xr0bs5vpng.png

Thanks for the post. I went ahead and unwrapped my little bundle from 2013 today and put it in my leaf humidor to re-hydrate a bit. When I wrapped the little bundle the leaves were fresh and still yellow-green. At least the outer leaf has turned a nice light brown.

Side note, the rope I made from part of my 2012 Virginia crop is coming along. I think I may give it a few months before slicing unless someone talks me into "testing" it early.

It's like waiting for a new season of a show you like to start. Very cool.

I have been eagerly awaiting the results of this experiment.

Aaaarrrggghhhh! Tis lookin mighty fine.

I tried a pipe years ago and just couldn't handle it (nicotine addict need continuing supply) but the pipe smokers here just keep making this so entertaining I can not stop watching and reading what you guys post...ITs Great

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OnePyroTec

Side note, the rope I made from part of my 2012 Virginia crop is coming along. I think I may give it a few months before slicing unless someone talks me into "testing" it early.

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DO IT!!! :p

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OnePyroTec

Thanks for the post. I went ahead and unwrapped my little bundle from 2013 today and put it in my leaf humidor to re-hydrate a bit. When I wrapped the little bundle the leaves were fresh and still yellow-green. At least the outer leaf has turned a nice light brown.

Side note, the rope I made from part of my 2012 Virginia crop is coming along. I think I may give it a few months before slicing unless someone talks me into "testing" it early.

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:applause:WAYNE, WAYNE, WAYNE:clappy:

Too cool, cannot wait to hear how this smokes.

http://www.quickmeme.com/img/9d/9d33...5a610bbc99.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lynn

I tried a pipe years ago and just couldn't handle it (nicotine addict need continuing supply) but the pipe smokers here just keep making this so entertaining I can not stop watching and reading what you guys post...ITs Great

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Generally speaking, pipe tobacco isn't as strong as a cigar or cigarettes in the vitamin N department, but there's some pretty strong stuff out there.

Update: Since being rehydrated and placed in the airtight container, the rope has "swelled" and doubled in size. I will give it a day or two with the vent open to get to the right Rh, and then I'll be slicing and rubbing :)

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...pseaxcec1r.jpg

It is finished :)

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...b/DSC04333.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...b/DSC04334.jpg

I plan on firing up a bowl this afternoon :pipe:

Good God man that looks like that old molasses candy I got as a kid...wonder what it would be like to chew.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lynn

Good God man that looks like that old molasses candy I got as a kid...wonder what it would be like to chew.

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I've never been brave enough to chew rope...unfortunately this has all been chopped up, so it's too late to find out this time around.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OnePyroTec

Thanks for the post. I went ahead and unwrapped my little bundle from 2013 today and put it in my leaf humidor to re-hydrate a bit. When I wrapped the little bundle the leaves were fresh and still yellow-green. At least the outer leaf has turned a nice light brown.

Side note, the rope I made from part of my 2012 Virginia crop is coming along. I think I may give it a few months before slicing unless someone talks me into "testing" it early.

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I sliced into the bundle and didn't like what I saw. I made the mistake of leaving some of the stems on when I wrapped the leaves into the tight bundle. The stems molded sometime in the last couple years (probably early on) then dried to a mold powder. NO WAY to to the lad fill it went.

The Rope is coming along nice as far as looks go and I sliced a few medallions. A little drying and I'll give 'em a go.

@Tobias I think your rope will turn out much better.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tobias Lutz

It is finished :)

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...b/DSC04333.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...b/DSC04334.jpg

I plan on firing up a bowl this afternoon :pipe:

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Well, how is it?
& Happy Easter!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tobias Lutz

I've never been brave enough to chew rope...unfortunately this has all been chopped up, so it's too late to find out this time around.

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Both twists that I've made, and also for that matter the Samuel Gawith Brown #4 I bought, have made excellent chew. I imagine one would enjoy similar results from the sailor's rope.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bruck

Well, how is it?
& Happy Easter!

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Same to you, Bruce!

As to the rope:

It's good, but surprisingly mild. I think it is the ratio of cigar Cavendish to Virginia that mutes it some. IOW, the advice you gave me about my last flake would have been relevant here. This is why I say you blend better than I do :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tobias Lutz

Same to you, Bruce!

As to the rope:

It's good, but surprisingly mild. I think it is the ratio of cigar Cavendish to Virginia that mutes it some. IOW, the advice you gave me about my last flake would have been relevant here. This is why I say you blend better than I do :)

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Oh stop it, you :) Cavendish is good to have in these kinds of blends as they absorb and retain flavorings better than VAs and burleys.