So I started a new batch of snuff today, and - rather than simply grinding and sniffing - I decided to add baking soda (seems to be what all the cool kids are doing) to see what happens. As I don’t have a scale to measure such things, I simply added 3tsp to 1 1/4 cup of flour. Is this to much? I took a pinch and am either feeling a crazy nicotine rush, or I accidentally poisoned myself. Is adding to much sodium bicarbonate dangerous?
You want your total alkalizer levels to be anywhere from 1 to 3 percent. It looks like you have it at 5 percent. That’s about twice as much as you need. So yes it is too much. I wouldn’t worry too much about poisoning but you might wear out your nose rather quickly. I hope you mixed it in with water. I have always found baking soda to give an odd scent to my snuffs. Having used both baking soda and washing soda now I find baking soda to be much less interactive with the tobacco. I won’t be going back to it any time soon. If you could add another cup of flour to your snuff I would feel a little better for you.
PS If you do feel like throwing it out, Wait! Before you do, I may have another remedy that might help.
Lemon juice 
?
Some baking sodas have anti-caking agents in them, try pure bicarb from a pharmacy as opposed to the cookery version. The difference it makes is arguable, but unwanted ingredients are not a good working practice.
Ok, good stuff! So would adding adding another cup of flour still work this late in the game (i.e. would it absorb the extra acidity?) And yes, I did indeed mix it in with some water. I’m not noticing any funky smells as a result of the soda, but I’m noticing that it’s producing a lot of extra gasses that I’m assuming to be normal since I’m messing with the makeup of the chemicals. I’ll pick up a bag of RYO and mill it and add it in later this evening when I have a free second. Also, where does one get washing soda?
Washing soda can be found at most supermarkets in the aisles with laundry and dish detergents. Usually I’ve seen it sold as a generic brand. It’s sodium carbonate, as opposed to Baking soda being sodium bicarbonate
You won’t notice a difference.
I much prefer the washing soda (Sodium Carbonate).
I will try sodium carbonate on my next batch.
I had heard of using sodium carbonate before, but the last time I read about it, they made the carbonate by heating baking soda.
Is the A&H Washing soda ‘food-safe’? I mean, they know you’re going to eat baking soda. My plan was to bake baking soda for a couple hours at 350-400. The reason I’ve planned to go this way is that I want to use food grade ingredients, even if I process them myself. At least I know I started with something that was food safe.
Thoughts?
I’d have the same concern personally.
It depends on what is in the packet, not what is written on it; you don’t want anything that has added anti-caking, foaming or boosting agents in it. Pharmacy grade bicarb is perfectly adequate, I’ve used it for years.
About the baking of baking soda. I understand that it will make an unstable form of sodium carbonate that will revert back to sodium bicarbonate when exposed to oxygen. I would still give it a try though.
Interesting… I didn’t realize that the ‘decay’ to sodium bicarbonate was unique to the bicarbonate derived from soda. If I can get USP (US pharmacy grade) carbonate, I’d prefer to use that over my homemade. I’m not looking forward to baking baking soda, but I would rather do that than use a carbonate that isn’t labeled USP.
Also, about the pH issue. from what ive read Baking soda can only produce a pH extreme of 9. Household bleach is 12-12.6 pH so at 9 you’d be 3 orders of magnitude less or better.
I wouldnt be as worried about the pH being too high as I would be worried about snuff dilution.
Here, more definitive: " circulation, formulations prepared should not vary significantly from physiological pH, which is about 7.4. In certain cases however, acidic or alkaline solutions may be needed to solubilize drugs. The acceptable pH range is 3- 10.5 for IV ** preparations and 4-9 for other routes**."
from www.extemp.ie/pdfs/sterile_preperations.pdf