i just recently “discovered” that method on my own as well excellent picture description, thanks to The Wood.
I don’t know how many of you gentlemen (our lady snuffers went awol) watched the video of Stephen Fry at Smith & Sons, taking snuff with the young salesman. I’ve noticed that both of them shook off the snuff sticking to their fingers before they sniffed. Well, I’ve tried it and Whalla !! No more snuff going down my throat. It seems to me as if the snuff that clings TO my fingertips and is not pinched BETWEEN them, is finer, dust like, and when I breathe in, those snuff particules go flying up my nose first and “out the back door”. I don’t know where to find the video again. If someone will be so kind as to stick a link to it on this post, it might help some other members who are still battling with the pinching technique.
Thanks ermtony !! That was a quick response.
Funny! I hate to say it, but the guy being British makes it funnier for me!
Well that’s why British films are usually shorter then American ones, It doesn’t take us all day to say a sentence 
I guess I meant the “proper British gentleman” all flustered from the hit of snuff. Wouldn’t be as funny (to me) otherwise.
Lol, I see what you mean. The man running the shop is a Cockney (google cockney) They have a language of their own.
I worked on cruise ships with almost all brits, so i know a little about the dialects. At one time i could tell what part of England someone was from, by their accent. Even though I “got pissed” and acted crazy with my “mates” there still is that stereotype (here in the US) of Brits being so refined, drinking tee with a raised pinky and being so sophisticated. It’s the accent I guess! More James Bond than Benny Hill, I guess.
Lol I’ll join with you at the Boston Tea Party old boy.
The container has to be large and deep enough to gather a pinch. I take as much as can be held between thumb and forefinger and gently release a portion into the left nostril followed by the right. The method allows, I believe, for greater control than using the back of the hand. During the early days of snuff taking in Europe the custom was to use the back of the hand as the receptacle at the end of the rasp was too small to pinch from. With the advent of ready-ground snuff and the snuff box it was not unusual to use the thumb and first two fingers to gather a large amount which was then (with a little dexterity) balanced on the ball of the thumb with the index finger used as a brace. Another method is too make a snuff spoon. This is achieved by curling the index finger round the top of the thumb joint (angulated downwards) and tipping snuff into the spoon. This is useful when using a commercial container with a flip-lid. More goes up your nose than over your face as is likely from the hand. Snuff spoons used in competitions are similar to a mustard spoon. The goal is to take fifty spoonfuls as quickly as possible without sneezing. (Another is to consume 5 grams in 60 seconds). The British Medical Journal September 1981 records one subject taking 50 spoons in 46 seconds. The resultant plasma nicotine concentration was the highest ever recorded.
To me, not that I know much, it looks like Fry and the reporter sniffed a lot harder than I have been advised, or have practiced. No wonder both have teary eyes when they are done. The tapping method is a good tip, I shall implement it. @ PhillipS: I beleive the method you decribe is listed as method 5 in the FAQ or beginners guide section. I also use this with pour out boxes, I don’t like back of the hand method. Also I don’t want to win any contests. A pinch every 5-15 minutes suits me. Nicotine is not pleasant in large doses…