First I needed help with coarse/moist snuffs, now I’m asking for help with fine/dry snuffs. Maybe I should stick somewhere in the middle? Anyway, I included a 15g jar of Dragun on my first snuff order. Maybe I overreached with this one. I absolutely love the scent and the flavor. If this was the same texture as Berwick Brown, I would have it on me at all times. Unfortunately, I am having a really hard time with it. I definitely can sniff it. It always hits the back of my throat hard. I have no control at all with it. I have tried the plug method and no luck with that either. The second I pull my finger off my nostril and breathe, whatever is in my nose hits my throat. I have even just placed a tiny bit on my fingertips and rubbed it on my septum. I remove my fingers and begin to breathe and same result, it hits my throat. I want to learn to take this snuff because it smells so good. Any suggestions for this newb?
I’d say don’t inhale at all. Just close off your throat, close your mouth tightly, hold the snuff to your nose, and open your mouth with the lips still sealed. Then wait a second and blow out gently into a handkerchief to get rid of excess snuff. The vacuum of opening your mouth will be sufficient to draw the snuff in if it’s very dry and fine, and blowing your nose gently will get rid of the “loose snuff” that shoots into your throat when you inhale.
I use the box car method, I never close off the opposite nostril ,Just rest the tip of your nose on your pointer finger the distance to the snuff is between 3/8 to 1/4 inch or around 9 mm breath in lightly you will feel it traveling up your nose. if you feel it hitting the lungs stop, squeeze your nose and finish it off with the opposite nostril.
Snuff taking is all about pressure control meaning the force of the inhalation that takes the snuff from the fingertips to the nose. I always say that the sniff, or, technically, insufflation, should be sharp but shallow and something akin to the sniff you take when something good is cooking - it’s not a long, drawn out one it’s just enough to get the air circulating in your nose. Apply this to snuff. Dragun is very fine, so you need very little pressure to take that small amount of it from your fingers to your nose. Take the pinch between your fingers and just very slightly insert it by a couple of millimetres into your nostril, and give a very short, very gentle sniff. We all have our pet methods when it comes to advising new snuffers, and they are all useful, so try each one that is suggested. The reality is that it’s not difficult, just unusual and it will click one day like riding a bike. The so called boxcar method is well worth experimenting with as basement shaman describes. I agree that closing a nostril off is not a good idea as it tends to increase the pressure of the sniff. Glad you like the snuff! Dragun should be no more difficult to use than any scotch or toast, but the chilli might make it seem that way but just ignore it:)
The thing is everyones nose if diffrent. There isn’t a right or wrong way to snuff. What has helped me out the most is you smell it not sniff it. For me it’s easier to focus on the smell of a snuff then on getting it in the right place.
Happy to report back that I am having “slightly” more success with Dragun. I tried the boxcar method but felt like I had very little control. I am still practicing that method. I have been taking it off a spoon and that is okay, but I am getting better at pinching. I start by just lightly smelling it to enjoy the scent. Then I insert the fingers slightly into the nose and do the “drop the adams apple” thing. I then pinch my nose and breath out quickly to get rid of any loose powder. When I breathe in, snuff still hits my throat so maybe I just have wide open nasal cavity? The moral is, it is getting better and I will not give up as I love this snuff.
Taking a good pinch is Zen. It’s not hermetic. It’s not about finding the secret technique that will open the door of snuffing wonders. It’s about grace more then technique. It’s about relaxing into the pinch. It’s about focus more then about technique. It is about not trying too hard and too continueally strive to be better. You’ll get more out of slowing down and enjoying all the details of a pinch then discovering the proper technique. I hope that helps. It’s really very easy to snuff. Focusing too much on the proper way to snuff doesn’t help as much as just focusing on the snuff.
I do use different methods for different snuff, I had mastered using the finest dry snuffs with cheating. I would add some plain moist snuff to my snuff box and every time I would add less moist snuff until I added none. This took some time, but now I can enjoy snuff as the maker intended
wet your nostrils so the snuff will be caught by the moisture. Or close your nostrils with your fingers ( snuff on) and leave very little gap to adjust the air pressure.
It wasn’t until I joined Snuffhouse that I ever heard about ‘technique’ with regards snuffing, maybe over thinking can get in the way. It’s quite an odd thing sniffing powder (druggies aside) maybe just getting used to it is the real problem - when all is said and done the various methods all end up in the same result: a short sniff and the snuff going up there.
I am new to snuff as well. Been snuffing for maybe a year or so. But I look at it like this. When pinching or using the boxcar method I think of smelling a beautiful flower or my wife’s perfume on her neck. I don’t snort or breathe. Just smell the subtle beauties of scent that are there. I like to think of it like stopping and smelling the roses. I think of the beauty of each snuff and not the actual “snuffing”. And over time you’ll find that you got it and you’ll enjoy each and every moment.
That’s the nail on the head.
@Boomer and @Abraxas is this not the complete opposite of the short, swift sniff? This is the method I have started using with Dragun, but I’m having a hard time reconciling these two methods.
@fbones24 The sniff can be gentle at the same time as short and swift. When I smell something nice I don’t take a long powerful drag in, I just let it come into my nose lightly. Take that gentle inhalation and make it a very short one. I wouldn’t get too bogged down and over think the whole thing - I think it will just click with you; honestly, there is no skill in taking snuff just a knack but only so many ways it can be reduced into an explanation. I find that inserting a pinch very slightly into the nostril works best, that way the snuff is already there and just needs to be lifted from the finger tips.
I agree with @Abraxas. (By the way, I absolutely love your connoisseur cerise). @fbones24 just keep it up. It will come and you will love it when it does.
Thanks @Boomer
I think of smelling a beautiful flower or my wife’s perfume on her neck.
What a gent!
@insufflator Thanks. One of the things my Papaw always taught us when we were little was of the Gentmen generation.
I too have some trouble with dry and fine snuffs. My 2 current favorites are Dholokia Ganga and hedges. I have a 50 gram container of F&T patchouli that I really dislike (reminds me of soap) I mix the fine snuffs which are heavily scented with the Patchouli. The other snuffs wipe out all traces of soap and give the mix a more easily snuffed texture. I use the same technique (if mixing can be glorified into a technique) using snuffs that i find no interest in with those that I prefer. The snuffs i have no interest in have minimal scent and frequently are synergistic with the ones I like. I like Wilsons Jasmine and find gawith kendall but together they are better than each alone.
i find the best way with fine/dry is to put a little on the back of my hand, inhale deeply, then exhale, and at the bottom of the breath out hold breath, then sniff in. seems to weaken the sniff enough. still dont get away with scotches though…