I know. I’m developmentally disabled, or maybe just plain ignorant. I can spoon, bullet and pinch…but the so-called German method, the anatomical snuffbox and all that…I just end up making a mess. Which is *why* I hate tap boxes. Aside from the fact that snuff goes stale faster in tap boxes than it does in tins, jars and bottles. All that being said, I’ve discovered a new technique for taking snuff from a tap box. I’m referring to the boxes that most Poschl snuffs are sold in. Little hole, big hand, moderate mess. First off, this technique depends upon the grind of the snuff. If the snuff is either very finely ground or dry, this will not work well. By the same token, schmalzlers and other moist, large grain snuffs will also be a problem. Danger! You can and probably will take wa-a-ay too much snuff the first time or two you try this, but you’ll eventually get learn the best air pressure/distance combination. You’re going to snuff directly from the box. Your hands will not be involved in any way, except to lift the opened box to your nose. Place the dispensing hole directly under the frenulum (the space between your nostrils) about 10 mm. (3/8 inch) from your nose. Do not close either nostril. Gently start inhaling through the nose with a slow, steady gentle draw. The snuff will rise easily from the box into your nose. Aside from heavy or very coarse/wet snuffs, this works very well. However, this technique will become more difficult as the box is emptied. The trick here is both a long inhale while maintaining steady pressure, plus finding the “sweet spot” for placement of the box below the nose. Why both nostrils at once? This allows you to more easily maintain both steady suction and a gentle enough airflow, preventing you from getting too much snuff. For toasts and other finely-ground, dry snuffs, simply move the box farther away from the nose. A snorting straw of some kind can also be used, providing you maintain only the gentlest of suction. This works best when both nostrils are equally open. You don’t need a double-snorter combo like the Schnupfmachine, as you will not put the straw/tube directly to the nostril. Rather, you’re trying to get the snuff to float up on a gentle pillow of air and then let the space between nostrils divide the flow into two streams, one for each nostril. If I can find someone who is competent with a camera, I’ll youtube this so you can see what I mean. Be careful; some snuffs will fly into your nose and overdose you with very little extra suction. HTH.
I think everyone makes a mess with tapboxes. At least I do.
Actually, I found with some snuff (just a few minutes ago), and I wasn’t able to do the technique as I described. I was able to snuff with my nostril directly over the hole and draw that way, but for whatever reason, I couldn’t whuff the Gletscherprise. The deKralengse I used a bit later was easier, I guess because the grind is coarser. I dunno. I still hate tap boxes.
@Uncle_Squinty May I suggest empty the entire contents of the tap box into a snuff box. Tap boxes are easy to open: unlike those stupid turn tins.
I think everyone makes a mess with tapboxes. At least I do.
I’m rather tidy snuffing off the back of my hand, and working in archives, its best during the day not to get it on my fingertips.
First thing I do is shake the box to break up any clumps then I just tap my tap box into a waiting “boxcar” with no mess.
Okay, okay…good advice. I need to break clumps with my boxcar, open my tap box into a snuff box… I’m such a freaking newbie. Some tap boxes (Poschl) seem easy to pry apart, and in fact, when I can do so, I pry the halves apart and dump the snuff into a box from which I can pinch or spoon. I guess I’m just too dumb to open other makers’ boxes. Goddard, for instance. I can’t pry those bastards apart with a crowbar. A friend is sending me a teeny-tiny spoon which he claims will fit through the hole without lubrication. We’ll see. I should have video camera running when I try to open some of these tap boxes (Go ahead and laugh, Shaman). I’m sure the explosion of the box as I pry it apart and the resulting dust cloud, coating my face until it looks like a Cocoa Krispies bit. I guarantee the vid would go as viral as “The Innocence…” trailer on youtube. I hate tap boxes even worse now.
Okay, okay…good advice. I need to break clumps with my boxcar, open my tap box into a snuff box… I’m such a freaking newbie. Some tap boxes (Poschl) seem easy to pry apart, and in fact, when I can do so, I pry the halves apart and dump the snuff into a box from which I can pinch or spoon. I guess I’m just too dumb to open other makers’ boxes. Goddard, for instance. I can’t pry those bastards apart with a crowbar. A friend is sending me a teeny-tiny spoon which he claims will fit through the hole without lubrication. We’ll see. I should have video camera running when I try to open some of these tap boxes (Go ahead and laugh, Shaman). I’m sure the explosion of the box as I pry it apart and the resulting dust cloud, coating my face until it looks like a Cocoa Krispies bit. I guarantee the vid would go as viral as “The Innocence…” trailer on youtube. I hate tap boxes even worse now.
Don’t forget your eye protection, snuff in the eyes is not pleasant (I speak from experience) 
Yeah…it can make you go blind and everything. Actually, I already had the snuff in the eyes fun. I had just opened a fresh tin of Wilson’s something-or-other on the kitchen countertop immediately to the left of the stove. My wife, wanting to smoke a cigarette under the vent hood over the stove immediately to my right, turned on the industrial-strength vent fan, and a cloud of snuff rose like a spectre from the tin, getting us both a good dose to the eyes. Very, very unpleasant. I’ve also accidentally eaten my share of snuff by accident. I was joking of course about the tap box exploding snuff all over my face, but it is true that some taps are harder to open than others. As I said, if anyone can tell me where the seam is on the Goddard’s dispensers (I can’t find it by touch), I’d be obliged. Also, I’m hoping someday, someone will instruct me on the correct method of snuffing from the back of the hand. While I don’t work in an archive, I do work around some fairly intricate and expensive audio equipment, and snuff falling into open control surfaces is not welcome. I’ve been sticking out my thumb like I was hitching a ride, then depositing the snuff into that triangular web of skin that forms a bridge between the base of the thumb and the hand. Is that not the “boxcar?” Most descriptions I’ve read of the pose don’t explain it very well.
@Uncle_Squinty The boxcar method is performed by wrapping your index finger around the end of your thumb making a little “box”. Tap the snuff onto the surface of your thumbnail, and the surrounding index finger should enclose it. There should be about .5 cm or so finger exposed as a wall. A few benefits of this method is lack of spilling and some protection from wind, also you’re snuffing off a dry nail rather than sweaty skin. Personally, I despise tap boxes as well, but only for English and most other snuffs. For German snuffs they serve well. I don’t mess around with the anatomical snuffbox. Its too remote (may as well use a belly button) and has hair growing in it. I’ve tried the web part too, but I find that anywhere on the flat area between thumb and wrist as you make a fist will do. I’m not particular to the precise spot. As to decanting tapboxes into empty tins or snuffboxes, yes, this is a good idea. I’ve not had any Paul Gotard ones so I can’t tell you how to open them. The others usually pry apart pretty easily. You just have to get a fingernail in the groove that separates them. For the de Kralingse snuffs, if I don’t have enough tins to decant them to, I don’t tap out. I pop off the top and pinch (its a narrow squeeze for fatter fingers thuough.) I hope this helps. Also I’m curious as to your situation. You’ve mentioned a wife a few times, but also occasional assistance from sighted people. Is your wife also blind, or can she help with these things? Edit: If you have the assistance of a sighted person, direct them to Snuffsniffers post above. There you will find a good photo of the boxcar method. Someone can then help you shape your hand the proper way if my description is lacking. Cheers!
Xander, thank you. I will not need sighted assistance to form a boxcar. Your description was flawless. Thank you. To answer your question, my wife has partial eyesight and can, with the help of a CcTV system and with difficulty, read most tins and boxes. This is handy if I find a snuff. The process is tedious for her. Eventually, I will settle on a few favorites, trade off or gift the rest, and then I will either mark tins with braille or, a better alternative, use reusable barcode tags and a device which, once in the product database, will scan the product and identify it aloud. It is initially difficult however, to process orders received from abroad, checking aginst the packing list etc. without help. qAgain, thanks for all the advice from everyone. This is extremely helpful. Paul
tap boxes work fine for schmalzlers and other oiled snuffs. just tap it into your boxcar or on the back of your hand and sniff. no mess no fuss. If it doesn’t work for you then empty the snuff into a different container, them tap boxes can be opened into two separate pieces.
only good thing about tapboxes is finding one on the floorboards of your truck when you thought you were completely out!
I just tap onto the back of my hand cover the pyramid with my right nostril, sniff and the same for my left nostril. I am either blessed with perfect tap boxes (maybe one of the elves makes sure I have a perfect working SD tin) or I’m very lucky not to have any tap problems. Then again we do use the best tap boxes and make the best snuff!
Where do you sell tap boxes @Roderick? I cannot find them on your site or anywhere else for that matter thanks
@Supervape Silver Dollar is sold to distributers for the US market. I understand Roderick is working on products for UK distributers but not sure if he will be offering those types of tins.
I have had the silver dollar before but that is like Ozona type boxes but bigger opening