I would like to try los snus. Which of the two tools would be the best to use?

If you are just going to try it, go for a Prismaster. IMO, Icetools are way too expensive. The last thing you want is to be stuck with a $40 Icetool if you don’t like Los. Maybe if you really like it and see yourself using Los Snus a lot, the Icetool could be justified.

I like los, and had used prismasters for a while. I shelled out for a 5ml icetool, and loved it. for a while. I lost it and was out $40. For my money, the pris coming out of both is equally nice. Now I just bake by hand.

definatly the prismaster. Get two if you lose it no big deal. the icetool is pretty styling though.

Handbaking is best. The loose snus is like a moldable clay like consistency. I have used a Prismaster, I fond it too plug-like and uncomfortable, the Icetool is flashy-nice but a bit expensive, but makes like a long cylinder shape, Using ones hands is easiest, and free, and you can mold it, and make it whatever shape one wants. Might take a few tries to get it, but it’s not hard.

I’m really interested in using los because I think it will be more natural. Do the “cake” stay together? What I mean is, won’t I end up with a mouth full of tobacco crumbs? That’s why I was thinking of using a tool to compress the tobacco.

I always just put the pris in my lip and press down on my lip a bit, kinda forms it a little more to my lip and keeps it in place.

It “can”, but you can press it as hard or as soft as you want/need with your hands. I just my hands now. I don’t use loose all the time, but I prefer the hand. The “hard” part, is getting it in your mouth. I have been using a thumb or finger and pulling the side of my lip out, and putting it in like that, and it’s worked fine for me.

just like I do with a pouch, I just throw it on my tongue and use that to place it in my lip. usually works pretty well with little mess.

I hand bake and use an icetool. How well a pris stays together depends on the size of the pris and the length of time it stays in there. Start with a small pris and work up to the size which “fits” your mouth best. No matter how well baked or compacted, all los will fall apart little by little eventually, when it gets out of control i know its time for a new pris. The occasional crumb is not a bad thing and enhances the taste. I find the more I “play” with the pris in my mouth the shorter the life of that pris, so put it in and leave it alone if you want a longer lasting pris.

The prisemaster came with my loose starter kit. Its ok, but the pris it makes is rock hard, so I pretty much have to reform it with my hands anyway. It makes it easy to insert the snus into place, but I find that I still need some finger shaping done both from inside and out before I can leave it alone. Yes, at least for me, I get a lot of tobacco crumbs. I use my hanky to wipe them off my lips where they settle. Lös is still worth trying. It kicks like a mule though. Anyway, for just trying out, I wouldn’t waste money on either, especially not the pricey icetool.

I “might” get an Icetool if they were like $20 or less. I used a liquid portioning syringe, and cut off the end. I have been told by people with an Icetool, this is the same thing/shape, and they can be had for pennies at pharmacies.

xander, if you’re getting rocks out of your prismaster, rub a thin film of vegetable oil inside the barrel. THIN. You’ll be much happier.

@zonesix: thanks for the tip. I will try that. Will canola oil or olive oil be best? I’ll have to see what’s in the house.

I thank you gentlemen for all the advice. I will order some los plus a prismaster soon and will use olive oil to ensure my “tablet” is flexable.

I find the shape of the prismaster’s prillas uncomfortable and unworkable. I got the free General Icetool from Buysnus, which I rather like. If I hadn’t, or even if I lost this one, I probably wouldn’t get another unless there was some sort of deal like the one I got it through. Handbaking also works better than anything else for some lös. I can make a pris of Göteborgs Rapé that’ll last an hour and a half to two hours by hand. Icetool, no matter how much or how little I compress it, falls to pieces within 45 minutes.

@xander, I couldn’t tell you. I don’t keep healthy shit like that in the house. Someone greased mine up with some sort of “cooking oil”, could have been hash oil for all I know, and it worked wonders. My suspicion would be that any safe-for-consumption lubricant would work fine. I’d go for the most lubricating and flavorless thing in the house. Unfortunately in my house that would be *redacted by lawyers*

@shikitohno I agree. Handbaking results in a prilla worthy of a flight from Milwaukee to Seattle. Otherwise, I’m excusing myself to the plane’s lavatory. Airports and long flights are why I quit smoking. I hate inconvenience.

I watched bigblue’s video and learned to handbake it. That’s not hard at all, I don’t know why it seems to be such a significant milestone in one’s snus using careeer, or why I thought it would be hard. So, I made a few already and they held up pretty well. Gotlandssnus was the one that fell apart the quickest. It got very gritty on me. General and Skruf stuck together for as long as I wanted them. They were much better than the prisemaster makes.

I could never keep a prilla together long enough to enjoy lös. Pouches were okay, but didn’t satisfy my nic craving. Northerner has free shipping right now… maybe I will give it another shot.

I have two Icetools, three Prismasters and handbake. The Prismasters have never gotten used since I bought the Icetool. I prefer handbaking, the Icetool is used when I don’t want to get my hands dirty, or at work. High cool factor. Unless you know you like lös, I wouldn’t spend the money. Handbaking allows you to form the snus to fit your lip.

cstokes4 keep in mind the moisture content of your los primarily dictates how well it’s gonna stay glued together. Once that los even BEGINS to dry out, it’s destined for either rehydration or the trash.

@zonesix How do I go about re-hydrating Snus?

I have a prismaster, but rarely use it. After years of pinching copenhagen, I found lös snus to be very easy to get a good pinch of by hand. The tool sort of makes these pellets, which don’t really seem to be the right size or shape for me. But, I think I paid like $2.00 USD for my prismaster, so I would try one of these before buying an icetool. I do own a icetool lös snus box though and it was certainly worth the purchase. It’s really quality made and looks sharp.

I rehydrated los, by dumping it in a bowl, breaking it up with a spoon, and then adding just enough water to bring it back to life, and stirring it in, and then putting it back in the can. It works great, just be careful to not add too much water.

@Mr_Snuffypants and @tom502 I tried it with tom’s method of mixing with distilled water (Trust me, distilled is worth it if you’ve got a good sense of smell/taste) and while that worked for bone dry snus, usually the problem I have is it’s just a little bit dry, not enough to warrant a total-rehydration. I usually end up using a couple slices of cucumber (for heavily flavored snus) or a couple wedges of orange (for plain tobacco flavors) OR If it’s especially dry, you can use a little propylene glycol, but make sure it’s USP. This means it’s 99.9% PG with the other .1% being nothing more harmful than distilled water due to atmosphere, in the same way you cannot produce 100% pure grain alcohol because of the distillation process, you will always end up with a minor bit of water in it. Just for the record, PG is used in the PRODUCTION of snuff, and will not over-hydrate. It’ll get it to about 70% when used correctly and any more will evaporate off. (This is my understanding anyway. If you die trying, I apologize in advance.)

One thing no one has mentioned with prismasters and other portioner tools for snus is the portioning ablity of them. The thing I found most difficult with learning to bake with hand was not getting a pris that held and gotten into place easily but the actual portioning aspect of making the proper pris size. Often I would either find I need more snus or had made one that was much bigger then it felt like it would be. With a portioning tool it’s much easier to eyeball how much you’re going to get. In fact I started to use the portioner to pick the amount of snus I wanted and then dumped it out and baked it by hand. Just another reason I say start with a prismaster. Also they are great for getting the last pinch out of a can. Though I recomend washing your prismaster weekly with soap and water this is always a good idea with anything that you put in your mouth regularly and also keeps it running smoothly.

_also keeps it running smoothly_Prismasters do have a tendency to get gummed up pretty quick.

yeah they do when I used one I’d rinse it with water daily.

Well Bob, you finally helped me to make up my mind! I’ve ordered, just now, a prismaster plus cans of General los and Roda Lacket los. I also ordered a can of Montecristo for Christmas. I’ve still been in time for the special, so it’s free shipping plus another can of N&J. I will now have 22 cans of snus. I’ve promised myself that I will not start hoarding snus like I’ve done with snuff. So, this is it, no more!!!

So, this is it, no more!!! Until you get hooked on lös, that is. I need to lay off it. I’ve been using it all week. I think I’m overdoing it.

Los is definatly the way to go. Glad to hear you took the plunge.

edit: ^^ snuff, seriously? ten cans of los for a free icetool?? There must be one hell of a profit margin built into those damned things… snus is tough to hoard, because it does eventually dry out, and I do think it’s a pain to rehydrate. That said, make sure (all of you to whom this is relevant) to vegetable-oil your o-ring in your icetool. that will keep it from getting gummed up. as i mentioned before, a thin film in your prismaster will do the same, and keep you from getting rock hard prillas also. Pieter, the roda lacket los is delicious, but I also recommend ettan. ettan los is perhaps my favorite, followed closely by skruf stark. let me know how the montecristo is, we can’t get that shipped to the US.

@zonesix, if the Montecristo is nice, we can always make a plan! Nothing stops me from sending tobacco to the US.

Montecristo is a great snus. Nice rich tobacco flavor with a hint of figs. For us in the US, Taboca lös is 95% as good. I truly believe they used everything that’s in Montecristo except the 5% Cuban tobacco. As for hoarding snus, keep it in the freezer. It will last in great condition for up to a year. Although past that SM claims the nicotine level starts dropping off and the flavor will change a bit.

@Snuff: I got mine the same way, but did you just order 10 cans of General? I could dig through my email to find it, but the sale was advertised as you getting a free Icetool for 20 cans of SM lös. That’s how I got mine. A roll of Ettans and a roll of Röda Lackett. Pieter, don’t feel bad about 22 cans. When all my orders have arrived, I’ll be looking at about 127 cans in my fridge, plus 8 packets of Discreet. The Montecristo is rather nice, however it’s not very easy to bake. It’s very coarse, and moist. If you’ve enjoyed General, imagine General with Cuban tobacco and a very clear citrus note. Honestly, you can smell the lemon once you open the can.

Now I know first hand what an Icetool is, came in the mail this morning. Wow what can I say. It is a dinky little do hickey, I can now see where it could easily be lost (just for you all that have posted you lost yours). I have tried mine and it make a nice little prilla (pris) or whatever it is called. Nicely compact (pris) fits in my upper lip just like I like. One click on my 3ml tool is my size 1gm by my scale. I used it first with General and as I have read on Snuson (don’t pack general to tight). Well that one lasted in flavor 1.5 hours my nic gauge is broken but I guess nic release was ok because I didn’t need to smoke. Next I tried it with Landstroms, Ok so I have read pack it tight, I did same result as before long lasting nice fit no mud slide. Now if I were to compare Icetool to Prismaster there is not really any comparison. We have all read the results and know what we get is what we pay for. Icetool is the winner over everything else I have tried. I absolutely cannot hand bake so I have tried everything suggested in these threads. Icetool you get what you pay for and it is worth the price, no kidding if you like los snus Getcha several. I will be ordering a 4ml and a 5ml and another 3ml. One for home and one for my pocket. Maybe that way I won’t lost one. I am a Happy Camper and I bet You are happy I’m finished.

If you’re just experimenting with lös, use a Prismaster or handbake. But if you find you really enjoy lös, and handbaking isn’t your style, the Icetool is the only way to go, without a doubt. Sure, it’s pricey, but you’ll never regret the purchase.