First of all forgive me for not supplying pictures. I recently adapted a small brown glass vial from Chinese ginseng “elixir” The vial is about 1/2" x 2.5" and narrows to a neck with an opening approximately 3/8". The vial was capped with a rubber and aluminum top that is meant to be pierced with a small plastic straw and the contents sipped. There is no way to re-use the existing cap. To convert the otherwise perfect glass vial to serve as a snuff bottle a cork may be obtained. But that would be too easy for me, and I still found the mouth of the vial too large for tapping out a mound on the back of my hand. My invention is a not entirely original. I took inspiration from those German porcelain snuff bottles with a dispenser cap. To make a dispenser cap for a vial you will need a small thin piece of leather approximately 2" x1/2". With a new razor blade shive the two ends of the strip.This is done by making a diagonal cut staring 1/2" from the end on the rough side of the leather. “Aim” the blade for the very end of the piece and a wedge-shaped end results. It may take a bit of practice, but it’s not very hard to get the hang of it. Spread a few drops of hide glue over the entire rough side of the leather strip. Take a 1" roofing nail and tightly wind the leather around the shank of the nail. The glue sets up quickly and it will hold fast in a minute or two. Test fit the stopper and remove a bit of it’s length if it’s too tight for the bottle. Let glue dry for several hours or overnight. Transfer snuff to bottle. Place nail/stopper assembly in bottle top. Wiggle loose the nail. The glue will not hold the nail permanently. The leather should stay in place. A neat hole the diameter of the nail remains, perfect for dispensing those fine dry grinds. Tap out a dose one the back of your hand, thumb nail, or onto your finger if you just have to pinch your snuff. Replace nail when done.
Some people drop snuff into the palm or on the back of the hand and pinch from there. You might think about replacing that roofing nail with a wooden peg or something. The zinc coating on the nail could trigger a chemical reaction with your snuff.
Thank you snuffgrinder for your input. Zinc is not especially reactive, that’s why they coat steel nails with it - so they won’t rust. What’s more, zinc is essential to good health for everyone, but especially for men. A few extra molecules of zinc should do me no harm. But if you know of a specific reaction with the zinc, please speak up. I could spray some clear polyurethane on the nail. I failed to mention that I have clipped the nail so it doesn’t protrude far beyond the leather bushing. This stopper works exceedingly well, growing progressively tighter as the nail is inserted. I have confidence that thus sealed, a full vial would stray fresh for a very long time. Furthermore, the long, narrow aspect of a vial or tube minimizes the ratio of snuff to air as long as the vial is held in the vertical , when compared to a traditional hinged lid box. Since air is the enemy of freshness, I consider the vial as a more logical design for snuff storage. When snuff is dispensed through a small hole, very little fresh air, if any enters the bottle.