Hello, my question is: what is your storage cabinet called and where can I buy something just like it?
Mission Accomplished - tobacco cellar complete!
- Thread starter AimlessWanderer
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- #62
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Welcome to badger and blade.
Here's a link to the one I have
US PRO Wooden tool cabinets Archives
usprotoolboxes.com
Well I’ve been doing some remodeling to make a room into an office and let’s say the I guess the footlocker that holds most of the tins in my “cellar” got jostled a bit… so I am not looking nearly as organized as you at the moment...
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- #64
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Yup. Looking a bit jumbled there, buddy.
I have the top half of an old 2 piece China cabinet in the basement.
I told my kids when I die not to dump any of my tobacco, but try to sell it if they don’t want to smoke it.
Good idea. Same here with my pipes and straight razors. I’m likely closer to the “event” than you though.
The old "Honey, sell my guns for what they're worth, not for what I said I paid for them".
Maybe. But there might be a city bus with my name on it somewhere lol. I used to worry about it a lot, but heck, life is to short as it without worrying about how short it end up being
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Good philosophy. I’ve had a good long life already and that “event” is the last thing on my mind or at least will be. Still have a few more trout not catch though.Maybe. But there might be a city bus with my name on it somewhere lol. I used to worry about it a lot, but heck, life is to short as it without worrying about how short it end up being
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- #71
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I'm not exactly worried about the smoke-by date, but I am too pragmatic to assume it's several decades away. 10 years is as far as I am prepared to look (which is further than I have ever planned ANYTHING) and I intend to give my family full freedom of decision to do as they wish with my possessions, when I no longer have use of them.
In terms of "investment", anything I smoke will certainly have its rewards, and anything I don't, will be a pretty poor heirloom. I'd like to think I'd bequeath something with a little more worth, be that financial or merely sentimental.
As regards changing tastes, I have cast the net wide. Small quantities, with high diversity, so I don't have too many eggs in one basket. Roughly speaking, the split is as follows:
Virginia: 24%
Perique: 28%
Latakia: 13%
Dark Strong VaBurs: 9%
Lakeland: 11%
Other Aromatic: 15% (mostly non-Cavendish)
Whatever gets smoked least, will get restocked least, so I shouldn't end up with a pile of stuff I don't want to smoke when all the good stuff has gone.
In terms of "investment", anything I smoke will certainly have its rewards, and anything I don't, will be a pretty poor heirloom. I'd like to think I'd bequeath something with a little more worth, be that financial or merely sentimental.
As regards changing tastes, I have cast the net wide. Small quantities, with high diversity, so I don't have too many eggs in one basket. Roughly speaking, the split is as follows:
Virginia: 24%
Perique: 28%
Latakia: 13%
Dark Strong VaBurs: 9%
Lakeland: 11%
Other Aromatic: 15% (mostly non-Cavendish)
Whatever gets smoked least, will get restocked least, so I shouldn't end up with a pile of stuff I don't want to smoke when all the good stuff has gone.
You have some fabulous offerings in there!!!
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- #73
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I've been giving this some more thought lately, now that the initial stock has been established. Maybe just be my brain looking for a continuation project...
Anyway... I realised that I don't actually need all the blends to hit five years. Two or three years might be plenty, depending on which blend family it belongs to.
Virginias and Perique blends should probably have a five year ageing target, and so it makes sense to keep a five year minimum stock of them. For example, if I think I might smoke three tins of VaPers per year, then when I get down to fifteen tins, I should add another five. By tins, I mean "units" of 50g, irrespective, of how they arrive here. It's easier to think in those terms.
The light Latakia blends most likely don't need five years. Three years is probably enough to make the biggest change. I also smoke less of them, maybe a tin a year, if that. As such, I probably just need to add a couple more tins, when the stock drops down to three or four.
Approaching it all along those lines, I think am comfortably stocked in everything, except plain Virginias. However, that is quite vague too. Condor is 100% Virginia, but I smoke it in a Lakeland pipe. Dark XX Plug would be smoked in different pipes too, as would Firedance, and they're both 100% Virginia as well. It's only if I think in terms of what I would smoke in my Virginia pipes, that I might be stocked a little lean. That said, I'm really not sure how often I would reach for those. I do like a bit of a topping or Perique in my Virginia's, which would bump them unto a different pipe. My "Virginia pipes" are for completely plain blends, with no discernible additives. While I do like those as a bit of a change, I also seem to get bored of them pretty quick.
In short, I'm probably at around the right level with some types, and a little overstocked in others. However, as my tastes are liable to vary as time goes by, particularly as I get to sample what everything tastes like aged, I don't know what I'll end up wishing I had bought more of, or less of.
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- #74
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I've been looking more into the plain Virginia shortfall in my stash, and I reckon 300g to 400g would correct that. I'm based that on the previous post, where I said that with VaPers I probably need to add five tins when I get down to fifteen tins. With plain Virginia, I'm already at that stage.
I actually have a fair amount of Virginia ribbon cut, but am lacking in solid forms like flake or plug, so that is I think where I need a boost. So next week, I'll be looking at picking up some more, once I've decided which form to choose.
I can actually get Full Virginia and Best Brown as readily in plug as I can in flake. However, information online seems quote lacking as to which is better for 5+ year ageing. Maybe I would be better splitting it up, and just getting 50g each of several forms and compositions. That would actually be quite easy to do.
For example, I could make up 400g with 50g each of the following 8 tobaccos:
Curly Cut
Curly Cut Deluxe
Full Virginia Flake
Full Virginia Plug
Best Brown Flake
Kendal Plug
Bright CR Flake
Peterson Flake
Or of course, I could double up on four of those. I do already have 50g of three of those tucked away, plus a couple of others.
I actually have a fair amount of Virginia ribbon cut, but am lacking in solid forms like flake or plug, so that is I think where I need a boost. So next week, I'll be looking at picking up some more, once I've decided which form to choose.
I can actually get Full Virginia and Best Brown as readily in plug as I can in flake. However, information online seems quote lacking as to which is better for 5+ year ageing. Maybe I would be better splitting it up, and just getting 50g each of several forms and compositions. That would actually be quite easy to do.
For example, I could make up 400g with 50g each of the following 8 tobaccos:
Curly Cut
Curly Cut Deluxe
Full Virginia Flake
Full Virginia Plug
Best Brown Flake
Kendal Plug
Bright CR Flake
Peterson Flake
Or of course, I could double up on four of those. I do already have 50g of three of those tucked away, plus a couple of others.
- Thread starter
- #75
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
The Virginias I eventually settled upon, we're all flake and ribbon.
Peterson Signature Flake
Gawith Hoggarth Bright CR Flake
Gawith Hoggarth Curly Cut Deluxe
Solani 660 Silver Flake (adds Kentucky)
Peterson Royal Yacht
It was a bit of a leap of faith, as these blends aren't ones that get as much attention online (perhaps due to lack of availability across the pond), but they seem to be more up my alley than the usual mentions. I also added a little bit of Virginia Periques, again, not oft mentioned blends, and a couple of tins of semi-aromatic for good measure. Another price (tax) hike is due this month, and I expect it to be quite hefty, which led me to add a little bit extra than I otherwise might.
With food and commodity prices rising across the board, and the Government having to start paying for the pandemic, and other global events, this may well have been my last chance to throw any funds at this little project. So I'm very glad to have finished this humble cellar when I did, and know it should allow me to sample some nicely aged tobacco, through the leaner times ahead, when other pleasures and luxuries may be a little out of reach.
Peterson Signature Flake
Gawith Hoggarth Bright CR Flake
Gawith Hoggarth Curly Cut Deluxe
Solani 660 Silver Flake (adds Kentucky)
Peterson Royal Yacht
It was a bit of a leap of faith, as these blends aren't ones that get as much attention online (perhaps due to lack of availability across the pond), but they seem to be more up my alley than the usual mentions. I also added a little bit of Virginia Periques, again, not oft mentioned blends, and a couple of tins of semi-aromatic for good measure. Another price (tax) hike is due this month, and I expect it to be quite hefty, which led me to add a little bit extra than I otherwise might.
With food and commodity prices rising across the board, and the Government having to start paying for the pandemic, and other global events, this may well have been my last chance to throw any funds at this little project. So I'm very glad to have finished this humble cellar when I did, and know it should allow me to sample some nicely aged tobacco, through the leaner times ahead, when other pleasures and luxuries may be a little out of reach.
That is, effect, the ultimate goal of mine as well. Congrats.
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- #77
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Cheers, Kent.
Futureproofing wasn't the intended goal, but certainly a very nice bonus. The goal here was always tobacco "maturity", not "security". I just want each bowl to be as enjoyable as possible. However, there'll always be something else demanding my cash, and having one less thing to have to pay for each month, will definitely help a bit.
Something like this might work better: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0753G9WLS?th=1
I'm not sure if the link works, but it's the drawer liners mechanics use. The stuff I have is more of a waffle design so air can flow through it. It doesn't mark the tools yet it sort of holds them in place. I remember buying my stuff at Sears when I bought a set of Craftsman rolling tool chests for my garage
That would work!.
My thoughts on the egg crate type was the raised portions of the foam would hold pipe bowls upright, thus taking up less space than lying on the side.
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- #80
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
The cut outs in closed cell foam (less dense than a camping roll mat, but similar thickness) have worked perfectly.
