It May Be Nasty
But, do it with style
So far this week I’ve written about counterproductive taxes levied by the Washington State Legislature, and a would be tyrant with a warm smile.
Now for something a little bit lighter, and a lot more fun!
Dip cans!
I’ve got to admit it, dipping tobacco is undoubtedly seen by most folks as a really nasty habit. It can tend to make a mess. But that certainly doesn’t mean we can’t do it with a bit of pizzazz!
That’s where our super upgraded dip cans come in.
Who wants to carry around one’s fine dip in a cheap cardboard or plastic tin, when we can instead encase that wonderful stuff in something really fine?
Let’s take a little tour through the collection.
That silver colored can in the lower left of the photo has been with me for a couple decades now. It’s my daily driver. It’s pretty darn thick stainless steel and was made by a company called Icetool in Helsinki, Finland.
The thing has been dropped more times than I can count, abused in every way possible for many years, and is still going strong.
It has also, and I think this is important, for surely people must wonder, sailed right through airport security in my carry on briefcase more times than I could possibly remember. In multiple countries, without a single question ever being asked about it. Not bad for a big hunk of steel.
The one next to it, there on the lower right, is newer production from the same folks at Icetool. It’s still awesome, but not quite as awesome.
I bought it after owning my first for many years, just in case that first one was ever lost. One would hate to be without a fine dip can while waiting for a replacement to make its way over here from far off Scandinavia.
The stainless steel seems just a tiny bit thinner on the newer can, and the shape of the lid is just a bit different, giving it a touch less purchase on the body of the can. It’s still wonderful, but not quite as wonderful as the older production. It does get use on those very rare occasions when I have a hankering for using two different dips in the same day.
Both of these cans are equally suitable for either dip or nicotine pouches.
That brings our tour to my newest can. The blue on on top of the other two.
It doesn’t look like anything other than a can, but it’s actually quite a fascinating design, from Tucker Carlson’s new nicotine pouch company ALP.
I’ve got an 18 month old granddaughter who is, shall we say, extremely energetic and into everything.
She could, conceivably, get her hands on my dip. Nicotine, in large enough quantities is a very effective poison, but I don’t worry about that. I dip plain old Copenhagen Long Cut. The kid takes one taste of that stuff and she’s going to be spittin’ and screamin’ trying to get it out of her mouth. To say it’s an acquired taste might well be the world’s largest understatement.
But more recently, I’ve been replacing quite a lot of my dip use with nicotine pouch use. Specifically, fruity flavored nicotine pouches. I could easily see a kid getting into a stash of pouches like these and eating them.
Not good. Double Plus Ungood.
Hence, the new blue can.
For pouches or portions only, its interior design makes it completely unsuitable for loose dip or loose snus.
This can is machined in Montana, out of a big old hunk of aluminum. While not marketed as such, it’s pretty clear to me that the thing is toddler proof. The lid doesn’t slide on, or screw on, rather it ratchets into place. And the force required to open the can is adjustable.
Closing the lid on this thing feels like locking one’s nicotine pouches into a gun vault. They are certainly secure in there!
The can looks cool, is manufactured with obvious precision, and is extremely substantial for its size. It also comes in epic packaging, more like an IPad than a hunk of metal.
There are two drawbacks to it. As previously mentioned, it won’t work for loose dip. The inner ratchet housing means that it is not round inside. There is also no possible way that I can use this in bed. Opening and closing it is really loud as it clicks through each of ten stops. If I tried to use it while reading in bed it would undoubtedly awaken Mrs. Bailey who would most likely give me a whacking. If I persisted, who knows, she might grab a .45 and just do me in.
But for now anyway, the pouches are always locked away in Tucker’s blue can, to keep them out of the granddaughter’s curious hands.
That brings me to my antique Copenhagen can. That baby’s been kicking around for over a century now.
Here’s the thing.
It is possible that someday, for lord only knows what sort of reason, I might need to carry my beloved Copenhagen around in the can I purchased it in.
There’s a problem with that.
There’s no friggin way that I’m ever going to willingly carry a government mandated idiot warning label around in my pocket. Philosophically, I just can't give in that far to the nanny state.
Luckily, Copenhagen cans (real Copenhagen, not that flavored stuff marketed as some sort of Copenhagen) have never changed. They are still waxed cardboard with a tin lid, the same as always.
So, if the day ever comes that I must carry my Copenhagen in its natural state, I can just swap my wonderful antique lid for the nanny state mandated nonsense.
Our tour will end today, not with a can, but with a saddle leather dip can holster, made by a saddle shop down in Texas.
I’ve always, always, always wanted one of these. I never actually seem to use one of these, but ever since I was a kid I thought that they were super cool.
I actually had three of these made, by two different people before the perfect one for me finally landed in my hot little hands. I don’t find it practical, or necessary, but I sure do like owning it.
There you have it. Our tour is complete. Now I’ve got to go and slip a pinch between my cheek and gums.
If you want to buy any of this stuff, you can do so here:
Unfortunately Icetool no longer manufactures cans specifically for Loose Dip/Snus, but they still make awesome cans for Portion Snus and Nicotine Pouches, and likely their current cans would work for the loose stuff too.
If you're gonna be bad, be good at it! - Derek Ryan
Anything worth doing is worth doing well!