My struggles with los thus far...

[ctimb2002]

Since somebody decided to drag this thread up from the depths of snuson I figured I should give an update. I have to admit that while my los experience has gotten a lot better I guess in the end I am probably always going to be a portiones man. My last order which was 3 lbs worth of snus still had a few los tins. I guess its great for when im just sitting around the house but once I leave my domain it's all portions all the time. I have pretty much mastered keeping a pris together and not getting mud mouth anymore(thank god) and in all do not hate los anymore. I can certainly see why some people are in love with it. The money you could save is really good, they do feel nicer in the lip, and I can taste them more than portions but I think the hassle and the mess will always outweigh the ease and convience that I see in portions. So in conclusion I fully support los, i use it on occasion, but I think I will always order more portions than los.

[sagedil]

I just prefer using portions over los. End of story.

[Kitabz]

... I am tending to favor a half hilly billy method though. I take a large loose pinch, do the baking thing once to get it into a form, then shove it under the lip and pack with my tongue. I like the feel of it better this way, and I get a lot more flavor than a tightly packed pris.

Your post has prompted me to give the lös yet another go.
I've only got two cans of the special edition Nordströmmen flavoured lös which have been exiled to the freezer since my last attempt. This snus is quite crumbly so it falls apart really easily and no matter how hard I pack it, it is still losing (lösing?) bits before I can even get near putting it in. Then the remainder is so tightly packed that it's uncomfortable.

Anyway, after reading your post I thought "to hell with it". Fortunately snus doesn't freeze hard so I was able to pull out a large pinch straight from frozen, give it a quick bake warm it up and form it a little (a bit pointless because it was still largely crumbs at the end) and threw it up there, caution be damned.

Surprisingly it worked! That is after I'd removed all the fragments from all over the place including most of the bathroom sink. The remainder however is in place and staying together. And it's not uncomfortable at all and actually has a flavour this time and quite a different burn to the portions. I get it now, thanks!

Will I convert to lös? No, probably not; portions are just too clean and convenient. But after clearing up all the mess involved in installing it, it's quite different and enjoyable in its own way. Maybe now and then will be quite nice.

[EDIT - I've just realised, since it's not hard packed, it's going to be interesting getting it out...]

[CM]

I like lös more, but I'm going to try out some more of N&J and claq qui.

[sagedil]

I have no problems "using" lös. Especially now with an Icetool. I haven't had a mud slide since my first few days using, over a year ago. It just comes down to this.... I enjoy the experience of lös in my mouth FAR less than I enjoy portions. Portions are oh so familiar to me in my mouth. A pris of lös just isn't. It is just "there". I can't do much with it. But my portions?? Oh we play and play all the time, like a little snus ballet in my mouth. I dance with my little portion buddies!!

So when it comes time to chose, every day, all the time, I chose portions. They make me happy in a way that lös still doesn't.

...


I haven't given up on lös. Just biding my time until I make another full on assault in trying to use it a bunch........

Planning on it anyways. :wink:

[tom502]

The only "thing" about los I am not sure about, is my portioner make a little "pellet" of the snus, and I suspect the Icetool works the same way, but I have this sorta hard snus pellet shot up in my gum. In time it softens and goes down some, and it's all good, but am I doing something wrong? Or is this how it's meant to be? I guess I'm wondering what the shape or firmness of it should be, but I guess with a portion tool I can't control the shape.

[TBD]

Tom, use less compression. I use an Icetool, it does give a cylindrical shape that flattens down to the shape of one's gums after a few minutes. It would form faster if it was less well packed. The catch is to find the point where you are comfortable, but not get mudmouth.

[snupy]

I started a few times per week, and the frequency just grew and grew. I didn't consciously use it more or less; I just found myself grabbing the lös more than not after awhile.

I think that is what is happening to me. I only have two tins of lös and 16 tins of portions. Today, I have only used one portion and the rest has all been lös. It's the flavor. It's the lack of burn. It's the lack of salt. It's the feel.

[tom502]

I am going to work on hand baking more. I was watching more videos on youtube, there is quite a few. I believe I have the idea down, just not the hands on experience. That Anders is a funny guy.