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adding Salt Peter(sodium Nitrate) as a burning agent ???

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Gdaddy

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Does anyone have any knowledge of using salt peter? (KNO3) I see it was used widely in the cigarette industry to make them burn without going out. I've also read some old recipes for cigars and it was used by many manufacturers to greatly improve burning quality.

I see some cigars that burn consistently with a razor sharp edge and stay lit with little maintenance. I can't help but wonder if it's not salt peter that's added to the blend. You can't taste it and you'd never know it's been added. Maybe added just to the binder leaves.

Saltpeter is also a common food preservative and additive, fertilizer, and oxidizer for fireworks and rockets. It is one of the principle ingredients in gunpowder. Saltpeter is the natural mineral source. It's been used in the medical industry for years.

It's a popular myth that saltpeter inhibits male libido. Rumors abound that saltpeter has been added to food in prison and military installations to curb sexual desire, but there is no evidence to support this has been done or would even work.

So, if it's a strong oxidizer it would seem like a great additive in cigars to help create that 'perfect, razor sharp' burn. If it were added to the tobacco no one would ever know it's in there and could be a very positive addition. So, it appears to be safe food additive so why not use it?

Anyone tried it or have any experience on using it?
 

grgfinney

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Yes i use it with epsom salt and baking powder and ammonia for fertilizer(per MadOshea recipe)it works.it is hard to find the best place to get it is on the net auction site that starts with the letter after d
 

deluxestogie

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A sharp burn on a cigar is the result of proper filler blending, well matched pairing of the binder with the wrapper (slow-burning wrapper leaf needs a well burning binder) and proper rolling.

The addition of KNO[sub]3[/sub] to a cigar would be considered an adulterant. Any premium factory cigar will go out on its own, if allowed to rest. Only cigarettes had added accelerants, and even that is no longer legal.

Bob
 

leverhead

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I don't put anything on my cigarette tobacco, they don't go out on their own. The biggest variable on cigarette burning time is leaf thickness, thicker = slower. For a blend, it's an average (of sorts) of the burning rates of the blend components.
 

DonH

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I don't put anything on my cigarette tobacco, they don't go out on their own. The biggest variable on cigarette burning time is leaf thickness, thicker = slower. For a blend, it's an average (of sorts) of the burning rates of the blend components.
Thickness makes a big difference. But I have heard putting too much potassium in the soil will also increase burn rate. I have fast burning tobacco because my plot was partially shaded (got about 8-10 hours of direct sunlight), so the leaves are thinner like shade grown but not that thin, and I put lots of wood ash in the soil which added lots of potassium.
 

Matty

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Tried It when I was young, it sparkles when it burns. Also dries out the smokers lips just like too much leftover fertilizer does.
 

leverhead

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Thickness makes a big difference. But I have heard putting too much potassium in the soil will also increase burn rate. I have fast burning tobacco because my plot was partially shaded (got about 8-10 hours of direct sunlight), so the leaves are thinner like shade grown but not that thin, and I put lots of wood ash in the soil which added lots of potassium.

The soil I'm growing in is naturally high in Potassium, I haven't noticed my tobacco (of the same type and thickness) burning any faster than purchased leaf. In the same tubes, thinner leaf makes a lighter weight cigarette. Going by the feel of firmness for filling, leaf thickness can change the weight of tobacco in a king size cigarette +/- 0.1 g. Using thin leaf, if I deliberately make them heavier (firmer) it slows the burn rate down some.
 

chillardbee

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I used KNO3 last year as a part of my fertilizer blend and it helps make it grow good. I had 3 tbsp of fertilizer to the 3 gallon bucket 1 of 18-18-21, one of 24-8-16 (both miracle gro) and one of KNO3. I should of quit using it earlier then I did because some of it must of still maintained it's molecular structure some how and as I tried smoking some of the fresh cured unkilned leaf, it was actually fizziling like a wick of a fireworks. Afterkilning and aging, it went away but still have to wonder what kind of impact it has on quality over all. I would like to step away from using chem ferts but if I do use them, I don't think I would apply it more than 2 times with in the first month after transplanting then leave them flush it out over the rest of the grow cycle.
This year, being that it's my need for seed, I'll probably go beyond the month and give generously to get those big fat seed heads.
 
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