Not too long ago, there was a post on one of the Internet Pipe & Tobacco forums that I am a member of, from a gentleman who was concerned about whether those factory sealed “paint can” style tins (such as some HU blends, Peter Heinrich’s, John Aylesbury, etc.) held up like factory sealed flat tins. I actually thought that was a good question and I think that I better clarify my own take on the “paint can tins” vs. the “flat tins” thing because my thoughts have been cemented by something I got involved with awhile back; gaskets.
A year or so ago, I was actually subpoenaed to appear in court over a still ongoing lawsuit between two heavyweight companies that had sued and countersued each other over a supposed patent they each had claimed on the gaskets that were used to seal tins for their vape products. After an extensive Internet search, both sides in the lawsuit felt like I would be a good expert witness, thus the subpoena. Lucky me! When I first got the call from one of the attorneys involved in the lawsuit I thought it was a joke. A lawsuit over gaskets used in tins for tobacco products? Fortunately, rather than having to fly to North Carolina (where the actual trial is to to be held at some point), both sides agreed to depose me in a Waco, TX., hotel, just a few miles north of where I live in Robinson. Both sides in the suit wanted me to explain my observations regarding how long gasket seals had actually been used by various pipe tobacco companies around the world and wanted me to bring about a dozen tins of tobacco ranging from the 1960’s to present day and open the tins to show them that gaskets had been used for at least 65-70 years that were made out of all kinds of plastics and rubbers (yes, they paid for the tins I opened). Like just about every other product, some gaskets were sturdy while others were deteriorating due to either weak construction or father time. As I listened to expert testimony from both sides (also subponead for the hearing were retired as well as still in business canners of pipe tobacco for many decades), I learned why metal on metal “Paint Can” style tins were so effective. I always wondered why those old paint can tins held their seals so well. I’ve opened many a paint can style tin over the decades and most had perfectly conditioned moist tobacco within. I learned from the canners that those old tins were pressure sealed with heavy metals that did not rust. Using such heavy metal that did not rust was very costly and the canners learned that using rubber gasket seals was much less expensive and quite effective, too. And that is a big reason why we don’t see the paint can sealed tins much anymore, even though unlike some rubber gaskets, these metals did not deteriorate nearly as quickly over time.
And just a quick thought here. Many tins being made over the last few decades like McClelland’s, use those metal on metal pull top tins with no gaskets and most of those tins certainly seem to stand the test of time.
Fast forward to current production paint can sealed tins vs. gasket sealed tins. I personally have no idea which is better. I guess it depends on the metals and gaskets being used today by the various canners. I’ve opened a lot of both old and newer paint can and gasket sealed tins and most of both were good and some of both had broken down somewhere along the line and the tobacco was dry. And getting back to that lawsuit, I wondered aloud during the deposition how gaskets for pipe tobacco tins could even be patentable since many different blending houses and canners had been using many versions of gaskets for many decades? I guess they’ll figure that one out in court. Like I said, the lawsuit is still ongoing. And for those of you who don’t know what a gasket is, the photo to the left is of a year 1987 gasket on the inside of a Murray’s era Dunhill Royal Yacht tin that I opened recently. Note that the gasket – the white circular thing around the inner lid – is solid as a rock and held up beautifully over the past 36-years. I wish that my body could claim the same success!
I’ve discussed pipes and tobaccos publicly many times over the years, but that was my first (and hope last) time to publicly discuss gaskets!
Oh, and guess what? For my so called expert testimony, the two sides in the lawsuit – and believe me, these companies are worth millions – each sent me a check for a whopping $50.00 for my testimony. At least I earned enough money to get a tank of gas for my truck.
Hope I didn’t bore you fine folks too much while discussing this exciting subject regarding gaskets. And here’s hoping that none of you ever purchase a tin from me that has ‘blown its gasket!’
Steve
