Please help.....

[Broadway Joe]

So here's my dilemma...I'd say out of the last 12 or so smokes, I've had severe wrapper issues with at least 5-6 of them. It's gotten to the point where I'm very concerned! Anyway, I don't know what the issue is, so any advice would be great! I have a 55 court cooler and I keep it at around 63% and around 64 degrees (roughly) So, I don't see a problem there?? Unless my hygrometer is off, but as soon as I open the lid, I see the humi level drop, so that even seems to be working. Here are some things that I'm guessing...

1. I have 2 small tupper-ware containers with heartfeldt beads (1/2lb or so in each) and I only add distilled water occasionally, but the beads are 2 years old. Is it time for new beads?

2. I don't have any issues until I edge the smokes, so could it be my cutter? Although, it's a brand new Palio??

3. Also, could it be the weather? It's an extreme temp change from the humi to the shed, where I smoke?? So the temp is going from 63 - 35...or so

Thanks guys! I'm hesitant to buy more smokes, b/c I don't want them to get ruined on me!

 

[Mtmouse]

Myself and another BOTL noticed something similar recently when smoking in the cold. We found the wrapper on a few smokes started splitting and not just a little, as we smoked.

 

[dpricenator]

I've had smokes the "blow up" on me due to being over humidified, but unless your Hygro is off that is not the issue.

Do you keep your cello on? At first i did not and over time I rumaged through my stash, I would damage the wrappers. I thought they looked better without, but the cello sure does protect the wrapper.

Outside of that, I don't know. There's never a shortage of opinion here so let's see what the pros come up with.

 

[jmatkins]

So here's my dilemma...I'd say out of the last 12 or so smokes, I've had severe wrapper issues with at least 5-6 of them. It's gotten to the point where I'm very concerned! Anyway, I don't know what the issue is, so any advice would be great! I have a 55 court cooler and I keep it at around 63% and around 64 degrees (roughly) So, I don't see a problem there?? Unless my hygrometer is off, but as soon as I open the lid, I see the humi level drop, so that even seems to be working. Here are some things that I'm guessing...

1. I have 2 small tupper-ware containers with heartfeldt beads (1/2lb or so in each) and I only add distilled water occasionally, but the beads are 2 years old. Is it time for new beads?

2. I don't have any issues until I edge the smokes, so could it be my cutter? Although, it's a brand new Palio??

3. Also, could it be the weather? It's an extreme temp change from the humi to the shed, where I smoke?? So the temp is going from 63 - 35...or so

Thanks guys! I'm hesitant to buy more smokes, b/c I don't want them to get ruined on me!

Hve you have a calibration kit? Just because the Humitity level drops when you open it will not mean it is reading correct. I do not think the temp drop should do it, since I have mine at 65 degrees and I smoke outside in the Mass so it gets dwn to 20's & 30's the last few weeks.

 

[Broadway Joe]

I don't have a calibration kit, but the hygrometer was a $20 deal or close to it, would it be easier just to buy another digital hygrometer?

As far as the cello goes, I do leave it on when they come wrapped already. I have no idea why it's happening all of a sudden...I even moved the cooler to the 1st floor, since the basement temp is cooler in the winter.

 

[jmatkins]

The temp really should not have that much of a deal, I leave my 2 coolidors in the basement and the temps get down to the 50's in the winter. You could do a quick test on your hydrometer. just wet a paper towel pace it and Hydo in zip lock bag and it should get to 100. This might give you a rough idea on how far off it could be.

 

[dpricenator]

I ust learned the coller the temp the hight the RH goes. So if you take a 70deg/70% coolerdor and it goes to 30deg you can expect the RH to rise. The calibration kits are not to expensive, or you can find that some of our sponsors will sel you a new hygro with a calibration kit. That way you can calibrate both hygros and have an extra hygro to boot.

 

[crossbow]

So here's my dilemma...I'd say out of the last 12 or so smokes, I've had severe wrapper issues with at least 5-6 of them. It's gotten to the point where I'm very concerned! Anyway, I don't know what the issue is, so any advice would be great! I have a 55 court cooler and I keep it at around 63% and around 64 degrees (roughly) So, I don't see a problem there?? Unless my hygrometer is off, but as soon as I open the lid, I see the humi level drop, so that even seems to be working. Here are some things that I'm guessing...

1. I have 2 small tupper-ware containers with heartfeldt beads (1/2lb or so in each) and I only add distilled water occasionally, but the beads are 2 years old. Is it time for new beads?

2. I don't have any issues until I edge the smokes, so could it be my cutter? Although, it's a brand new Palio??

3. Also, could it be the weather? It's an extreme temp change from the humi to the shed, where I smoke?? So the temp is going from 63 - 35...or so

Thanks guys! I'm hesitant to buy more smokes, b/c I don't want them to get ruined on me!

May I suggest you PM the Guru of Storage, RonC with the question.
or go to our vendor, cigarsolutions of which he is the proprietor.

He is great to talk to or even herf with. :yes::yes::yes:

 

[Broadway Joe]

Good sugestions guys! I'm going to look into both right away.

 

[Broadway Joe]

I just checked out Ron's site and there is a hygro and a calibration kit for about $25, so I may go that route tonight after I try Jmatkins suggestion about the wet paper towel.

 

[Trumpetchris]

you can calibrate with a salt test. Way cheaper.

 

[djs134]

Never found the salt test to be consistently accurate.

 

[tubaman]

Never found the salt test to be consistently accurate.

The boveda calibration test is much more consistant because it takes the guess work out of it.

 

[CWS]

The boveda calibration test is much more consistant because it takes the guess work out of it.

:wink: Yep.

 

[cf2112]

Cameroon wrappers seem to bepretty finiky in cooler temps and will split or explode with a quick drastic change. Also if your humidity is too high the heat from the smoke and the cold outside can cause wrapper splits. Before my indoor smoking room I'd take a cigar out to the garage and let it sit while I went in and made a cocktail or some coffee and never had another wrapper split.

Another trick (and your gonna think I'm nuts) is too pour some distilled water over the wrapper, rub it in a little with your hands and fire that mother up. Be careful not to get it in the foot. It will also loosen up a tight draw.

 

[caudio51]

I would get a fuente bag and calibrate.

Also, a temp change like that will cause splits

 

[ZugbugPete]

While the drop in temp isn't THAT significant - that is, I'd be surprised if the cold alone did this - I'm curious if you took the hygrometer out of the humi to find the smoking environment's RH. The reason I say that is that if it's a sudden drop of RH from the humi to your shed (or wherever you smoke), that is enough to cause a crack in the wrapper. For what it's worth, just ask Bob and Dale of Dogwatch Cigar Radio - Dale (in CO) often gets splits in his wrappers, while Bob (in FL) rarely finds this. The temp change only adds to this, but again I'd be surprised if the temperature alone causes splits and ash-mushrooming.
Just my 2 cents worth, as I'm just thinking as I type,
ZugbugPete

 

[oneaday]

While the drop in temp isn't THAT significant - that is, I'd be surprised if the cold alone did this - I'm curious if you took the hygrometer out of the humi to find the smoking environment's RH. The reason I say that is that if it's a sudden drop of RH from the humi to your shed (or wherever you smoke), that is enough to cause a crack in the wrapper. For what it's worth, just ask Bob and Dale of Dogwatch Cigar Radio - Dale (in CO) often gets splits in his wrappers, while Bob (in FL) rarely finds this. The temp change only adds to this, but again I'd be surprised if the temperature alone causes splits and ash-mushrooming.
Just my 2 cents worth, as I'm just thinking as I type,
ZugbugPete

I agree, I believe it has more to do with RH drop than temp.
I live in the desert and a longer sticks wrapper will dry out here as you smoke it and start cracking 1/2 way with low (4-10&#37 RH. It sounds crazy but you might try pouring Dist. H2O over the wrapper before going out to smoke. I promise you it works like a charm, I've been doing it for years and have never had a split when I douse the cigar wrapper. Just shake off the excess and light it up. If it dosen't work you will have eliminated one possible cause.

 

[jwintosh]

i would have never thought to douse w/water... i've had many cracked wrappers at the river, and always attributed it to the dryness. i wil try this!!

thanks

 

[RX7Boricua]

Pardon my n00bness, but is that why you sometimes see a guy lick a cigar from head to foot before lighting up?

Jose