New guy ask what happened? With pics.

[interscape]

I am new to the hobby and have a quick question. I have a humidor and use the 75% beads. The humidity stays around 73%. Every cigar I have smoked has been a fine experience except this one. Within just a few draws it started to crack and unravel. Was it handled poorly before I got it? Or just a crap cigar?
The problem

http://members.cox.net/lesinaz/pics/why

The humidor

http://members.cox.net/lesinaz/pics/cig003

As you can see the humidity numbers are low. The humidity drops like rock very quickly after I open the box as our RH in AZ at this time is REALLY low.

The numbers

http://members.cox.net/lesinaz/pics/cig005
Thanks for looking.
Les

Thanks for looking.
Les

 

[Tapewormboy]

Hi and welcome to CP!

I believe the problem with the exploding cigar is caused by over-humidification. Most people prefer to keep their cigars at 70% or below. 73% is pushing it a bit.

The over humid environment of the humidor with the really dry air outside strains the cigar. Once you take the cigar out of the humidor, the dry air dries out the wrapper faster than the binder and filler, causing the cracking. This is particularly true when you smoke it since the binder and filler will expand when heated.

I would suggest lowering the humidity of the humidor to 60-70% as most cigars will be just fine in that range.

Also, check to make sure that the hygrometer is accurate. Most analog hygrometers are very inaccurate.

Goodluck!

Best,
Frank

 

[Razorback]

I agree... 73% is too high. The high humidity will cause cigars to expand and bust. The first thing you need to do is salt test your hygro (use the search function), then you'll want to get some 65% or 70% beads from Viper. I've never heard of 75% beads...


Nick

 

[Ginseng]

Here's an easy read regarding humidity and the things that go right and wrong with cigars. Tapewormbuy is right on target as to why your cigars may be unraveling. The nuance that you might want to explore is the time factor. If you take two indentical cigars from you humidor. Light one immediately and the other one, 30 minutes later. According to the mechanism in the following link, only the second cigar should explode. Perhaps this one time you did not light it soon enough after removing it from the humidor.

Cigar School

Wilkey

 

[Cigar Penguin]

Also,along with the lower humidty65%-70%,after buying cigars from a high humid enviroment,it takes a few weeks to few months for the entire cigar,inside and out to adjust to the new enviroment.Let the gars rest a bit.

Just some general knowledge I have learned in my experiances.

Welcome to this fine community.

 

[TheVitaleMob]

Ditto! Also, that temp is probably a little too high. 78F in the open box might be pushing it a little. Good ideas are Vipers 65% beads and storing the box in a cooler, more stable place. Preferably 68-72F.

 

[tigger]

I concur with Tapewormboy and Wilkey, with the added observation that the tattered wrapper looks like it was fairly fine to begin with, and would therefore be more susceptible to humidity issues than, say, the heavier maduro wrapper on the Punch pictured. Could still happen with a thicker wrapper too though...

 

[vortex]

Should I be the devil's advocate?

Nah, had you though!

Patience is a vital part of cigar smoking. Delaying gratification, too. That's why we like cigar porn. It's like we're happy just wishing we could, maybe, one day, smoke this cigar!




May your cigars smoke well and rarely blow up on you


P.S. Where did you get the Cupido? I smoked a couple soon after I started smoking cigars a year ago and haven't seen or heard about them since.