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Problem I have been having with my cigars...

Lumberg

Lumberg

Opus Lover
Joined
Oct 25, 2003
Messages
3,708
Location
Maryland
First of all I would like to state that I keep my cigars at a pretty strict 70% RH or slightly lower using 50/50 PG. I have some slimmax on the way.

Anyways I have noticed that on some (not all) of the cigars I smoke, when I get down to around the band, they just don't want to stay lit. I may relight 2-3 times in the space of an inch then I just give up.

I often dissect my cigars to do an autopsy, and I am often surprised at how wet the filler is when I do this. Really quite damp.

My hypothesis is that the moisture from the tobacco that is right next to the cherry is evaporating, getting drawn through the cigar, and then condensing on the colder filler near the rear. This process continues until the leaf near the back is so damp that the cigar becomes unsmokeable.

Funny thing is it happens only some of the time. At first I thought maybe it was only cigars with a tight draw, because the smoke is moving slower, but it never happened with the WOAM I smoked, and Hemingways are notoriously tight draws (which works quite well I might add).

Anyways soon I will be doing an experiment by storing any doubles I have at both 65 and 70 and smoking both but I was just wondering if this ever happens to you guys.

Cheers

JC
 
maybe your saliva is on them?
like you drool too much?
basically what i'm saying..
is that you're a dog. :D
just kiddin.

it has never happened to me... yet.
 
Generally, when I get down to the last few inches, I usually blow out of the cigar for every 3 or 4 puffs I take. Tends to keep the fire lit as well as push out any unnecessary smoke build up that can lead to extra condensation. Just something I do. Works for me.
 
vewyphishy said:
Generally, when I get down to the last few inches, I usually blow out of the cigar for every 3 or 4 puffs I take. Tends to keep the fire lit as well as push out any unnecessary smoke build up that can lead to extra condensation. Just something I do. Works for me.
Click to expand...
Hmmm.

I would think that your breath would be more moist than the cigar smoke, causing even more condensation.

I do blow outh through the cigar more often as it gets shorter, especially if I relight it, but never to avoid the wetness. If it works for you it's worth a try.
 
Lumberg said:
First of all I would like to state that I keep my cigars at a pretty strict 70% RH or slightly lower using 50/50 PG. I have some slimmax on the way.

Anyways I have noticed that on some (not all) of the cigars I smoke, when I get down to around the band, they just don't want to stay lit. I may relight 2-3 times in the space of an inch then I just give up.

I often dissect my cigars to do an autopsy, and I am often surprised at how wet the filler is when I do this. Really quite damp.

My hypothesis is that the moisture from the tobacco that is right next to the cherry is evaporating, getting drawn through the cigar, and then condensing on the colder filler near the rear. This process continues until the leaf near the back is so damp that the cigar becomes unsmokeable.

Funny thing is it happens only some of the time. At first I thought maybe it was only cigars with a tight draw, because the smoke is moving slower, but it never happened with the WOAM I smoked, and Hemingways are notoriously tight draws (which works quite well I might add).

Anyways soon I will be doing an experiment by storing any doubles I have at both 65 and 70 and smoking both but I was just wondering if this ever happens to you guys.

Cheers

JC
Click to expand...
Lumberg,

What you are experiencing is common, at least it used to happen to me quite a bit, even on high quality cigars like Padron Anni's. Your technical analyses is also correct, at least from an engineer's viewpoint.

What I do to combat this is roll the cigar between my fingers as the burn gets closer to the band. This has the effect of opening up the pore space in the filler, which then allows the air to circulate more freely, thus allowing the evaporation to conitnue, and hence preserves the burn.

One has to be careful doing this so that the wrapper doesn't break apart, but even if it does break only a little bit, then that's still okay.

I find this happens more on my box pressed cigars, probably due to the tightness from the pressing. I also notice this on my torpedos, so sometimes I will cut a little higher, so that there is more surface area to draw from.

I do not like relighting, because as you know, it starts off with a real hot smoke.

Regards,

FA
 
Depending on what you are smoking, it could be the collection of nicotine in the end of the cigar, especially if you are smoking too fast or too hot. Also, the 70% rH is the proper humidity for storing a cigar, not always the proper humidity for smoking it. Don't smoke the cigar straight from the humidor. If you have time, let it sit out for a bit to dry out.
 
Matt R said:
Also, the 70% rH is the proper humidity for storing a cigar, not always the proper humidity for smoking it.
Click to expand...
You know I never thought of that but it makes perfect sense.
 
Four Aces said:
Lumberg said:
First of all I would like to state that I keep my cigars at a pretty strict 70% RH or slightly lower using 50/50 PG.  I have some slimmax on the way.

Anyways I have noticed that on some (not all) of the cigars I smoke, when I get down to around the band, they just don't want to stay lit.  I may relight 2-3 times in the space of an inch then I just give up.

I often dissect my cigars to do an autopsy, and I am often surprised at how wet the filler is when I do this.  Really quite damp.

My hypothesis is that the moisture from the tobacco that is right next to the cherry is evaporating, getting drawn through the cigar, and then condensing on the colder filler near the rear.  This process continues until the leaf near the back is so damp that the cigar becomes unsmokeable.

Funny thing is it happens only some of the time.  At first I thought maybe it was only cigars with a tight draw, because the smoke is moving slower, but it never happened with the WOAM I smoked, and Hemingways are notoriously tight draws (which works quite well I might add).

Anyways soon I will be doing an experiment by storing any doubles I have at both 65 and 70 and smoking both but I was just wondering if this ever happens to you guys.

Cheers

JC
Click to expand...
Lumberg,

What you are experiencing is common, at least it used to happen to me quite a bit, even on high quality cigars like Padron Anni's. Your technical analyses is also correct, at least from an engineer's viewpoint.

What I do to combat this is roll the cigar between my fingers as the burn gets closer to the band. This has the effect of opening up the pore space in the filler, which then allows the air to circulate more freely, thus allowing the evaporation to conitnue, and hence preserves the burn.

One has to be careful doing this so that the wrapper doesn't break apart, but even if it does break only a little bit, then that's still okay.

I find this happens more on my box pressed cigars, probably due to the tightness from the pressing. I also notice this on my torpedos, so sometimes I will cut a little higher, so that there is more surface area to draw from.

I do not like relighting, because as you know, it starts off with a real hot smoke.

Regards,

FA
Click to expand...
FA:

I just had the problem again and I tried the rolling technique.

Basically the wrapper started to flake off and I had to abort.

Luckily this cigar is pretty forgiving and I haev been able to resucitate it without re-lightingso so I got lucky this time.

Also it' sa pretty cheap cigar (Drew Estate La Vieja Habana) so that might explain it.

ANyways just thought I'd let you know.
 
Lumberg,

I too had the problem yesterday with my Onyx Reserve torrobusto. I did the roll which saved the burn, but later it went out anyway, and I had to re-light. :(

I did the roll thing again before re-lighting and had no further problems.

Yes, I know what you mean about the wrappers. Some cigars are more forgiving than others. My rolling technique is just a slight pinching as I roll the cigar between my forefinger and thumb. Usually in the area of where we were talking about earlier, just up from the band. I have usually noticed that in that area it has thickened up somewhat, due to the moisture concentration I conjecture. Do you feel the same type of density increase/thickening in that area also?

Regards,

FA
 
MattR,

That Santa's helper on your signature...gosh I hope I have a dream about her soon! :D
 
Four Aces said:
Lumberg,

I too had the problem yesterday with my Onyx Reserve torrobusto. I did the roll which saved the burn, but later it went out anyway, and I had to re-light. :(

I did the roll thing again before re-lighting and had no further problems.

Yes, I know what you mean about the wrappers. Some cigars are more forgiving than others. My rolling technique is just a slight pinching as I roll the cigar between my forefinger and thumb. Usually in the area of where we were talking about earlier, just up from the band. I have usually noticed that in that area it has thickened up somewhat, due to the moisture concentration I conjecture. Do you feel the same type of density increase/thickening in that area also?

Regards,

FA
Click to expand...
No I didn't feel a thickening. I think when you feel a spot that is firmer then the rest of the cigar that is a rolling imperfection that when really bad causes a plugged cigar. I don't think that in the course of smoking a cigar that the filler or binder actually absorbs enough moisture to swell.

The cigar I was smoking was a Crew Estate La Vieja Habana Cedar Chateau #3. IT's a relatively inexpensive cigar so that explaisn the loose wrapper.

Like I said I will continue to learn more about this problem and probably try it again when it happens again.

It is also likely I will start storing my cigars at 65% which would most likely eliminate the problem as well.
 
Great tips guys....and I thought it was me...


Isn't CP great!!!!


Don't forget Sunday Football!!!!!

No there's Santa's helper I've been looing for....
 
I had the problem again today with my Padron '64 nat. This was definitely due to the roll not being tight enough when it was manufactured. You could look right down the center of the cigar. Very unusual for one of these, as I find the quality to consistently be very high.

Regards,

4A
 
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