Is it odd?

[Mugen910]

Originally Posted by icehog3

I don't know "why" either, but I have had the same experience that Bao did.

you're suppose to have the "omniscient point-of-view", Tom!

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by Mugen910

you're suppose to have the "omniscient point-of-view", Tom!

Nah, I have as much to learn as anybody and more to learn than some.

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by Mugen910

nope that's why I am asking.

Originally Posted by wayner123

Do you have an idea on why that may be?

Originally Posted by icehog3

I don't know "why" either, but I have had the same experience that Bao did.

Well the popular belief is that if you have a "plugged" cigar you keep it in a dry box to help with any "plugs". But in this thread I looked at the issue of a wetter cigar might be able to produce less "plugs".

Whether your single experiment proves that point, I doubt it. But it does lend to the notion of a higher RH is not a bad thing like many have said before.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by wayner123

Well the popular belief is that if you have a "plugged" cigar you keep it in a dry box to help with any "plugs". But in this thread I looked at the issue of a wetter cigar might be able to produce less "plugs".

Whether your single experiment proves that point, I doubt it. But it does lend to the notion of a higher RH is not a bad thing like many have said before.

I am missing the correlation here, Wayne.

I never dryboxed the cigars I speak of, just cut them and found them to seem to have a very tight draw. Put them back in the humi at the same RH they had been stored previously, and let them sit a few months. So the RH was never higher, or lower, always the same. How does that "lend to the notion of a higher RH is not a bad thing"? It seems to me to be irrelevant in this situation.

[Mugen910]

Originally Posted by icehog3

I am missing the correlation here, Wayne.

I never dryboxed the cigars I speak of, just cut them and found them to seem to have a very tight draw. Put them back in the humi at the same RH they had been stored previously, and let them sit a few months. So the RH was never higher, or lower, always the same. How does that "lend to the notion of a higher RH is not a bad thing"? It seems to me to be irrelevant in this situation.

I'm too lazy to have something separate from my vino. I mean I even throw my humis in there so I know where everything is. I've never dryboxed cigars but why is it that cutting off the end and letting it sit sends the cigar pixies in and fixed the plugs?

[GKitty]

Originally Posted by Mugen910

I've never dryboxed cigars but why is it that cutting off the end and letting it sit sends the cigar pixies in and fixed the plugs?

There are pixies in my cigars?!? Does freezing get rid of them like it does beetles? Is plume really cigar-pixie dust? OMG PIXIES IN MY HUMI!!!!



On a serious note, I think that letting a cigar rest after being cut allows an ever so slight loosening of the wrapper which improves the draw. When talking about airflow, even the smallest change can make a vast improvement.

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by icehog3

I am missing the correlation here, Wayne.

I never dryboxed the cigars I speak of, just cut them and found them to seem to have a very tight draw. Put them back in the humi at the same RH they had been stored previously, and let them sit a few months. So the RH was never higher, or lower, always the same. How does that "lend to the notion of a higher RH is not a bad thing"? It seems to me to be irrelevant in this situation.

Because more of the cigar is affected by the RH. The cap, while not airtight, does provide some insulation to the cigar's filler. So by allowing more humidity into the cigar it swells and thus "unplugs" the cigar.

*disclaimer - I am not saying this is fact or some magical effect. I am just stating what happens and what the outcome might be.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by wayner123

Because more of the cigar is affected by the RH. The cap, while not airtight, does provide some insulation to the cigar's filler. So by allowing more humidity into the cigar it swells and thus "unplugs" the cigar.

So you are saying that my cigars, humidifed at 62%, actually reach a higher RH than 62% in the same environment when the cap is cut? Or that perhaps my cigars are not reaching that 62% when the caps are on in a 62% enviroment?

I am not sure I would agree with that, but like you, I am no scientist.

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by icehog3

So you are saying that my cigars, humidifed at 62%, actually reach a higher RH than 62% in the same environment when the cap is cut? Or that perhaps my cigars are not reaching that 62% when the caps are on in a 62% enviroment?

I am not sure I would agree with that, but like you, I am no scientist.

The latter.

In that thread we looked at wetting cigars and how much of the water reached the filler due to absorbtion. The conclusion was it didn't reach the filler at all, or was so small it couldn't be quantified. So based on that info, you "could" say that the filler of a cigar is not at 62%, but through experience you have come to like the way your cigars smoke at 62%. Have you tried bumping your cigars up to say 70% for a few months and see if you like them? Or have less plug issues? It might be a worthwhile experiment.

So my understanding is that by allowing the humidity to come into more contact with the filler, you are raising the inside of the cigar's RH.

[md4958]

Originally Posted by wayner123

Because more of the cigar is affected by the RH. The cap, while not airtight, does provide some insulation to the cigar's filler. So by allowing more humidity into the cigar it swells and thus "unplugs" the cigar.

*disclaimer - I am not saying this is fact or some magical effect. I am just stating what happens and what the outcome might be.

So if I understand your theory correctly, the swelling will help with a tight draw???



This kinda contradicts the common practice of letting wet cigars dry out to improve the draw.

Im no scientist, but the latter makes more sense to me.

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by md4958

So if I understand your theory correctly, the swelling will help with a tight draw???



This kinda contradicts the common practice of letting wet cigars dry out to improve the draw.

Im no scientist, but the latter makes more sense to me.

And exactly why the discussion and question was posed. icehog3 and Bao have used a non dry box method and it worked for them.

Originally Posted by md4958

So if I understand your theory correctly, the swelling will help with a tight draw???



This kinda contradicts the common practice of letting wet cigars dry out to improve the draw.

Im no scientist, but the latter makes more sense to me.

When you say wet, do you mean wet or just kept in high humidity. Because , if it were actually wet, the draw would be restricted because of the actual filler sticking together. No?